A Study of Raindrop Impacts on a Wind Turbine Material: Velocity and Impact Angle Effects on Erosion MAPS at Various Exposure Times

Within renewable energy, challenging climates can impose great limitations on power generation. In wind rain erosion turbine blades create major disruptions to air flow over the aerofoil, reducing efficiency of blade and immediately affecting output turbine. The defects in materials that cause these inefficiencies are known be observed turbines have been operation for extended periods. This work explores transitions between different wear states G10 Epoxy Glass under laboratory simulated conditions measures periodically identify a progression erosion. Mass loss data micrographic analysis revealed samples at 45° 60° displayed increasing when examining performance angles 15° 90° various exposure velocities. Erosion maps were constructed, showing variation wastage identifying window where degradation is minimised.