Poberezhnyi, Liubomyr

The construction of numerous offshore wind power plants across the European Union and globally has exposed these structures to corrosive marine environments, leading to significant corrosion damage, particularly in welded joints. This study examines the effect of nickel and nickel-copper nanolaminates on corrosion resistance. Electrochemical methods, including polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), were used to evaluate corrosion behavior in tap water and 3.5% NaCl solution. Visual inspection by optical microscopy was performed to analyze localized corrosion defects. BM-Ni and BM-Ni-Cu specimens exhibited galvanic corrosion, more intense in NaCl solution. BM-Ni-Cu samples showed significant potential differences, indicating electrochemical interactions between nanolayers. Corrosion defects initiated at surface imperfections, potentially affecting the integrity of welded joints over time. Surface defects in nanolaminates may serve as corrosion initiation points. The results showed the promising potential of metal multilayer nanocoatings for improving the corrosion resistance of welded joints. Future research should optimize layer thickness and other parameters to improve corrosion resistance and enhance the durability of offshore wind turbines.

Corrosion problems in offshore wind power plants are a significant contributor to operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, typically around 15–30 percent of the total life cycle costs. Corrosion can degrade the structural material, contribute to fatigue cracking, brittle failure, and unstable failure, and the integrity of the entire structure can be significantly compromised. In the literature, there are many numerical simulations of the growth of pits and cracks in seawater under the influence of mechanical loads. Computer modeling allows quick assessment of the corrosion processes development; however, most software packages have limitations when building models. To study the corrosion processes of wind power plants, it is suggested to use modeling in COMSOL Multiphysics followed by its correction using experimentally measured electrochemical parameters in order to quickly assess the impact of changes in environmental parameters on the speed of corrosion processes and to identify areas of the structure that require additional protection and regular monitoring. In the future, combining field and experimental studies with computer modeling of corrosion processes is necessary.