Anti-Icing Performance of Hydrophobic Silicone–Acrylate Resin Coatings on Wind Blades

The icing of wind blades poses a serious threat to the operation of wind turbines. The application of superhydrophobic coatings on wind blades can serve as a potential anti-icing method. This study presents the findings of simulations of the icing environment of wind blades coated with hydrophobic silicone–acrylate resin in an artificial climate chamber. Artificial icing tests were performed on NACA7715 wind blades with four different silicone–acrylate resin coatings and on uncoated wind blades, with test performed at five different wind speeds and three different angles of attack. Results show that wind blade surfaces with higher hydrophobicity yield better anti-icing performance, and that the ice mass of the wind blades decreases with increasing wind speeds and angles of attack. In addition, variations in ice mass, shape, and distribution on different wind blades indicate that increased hydrophobicity can help limit the areas that are subject to freezing. Hydrophobicity can affect the air cavities of the ice deposited on the wind blades, and surfaces with increased hydrophobicity can lead to lower ice mass and less ice adhesion. In brief, surfaces with higher hydrophobicity demonstrate better anti-icing performance and benefit from active de-icing.