In conjunction with the CORUS Centre and the Ion Beam Laboratory (LAFI), Denmark-headquartered wind turbine blade manufacturer LM Glasfiber plans to develop a surface treatment process to reduce the formation and buildup of different types of ice on the external parts of wind turbines.
The project will involve finding an anti-icing process to treat the surface of wind turbine blades based on ion implantation and UV irradiation, as well as optimizing the technical parameters of the process in order to make it fit for industrial use, the company says.
‘Adapting wind turbines to cold climate conditions such as the severe North American weather represents a considerable potential,’ says Jesper Mansson, research manager at LM Glasfiber. ‘The development of an anti-icing treatment process will in particular help extend the lifetime of installations and wind turbines and indeed help overcome the impact of ice on the operation of these installations and wind turbines.’
The National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS) is the academic partner on this project, LM Glasfiber adds, while the LAFI will be responsible for defining the parameters for the ion implantation and UV irradiation, and the CORUS Centre will coordinate the scientific aspect of the project. LM Glasfiber will fund the project and provide samples of blades and exterior paneling for the tests.
