16/05/2016
With Wind Turbines on the increase in the UK, the need for repairing them is greater than ever. You would think that repairs were a rare occurrence, but with these tall structures going head to head against Mother Nature, you’d be surprised!
What Wind Turbine Repairs Are Needed?
Wind Turbines are frequently inspected cleaned and repaired throughout the year, to ensure that they’re running efficiently, maximising the amount of power generated. They are subject to bird strikes; lightning strikes; leading edge erosion – especially towards the tips that move through the air at around 200 mph. Trailing edge damage is also common and also material fatigue; plus surface erosion from rain, hail, ice and insects. All of these environmental factors reinforce the need of regular maintenance throughout the year. Many are now learning that turbine blades cannot simply be ‘fit and forget’ structures.
How are wind turbine blades repaired?
In terms of repairing any damage to the blades, a new breed of industrial worker is required and a head for heights is a key qualification!
As well as specialising in composite materials and being able to make any repairs to the blade, they also need to be proficient at abseiling/climbing. Very rarely are Wind Turbine blades taken off and repaired at ground level, instead the technician has to go up to where the damage is. When scaling these huge structures, heavy toolboxes and bulky pots of filler are of no use; instead products such as Sikadur Blade Repair Kit (pictured) are easily transported, mixed and applied. Extreme hot and cold conditions can potentially cause lengthy delays to the repair process, however new technologies such as Sikadur have been developed to be applied in various temperatures, making the “repair window” even wider than before. A quick 24 hour repair job is welcomed by both energy company and wind turbine farm owner as downtime of wind turbines result in loss of earnings.