WIND-TURBINE ROTOR BLADE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A WIND-TURBINE ROTOR BLADE

Abstract

There is provided a wind turbine rotor blade having a rotor blade root and a rotor blade tip. The rotor blade has a lightning protection system with a lightning protection conductor which has a galvanic connection to the rotor blade root region. The lightning protection system has a region of the rotor blade surface, to which a heatable paint or a heatable coating is applied, wherein that region is galvanically coupled to the lightning protection conductor so that a lightning strike in the heatable paint can be suitably dissipated.

Claims

1. A wind turbine rotor blade, comprising: a rotor blade tip; a rotor blade root; and a lightning protection system, wherein the lightning protection system has a lightning protection conductor and a heatable coating of paint on a surface of the rotor blade, wherein the heatable coating is galvanically coupled to the lightning protection conductor, and wherein the heatable coating is based on an acrylate basis and includes carbon nanomaterials and graphite.

2. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one lightning receptor, wherein the heatable coating in a region of the lightning receptor, and wherein the heatable coating is galvanically coupled to the lightning protection conductor by the lightning receptor.

3. (canceled)

4. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of the paint is between 30 m and 2 mm.

5. A method of producing a wind turbine rotor blade, the method comprising: producing a shell of the wind turbine rotor blade from a fiber composite material; providing at least one lightning protection conductor on a surface of the shell of the wind turbine rotor blade; applying a heatable coating of paint on the surface of the shell of the wind turbine rotor blade; and galvanically coupling the heatable coating to the at least one lightning protection conductor, wherein the heatable coating is based on an acrylate basis and includes carbon nanomaterials and graphite.

6. A method comprising: using a heatable coating as part of a lightning protection system of a wind turbine rotor blade, wherein the heatable coating is applied as a paint to a surface of the wind turbine rotor blade and is galvanically coupled to a lightning protection conductor. wherein the heatable coating is based on an acrylate basis and includes carbon nanomaterials and graphite.

7. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of the paint is between 40 m and 1 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Advantages and embodiments by way of example of the invention are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the drawing.

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of a wind turbine, and

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of a wind turbine rotor blade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of a wind turbine. The wind turbine 100 has a tower 102 and a nacelle on the tower 102. Provided at the nacelle 104 is an aerodynamic rotor 106 having three rotor blades 200 and a spinner 110. The aerodynamic rotor 106 is caused to rotate in operation of the wind turbine by the wind and thus also rotates a rotor or rotor member of a generator which is directly or indirectly coupled to the aerodynamic rotor 106. The electric generator is arranged in the nacelle 104 and generates electrical energy. The pitch angles of the rotor blades 200 can be varied by pitch motors at the rotor blade roots 108b of the respective rotor blades 200.

[0021] The wind turbine also has a lightning protection system which ensures that lightning which strikes one of the three rotor blades 200 is suitably dissipated. For that purpose a lightning dissipation conductor is provided in the interior of the rotor blade and a further lightning dissipation conductor arrangement is provided in the interior of the wind turbine.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of a wind turbine rotor blade. FIG. 2 shows a rotor blade 200 with a rotor blade tip 210 and a rotor blade root 220. The rotor blade has a lightning protection system 300. The lightning protection system 300 has in particular a lightning protection conductor 310 for example in the interior of the rotor blade and optionally at least one lightning receptor 330. The rotor blade tip 210 can optionally have a further lightning receptor 320 which is galvanically coupled to the lightning protection conductor 310 by means of a lightning protection conductor arrangement 311. The lightning protection system 300 further has a heatable paint or enamel or a heatable coating 340 on the surface of the rotor blade. That heatable coating 340 is galvanically coupled to the lightning protection conductor 310 in order to be able to suitably dissipate a lightning strike.

[0023] According to an aspect of the present invention the heatable coating or the heatable paint 340 is provided in the region of the lightning receptor 330. Galvanic coupling of the heatable coating 340 to the lightning protection conductor 310 is then also effected by means of the lightning receptor.

[0024] The heatable coating or the heatable paint can be produced on an acrylate basis and can contain carbon nanomaterials and graphite.

[0025] An example of such a heatable paint is the heatable paint: Carbo e-Therm ACR-100 1W. The density of that paint is 1.08 g/cm.sup.3. The color can be anthracite. The solids content is 39-41% (plastic+polymer). The storage life is 6 months. The solvent basis is water. The minimum film-forming temperature is about 14 C. The pH-value is about 7-8. The viscosity (shearing rate 100 s.sup.1) is 700-800 mPas.

[0026] The product properties of the dried layer are as follows: temperature use range 18 C. to 100 C.; specific resistance: 1050-1100 m; layer resistance: R/square from 5.5 (with 200 m layer thickness); recommended minimum layer thickness: 40 m.

[0027] The thickness of the paint is between 30 m and 2 mm, preferably between 40 m and 1 mm.