Optimized power generation from available wind resources has gained substantial interest by many leaders in the wind power industry worldwide. One issue facing wind power generation in cold climates is ice accumulation on turbine blades, which is not only an energy production and efficiency concern, but also a safety issue. This paper explores various mitigation techniques for delaying and preventing ice accumulation on wind turbines blades. Firstly, a surface mitigation strategy has been applied to blade models involving hydrophobic and ice-phobic coatings. Secondly, a thermal mitigation strategy involving a new composite material has been developed. Subsequently these mitigation techniques are combined to form a third strategy, termed thermface mitigation. Stationary blade configurations have been experimentally tested in the University of Manitoba Icing Tunnel Facility. The results of the mitigation techniques depict icing profiles and aerodynamic changes along the blade leading edges during the icing event and quantify the ice adhesion force and accumulation amount over a set period under simulated climatological Glaze and Rime icing conditions. Results are extended to wind turbine performance for estimation of energy production.
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