Shining a Light on the Future of Blade Repair

{access view=!registered}Only logged in users can view the full text of the article.{/access}{access view=registered}Currently, repairing wind turbines is both time consuming and limited by a narrow weather window (above 15°C). Typically styrene, within polyester and vinyl ester wet-laminating resins cured below 15°C, has a tendency to homo-polymerise rather than co-polymerise with the vinyl ester or polyester resin. This can lead to a resin with permanent under-cure even when subsequently heated. Epoxy resins can be prone to ‘bi-product’ at low ambient temperatures and at high ambient humidity. Again this can lead to the resin exhibiting permanent under-cure and inter-laminar adhesion problems. These resins are difficult and messy to use when operating from rope or platform access when repairing wind turbine blades in situ, especially when you add high wind and cold temperatures to the equation.