Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in industry and the academic community.
PO522: Verifying non-destructive examination signatures for improved certainty of wind turbine blade internal damage and defect identification
Mitchell Rencheck, Sr. Research Engineer, Electric Power Research Institute
Abstract
For wind power, the wind turbine blades (WTBs) play an important role in the performance and reliability of the overall system making it is necessary to develop and further advance techniques that can support the safe and reliable operation of WTBs. With the increased size, design, and complexity of onshore and especially offshore WTBs, the development of non-destructive examination (NDE) strategies utilizing state-of-the-art technologies is critical to create opportunities for proactive blade maintenance for assessment of internal damages, defects, and flaws. While NDE technologies are a powerful tool for internal damage, defect, and flaw assessment, the certainty in damage, defect, and flaw verification remain lows without destructive examination which is not a viable verification method for continued operation of the WTB. Here, we explore and evaluate the technical advancements and current capabilities in NDE methods for wind turbine blades and begin to develop an NDE signature library to improve certainty in internal damage, flaw, and defect identification and verification. The capability of ultrasonic and microwave techniques to detect known internal flaws, damages, and defects were assessed and verified using fabricated test coupons incorporated with known flaws, damages, and defects. The resulting NDE signatures associated with the fabricated damages, defects, and flaws were recorded. Following the laboratory assessment, the NDE methods were taken to the field to evaluate the techniques on actual WTB sections from different regions with known damages. The NDE signatures from each method were compared to similar non-damaged sections and the laboratory specimens to begin cataloging NDE signatures that relate to internal damages, defects, and flaws within WTBs for improved inspections and proactive maintenance strategies.
No recording available for this poster.
