Leading edge erosion detection for a wind turbine blade using far-field aerodynamic noise

In this paper, the feasibility of using far-field acoustic measurements as a non-contact monitoring technique for wind turbine blade leading edge erosion is assessed. For this purpose, a DU96 W180 airfoil with several eroded leading edge configurations of different severities is experimentally investigated. The eroded leading edges are designed...

Leading Edge Erosion. Effect of droplet impact frequencies and dry intervals on incubation times of polyurethane coatings

Rain erosion of leading edges in wind turbines caused by high-velocity droplet impacts is one of the current problems in wind energy that affects their energy production and maintenance costs. The most widespread solution for this problem is the application of viscoelastic coatings (generally, polyurethane) along the leading edge of the wind...

Data-driven leading edge erosion detection for wind turbine blades using SCADA data

Wind turbines are operating in harsh environmental conditions, especially offshore. An implication of these conditions, caused by the impact of precipitation, is the development of leading edge erosion (LEE). This leads to degraded blade surfaces that result in lower aerodynamic performance. Leading edge erosion is researched in many ways but...

Minimum leading edge protection application length to combat rain-induced erosion of wind turbine blades

Leading edge erosion (LEE) repairs of wind turbine blades (WTBs) involve infield application of leading edge protection (LEP) solutions. The industry is currently aiming to use factory based LEP coatings that can applied to the WTBs before they are shipped out for installation. However, one of the main challenges related to these solutions is...

A probabilistic rainfall model to estimate the leading-edge lifetime of wind turbine blade coating system

Rain-induced leading-edge erosion of wind turbine blades is associated with high repair and maintenance costs. For efficient operation and maintenance, erosion models are required that provide estimates of blade coating lifetime at a real scale. In this study, a statistical rainfall model is established that describes probabilistic...

Effects of onshore and offshore environmental parameters on the leading edge erosion of wind turbine blades: A comparative study

The presence of rain-induced leading edge erosion of wind turbine blades (WTBs) necessitates the development of erosion models. One of the essential parameters for erosion modeling is the relative impact velocity between rain droplets and the rotating blade. Based on this parameter, the erosion damage rate of a WTB is calculated to estimate...

A probabilistic long-term framework for site-specific erosion analysis of wind turbine blades: A case study of 31 Dutch sites

Rain-induced leading-edge erosion (LEE) of wind turbine blades (WTBs) is associated with high repair and maintenance costs. The effects of LEE can be triggered in less than 1 to 2 years for some wind turbine sites, whereas it may take several years for others. In addition, the growth of erosion may also differ for different blades and...

Numerical investigation of rain droplet impact on offshore wind turbine blades under different rainfall conditions: A parametric study

The leading edge of a fiber composite wind turbine blade (WTB) is prone to erosion damages due to repeated rain droplet impact during its service life. Such damages are critical to the blade's aerodynamic as well as structural performance, ultimately resulting in substantial repair costs. An effective design of a coating material for WTB is...