by admin | Oct 31, 2012 | Lightning News |
An interesting article from the Journal of Geophysical Research identifies one possible scenario for upward lightning strikes that provides some insights for wind turbine strikes. Recent observations by lightning researcher Tom Warner and his staff have found that a majority of upward lightning strikes from tall objects (wind turbines, for example) are triggered by a preceding lightning flash. Read the research paper here:...
by admin | Oct 2, 2012 | Lightning News |
New research from Germany is using an old technique developed in Russia. Back in the 1940’s, Russian scientists found that the dielectric strength of materials often changes during lightning impulses. One of the materials that has a higher dielectric strength when exposed to lightning is water. With this bit of knowledge, the German engineers are using water and lightning to recycle old cement. The old cement is placed under water and is then exposed to lightning like electrical impulses. The lightning prefers to travel through the cement (away from the water). The lightning energy penetrates the cement and forces it apart from the inside, breaking the cement into its basic elements. The engineers on the project can process around 1 ton of material per hour but hope to raise the throughput to 20 tons per hour within a couple years. Read more about the interesting project here:...
by admin | Sep 17, 2012 | Lightning News |
This new video is from the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. At about the 20 second mark lightning strikes the water and narrowly misses a couple of boats and the dock. Lightning doesn’t always strike the highest or most conductive object. There are many photos of lightning strikes near wind turbine farms where the bolts completely miss the turbines and their blades. In most cases, lightning will strike the highest object. Turbines are very vulnerable during a long storm as there can be hundreds of lightning strikes in a small area. The odds of lightning striking a turbine are high. It only makes sense to protect your turbine blades with WXGuard segmented lightning diverters. WXGuard enhances a blade’s lightning receptors by directing the lightning to the receptors and away from the GFRP structure. WXGuard diverters can be easily installed during blade manufacture or in the field. Call Greg Shine at 1-800-543-5151 or contact Greg via e-mail at [email protected] for more information on WXGuard segmented lightning...
by ahall | Jul 30, 2012 | Lightning News |
This video comes from Germany where a local resident happened to record lightning striking a wind turbine. Watch the turbine come to a quick stop after the...
by admin | Jul 24, 2012 | Lightning News |
Another news report from Germany from June 2012 of a lightning damaged rotor blade: Yesterday afternoon, a rotor blade of wind turbine broken Areva on the highway. In all probability, is wrapped in one of the two systems against lightning 15.45 clock. “It is quite certain that only such a storm can cause damage,” says Areva spokeswoman Heike Winkler. Police have cordoned off the staff and spacious area around the wind turbine. A security service maintains the fences around the clock in the eye. Shortly after the lightning strike, the employees have more than 50 meters long sheets are turned in, the crack is enlarged. If time permits, the hand control with a crane to break away from the gondola, yesterday was not yet known. “It depends on the crane capacity,” said Heike Winkler. When the wind still puffing stronger bent piece could fall off too. What is the total damage, can not be quantified yet. “This will not be known until next week,” announced Heike Winkler. The blade should be replaced in the coming weeks. The two wind turbines of the type M5000 Areva have been set up in the summer of 2008 on the highway. Approximately two and a half years later, the machines had to be dismantled houses in gear again because of an error. Read the news article at the following link: News Article...
by admin | Jul 23, 2012 | Lightning News |
New report from Germany on lightning damage to a wind turbine blade. Below is the translation of the news article: July 16, 2012 – One of the installations of wind energy parks in Wiepkenhagen (County-West Pomerania Rügen) was hit by lightning. Only two of the three rotor blades reach up into the sky, the third, however, is completely torn and bent. It is shattered by the lightning strike really been. Are widely scattered spinning off parts. The affected blade cannot be repaired any more. It must now be completely dismantled and replaced. The damage is in the thousands. Work has begun on Monday. The replacement of the rotor blade must be done with a crane. The hub height of wind turbine is 100 meters. Click the link to see the full news article. Damaged Blade News...
by admin | Apr 25, 2012 | Lightning News |
A recent lightning strike to a wind farm in Australia claimed at least one blade. As seen in the picture below, lightning struck the blade tip and split the blade open. Wind turbine blades need lightning protection to prevent these type of failures. WXGuard lightning diverters provide a simple solution to reduce blade...
by admin | Feb 20, 2012 | Lightning News |
A fire destroyed a wind turbine in Altona, NY in January. Although the experts have not concluded their post-fire inspection, residents near the turbine reported lightning strikes before the fire started. A photo of the turbine was also posted on-line (see below) which shows a turbine blade in flames while the nacelle appears to be fine. From the photographs, it is likely that a blade was struck and caught...
by admin | Jan 29, 2012 | Lightning News |
A Seneca, South Carolina home owner was surprised Saturday afternoon by a lightning strike which hit his home. Unfortunately, the lightning appears to have attached to the power meter next to his parked Toyota. The strike created an explosion underneath the car which flipped the car onto its roof. Unbelievable. See the full news story and the photos below....
by admin | Jan 27, 2012 | Lightning News |
Gamesa Technology Corp., Inc. and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will be studying the sensitivity of offshore wind turbines to lightning, as well as waves, temperatures, and ice formation. The project will start in January 2012 and will continue through 2013. See the full news article here:...
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