• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.129-143
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• 2024

In recent years, with the vigorous development of visual algorithms, a large amount of research has been conducted on blade surface defect detection methods represented by deep learning. Detection methods based on deep learning models must rely on a large and rich dataset. However, the geographical location and working environment of wind turbines makes it difficult to effectively capture images of blade surface defects, which inevitably hinders visual detection. In response to the challenge of collecting a dataset for surface defects that are difficult to obtain, a multi-class blade surface defect generation method based on the StyleGAN3 (Style Generative Adversarial Networks 3) deep learning model and PBGMs (Physics-Based Graphics Models) method has been proposed. Firstly, a small number of real blade surface defect datasets are trained using the adversarial neural network of the StyleGAN3 deep learning model to generate a large number of high-resolution blade surface defect images. Secondly, the generated images are processed through Matting and Resize operations to create defect foreground images. The blade background images produced using PBGM technology are randomly fused, resulting in a diverse and high-resolution blade surface defect dataset with multiple types of backgrounds. Finally, experimental validation has proven that the adoption of this method can generate images with defect characteristics and high resolution, achieving a proportion of over 98.5%. Additionally, utilizing the EISeg annotation method significantly reduces the annotation time to just 1/7 of the time required for traditional methods. These generated images and annotated data of blade surface defects provide robust support for the detection of blade surface defects.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.133-138
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• 2024

This study evaluates the structural safety of wind turbine blades, analyzes the behavior of composite laminate structures with and without defects, and assesses surface erosion wear. The NREL 5 MW standard is applied to assign accurate composite material properties to each blade section. Modeling and analysis of the wind turbine blades reveal stable behavior under individual load conditions (gravity, motor speed, wind speed), with the web bearing most of the load. Surface erosion wear analysis in which microparticle impacts are simulated on the blade coating shows a maximum stress and maximum displacement of 14 MPa and 0.02 mm, respectively, indicating good initial durability, but suggest potential long-term performance issues due to cumulative effects. The study examines defect effects on composite laminate structures to compare the stress distribution, strain, and stiffness characteristics between normal and cracked states. Although normal conditions exhibit stable behavior, crack defects lead to fiber breakage, high-stress concentration in the vulnerable resin layer, and decreased rigidity. This demonstrates that local defects can compromise the safety of the entire structure. The study utilizes finite element analysis to simulate various load scenarios and defect conditions. Results show that even minor defects can significantly alter stress distributions and potentially lead to catastrophic failure if left unaddressed. These findings provide valuable insights for wind turbine blade safety evaluations, surface protection strategies, and composite structure health management. The methodology and results can inform the design improvements, maintenance strategies, and defect detection techniques of the wind energy industry.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.224-235
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• 2017

Purpose: Reliability is the most important factor to detect defects as wind turbines are deployed in large blades. The methods of detecting defects are various, such as non-destructive inspection and thermal imaging inspection. We propose the phased array ultrasonic testing method of non-destructive testing. Methods: We propose the active pressure mechanism for wind power blade. The phase array ultrasonic inspection method is used for fault detection inner blade surface. Controlled pressure of mechanism with respect to z-axis is important for guarantee the result of phase array ultrasonic inspection. The model based control and proposed mechanism are utilized for overall system stability and effectiveness of system. Result: The result of proposed pressure mechanism B is more stable than A. Convergence speed is also faster than A. Conclusion: We confirmed the performance of the proposed constant pressure mechanism through experiments. Non-destructive testing was applied to the specimen to confirm the reliability of detecting defects.

• Clean Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.90-94
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• 2017

These days much efforts are being dedicated to wind power as a potential source of renewable energy. To maintain effective and uniform generation of energy, defect preservation of turbine blade is essential because it directly takes effects on the efficiency of power generation. For the effective maintenance, early measurements of blade defects are very important. However, current technologies such as ultrasonic waves and thermal imaging inspection methods are not suitable because of long inspection time and non-real time inspection. To supplement the problems, the study introduced a method for real time defect monitoring of a blade surface based on surface wave technology. We examined the effect of various parameters such as micro-cracks and peelings on the propagation of surface wave.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.109-119
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• 2016

When manufactured parts undergo large deformations during the manufacturing process, the global specifications of a part based on the concept of tolerance zone defined in the ISO 1101 standard [1] enable one to control the part's global defects. However, the extent of this tolerance zone is too large when the objective is to minimize local defects, such as hollows and bumps. Therefore, it is necessary to address local defects and global defects separately. This paper refers to the ISO 10579 standard [2] for flexible parts, which enables us to define a stressed state in order to measure the part by straightening it to simulate its position in the mechanism. The originality of this approach is that the straightening operation is performed numerically by calculating the displacement of a cloud of points. The results lead to a quantification of the global defects through various simple models and enable us to extract local defects. The outcome is an acceptable tolerance solution. The procedure is first developed for the simple example of a steel bar with a rectangular cross section, then applied to an industrial case involving a complex 3D surface of a turbine blade. The specification is described through ISO standards both in the free state and in the straightened state.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.200-209
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• 2022

