Offshore wind turbines have begun to spring up across the North Sea. With its nearly constant winds, the North Sea is an excellent place for wind farms. But that area does present a number of problems for the turbines anchored to the seabed. Most notably, the corrosive salt that’s whipped up by winds encrusts turbine pylons and poses a long-term corrosion problem for these massive power machines.
In an effort to remedy this problem, the Fraunhofer Institute has started developing a protective film called RepaKorr that can be quickly applied to a turbine’s superstructure to provide the machine with long-term corrosion resistance.
Aside from developing its protective film, Fraunhofer’s team is also working on new methods for efficient turbine inspection. One approach that has appeared successful employs drones to rapidly inspect turbine pylons for rust. Equipped with High Definition cameras, drones can scan a machine’s framework more nimbly and thoroughly than a human, allowing its controller to catalog any signs of decay that might be present.
“Our aim is to develop a holistic, sustainable concept for the maintenance and repair of protective systems that will be simpler to apply and thereby reduce costs,” explained Peter Plagemann of Fraunhofer. “The challenge is that the film must adhere firmly and yet be easy to remove without leaving any residue. We’re trying to find a solution that combines these seemingly contradictory requirements.”
If Fraunhofer’s film project is successful, it could lead to a more sustainable future for wind energy. “[T]he cost of maintaining and repairing offshore wind farms can easily add up to one hundred times the original construction cost over the years of operation. The RepaKorr project aims to considerably reduce these costs.”
Though Fraunhofer’s efforts are currently focused on wind turbines, its protective films could be useful in a number of other applications. Automobiles, underwater and aerial drones, could benefit from advanced protective coatings that are cheap and easy to apply.