TAGS: Industrial Coatings
A consortium managed by the Technical University of Denmark is currently carrying out a research project named DURALEDGE (from Durable Leading Edges) to investigate erosion mechanisms and develop new coatings to permanently protect rotor blades.
The Consortium
In addition, the consortium aims to develop calculation models to predict edge protection. Global manufacturers of wind energy systems and coatings are members of the consortium, as is Covestro as a key raw materials partner. The company has been engaged for many years in a sustainable energy supply.
Developing Raw Material for Paint System
“We are working at high speed to develop a raw material for a specialized, robust paint system” says Dr. Matthias Wintermantel, Head of Market and Business Development Infrastructure Coatings at Covestro. “It will significantly increase the service life of rotor blades, while also reducing maintenance expenses and associated costs. This lets us help make sustainable energy production using wind power even more economical”.
One goal in developing future rotor blades is to increase the peak speed at the ends of the blades. The aim is an increase to over 90 meters per second, to improve the performance of wind energy systems. This also lowers electricity generation costs for converting wind energy into electrical energy.
The DURALEDGE project started on November 1st, 2018 and had a term of three years. It is being funded with 11.7 million Danish Krones (around 1.57 million euros) from the Danish Innovation Fund.
Source: Covestro