Coatings for Reduction of Leading Edge Erosion

Erosion on wind turbine leading edges reduces turbine performance, and is one of the most critical degradation mechanisms (in terms of maintenance cost) occurring on wind turbine farms. As an example, leading edge erosion (LEE) is thought to be a prime suspect in many of the 3,800 turbine-disabling blade failures globally each year. Development of new erosion resistant coating systems that can enlarge the life span of turbine blades is limited by lack of comprehensive data that can correlate with on-site failure mechanisms. Erosion of leading edge is strongly affected by different parameters that are highly dependent on the wind turbines park location, therefore it is difficult to stablish a generic description of the failure modes. In addition, lack of shared information between protective coatings suppliers, wind turbine manufacturers and wind turbine operators makes it difficult further developments. Through the CoatLEE project a field data base has been finished and main conclusions for testing the new developed coatings have been drawn. The design and building of the new helicopter tests is finished, including the balancing from a third party and the running in. The helicopter test is a modular equipment that allows the use of different blade geometries, low temperature tests and use of salt water. The speed reached by the equipment is 1500 rpm (i.e.: 60 m/s) and it is equipped with 600 water droplet nozzles. The equipment is located at SINTEF premises The development of the new coating is in its latest stage. After being tested internally in the frame of the CoatLEE project the coating is now being tested by different end users for final approval.

The CoatLEE project has achieved the following results: -Summary of an erosion data base based on real field data. -Development of a new protective coatings for Leading Edge Erosion protection. -Design and build a modular drop erosion test rig for testing different blades geometries at different temperatures (from +20 to -10 deg C), and also for saline water. The obtained results are expected to have the following impacts: -New Leading Edge protection product with extended life time. -unique drop erosion test equipment that can be used for better understanding of the basic degradation mechanisms occurring in turbine blade erosion.

Erosion on wind turbine leading edges reduces turbine performance, and is one of the most critical degradation mechanisms (in terms of maintenance cost) occurring on wind turbine farms. As an example, leading edge erosion (LEE) is thought to be a prime suspect in many of the 3,800 turbine-disabling blade failures globally each year. Limited knowledge and field data available from wind turbine operators makes it difficult to build knowledge of the leading edge failure mechanism(s). Based on these premises, the Project aims to achieve sufficient understanding of the LEE mechanisms through collaboration with domestic wind turbine operators, to develop better leading edge coating protection than is currently available. Reducing the maintenance costs and extending the lifetime of existing wind turbines increases the attractiveness of power generation from this renewable resource both in Norway and worldwide.