A NEW APPROACH TO LIGHTNING PROTECTION OF WIND TURBINE

Lightning strikes that directly hit the wind turbine will probably attach to the blade could cause excess structural damage. The blade and hub usually represent around one fourth of the cost of a large modern machine and may be the most expensive components to replace. The blade is not only the link betweenwind energy and the mechanical energy going to the gearbox, but could be a lightning link to all the equipment associated with the wind turbine.In this paper a model of lightning channel progression towards the earth is given based on physics of discharge of cloud. The physical assessment of the electric field is done with the charge simulation method which is adopted to describe into MATLAB software the parameters which are involved in the progression of the negative downward channels towards the earth and in the inception and propagation of upward positive channels from earthed structures. The method and results can be used for designing lightning protection system of wind turbine.