Life Cycle Analysis of Construction Facilities Using the Eexample of Wind Power Facilities

Introduction. Construction plays a major role in the economy of the Russian Federation contributing to sustainable development and improving the living conditions of the population. Modern construction facilities include residential and commercial buildings, municipal and infrastructural structures such as roads and bridges, as well as industrial and energy facilities, including wind power facilities. Wind energy is becoming an important part of the construction industry, contributing to innovation and technological progress. As objects of the construction industry, wind power facilities go through their life cycle which includesthe main stages: design, construction, operation and disposal (renovation). Each stage requires effective management to ensure reliable operation and safety of the facility. Thus, in order to ensure the future generation of environmentally safe energy by a wind power plant, it becomes necessary to analyze the planned construction site and, as a result, manage solutions at the design and construction stages. During such an analysis, it becomes possible to identify potential problems during the operation phase of a wind power facility. These include, first of all, wear, corrosion of structural elements and frostbite of the blades. These problems are the reason for the decrease in performance and service life of the object. The aim of the work wasthus to search for the possibility of extending the service life in the life cycle of wind power facilities by solving the problem of blade icing at the design and construction stages.

Materials and methods. The research is based on the method of analyzing the life cycle of construction facilities, including the systematization and optimization of their management processes. The model of the life cycle of wind power facilities, developed by the author earlier, helped to identify the problems of the facility's operation phase. The most significant problem that significantly affects the duration of the operation phase is the problem of blade icing. An analysis of the life cycle of a wind power facility has shown that it is advisable to ensure a successful solution to this problem at the design and construction stages of the facility. The data of the conducted analysis of the problem are based on the research results of domestic and foreign authors.

As a result, a generalization and systematization of existing anti-icing methods was carried out, on the basis of which a new method of implementation was set forth and an appropriate work methodology was developed. Such a solution, envisaged at the design stage of the construction facility, will enable one to successfully manage its life cycle, and, in particular, the operation stage.

Results. Throughout the course of the research, the author has been able to increase the duration of the operation stage in the life cycle of wind power facilities. To this end, an analysis of the life cycle of construction facilities was carried out, during which the causes affecting the life of the facility were identified. The most significant reason leading to a sharp reduction in the service life of the construction site is the problem of icing of the blades during the cold season. Based on the analysis of operating conditions, the causes of icing of the blades of wind power structures have been determined, the basic principles of anti-icing protection have been established, and a new method for solving this problem using UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) has been set forth, as well as a technique for applying hydrophobic coatings to prevent the icing process. The implementation of the research results will ensure the required performance, which, in turn, will increase the service life of the wind power plant.

Discussion and conclusion. Successful lifecycle management of such construction facilities as wind power plants requires attention not only at the stage of operation of the facility, but also at the stages of design and construction. The key task of the operation stage of a wind power facility is to ensure the necessary productivity and increase the service life of the facility. This can be solved by carefully analyzing the life cycle and preventing future operational problems at the design and construction stages. The method set forth in the study to combat blade icing can be implemented not only for existing wind power plants that do not have special anti-icing systems, but also for projected facilities. Moreover, the suggested solutions for combating icing of the blades can be included in the design documentation as mandatory types of work carried out during the construction phase, as well as subsequently during the operation phase with a certain frequency.

Solving the problem at the design stage of the facility will ensure an increase in productivity and an increase in the service life of a wind power plant operating in cold and humid climates. Thus, the results of the study provide a theoretical basis for managing the life cycle of wind power facilities, as one of the promising construction projects.

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