RECOVERY AND RECYCLING OF WIND TURBINE BLADES

Mehveş Dila Durmaz

Mete Özçelik
Nesli Ece Katlanç

Environmental Engineering
Date of delivery: 10/01/2023

Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Waste generation: source of waste, quantities produced in the world, in UE, etc.
3. Recycling plants: types, recycling stages, equipment.

4. Waste properties: physical, chemical, mechanical and durability properties.

By enabling lighter, longer blades with an improved aerodynamic shape, composite material,
which is made up of several materials with varying qualities, improves the performance of
wind energy. There are already 2.5 million tonnes of composite materials being used
worldwide in the wind energy sector. Despite the fact that material compositions differ
between blade types and manufacturers, blades typically contain the following (Figure x):

 Reinforcement fibers, such as carbon and glass. In the composite parts of wind
turbine blades, the main reinforcement material is glass fiber. Although to a lesser
extent, carbon fiber is also employed in the spar of wind turbine blades. The superior
strength and greater rigidity of carbon fiber over glass fiber offer several advantages,
but their higher cost per volume is a major obstacle to their broader adoption in the
wind power industry. There are also hybrids made of glass and carbon fiber.

 A polymer matrix e.g. thermosets such as epox- ies, polyesters, vinyl esters,
polyurethane, or thermoplastics.
 A sandwich core e.g. balsa wood or foams such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC),
polyethylene terephthalate (PET);
 Structural adhesives e.g. epoxies, polyurethane (PUR)
 Coatings e.g. polyester (UPR), polyurethane (PUR);
 Metals e.g. copper or aluminium wiring (lightning protection system), steel bolts.
(Schmid, M., 2020)
Figure X. Generic cross-section of rotor blade

Table 4.1. Mechanical properties of the materials used in the analysis of wind turbine blade
(M. Kucuk, 2012)

The combination of fibers and polymers, represents the majority of the blade material
composition. In many respects, composites are advantageous because they:

 Combine high strength-to-weight ratio (high strength-to-density) characteristics with

high tensile strength to endure mechanical loads and perform aerodynamically at their
best;
  Provide long-expected lifetime (20 to 30 years) electrical and thermal conductivity
resistance, fatigue resistance, and corrosion resistance;
 Provide design and manufacturing flexibility so that the aerodynamic shape of the
blade can be optimized for optimum turbine efficiency;
 Allow for high yields to lower the levelized cost of energy.

5. Environmental effects of its landfill.

6. Potential uses/applications of the waste.
7. Case of study (optional)
8. Legislation.
9. Conclusions.
10. References.

1. Format of Tables and figures

1.1. Tables
Tables must be mentioned in the text (Table 1).

Table 1. Report’s submission dates.

Date of
Report Place of delivery Number of sheets
delivery
Word and PPTX 10/01/2023 ICEA-Moodle 15-20 pgs

1.2. Figures
Figures must be mentioned in the text (Fig. 1).

100
90
BOLOMEY
80
70
Pass material (%)

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0.01 0.1 1 10 100

Sieve size (mm)

Figure 1. Curve of particle size analysis of the designed concrete.

2. Format of references
This report must have at least six different references related to the main concept of the
report.
Its surname and year must appear in the main text cited in parenthesis (References, 2012).
At the end of the document, the complete reference must be written as shown below:
- Reference to a book: Malhotra, V. M. Fly ash in concrete, CANMET. Canada, 1997. (Book).
- Reference to a journal publication: Papadakis, V. G, Tsima, S. Supplementary cementing
materials in concrete. Part I: efficiency and design, Cement and Concrete Research. 32
(2002) 1525-1532.
- Reference to website: Cancer Research UK, Cancer statistics reports for the UK.
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/ aboutcancer/statistics/cancerstatsreport/, 2003
(accessed 13 March 2003).

References

-Schmid, M., Ramon, N. G., Dierckx, A., Wegman, T. Accleration wind turbine blade
circularity. Part 2: Composites and the wind industry (2020)
-M. Kucuk et al. / EEST Part A: Energy Science and Research Special Issue (2012) 667-676