Vestas introduced a de-icing system at the wind energy conference Vind 2013 in Stockholm. The system is based on a hot air flow within the blades
The long awaited system has been tested in Canada for the past winter season. Now a prototype is ready for field testing in Jädraåsen outside Ockelbo in central Sweden
“The VDS is an active de-icing solution consisting of an ice detection system and a hot air flow unit within the blades. The hot air flow targets the blade’s most critical parts to efficiently melt ice build-up, with no negative impact on the noise level or overall performance of the turbine,” says Vesta’s chief technology officer Anders Vedel.
More than 4 500 Vestas turbines are currently in operation in cold climate areas. The de-icing system is available for the V112-3.3 MW as well as the V117-3.3 MW if there is a demand.
Vestas says it already has received an order for the first four units, to be installed on a V112-3.3 MW project in Austria in 2014.
Vestas will present its de-icing solution at Winterwind 2014. You’ll find a product brochure here.