Provided is a lightning suppression device for wind turbine blades that is provided at a tip of a wind turbine blade and suppresses lightning struck on the wind turbine blade, the device including: an electrical insulator attached to the tip of the wind turbine blade and formed of a non-conductive material; an internal electrode attached to the electrical insulator on a side opposite to the wind turbine blade; and an external electrode attached to the electrical insulator so as to surround the internal electrode with a predetermined gap therebetween, wherein the electrical insulator is fixed to the tip of the wind turbine blade by a fixing member, and a ground line is connected to the internal electrode.

A method for repairing or improving a lightning protection system of a rotor blade of a wind turbine having a blade root and a blade tip includes identifying a repair or improvement location in the lightning protection system of the rotor blade. The method includes removing one or more layers of material at the repair or improvement location that form part of a shell of the rotor blade so as to expose existing conductive material in the rotor blade. The method also includes placing a conductive layer of material atop the repair or improvement location such that a root-side edge of the conductive layer overlaps the existing conductive material. Moreover, the method includes electrically connecting the root-side edge of the conductive layer with the existing conductive material and a tip-side edge of the conductive layer of material with the blade tip. The method further includes covering the conductive layer with an outer covering.

Disclosed is a wind turbine blade comprising a first blade section and a second blade section connected to the first blade section. The wind turbine blade comprises a first down conductor for conducting lightning current to ground. The blade further comprises one or more lightning receptors at or in proximity of an external surface of the wind turbine blade. A smallest distance from a first lightning receptor of the one or more lightning receptors to an interface between the first blade section and the second blade section may be less than or equal to a chord length of a chord of the wind turbine blade at the interface between the first blade section and the second blade section.

A damage assessment arrangement for assessing the extent of damage to a lightning receptor electrically connected to a down conductor of a wind turbine rotor blade includes a measurement pulse module including a pulse generator arranged to transmit a pulse into one end of the down conductor and a return signal detector arranged to detect the return signal; a return signal analysis module configured to determine the extent of alteration of the return signal relative to an expected return signal; and a damage estimation module configured to relate the relative extent of alteration to a measure of damage to rotor blade LPS. The following further describes a wind turbine with such a damage assessment arrangement; and a method of assessing the extent of damage to a rotor blade LPS.

A blade for a wind turbine including heating means connected to power cables, a lightning protection system including a down conductor, and surge protection devices is provided. The heating means include a first radiant element and a second radiant element arranged adjacent to each other around a leading edge of the blade, the first radiant element being connected to the power supply cables through respective electrical connectors at the respective connection points, and the down conductor is connected to each power supply cable at the connection points through the respective surge protection device, the second radiant element being connected to the first radiant element so that the second radiant element is electrically supplied only through the first radiant element.

A lightning protection system for a wind turbine blade, includes: a receptor disposed in a tip portion of the wind turbine blade; a leading edge protection portion made of a metal and electrically connected to the receptor and disposed so as to cover a leading edge of the wind turbine blade; a down conductor connected to the receptor; at least one connecting conductor for electrically connecting the leading edge protection portion and the down conductor at a position between the receptor and a blade root in a blade spanwise direction of the wind turbine blade; and a first current sensor for measuring a current flowing through a blade tip-side portion which is a portion, of the down conductor, between a blade tip and a connection point with the at least one connecting conductor in the blade spanwise direction.

A blade for a wind turbine including heating means connected to power cables, a lightning protection system including a down conductor, and surge protection devices is provided. The heating means include a first radiant element and a second radiant element arranged adjacent to each other around a leading edge of the blade, the first radiant element being connected to the power supply cables through respective electrical connectors at the respective connection points, and the down conductor is connected to each power supply cable at the connection points through the respective surge protection device, the second radiant element being connected to the first radiant element so that the second radiant element is electrically supplied only through the first radiant element.

Provided is an arrangement for discharging current due to a lightning stroke at a tip add-on of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the arrangement including a conductor adapted to conduct the current due to the lightning stroke; an insulation arranged around the conductor, the insulation with the conductor being arrangeable within the tip add-on.

Provided is a lightning suppression device for wind turbine blades that is provided at a tip of a wind turbine blade and suppresses lightning struck on the wind turbine blade, the device including: an electrical insulator attached to the tip of the wind turbine blade and formed of a non-conductive material; an internal electrode attached to the electrical insulator on a side opposite to the wind turbine blade; and an external electrode attached to the electrical insulator so as to surround the internal electrode with a predetermined gap therebetween, wherein the electrical insulator is fixed to the tip of the wind turbine blade by a fixing member, and a ground line is connected to the internal electrode.

A conductive connection between a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) element and one or more down conductor(s), the CFRP element being electrically conductive and has a face. The conductive connection including an interface conductive patch provided on the face of CFRP element for electrically connecting the CFRP element with the interface conductive patch, the interface conductive patch is electrically connected with the one or more down conductor(s).