Resodyn researchers have kicked off a DOE SBIR Phase II project to develop protective coating for wind turbine blades.
Despite their generally lethargic appearance, large-scale electricity-generating wind turbine blades can reach tremendous speeds at the tips, from 100-140 meters per second during prime operating conditions. At such speeds, particulate matter in the air, and even rain drops can cause damage to the leading edge of the blade tips. The surface erosion decreases efficiency and leads to added vibration that can damage other turbine components.
The engineered thermoplastic coating can be field-applied and field-repaired with Resodyn’s patented Polymer Thermal Spray technology. The coating demonstrated tremendous resilience in Phase I testing and will now be tested at a larger scale.