US 12,123,401 B2
Wind turbine lightning protection system
Nathan A. Brilliant, Arvada, CO (US); Lasse Lykkegaard, Herning (DK); and Angela Thwaites, Cowes (GB)
Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N. (DK)
Appl. No. 18/006,915
Filed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N (DK)
PCT Filed Jul. 26, 2021, PCT No. PCT/DK2021/050248
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 26, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/022790, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 3, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/056,778, filed on Jul. 27, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. PA 202070523 (DK), filed on Aug. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0272780 A1, Aug. 31, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F03D 80/30 (2016.01); F03D 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 80/30 (2016.05) [F03D 1/0675 (2013.01); F03D 1/0684 (2023.08)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wind turbine blade comprising:
a root end and a tip end, a spanwise dimension extending between the root and tip ends, and an inboard portion extending up to 50% of the spanwise dimension from the root end towards a midpoint between the root and tip ends;
at least one electrically conductive component disposed in the inboard portion;
at least two shear webs, each shear web of the at least two shear webs having a pair of discrete spar caps; and
a lightning protection system comprising:
a down conductor cable portion disposed inside the inboard portion of the blade; and
a supporting component,
wherein the down conductor cable portion is secured in free space by the supporting component in a position near or on a camber line of a blade aerofoil section of the wind turbine blade and spaced away from the at least one electrically conductive component, and
wherein the down conductor cable portion is secured in the free space between the at least two shear webs by the supporting component and spaced away from the at least two shear webs.