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Rainbow - Optimized prediction and decision support for rain erosion and lightning-driven degradation of blades

Rainbow - Optimized prediction and decision support for rain erosion and lightning-driven degradation of blades

The RAINBOW project aims to gain more insight into the erosion of rotor blades due to precipitation and lightning, because erosion entails significant production losses. This should provide new opportunities for preventive maintenance and improved strategies for inspection, maintenance and repair.

The project partners are committed to thorough monitoring of the turbines and energy yield on the one hand and automated inspection of rotor blades with drones on the other. Based on the results, coatings and other protective materials will be tested and validated under realistic North Sea conditions.

All this also makes it possible to better predict the life of wind turbines and better prepare and schedule inspection flights with drones. Eventually, this will result in a longer service life of the wind turbines and a drastic reduction in inspection, maintenance and repair costs. Better risk management of erosion and damage to turbine blades will also contribute to higher energy production and lower and more competitive energy prices.

  • Project Leader: von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI)
  • Partners: Otary, Norther, Engie Laborelec, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Sirris and SABCA
  • Clusters involved: The Blue Cluster and SIM
  • With the support of: VLAIO and Innoviris
  • Project Duration: 1 January 2021 – 31 December 2023

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