Vestas has unveiled its new Vestas De-icing System (VDS), which the company says can help boost the business case for operating wind farms in cold climates.
‘The VDS is an active de-icing solution consisting of an ice detection system and a hot air flow unit within the blades,’ explains Chief Technology Officer Anders Vedel. ‘The hot air flow targets the blade's most critical parts to efficiently melt ice build-up, with no negative impact on the noise level or overall performance of the turbine.’
According to Vestas, VDS can be triggered automatically or manually, and the system does not require electrical components to be installed in the blade's leading edge. The company says it tested a concept de-icing solution in Canada for the past winter season. The first prototype for the VDS has been installed at a site in Sweden and will be tested throughout the winter.
Vestas notes it has already received an order for the first four VDS units, to be installed on a V112-3.3 MW project in Austria in 2014. The system is also available for the V117-3.3MW, subject to demand.
