Lightning Transients in Wind Turbines: A Comparative Study of Two Tower/Blade Models

To effectively mitigate the effects of lightning strikes on wind turbines (WTs), it is crucial to be able to precisely model lightning transients in wind farms. Towers and blades are important elements in WTs that have to be accurately modeled in lightning transient studies with high-frequency conditions. Two of the most commonly used models are the transmission line model with specific surge impedance and the segmented model with calculated RLC parameters for each segment. Simulations are executed on a WT with a rated apparent power of 2 MVA with 0.975 kV of rated voltage. Two different models for WT's tower and blades are used to study the WT's behavior during transient states of lightning strikes. A lightning wave with 10 kA of current magnitude is attached directly to the blade of the understudy WT. The numerical results reveal significant differences between the two tower/blade models in their ability to accurately simulate the lightning transients, highlighting the importance of selecting an appropriate model for lightning transient studies in wind turbines and as a result, deployment of efficient protective devices.