About this project:
Client:
Nadara
Windfarm:
Kilbraur
Address:
Brora, Scotland
Date:
August 2024
Duration:
45 hours
Access Method:
Rope Access
Project Information
Bladestar Renewables Ltd were tasked with repairing a Cat 4 repair to a blade in the Highlands of Scotland. A team of complex repair specialists were deployed to complete the repair. The team were also Nordex Limited Authorised technicians with NC2 login. This enabled us to handle the repair from start to finish without any external support from the customer. The blade had a chord and spanways crack at a radius of 12m from the root. The defect was 400mm at 90 degrees and 200mm at 0 degrees. This is a very common fault on any LM blade type globally. Bladestar Renewables have completed hundreds of these repairs with 100% success rate.
Key Points
• Repair time = 45 hours via rope access
• Bladestar inhouse Nordex Limited AT with NC2 login.
• External UD, Biax and Balsa affected.
• Customer kept in constant communication throughout repair and also access to our customer portal where live updates can be seen.
• Detailed repair report sent out to customer within 72 hours of completion.
• Bladestar inhouse Nordex Limited AT with NC2 login.
• External UD, Biax and Balsa affected.
• Customer kept in constant communication throughout repair and also access to our customer portal where live updates can be seen.
• Detailed repair report sent out to customer within 72 hours of completion.
Investigation
Investigation was started by removing surrounding topcoat to further expose the defect. External Uni-directional and Biaxial layers were found to be cracked. As a result the balsa was also affected and would require replacement.
Repair
Defective layers of Biax and UD fiberglass were removed to expose a crack and moisture within the balsa.
Defective balsa was removed and internal laminate of the blade checked. Once the internal laminate assessment was complete, new balsa was bonded into position. The balsa was then profiled back to original blade profile, and surrounding UD and Biax chamfered in preparation for new laminate.
UD laminate on the outer edges of the SPAR was completed first. In total x8 layers of UD laminate was applied. The team then completed the covering biax lamination using x4 layers of biax. Once laminations were completed, they were profiled and filler applied. Filler was then sanded and painted to complete.
• Repair completed via rope access in the quoted time scale of 45 hours.
• Minimal turbine downtime of the asset due to efficient repair methodologies.
• Detailed report generated for the customer to obtain from our customer portal within 72 hours of repair completion.
Defective balsa was removed and internal laminate of the blade checked. Once the internal laminate assessment was complete, new balsa was bonded into position. The balsa was then profiled back to original blade profile, and surrounding UD and Biax chamfered in preparation for new laminate.
UD laminate on the outer edges of the SPAR was completed first. In total x8 layers of UD laminate was applied. The team then completed the covering biax lamination using x4 layers of biax. Once laminations were completed, they were profiled and filler applied. Filler was then sanded and painted to complete.
• Repair completed via rope access in the quoted time scale of 45 hours.
• Minimal turbine downtime of the asset due to efficient repair methodologies.
• Detailed report generated for the customer to obtain from our customer portal within 72 hours of repair completion.
What the client had to say...
Bladestar is a company that operates with the highest quality standards, providing added value to the repairs it performs. Having Bladestar in charge of a repair guarantees success with minimal risk of damage recurrence.
Cesar Urdaniz Mendia
Blade Reliability