Numerical study on explosion characteristics of wind turbine blade under lightning induced arc

For enhancing the lightning protection abilities of wind turbine blades, there is the need to study the mechanical explosion characteristics when the blades suffer from lightning induced arc intrusion. In this paper, a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of lightning induced arc intrusion into the blade was developed, and the airflow and gas pressure distribution were calculated accordingly. The simulation results show that the huge pressure generated at the trailing edge of the blade should be the main cause of the trailing edge cracking. The research presented in this paper provides a theoretical basis for improving the structural design of the blade from the lightning protection perspective.