Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Lightning current transfer unit for a wind turbine
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Application No.: US14406380Application Date: 2013-06-06
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Publication No.: US09709039B2Publication Date: 2017-07-18
- Inventor: Claus Gron Lyngby , Kent Bach Lønbæk , Anders Niels Hansen
- Applicant: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
- Applicant Address: DK Aarhus N.
- Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
- Current Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
- Current Assignee Address: DK Aarhus N.
- Agency: Wood Herron & Evans LLP
- Priority: DK201270374 20120628
- International Application: PCT/DK2013/050176 WO 20130606
- International Announcement: WO2013/182202 WO 20131212
- Main IPC: F03D11/00
- IPC: F03D11/00 ; F03D80/30

Abstract:
A lightning current transfer unit (100) for a wind turbine, the lightning current transfer unit (100) comprising a first portion (20a) configured to be electrically coupled to an electrically conducting portion of a blade of a wind turbine electrically connected to a down conductor of the blade and a second portion (20b) configured to be electrically coupled to an electrically conducting portion of a nacelle of the wind turbine connected to a down conductor connected to earth. The first portion (20a) and the second portion (20b) are both independently movable to maintain electrical coupling to the electrically conducting portion of the blade and nacelle respectively. A lightning current transfer portion (104) is provided that comprises a spark gap (106) formed between an electrical connection (108) to the first portion (20a) and an electrical connection (110) to the second portion (20b). The electrical connections (108, 110) are moveable with their respective first or second portion (20a, 20b). The spark gap (106) has a spark gap distance (111) and the lightning current transfer portion (104) is configured such that the distance is substantially constant during movement of the first portion (20a), second portion (20b) and electrical connections and such that lightning current is transferred from the first portion (20a) to the second portion (20b).
Public/Granted literature
- US20150132133A1 LIGHTNING TRANSFER UNIT FOR A WIND TURBINE Public/Granted day:2015-05-14
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