Protection for wind turbines
January 2018
Electrical Power & Protection
Wind energy is a clean and renewable form of energy, which is also drought-resistant and almost emission-free. However, as South Africa’s renewable energy industry continues to explore wind energy as a potential resource, considerations around possible lightning strikes need to be factored in. Across the globe, whether on- or offshore, DEHN protects wind turbines against disturbances resulting from lightning currents and surges, and provides components and solutions relating to safety equipment.
The cost of constructing and operating wind power plants must be amortised within the timeframe of an average 20 years of operation. Constant monitoring and foresighted maintenance are essential. DEHNdetect, available from lightning and surge protection expert, DEHN Africa, is designed to measure lightning currents and detects not only impulse currents but also the dangerous long stroke currents.
Damage resulting from a lightning strike does not necessarily lead to the immediate failure of the turbine, and so lightning events often remain undetected. Especially in the case of upward flashes, the initial long stroke current flowing is only a few hundred amps, and this can be the main cause of melting, for example on the receptors of rotor blades. The resulting subsequent damage can be severe.
DEHN detect allows the operator to assess the situation and ask the following important questions: “Was the lightning strike harmless or does the turbine need to be switched off and inspected in order to rule out damage to the rotor blades or other components?” As well as the total current in the system, DEHNdetect registers individual partial currents in the rotor blades. The provision and management of data is simple and convenient via web applications in the cloud. DEHNdetect allows for the monitoring of several plants or even entire wind parks. DEHNdetect can be installed directly by the wind turbine manufacturer or retro-fitted in existing plants. Installation is quick and easy and can be adjusted to the specifications of the individual turbine.
For more information contact Kirk Risch, DEHN Africa, +27 (0)11 704 1487, [email protected], www.dehn-africa.com
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