terahertz enhanced identification method for detecting wind turbine anomalies and blade failures (HEIMDALL)

The goal of this project is to develop a new terahertz enhanced identification method for detecting wind
turbine anomalies and blade failures (HEIMDALL). Terahertz analysis is a highly innovative method for
detection of wind turbine blade damage.
Today, damage detection methods are slow and expensive. More importantly, the state-of-the-art methods
have issues performing damage detection and evaluation deep into the blade. However, there is a large
interest in detecting damage to existing wind turbines. If damage can be detected and monitored, the lifetime
of a wind turbine blade can be extended for up to 10 years. The HEIMDALL project aims to develop a
damage detection system that can prolong the lifetime of wind turbines.
GLAZE is a Danish start-up that has developed a terahertz analysis unit with optimized optical properties.
The analysis method has been successfully applied in other industries such coatings and the frozen
food industry. Based on experiments performed in the laboratory, the GLAZE unit has been validated for
detection of blade defects. In the HEIMDALL project, GLAZE will develop this technology further with leading
industry member Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) and the world leading research
department of DTU WIND.

The use of THz to find defects and damages in wind turbine components

What is Terahertz Imaging?
Terahertz scanning and imaging exploit the unique properties of electromagnetic radiation that lies between
light and radio waves, deriving its name from its frequency range centered around the terahertz (THz)
band—10^12 Hz or 1,000 GHz see Figure 2. This positioning between light and radio waves means it
inherits characteristics of both: like light, it can be focused using optics, and like radio waves, it can penetrate
various materials.
In practical terms, this allows us to "shine a light" into the material itself and discern features located deep
within. The operational mode of terahertz imaging is akin to that of ultrasound, where a pulse is emitted,
and the echo is registered. However, in terahertz imaging, sound is substituted with terahertz radiation,
operating at a frequency six orders of magnitude higher. This significant increase in frequency opens the
door to resolving much finer details, enhancing our ability to detect and analyze small-scale features within
materials.