Validation of a lightning protection system for a fusion-welded thermoplastic composite wind turbine blade tip

Murray, Robynne E.; Plumer, Andy; Beach, Ryan; Broome, Peter

doi:10.1177/0309524x211024642

Validation of a lightning protection system for a fusion-welded thermoplastic composite wind turbine blade tip

Journal Article · Sat Jun 19 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Wind Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/0309524x211024642· OSTI ID:1808850

^[1]; Plumer, Andy ^[2]; ^[1]; Broome, Peter ^[3]

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Lightning Technologies, an NTS Company, Calabasas, CA (United States)
LM Wind Power, Kolding (Denmark)

Fusion welding for thermoplastic composite wind turbine blades is being investigated as a replacement for adhesives in bond lines to reduce manufacturing time and cost and to promote ease of recyclability. Resistance welding uses an electrically conductive material, such as carbon fiber, embedded in the bond line to heat the joining surfaces and fuse them together under pressure. One main challenge with fusion joining for large wind blades is the ability to use this conductive heating element in the bond line while still protecting the blade from the catastrophic effects of a lightning strike. This paper outlines the design and manufacturing of a lightning protection system for a 5-m-long thermally welded blade tip. The outcomes of high voltage and high current lightning testing applied to the 5 m blade tip show that the proposed design was able to protect the fusion welded bond lines from significant lightning damage.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Wind Energy Technologies Office (EE-4W)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1808850

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5000-79117; MainId:33343; UUID:c4ecee53-9ca0-45d5-824b-80f068b30d5f; MainAdminID:25753

Journal Information:: Wind Engineering, Journal Name: Wind Engineering Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 46; ISSN 0309-524X

Publisher:: SAGECopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (21)

Scaling issues in resistance-welded thermoplastic composite joints McKnight, Steven H.; Holmes, Scott T.; Gillespie, John W. Advances in Polymer Technology, Vol. 16, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2329(199711)16:4<279::AID-ADV3>3.0.CO;2-S	journal	November 1997
Resistance welding of carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite using alternative heating element Hou, Meng; Yang, Mingbo; Beehag, Andrew Composite Structures, Vol. 47, Issue 1-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0263-8223(00)00047-7	journal	December 1999
Experimental investigation of the resistance welding for thermoplastic-matrix composites. Part I: heating element and heat transfer Ageorges, Christophe; Ye, Lin; Hou, Meng Composites Science and Technology, Vol. 60, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-3538(00)00005-1	journal	May 2000
Resistance welding of thermoplastic composites-an overview Stavrov, D.; Bersee, H. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Vol. 36, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-835X(04)00182-4	journal	January 2005
Induction welding of thermoplastic composites—an overview Ahmed, T. J.; Stavrov, D.; Bersee, H. E. N. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Vol. 37, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2005.10.009	journal	October 2006
Structural collapse of a wind turbine blade. Part A: Static test and equivalent single layered models Overgaard, L. C. T.; Lund, E.; Thomsen, O. T. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Vol. 41, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2009.10.011	journal	February 2010
Structural collapse of a wind turbine blade. Part B: Progressive interlaminar failure models Overgaard, L. C. T.; Lund, E. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Vol. 41, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2009.10.012	journal	February 2010
The heating of polymer composites by electromagnetic induction – A review Bayerl, Thomas; Duhovic, Miro; Mitschang, Peter Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Vol. 57 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2013.10.024	journal	February 2014
Investigations on the mechanical behavior of a wind rotor blade subcomponent Zarouchas, D. S.; Makris, A. A.; Sayer, F. Composites Part B: Engineering, Vol. 43, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2011.10.009	journal	March 2012
Elastic–plastic analysis and strength evaluation of adhesive joints in wind turbine blades Hua, Yi; Kasavajhala, Ananth Ram Mahanth; Gu, Linxia Composites Part B: Engineering, Vol. 44, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2012.02.001	journal	January 2013
Structural testing and numerical simulation of a 34m composite wind turbine blade Jensen, F. M.; Falzon, B. G.; Ankersen, J. Composite Structures, Vol. 76, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2006.06.008	journal	October 2006
Structural investigation of composite wind turbine blade considering structural collapse in full-scale static tests Yang, Jinshui; Peng, Chaoyi; Xiao, Jiayu Composite Structures, Vol. 97 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2012.10.055	journal	March 2013
Tunneling cracks in full scale wind turbine blade joints Jørgensen, Jeppe B.; Sørensen, Bent F.; Kildegaard, Casper Engineering Fracture Mechanics, Vol. 189 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2017.11.016	journal	February 2018
Recycling glass fiber thermoplastic composites from wind turbine blades Cousins, Dylan S.; Suzuki, Yasuhito; Murray, Robynne E. Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 209 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.286	journal	February 2019
Assessing progressive failure in long wind turbine blades under quasi-static and cyclic loads Zuo, Yangjie; Montesano, John; Singh, Chandra Veer Renewable Energy, Vol. 119 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2017.10.103	journal	April 2018
Techno-economic analysis of a megawatt-scale thermoplastic resin wind turbine blade Murray, Robynne E.; Jenne, Scott; Snowberg, David Renewable Energy, Vol. 131 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2018.07.032	journal	February 2019
Fusion joining of thermoplastic composite wind turbine blades: Lap-shear bond characterization Murray, Robynne E.; Roadman, Jason; Beach, Ryan Renewable Energy, Vol. 140 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.03.085	journal	September 2019
Progress and trends in nondestructive testing and evaluation for wind turbine composite blade Yang, Ruizhen; He, Yunze; Zhang, Hong Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 60 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.02.026	journal	July 2016
Damage mechanism of wind turbine blade under the impact of lightning induced arcs Zhang, Minhao; Li, Qingmin; Li, Hongbo Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Vol. 11, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5118717	journal	September 2019
Modeling and experimental investigation of induction welding of thermoplastic composites and comparison with other welding processes Gouin O'Shaughnessey, Patrice; Dubé, Martine; Fernandez Villegas, Irene Journal of Composite Materials, Vol. 50, Issue 21 https://doi.org/10.1177/0021998315614991	journal	July 2016
Unsustainable Wind Turbine Blade Disposal Practices in the United States: A Case for Policy Intervention and Technological Innovation Ramirez-Tejeda, Katerin; Turcotte, David A.; Pike, Sarah NEW SOLUTIONS: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy, Vol. 26, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1177/1048291116676098	journal	October 2016

Similar Records

Fusion joining of thermoplastic composite wind turbine blades: Lap-shear bond characterization

Journal Article · Sun Mar 17 20:00:00 EDT 2019 · Renewable Energy · OSTI ID:1503808

Manufacturing and Flexural Characterization of Infusion-Reacted Thermoplastic Wind Turbine Blade Subcomponents

Journal Article · Fri Jan 25 19:00:00 EST 2019 · Applied Composite Materials · OSTI ID:1494730

Structural validation of a thermoplastic composite wind turbine blade with comparison to a thermoset composite blade

Journal Article · Tue Oct 13 20:00:00 EDT 2020 · Renewable Energy · OSTI ID:1726023

Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
composite
lightning strike
resistance welding
thermoplastic resin
wind energy

Validation of a lightning protection system for a fusion-welded thermoplastic composite wind turbine blade tip

Citation Formats

References (21)

Similar Records

Related Subjects