WIND TUNNEL TEST FOR WIND TURBINE BLADE DE-ICING BASED ON FULL-SURFACE ELECTROTHERMAL FILM METHOD

Zhang Fupeng; Shen He; Li Yan; Guo Wenfeng; Feng Fang

doi:10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-1934

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Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (3) : 269-274. DOI: 10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-1934

WIND TUNNEL TEST FOR WIND TURBINE BLADE DE-ICING BASED ON FULL-SURFACE ELECTROTHERMAL FILM METHOD

Zhang Fupeng¹, Shen He¹, Li Yan^1,2, Guo Wenfeng^1,2, Feng Fang^2,3

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Abstract

To explore efficient anti-icing and de-icing technologies, this paper employs electrical heating for wind turbine blade de-icing experiments in a small recirculating icing wind tunnel. Polyimide electrical heating films are used to cover the entire blade surface. The experimental conditions consist of an ambient temperature of-10 ℃, a wind speed of 10 m/s, and three energy flux densities： 8, 10, and 12 kJ/（m²∙s）. The de-icing process on the blade surface is observed, revealing the changes in the ice layer on the blade's leading edge. Additionally, the meltwater features produced during the de-icing process are analyzed. The experimental results indicate that as the energy flux density increases, the detachment rate of the ice layer accelerates. Furthermore, the energy consumption for electrothermal de-icing decreases. At the final stage, approximately 80% of the ice layer detaches in one piece, leaving meltwater residue on the blade surface. The meltwater detachment zone is between 65.43° and 90.86° under varying energy flux densities. As the energy flux density increases, the distance between the meltwater detachment zone and the blade's leading edge first increases and then decreases. This zone can provide a reference for addressing secondary icing issues in practical engineering.

Key words

wind turbines / de-icing / electric heating / blades / fiber-reinforced plastic / wind tunnels

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Zhang Fupeng, Shen He, Li Yan, Guo Wenfeng, Feng Fang. WIND TUNNEL TEST FOR WIND TURBINE BLADE DE-ICING BASED ON FULL-SURFACE ELECTROTHERMAL FILM METHOD[J]. Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica. 2026, 47(3): 269-274 https://doi.org/10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-1934

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