Wind turbine blade leading edge protection method

Abstract

Wind Turbine Blade (12) Leading Edge (24, 30, 88) Protection Method In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of applying an erosion shield (22) to a leading edge region (30) of a wind turbine blade (12). The method comprises providing a wind turbine blade (12) comprising a blade shell (26) having an aerodynamic profile and defining a leading edge region (30); providing an erosion shield (22) made of a polymer material, the erosion shield (22) having an inner surface (36) to be bonded to the leading edge region (30) of the blade shell (26), and an outer surface (38, 84, 98) to be exposed in use; activating (44) the inner surface (36) of the erosion shield (22), and cleaning (42) the inner surface (36) of the erosion shield (22) using a solvent. The method further comprises applying a layer of wet adhesive (66, 68, 72A) to the inner surface (36) of the erosion shield (22); applying a layer of wet adhesive (66, 68, 72A) to the leading edge region (30) of the blade shell (26); arranging the erosion shield (22) against the leading edge region (30) of the blade shell (26) such that wet-to-wet adhesive (66, 68, 72A, 72, 96) contact is established between the inner surface (36) of the erosion shield (22) and the blade shell (26), and curing the adhesive (66, 68, 72A, 72, 96) to bond the erosion shield (22) to the leading edge region (30) of the blade shell (26).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.