A new software tool can simulate cost and risk to optimize O&M strategies for wind turbine blades.

Through a 2-year project called CORTIR blade experts from the entire value chain (13 WTOs, 3 OEMs etc.) have worked hard to develop a software tool (Cost and Risk Tool) that aims to support wind turbine owners decide what optimal O&M strategy to use to minimize the risk of blade failures. Yesterday, March 17th, Bladena celebrated with partners the finalization of the project. 

Over the years, the size of the wind turbine blades has increased significantly. With increased blade lengths, the loads on the blades have also drastically increased giving rise to structural challenges.
The rising number of damages leads to an increase in maintenance and repair costs and of the risk of energy production loss for the wind turbine owners (WTO's). The current situation in the wind turbine industry is that when damages and failures occur on blades, it is unpredictable in relation to cost and risk, unscheduled and consequently outside the operational budget.

To help solve this Bladena came up with the idea to create a Cost and Risk / decision support tool (CAR Tool) focusing on blade damages. WTOs would then be able to calculate different variations of O&M strategies showing the risk of each strategy. As a result of this the CORTIR project was born in February 2019.

The main objective of the CORTIR Project has since then been to develop the CAR Tool to make it ready for trial users.
Already, Engie has been a successful trail user and more WTOs are interested to see the potential within their own organisation.
In a CAR Tool video, developed in the project, Nicolas Quievy, Senior Wind Technology Manager at Engie states that; “The tool can have a real impact on the overall optimization of O&M in wind turbines and it will be an important step forward to preventive maintenance based on risk considerations, if the CAR Tool in the future becomes even more holistic with additional damages, erosion and lightning.”     
In technical terms the CAR Tool are based on fracture mechanics describing damage progression and on cost and reliability models. Field data and test data are used to calibrate the models. A Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is now in place with a set of different indexes. But the aim is not to stop here.

“The need for further development of the CAR Tool is key,” says Theodoros Pardalakis, CBI Group Manager in Bladena. “We have put a lot of knowledge and effort into the tool heavily supported by relevant experts in the industry such as Aalborg University, DTU Mech, WTOs, ISPs, OEMs - and the list goes on. It will be a shame not to continue maturing the software as it has the potential to generate much value to the entire wind industry in the future and effectively tackle one of the major pains: O&M costs,” he concludes. 

Therefore, one of the final messages at the Final Online Meeting was, that Bladena will aim for continuing developing the tool, if having support from EUDP and partners.

Also, a retrofit solution for the tip opening of the wind turbine blade in the tip region that is caused by lightning has also been developed in collaboration with the project partners as it is another critical failure mode that the blades often face.

All results in the project are uncovered in the CORTIR Final Report and communicated through visualizations in videos, brochures, posters, The Blade Handbook and models together with Kirt x Thomsen.

A great thanks also goes to the Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program (EUDP), which is administered by the Danish Energy Agency (EUDP-program) for funding the CORTIR project (Cost and Risk Tool for Interim and Preventive Repair) together with support from the whole value chain in the wind with the aim to reduce LCoE.
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For further information please visit www.bladena.com, https://cortirproject.weebly.com, and/or contact CORTIR Project Manager CTO Find Mølholt Jensen +45 53700276 fmj@bladena.com.