Erosion resistant effects of protective films for wind turbine blades

Abstract

Over the course of many years of use, impingement wear from dust, sand, and other materials can damage wind turbine blades, necessitating repairs and other maintenance work. Recently, wind turbine operators are turning to protective films, which allow such work to be completed more efficiently, as an alternative to the conventional approach of using paint to repair wind turbine blades. However, the erosion resistance characteristics of repaired blades remain unclear. In this study, we create paint- and protective film-coated samples to reproduce repairs, measure their erosion resistance, and study underlying factors in an effort to verify the erosion resistance of repaired materials and associated mechanisms. The low erosion resistance of GFRP can be significantly improved by applying a protective film made of a ductile material. Such material effectively protects the surface of the GFRP. Moreover, the erosion resistance of protective films made from polyurethane material is superior to that of paint. We recommend use of protective film with wind turbine blades when manufacturing blades and regular maintenance.