Numerical simulation and experimental validation of ultrasonic de-icing system for wind turbine blade

It is widely accepted that wind energy is clean and renewable. However, icing on the blade surfaces of wind turbines is a serious problem in cold regions, which greatly affects its performance. Therefore, it is important to prevent ice accumulation on the surface of wind turbine blade and remove it whenever necessary. In this paper, a new non-thermal method–ultrasonic de-icing for wind turbine blade is proposed. Firstly, baced on the theory of ultrasonic de-icing, the harmonic analysis of the structure of the composite plate-ice layered system is investigated using the finite element method. The simulation results showed that ultrasonic de-icing method is feasible for wind turbine blade de-icing purposes. Secondly, the de-icing experiment of wind turbine blades using piezoelectric actuators is carried out in the freezer at a temperature of −15 °C, results showed that the ice layer can be debonded from the surface of wind turbine blade by the commonly used piezoelectric transducers made by PZT-5. The optimal frequency of ultrasonic de-icing of wind turbine blade is also given; finally, the installation way of ultrasonic transducers on the inner surface of wind turbine blade is given.