Ice on blades and slowdown: how frost affects wind turbines and how to protect them (video)

In winter, wind farms are generally more efficient than solar farms, however, there are nuances that should be taken into account during frosts.

Wind energy is rapidly spreading around the world, in particular in regions with severe winters. Focus found out how frosts affect on the performance of wind turbines and what are the solutions to support the operation of wind generators in the cold season.

Can frost damage a wind generator

The Euronews portal writes that a significant percentage of wind turbines are located in northern countries. Just under 3,000 wind turbines are located in the icy waters of the North Sea and even a few in Antarctica. This shows that wind turbines can withstand cold climates.

Regarding freezing, many wind turbines are designed to operate in temperatures down to -30 degrees Celsius, but under certain conditions ice can form on turbine blades. This happens not only during snowfall or rain, but also during periods of strong cold wind or high humidity, when fog descends. because it makes their surface rougher. Because of this, the efficiency of the turbines decreases and imbalance problems may arise. In addition, there is a danger of ice falling from the blades during rotation.

“The greatest danger of falling ice occurs if the wind turbine is frozen and then the temperature rises, or if the sun comes out and heats parts of the wind turbine,” — explained Svensk Windenergi from the Swedish Wind Energy Association (SWEA).

How to deal with turbine icing

As ice poses a threat to wind farms, the industry has developed a number of solutions to the problem. Modern turbines, as a rule, are equipped with anti-icing technologies, in particular, heating systems inside the blades. Mechanical devices, fluids, hot air circulation, or blade vibration systems can be used for this purpose.

Aerospace engineering professor Hui Hu, in his article for the scientific news site The Conversation, noted that most strategies to prevent icing of wind blades the turbine was previously borrowed from aviation, but airplane wings and wind turbines are arranged differently and operate in completely different conditions. Therefore, turbines require a special approach.

For example, the Swedish company Skellefteå Kraft was the first to develop a way to cover the blades with a thin layer of carbon fiber that heats up when sensors detect a threat of icing. The company also uses a system that covers both the heating foil in the blades and the circulation of hot air inside the blades.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

German company Nordex also offers a “cold climate package” that can reportedly reduce energy loss by up to 80% in freezing conditions. According to the manufacturer, the segmented heating elements heat the rotor surfaces, which are particularly important for the performance of the turbine.

Nordex turbines can operate at low temperatures

Why turbines still freeze

In 2021, the Texas Electricity Reliability Board reported that some turbines in the state froze in the middle of the cold, resulting in the loss of 16 GW of wind and other renewable energy capacity.

As noted in Euronews, then critics of green energy were quick to accuse wind power of inefficiency, but the reason for the icing was that the turbines were simply not designed for such cold conditions. Based on historical weather data, such extremely cold weather could not be expected, so the developers did not protect the blades properly.

“This is an extreme weather problem, not a clean energy problem. If anything, it shows why we need to invest in more renewable energy with improved energy transmission and storage technology to replace aging systems,” — American Clean Power CEO Heather Zihal said at the time.

The Swedish Wind Energy Association also notes that if ice does form on the turbines, a service company comes to the site to carry out anti-icing treatment. In such rare cases, helicopters may fly in to remove ice from the turbines.

How to clear turbines of ice

What are the advantages of wind generators in winter

In his article, Hui Hu writes that winter is considered the best season for wind energy — the winds are stronger, and since the density of the air increases with a decrease in temperature, a greater force acts on the blade.

For its part, the Ukrainian portal Mind compared the efficiency of wind generators and solar panels in the winter season. Sellers of wind generators in a comment to the publication note that in the summer there is greater productivity from the sun, in the winter — from the wind, so it is better to install a combined system at home.

“Some people think that windmills are almost unproductive in the summer. I disagree. They work better in the summer than solar panels in the winter,” — added one of the users.