US 11,852,121 B2
Lightning protection for a direct drive wind turbine
Kenneth Traelle Hoerning, Herning (DK); Anders Erbo R. Jensen, Vejle (DK); and Henrik Abild Jensen, Viborg (DK)
Assigned to SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S, Brande (DK)
Filed by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S, Brande (DK)
Filed on Mar. 16, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/819,692.
Claims priority of application No. 19164682 (EP), filed on Mar. 22, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0300228 A1, Sep. 24, 2020
Int. Cl. F03D 80/30 (2016.01); H02G 13/00 (2006.01); F03D 15/20 (2016.01); F03D 9/25 (2016.01); F03D 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 80/30 (2016.05) [F03D 15/20 (2016.05); H02G 13/00 (2013.01); F03D 1/0675 (2013.01); F03D 9/25 (2016.05); F05B 2240/14 (2013.01); F05B 2240/21 (2013.01); F05B 2240/30 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lightning protection arrangement for a direct drive wind turbine, the wind turbine including: a hub, at least one blade fixed to the hub, a nacelle on which the hub is rotatably mounted for rotating about a rotational axis, the nacelle including an electrical generator connected to the hub in order to receive rotational energy from the hub, the electrical generator longitudinally extending between a hub interface rigidly connected to the hub and a longitudinally opposite brake disk, a tower on which the nacelle is mounted, and a hollow fixed shaft for supporting the hub and the electrical generator, and a bedframe rigidly attached to the hollow fixed shaft, wherein an annular space is arranged between the hollow fixed shaft and the rotor house, the lightning protection arrangement comprising:
a plurality of protection conductors extending between the at least one blade and the tower, the plurality of protection conductors including at least:
a first protection conductor mounted on an external surface of the electrical generator, the first protection conductor extending between the hub interface and the brake disk;
a second protection conductor mounted on an external surface of the hub and electrically connected to the first protection conductor; and
a third protection conductor mounted on the hollow fixed shaft and electrically connected to the first protection conductor;
a fourth protection conductor mounted on the at least one blade and electrically connected to the second protection conductor; and
a fifth protection conductor mounted on the bedframe and electrically connected to the third protection conductor;
wherein the fourth protection conductor, the second protection conductor, the first protection conductor, the third protection conductor, and the fifth protection conductor are arranged in series such that an electrical path of the lightning protection arrangement goes from the fourth protection conductor mounted on the blade to the second protection conductor mounted on the external surface of the hub to the first conductor mounted on the external surface of the electrical generator to the third protection conductor mounted on the hollow fixed shaft within the nacelle to the fifth protection conductor mounted on the bedframe.