As-Received Physical and Mechanical Properties of the Spar Cap of a GE37 Decommissioned Glass FRP Wind Turbine Blade

Alshannaq, Ammar A.; Respert, John A.; Bank, Lawrence C.; Scott, David W.; Gentry, T. Russell

doi:10.1061/(asce)mt.1943-5533.0004410

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Since material properties can change after years of service, it is imperative to first understand the residual properties of WTBs before proposing any suitable applications. [13] The following section present the levels of understanding needed to repurpose blades throughout multiple use cycles.…”

Section: Catss Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circular applications through selection strategies (CATSS): a methodology for identifying reuse applications for end-of-life wind turbine blades

Carrete,

Joustra,

Balkenende

2023

IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng.

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Wind turbines are crucial for the energy transition, but their end-of-life treatment presents a challenge. Most wind turbine blades, made from composites, are currently sent for disposal or recycled through methods that degrade the value of the material. Structural reuse through blade segmentation was introduced as a recovery method that maintains high material value throughout subsequent life cycles. Most recovery attempts focus on thermoset composites, but thermoplastics are becoming more common. Unlike thermosets, thermoplastics can be reshaped through thermoforming processes, which offers the opportunity of adapting the geometry of a blade to new reuse applications. This paper introduces selection strategies to identify secondary applications of reshaped thermoplastic blade sections. A new methodology is proposed based on Landru’s selection strategies and the Material Driven Design method (MDD). The Circular Applications Through Selection Strategies (CATSS) methodology proposes understanding a material at different levels to identify applications. Each sectioning level of the blades yields different material characteristics, such as the reshapability, that are then put into Landru’s three selection strategies: substitution, selection by function, and inverse selection. Substitution directly supplants other materials with blades in an existing application; selection by function compares material properties and performance indices to derive the most relevant functions (i.e. “light-weight beams”); and inverse selection identifies suitable market sectors. The CATSS method is a systematic approach to exploring the reuse of blade sections across multiple life cycles, taking into consideration the changes in blade geometry introduced by each sectioning level. For example, the second use cycle might use blade segments for infrastructural applications like electrical transmission poles, while 3rd and 4th cycles reuse blade elements or blade units for urban furniture or automotive parts, respectively. Thus, by identifying multiple use cycle applications at various sectioning levels, we introduce structural reuse and reshaping as a long-lasting recovery pathway for decommissioned wind turbine blades. The selection strategies presented on the one hand can help identify new applications for thermoplastic composite products at their end-of-life, while on the other hand they indicate which aspects need to be considered in the original design, thus contributing to more circular practices in the composites industry.

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Section: Catss Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circular applications through selection strategies (CATSS): a methodology for identifying reuse applications for end-of-life wind turbine blades

Carrete,

Joustra,

Balkenende

2023

IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng.

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“…Very few investigators have reported data for physical or mechanical properties of previously in-service and subsequently decommissioned wind blades ( 21 – 23 ). The LM 13.4 spar cap and shear webs are glass FRP as described in the Nordex N29/250 technical description and data ( 13 , 14 ).…”

Section: Characterization Of the Lm 134 Wind Bladementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The results of tests are shown in Table 2. Table 3 shows how these data compare with the very limited data from decommissioned wind blades that have been reported in the literature ( 21 – 23 ). Unfortunately, detailed values for volume fraction and coupon location were not always reported with these data.…”

Section: Characterization Of the Lm 134 Wind Bladementioning

confidence: 99%

“… a This paper: v f = 35% to 43%. b Alshannaq et al ( 21 ): spar cap of a 37 m long GE37 blade ( v f = 48%–50%). c Sayer et al ( 22 ): spar cap of DEBRA-25 blade (2.0 to 2.4 m from the root) with a total length of 11.6 m (similar to the N29 blade). d Ahmed ( 23 ): spar cap of a 20 year-old wind blade (unidentified) with a total length of 9.8 m (similar to the N29 blade). …”

Section: Characterization Of the Lm 134 Wind Bladementioning

confidence: 99%

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Material and Structural Characterization of a Wind Turbine Blade for Use as a Bridge Girder

Ruane

Zhang

Nagle

et al. 2022

Transportation Research Record

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Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials have been used in a variety of civil and infrastructure applications since the early1980s, including in wind turbine blades. The world is now confronting the problem of how to dispose of decommissioned blades in an environmentally sustainable manner. One proposed solution is to repurpose the blades for use in new structures. One promising repurposing application is in pedestrian and cycle bridges. This paper reports on the characterization of a 13.4-m long FRP wind blade manufactured by LM Windpower (Kolding, Demark) in 1994. Two blades of this type were used as girders for a pedestrian bridge on a greenway (walking and biking trail) in Cork, Ireland. The as-received geometric, material, and structural properties of the 27 year-old blade were obtained for use in the structural design of the bridge. The material tests included physical (volume fraction and laminate architecture) and mechanical (tension and compression) tests at multiple locations. Full-scale flexural testing of a 4-m long section of the blade between 7 and 11 m from the root of the blade was performed to determine the load-deflection behavior, ultimate capacity, strain history, and failure modes when loaded to failure. Key details of the testing and the results are provided. The results of the testing revealed that the FRP material is still in excellent condition and that the blade has the strength and stiffness in flexure to serve as a girder for the bridge constructed.

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Mechanical Testing of Connections Blind Bolted to the Thick Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Spar Cap of a Decommissioned GE37 Wind Turbine Blade

et al. 2023

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As-Received Physical and Mechanical Properties of the Spar Cap of a GE37 Decommissioned Glass FRP Wind Turbine Blade

Cited by 4 publications

References 24 publications

Circular applications through selection strategies (CATSS): a methodology for identifying reuse applications for end-of-life wind turbine blades

Circular applications through selection strategies (CATSS): a methodology for identifying reuse applications for end-of-life wind turbine blades

Material and Structural Characterization of a Wind Turbine Blade for Use as a Bridge Girder

Mechanical Testing of Connections Blind Bolted to the Thick Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Spar Cap of a Decommissioned GE37 Wind Turbine Blade

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