Study on lightning strike prediction for wind turbines constructed in winter lightning area using LLS

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K04111
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 21010:Power engineering-related
• Research Institution: Chubu University
• Principal Investigator: Yamamoto Kazuo 中部大学, 工学部, 教授 (50332052)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 風車 / 雷 / LLS / 落雷予測

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we collected lightning strike data on wind turbines in the winter lightning region and investigated the relationship with the data of the lightning strike positioning system LLS. As a result, it was clarified that in many cases, thunderclouds move from the Sea of Japan in the southwest, northwest, and west directions, causing lightning strikes on wind turbines. However, in some cases, thunderclouds developed rapidly around the wind turbine, causing lightning strikes on the wind turbine. In this way, most of lightning strikes on wind turbines can be predicted by grasping the movement of thunderstorms in advance, but it has become clear that it is not easy to predict all lightning strikes on wind turbines.

Free Research Field

電力工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

風車が運転中に被雷した場合，回転の遠心力により破損した構成部品が周囲に飛散してしまい，被害が拡大する事例が報告されている。このような飛散事故や被害拡大による長期間の運転停止を防ぐため，近隣で落雷が発生した際に風車を事前に停止させて二次災害を防ぐ対策を行う風力発電所も少なくない。本研究成果は，風車の稼働率を極力低下させず適切に落雷の危険がある場合を判断し風車を停止させるための有益な成果である。