Simulation of background electric potential and evaluation of grounding methods for wind turbine blades under lightning strike conditions

Abstract Establishing a physical model for the development of downward leaders when wind turbine blades are struck by lightning and studying the background potential of lightning strikes on wind turbine blades. Simulation results indicate that as the blade angle and the radius of the lightning arrester increase, the blade’s ability to attract lightning decreases. Due to the shielding effect between dual wind turbines, the lightning attraction capability of blades in a dual-turbine system is weaker than that of a single turbine. The study also investigates the role of grounding resistance in lightning protection grounding design.