WIND TURBINE ICE PROTECTION SYSTEM (WTIPS)
protects a wind turbine by deicing the blade's leading edge, pulsing power to safetly shed ice, and allows continuous turbine operation during hazardous icing conditions. WTIPS is a electro-therma deice system using technology orinally developed through a NASA SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) grant for Kelly Aerospace Thermal Systems. Kelly Aerospace manufactures the ThermaWing™ system; a lightweight, easy-to-install, reliable deicing system, and in support of green energy brought the application to the Wind industry.
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Come Visit our WINDPOWER BOOTH: #2024
 Operate during icing conditions. |
 Could operate as an Anti-Ice System. |
 8000+ hrs of Erosion Testing. |
 Heaters installed on ground. |
 Deice systems installed in Sweden. |
 Electrical Control System Monitoring. |
How it works.
The continuous outer layer of the WTIPS laminate is a heat-conducting Tedlar® embedded in adhesives and protective erosion shields. It offers a unique balance of aesthetics while offering the durability of a fluoropolymer. A zoned heater system is utilized in a variety of lengths, widths, and thicknesses to match available power. The impingement area, or leading edge, is kept warm continually melting impinging ice, or simply, "runs wet". During a de-ice cycle the voltage is increased raising the temperature of this shed zone, releasing the ice bond and shedding the ice via aerodynamic force. Once power is removed from the heater the shedding zones immediately freeze and continue to collect ice until the next de-ice cycle. This cycle can be 1°/sec temperature rise to 10°/sec temperature rise depending on power.
Operation
- Power is cycled around the wind turbine to maintain symmetrical / balanced deicing characteristics
- Each zone will take 20-40 seconds to de-ice depending on blade temperature
- Total De-ice time 7–14 minutes
- Measures Relative Humidity, blade temperature, ambient temperature to determine when to de-ice
If you have any other questions,
Contact us anytime. (440) 951-4744