A review of integrating ice detection and mitigation for wind turbine blades

摘要

The capacity of installed wind power is growing rapidly in cold climate regions; however, turbine blades are susceptible to ice accumulation. The aerodynamic properties of turbine blades are highly sensitive to ice accretion, which can significantly impair aerodynamic performance. Ice accretion on the blades of a wind turbine can lead to turbine shutdown, power loss and damage to turbine components. To prevent ice formation on wind turbine blades, an ice sensor integrated with an ice mitigation system is required. The ice sensor can be used with a de-icer on the blade surface. However, the current ice sensing and de-icing technologies are inefficient and integrated systems need appreciable improvement. This paper reviews ice sensing and active mitigation techniques for a wind turbine blade surface, which are categorized based on several key parameters. Furthermore, this paper investigates the conceptual design of integrating ice sensing and mitigation systems. The advantages and disadvantages of the integrated systems are presented to provide valuable insights on ice prevention for wind turbines operating in ice prone locations.