BLEEPID - Towards improved reliability and reduced costs of offshore wind by Blade-Leading-Edge Erosion Prediction and Drone-based Inspection

Leading edge erosion of offshore wind blades has drastic impact on maintenance costs and operational energy production and leads to unwanted microplastics in the environment. Herein, we will develop fundamental image capturing and camera techniques, combined with quantitative wear analysis from experimental erosion testing and multi-physics modelling combining CFD-FSI impact and subsurface fatigue modelling. These advances will enable accurate drone-based inspections of offshore wind blades, and thus optimize maintenance planning and extent the blade’s lifetime.