NDT on wind turbine rotor blades
Detection of surface imperfections and structural abnormalities on wind turbine rotor blades before they become serious and causes complete failure is crucial.
Condition inspection of installed blades
Heavy wind and environmental conditions have a great impact on blade surfaces and laminated rotor blade structure. Due to different load and stress situations, damages like erosion, delaminations and cracks can appear. To prevent critical damages or even complete failure, the condition of the blades should be inspected regulary, utilizing different non-destructive inspection methods, e.g. visual and thermal infrared inspection techniques.
Periodic examination of the FRP rotor blades, with a visual and infrared imaging system, can detect operational problems before they become serious and allow for effective response planning. In this mode of operation, those inspection techniques are valuable predictive maintenance tools.
Read more about the inspections techniques used for examination of rotor blades here
-
Thermal infrared condition inspection
Infrared Thermographic inspection technique (IRT) is a non-contact and non-destructive inspection method which provides visualization of thermal patterns in various systems, such as the wind turbine rotor blades.
IR Thermographic inspection technique endeavor to provide a real-time depiction of the structural condition of the rotor blade.
Detectable material uncertainties by means of thermal infrared inspection technique:
Manufacturing uncertainties:
- Delaminations
- Foreign bodies
- Missing adhesive and adhesion
- Thickness variations
In-service defects:
- Erosion
- Impact damages
- Delaminations
- Bondline failures
-
Integrated drone system for visual and thermal inspections
With FORCE Technology’s
drone inspection system you can achieve both visual and thermal images on all wind turbines for on-site analysis and assessment regarding the condition of the rotor blades. The drone system enables a more economic and efficient inspection than a traditional telephotography or other manual inspection methods.
During an on-site inspection, FORCE Technology investigation team will fly the drone to the required position for data capture and start the inspection of the rotor blade, whether it is for a full inspection or specific areas of the rotor blade.
Your advantages at a glance
Inspection personnel operates safely from ground level instead of working at hazardous height.
The integrated drone inspection system provides measurements or observations in areas inaccessible.
FORCE Technology's drone can reach work height fast and efficient and begin data capture in real-time immediately.
Our highly-skilled drone operators can fly within 5 metres of a wind turbine with dedicated equipment, producing unsurpassed image quality in great detail.
- Making the inaccessible accessible
In a matter of minutes the drone can be directed to the blade tips to perform a survey that would traditionally be dangerous and time-consuming.
Using real-time imagery streamed to the ground, the survey can be directed to investigate any potential issues while the drone is in the air, allowing focused results.
The technique and integrated applications is designed for monitoring the structural health.
