Wind turbine tip erosion

Repairing a wind turbine blade.  (Source)

Who knew that was a problem?  I didn't.

Well, there's a solution, which is actually easier than repairing the turbine blade.

From State of Green:

Erosion to the tips of wind turbine blades affects the productivity and longevity of the turbines, costing billions globally. Putting a swimming cap on the tips to combat erosion is a unique solution that is rapidly growing in popularity.

In five days of average rotations, the outermost tip of a wind turbine blade covers a distance corresponding to Earth’s circumference. The speed of its rotation averages at 350 km/h, as it is simultaneously exposed to the elements in the form of sunlight, freezing temperatures and water. These elements degrade and abrade a turbine blade’s tip, cutting short both the productivity and longevity of turbines – something estimated to cost billions globally.

When news of the sector’s problems with erosion reached Danish subsupplier PolyTech‘s office in western Denmark, Director Mads Kirkegaard evaluated that the company had the requisite competencies to develop a product that could solve the issue, which it then set out to accomplish.

The solution ended up being a so-called soft shell made of polyurethane, and it was named Ever Lasting Leading Edge (ELLE). Put simply, it can be compared to a swim cap for turbine blade tips, Kirkegaard explains. ELLE is installed on blade tips and functions as an abrasion-resistant, shock-absorbing protective layer. The project’s development began 2012, and the company had a product to bring to market in 2016. Starting expenses were around DKK 100 million, Kirkegaard approximates. He characterizes the product’s development as “the most extensive development work the company has undergone to make a single product.”

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