A Comprehensive Analysis Of Wind Turbine Blade Damage

The scope of this article is to review the potential causes that can lead to wind turbine blade failures, assess their significance to a turbine's performance and secure operation and summarize the techniques proposed to prevent these failures and eliminate their consequences. Damage to wind turbine blades can be induced by lightning, fatigue loads, accumulation of icing on the blade surfaces and the exposure of blades to airborne particulates, causing so-called leading edge erosion. The above effects can lead to damage ranging from minor outer surface erosion to total destruction of the blade. All potential causes of damage to wind turbine blades strongly depend on the surrounding environment and climate conditions. Consequently, the selection of an installation site with favourable conditions is the most effective measure to minimize the possibility of blade damage. Otherwise, several techniques and methods have already been applied or are being developed to prevent blade damage, aiming to reduce damage risk if not able to eliminate it. The combined application of damage prevention strategies with a SCADA system is the optimal approach to adequate treatment.