EWIC

Funded by

Facts

About the project

Challenge

The need for renewable energy in the energy system is steadily increasing. The same applies to the length of the blades of wind turbines both offshore and on land, which help produce green electricity. As the blades get longer, the strain from wind and gravity also increases. Therefore, the risk of structural damage to the turbine blades, both inside and outside, rises – damages that can affect the safety around the turbine as well as its operation and energy production.

Solution

To reduce damage to wind turbine blades, project partners in EWIC have developed a new inspection method based on advanced camera technology – also known as endoscopy. The technology is similar to the type of endoscopic exams used in the healthcare sector, where a camera on a thin tube helps map out diseases and the need for treatment.

Since damage to wind turbine blades typically occurs inside the material and works its way out, this is where the camera technology from the EWIC project can make a difference, for example, when adhesive joints inside the blade need to be examined for potential damage.

In addition to the camera technology, which can now be used by wind turbine owners during inspections, the partners in the project have developed a manual for using the technology, providing technicians in the wind industry with a common language for inspecting possible structural damage in wind turbine blades. This need arose because inspections up until now have been carried out based on a variety of different expertise and techniques, including ultrasound, thermography, and radiography.

The EWIC project will overall increase current knowledge of the condition of wind turbine blades and the need for servicing. In this way, earlier and better decisions can be made by the service technician, extending the lifespan of the turbine blades.

Cost Reduction