Test and Analysis of Lightning Sensor Based on Lightning Magnetic Field Using a Scale Model

A series of tests were performed on the lightning sensor based on lightning magnetic field using a scale model with the ratio of 1:10 to the actual wind turbine tower, including waveform test, path test and adjacent lightning test. The results and the analysis show that the lightning sensor can accurately measure the peak value of the lightning current (10/350 μs, 8/20 μs and 2 ms rectangular) with an accuracy of 3%. The current peak value measured by the lightning sensor with the impulse current via the tower wall of the scale model is about 95% of the one measured by the lightning sensor with the same impulse current via the center conductor. At a distance of 2 m from the adjacent lightning discharge (the actual distance is 20 m, according to the model ratio of 1: 10), the lightning sensor is subject to a maximum interference level of 11%.