Abstract
The impingement of rain drops on wind turbine blades determines leading edge erosion (LEE) which is a factor driving high maintenance costs. In order to better quantify rain-induced LEE, we carried out detailed rainfall measurements, by means of disdrometers, in conjunction with wind speed measurements. Measurements were performed at three different Dutch sites, encompassing an offshore, a coastal and an onshore location. Based on rainfall and wind speed measurements, and assuming a virtual 15 MW wind turbine, we estimated the blade’s LEE using a fatigue-based model. Developed by means of different published rotating arm erosion data, our fatigue model relates the measured rainfall characteristics to the LEE incubation period, here assumed as the leading edge protection (LEP) system’s end of life. Assuming a polyurethane LEP system, results indicate that the blades’ incubation period is around 3.9 years at the offshore location, 6.6 years at the coastal location and 8.3 years at the onshore location. These results are connected to the higher wind speeds during rainfalls, and higher occurrences of very intense rainy events which, according to the measurements, progressively occur at the onshore, coastal and offshore locations.
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