Abstract
Possibilities of the development of new anti-erosion coatings for wind turbine blade surface protection on the basis of nanoengineered polymers are explored. Coatings with graphene and hybrid nanoreinforcements are tested for their anti-erosion performance, using the single point impact fatigue testing (SPIFT) methodology. It is demonstrated that graphene and hybrid (graphene/silica) reinforced polymer coatings can provide better erosion protection with lifetimes up to 13 times longer than non-reinforced polyurethanes. Thermal effects and energy dissipation during the repeated soft impacts on the blade surface are discussed.
Highlights
Global wind energy generation has expanded greatly in the last few years
An evaluation of novel nanoreinforced polyurethane based coatings for improved leading edge protection of wind turbine blades is presented in this paper
Using nanoparticles embedded in the coating to scatter and reflect stress waves arising from rain droplet impacts is proposed
Summary
Global wind energy generation has expanded greatly in the last few years. An even larger expansion in wind energy production, offshore, is expected in the ten years. According to Dao et al [1], the failure rate per wind turbine per year is four times higher for blades and hubs of offshore wind turbines than for the onshore equivalents. The costs of the maintenance and repair of offshore wind turbines are much higher than for onshore turbines. Leading Edge Erosion (LEE) in wind turbine blades primarily is caused by rain, hail, and air born particles causing major performance deterioration such as loss of power generation and additional maintenance costs [2]. To protect wind turbine blades from erosion, new highly protective coatings are required. The potential of developing new anti-erosion coatings with nanoparticle reinforcement for wind turbine blade surface protection is demonstrated.
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