Simulation study on lightning strike resistance performance of electric heating film for anti-ice andde-ice of wind turbine blades

doi:10.19936/j.cnki.2096-8000.20260728.012

Abstract

Abstract: Wind turbine blades are highly susceptible to icing when operating in low-temperature and high-humidity environments, which severely degrades their aerodynamic performance and significantly reduces power generation efficiency. Electric heating films have emerged as a key technology for wind turbine blade anti-icing/de-icing due to their advantages such as efficient ice melting, lightweight nature, and long lifespan. However, as a distributed conductive structure integrated onto the blade surface, electric heating films are more vulnerable to lightning strikes during thunderstorms. The transient high current and voltage can induce significant electrothermal coupling damage, making insufficient lightning resistance a critical factor affecting the reliability of wind turbine systems. Addressing the lightning resistance performance of wind turbine blade electric heating films, this paper employs the finite element analysis method to establish a detailed electrothermal coupling model. Based on this model, the electrothermal response characteristics of the electric heating film under different lightning currentwaveforms are simulated, and the influence of multi-layer protection structures on lightning resistance performance is comparatively analyzed. Research indicates that adopting a composite structure combining a high-density lightning protection copper mesh (195 g/m²) with a resin reinforcement layer can significantly reduce electric field concentration and temperature gradients within the electric heating film during a lightning strike, thereby enhancing its ability to resist transient high voltage breakdown and thermal damage. This study provides an important theoretical basis and a technical reference for the structural optimization of anti-icing/de-icing electric heating films for wind turbine blades.

Key words: electric heating film, lightning protection performance, finite element analysis, wind turbine blade, multi-layer protection

CLC Number:

TB332

LU Jiaqi, JIANG Hui, CHEN Chao, TANG Shaochun. Simulation study on lightning strike resistance performance of electric heating film for anti-ice andde-ice of wind turbine blades[J]. COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, 2026, 0(7): 100-107.

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