The “climatised” rig, which will have rotating armsable to trial blades at tip speeds of up to 160 metres per second, will be usedto evaluate the impact rain, hail, sand, seawater and dirt have on the surfaceof blades, particularly the leading edge.
Environmental conditions combined with temperaturechanges and UV radiation can lead to a blade’s aerodynamics being undermined bymaterial abrasion and crack formation, lowering efficiency and increasingoperation noise.
“The
