US 12,270,372 B2
Modular wind turbine blade with lightning protection system
Julian Anaya Calvo, Valladolid (ES); Nathan A. Brilliant, Arvada, CO (US); Toby Collard, Cowes (GB); and Lasse Lykkegaard, Herning (DK)
Assigned to VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S, Aarhus N (DK)
Appl. No. 18/720,055
Filed by VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S, Aarhus N (DK)
PCT Filed Dec. 13, 2022, PCT No. PCT/DK2022/050278
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 14, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/110043, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 22, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/289,325, filed on Dec. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. PA202270013 (DK), filed on Jan. 11, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2025/0059946 A1, Feb. 20, 2025
Int. Cl. F03D 1/06 (2006.01); F03D 80/30 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 1/0681 (2023.08) [F03D 80/30 (2016.05); F05B 2240/32 (2013.01); F05B 2240/85 (2020.08)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wind turbine blade extending longitudinally in a spanwise direction between a root end and a tip end, and extending in a chordwise direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge, the wind turbine blade comprising:
a first blade module having a first spar cap portion extending in the spanwise direction of the wind turbine blade, the first spar cap portion comprising electrically conductive fibres;
a second blade module having a second spar cap portion extending in the spanwise direction of the wind turbine blade, the second spar cap portion comprising electrically conductive fibres;
the first spar cap portion and the second spar cap portion each having an outer surface facing towards an exterior of the blade, an inner surface facing towards an interior of the blade, a first side surface facing towards the leading edge of the blade, and a second side surface facing towards the trailing edge of the blade;
the first blade module and the second blade module being configured for connection end-to-end via their respective spar cap portions at a connection joint;
wherein an electromagnetic shield is positioned on and in electrically conductive contact with at least one surface of the first spar cap portion and at least one surface of the second spar cap portion, the electromagnetic shield extending across the connection joint in the spanwise direction.