THE EFFECT OF WEAK ELECTRIC FIELDS ON THE ELECTROPHYSICAL BEHAVIOR OF WIRE‑SOLDERED NETWORKS IN COMPOSITE WIND‑TIP PROTECTION SYSTEMS

Abstract

The article presents the results of a comprehensive study of electrophysical processes in wire-knitted and soldered copper meshes integrated into wind blade lightning protection systems made of polymer composite materials, exposed to weak electric fields (0.5–50 kV/m, constant and low-frequency). It is shown that in pre-storm conditions (E < 20 kV/m), the mesh structure functions as a distributed capacitive-inductive circuit, causing the formation of zones of local field concentration at the intersections of wire loops. It is observed that at fields of 15–25 kV/m, stable corona emission develops, contributing to a 35–60% reduction in the effective field strength on the surface of the composite substrate. It is demonstrated that the low-melting soldered coating (POS-61) acts not only as an anti-corrosion barrier but also as an active dissipative element: the flow of weak pre-discharge currents (1–50 μA) initiates localized Joule heating of the solder, which lowers the streamer emission threshold. A physical model of the mesh’s shielding effect during the pre-storm phase is formulated, based on the dynamics of space charge redistribution in the near-surface air layer.