In this study, defects generated in the YSZ coating layer of the IN738LC turbine blade are investigated using an optical microscope and SEM/EDS. The blade YSZ coating layer is composed of a Y-Zr component top coat layer and a Co component bond coat layer. A large amount of Cr/Ni component that diffused from the base is also measured in the bond coat. The blade hot corrosion is concentrated on the surface of the concave part, accompanied by separation of the coating layer due to the concentration of combustion gas collisions here. In the top coating layer of the blade, cracks occur in the vertical and horizontal directions, along with pits in the top coating layer. Combustion gas components such as Na and S are contained inside the pits and cracks, so it is considered that the pits/cracks are caused by the corrosion of the combustion gases. Also, a thermally grown oxide (TGO) layer of several ㎛ thick composed of Al oxide is observed between the top coat and the bond coat, and a similar inner TGO with a thickness of several ㎛ is also observed between the bond coat and the matrix. A PFZ (precipitate free zone) deficient in γ' (Ni₃Al) forms as a band around the TGO, in which the Al component is integrated. Although TGO can resist high temperature corrosion of the top coat, it should also be considered that if its shape is irregular and contains pore defects, it may degrade the blade high temperature creep properties. Compositional and microstructural analysis results for high-temperature corrosion and TGO defects in the blade coating layer used at high temperatures are expected to be applied to sound YSZ coating and blade design technology.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.1201-1206
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• 2013

Defects that occur during the manufacturing process or operation of a wind turbine blade have a great influence on its life and safety. Typically, defects such as delamination, pore, wrinkle and matrix crack are found in a blade. In this study, the detectability of the pores, a type of defect that frequently occur during manufacturing, was examined from the full field strain distribution determined with the image correlation technique. Pore defects were artificially introduced in four-ply laminated GFRP composites with $0^{\circ}/{\pm}45^{\circ}$ fiber direction. The artificial pores were introduced in consideration of their size and location. Three different-sized pores with diameter of 1, 2 and 3 mm were located on the top and bottom surface and embedded. By applying static loads of 0-200 MPa, the strain distributions over the specimen with the pore defects were determined using image correlation technique. It was found the pores with diameter exceeding 2 mm can be detected in diameter.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.72-79
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• 2021

A circular saw is an effective tool for cutting glass and carbon-fiber hybrid composites. This study investigated tool wear and cut quality when reusing saw blades. The carbide saws wear four times faster than the new ones, and polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is very resistant to tool wear, except at the end of its lifespan. The cut cross-section quality is affected by the blade type, tool wear, and spindle speed. Alternate top bevel (ATB)-type blades are suitable for cutting fiber-reinforced plastics, but triple-chip grind (TCG)-type blades are unsuitable because they cause fiber-pullout defects. Tool wear and low spindle speeds increase the occurrence of arc scratches, due to the rear saw blade. A microscopic examination showed that the burr, which is a mixture of fiber chips and epoxy matrix, was bonded on top, and glass-fiber delamination occurred on the bottom glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) surface.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.192-196
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• 2005

Key part of main equipment in a gas turbine may be likely to be damaged due to operation under high temperature, high pressure, high-speed rotation, etc. Accordingly, the cost for maintenance increases and the damaged parts may cause generation to stop. The number of parts for maintenance also increases, but diagnostics technology fur the maintenance actually does not catch up with the demand. Blades are made of precipitation hardening Ni superalloy IN738 and the like for keeping hot strength. The surface of a blade is thermal-sprayed, using powder with main compositions such as Ni, Cr, Al, etc. in order to inhibit hot oxidation. Conventional regular maintenance of the coating layer of a blade is made by FPI (Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection) and MTP (Magnetic Particle Testing). Such methods, however, are complicated and take long time and also require much cost. In this study, defect diagnostics were tested for the coating layer of an industrial gas turbine blade, using an infraredthermography camera. Since the infrared thermography method can check a temperature distribution on a wide range of area by means of non-contact, it can advantageously save expenses and time as compared to conventional test methods. For the infrared thermography method, however, thermo-load must be applied onto a tested specimen and it is difficult to quantify the measured data. To solve the problems, this essay includes description about producing a specimen of a gas turbine blade (bucket), applying thermo-load onto the produced specimen, photographing thermography images by an infrared thermography camera, analyzing the thermography images, and pre-testing for analyzing defects on the coating layer of the gas turbine blade.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.32-42
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• 1995

When the thickness becomes so small as in the case of the trailing edge of the propeller blade or when the curvature of the surface varies rapidly as in ship stem, the existing panel method employing a flat-surface panel, obtained by collapsing the original non-planar surface into its mean location, suffers the leakage problem and also gives inaccurate induction upon the field point very close to the panel. The hyperboloidal panel deals with the induction from the dipole distributed on the non-planar surface without approximation, overcoming the defects of the flat-surface panel. This paper introduces two distinct derivations of the formulae to compute the integral for the potential induced by a dipole of uniform density distributed on a non-planar hyperboloidal surface element. One method is based on the Gauss-Bonnet theorem and the other is based on the transformation of the surface integral into a line integral.