WTB-IRT: Modelling and Measurement of Thermal Contrast in Wind Turbine Rotor Blades (WTBs)

The rapid growth of wind energy infrastructure over the past two to three decades has led to an urgent need for advanced non-destructive testing (NDT) methods—both for newly installed wind turbine blades (WTBs) and for ageing components nearing the end of their service life. Among emerging techniques, passive infrared thermography (IRT) offers a promising solution by enabling contactless, time-efficient inspection based on naturally occurring thermal variations. The effectiveness of passive IRT depends on the presence of sufficient thermal contrast to distinguish surface features, subsurface structures, and defects. To better understand the possibility of obtaining such contrast in composite structures such as WTBs, a controlled study was carried out on a blade section exposed to programmed temperature transients in a climate chamber. Infrared measurements were recorded, and the thermal behaviour of the specimen was simulated using finite element models (FEM) in COMSOL Multiphysics 6.3. Although direct validation is limited by measurement uncertainties and transient effects, the comparison provides insight into the capabilities and limitations of FEM in replicating real-world thermal behaviour. This paper focuses specifically on the challenges related to the modelling approach.