Adhesives and Potting Solutions for Wind Energy
With an increase in wind farms and high-altitude wind turbines, the need for robust protective solutions has never been greater. To generate electricity from wind power, turbines need to be positioned in places subject to hot or cold climates and its components must handle adverse weather conditions. Even in optimal conditions, adhesives used in bonding turbine blades are under tremendous mechanical and must be as durable as possible. Depending on the structural makeup of each blade, different compounds may be considered:
- One-piece turbine blades – a larger bonding surface area is used so a polyurethane adhesive may be sufficient
- Two-piece turbine blades – any adhesives used are load-bearing, so stronger epoxy adhesives would be optimal