US 12,338,790 B2
Inspecting wind turbine blade
Luke Spandley, Ventnor (GB); Darren Rogers, Bodmin (GB); Arran Wood, Cowes (GB); and Paul Badger, Salisbury (GB)
Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N. (DK)
Appl. No. 17/629,526
Filed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N. (DK)
PCT Filed Jul. 27, 2020, PCT No. PCT/DK2020/050219
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 24, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/023350, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 11, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. PA 2019 70493 (DK), filed on Aug. 2, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0243703 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. F03D 17/00 (2016.01); G01M 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 17/00 (2016.05) [G01M 5/0016 (2013.01); G01M 5/0091 (2013.01); F05B 2260/80 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of inspecting a wind turbine blade, the wind turbine blade comprising an electro-thermal heating element and a surface protection layer, the method comprising:
exposing a test point of the electro-thermal heating element by removing material of the wind turbine blade to form a hole from the surface of the blade to the test point;
contacting the test point to establish an electrical connection between the test point and a sensor;
electrically connecting the sensor to the surface protection layer;
operating the sensor to measure a resistance value indicative of an electrical resistance between the test point and the surface protection layer; and
analysing the resistance value to determine a condition of the wind turbine blade.