Modelling and empirical development of an anti/de-icing approach for wind turbine blades through superposition of different types of vibration

•A new practical approach to protect wind turbine blades against icing is proposed.•The approach is superimposition of ultrasonic guided waves with low-frequency vibrations.•The optimum parameters of the strategy were characterised numerically and experimentally.•The final setup was tested in an icing wind tunnel with success for the target ice type.

The generation of green, safe and inexpensive energy by wind turbines is often decreased or interrupted in severe climate areas during cold weather. When the blades are even partially covered by different types of ice, their efficiency drops suddenly due to degradation of the blade profile from the ideal. The present study presents a new approach using ultrasonic guided waves as an anti/de-icing technique supplemented by low-frequency vibrations to effect shedding of the ice from the turbine blades. The study consists of a series of steps including initial theoretical studies and finite element simulation of representative plates and turbine blades, followed by a number of experimental validations concluded by tests of the complete approach in an icing wind tunnel. The results show the efficacy of the developed approach in tackling the different types of ice which can form on the blades, using very low power compared to available thermal techniques.