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The past year was exceptional for the world wind energy
market, as wind-generated electricity continued to increase its
share of the overall electric power supply base. The global wind
power industry grew about 16 percent in 2012, adding 45 GW of
new capacity. This increased total capacity to 285 GW, or about
2.62 percent of the worlds electricity, according to statistics
published by online energy market news aggregator
TheEnergyCollective.com. In the U.S., 6 GW of new capacity
was installed in 2012, 19 percent more than in 2011. Wind
turbines now account for roughly 3.4 percent of all electricity
generated in the U.S. With the Jan. 1, 2013, extension of the
federal Production Tax Credit, the U.S. is expected to add 5 GW
of wind-generated electricity this year.
Despite the ongoing expansion of wind power, the wind energy
industrys mandate to innovate has never been greater. Its
ability to compete with other renewable and nonrenewable
sources of energy and the continued growth and profitability of
turbine manufacturers and suppliers depend on it. Areas of
concern include better ways to enhance not only the mechanical
and aerodynamic performance of turbine blades but also their
weatherability and resistance to environmental elements. It is
also incumbent on the industry to explore ways to reduce the
radar signature of wind farms an issue that has resulted in
delays or cancellations of some farm installations. Last, there is
a sense of urgency about mitigating the cost of manufacturing,
installing and metering wind turbines in anticipation of what
many experts predict will inevitably be a subsidy-free, level
energy playing field.
Pushing past the efficiency plateau Pushing past the efficiency plateau Pushing past the efficiency plateau Pushing past the efficiency plateau
If the rotors of a wind turbine are not turning, the turbine is not
producing electricity and its owners are not making money. That
fact feeds the perception among critics that wind cannot
compete with on-demand power sources, such as fossil fuels,
nuclear and hydro. Thus, one rationale for longer rotor blades is
that the longer the blade, the greater the amount of time a
turbine will spend in service under variable wind conditions, a
metric known as capacity factor.
October 2013
Despite double-digit wind energy industry growth, turbine blade manufacturers and
materials suppliers acknowledge a pressing need to reduce costs and innovate.
Author: Michael LeGault
42
Posted on: 10/1/2013
Source: Composites Technology
Wind blades: Progress and challenges Wind blades: Progress and challenges Wind blades: Progress and challenges Wind blades: Progress and challenges
Click Image to Enlarge
Pictured here is one-half of
the mold Siemens AG
(Erlangen, Germany) is using
to build rotor blades for what
the company says will be the
worlds largest turbine, the
SWT-6.0-154. Its 75m/246-ft
balsa-cored glass/epoxy
blades will be molded in one
piece to eliminate seams and
bonded joints. A Danish
energy provider is planning
to install about 300 of the
turbines off the British coast
when testing is complete.
Source: Siemens
Chicago, Ill.-based Invenergy
is installing three of GEs
new 2.5-120 turbines at the
Goldthwaite Wind Energy
facility presently under
construction in Mills County,
Texas. The largest in GEs
line, they feature wind
blades 60m/197-ft long and a
new, onboard short-term
battery storage system,
which enables energy storage
during peak generation.
Source: GE Wind Energy
Editor's Picks Editor's Picks Editor's Picks Editor's Picks
A different type of blade?
GE Wind Energy and public/private
partners investigate the use of resin-
impregnated architectural fa...
Fair winds for offshore wind farms
Innovations in blades, turbines and
foundations are helping spur growth in a
very big way.
Seite 1 von 5 Wind blades: Progress and challenges : CompositesWorld
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Keith Longtin, general manager, wind product line, for GEs
renewable energy business, says the company has increased
the capacity factor of its current turbines to more than 50
percent, up from roughly 35 percent 10 years ago. Longtin
reports that GE sold more than 1,000 of its 100m/328-ft
diameter 1.6-MW 1.6-100 wind turbines in 2012 all installed
in the U.S. This turbine has a capacity factor of roughly 53
percent. The turbines 48.7m/159.8-ft blades are E-glass/epoxy
sandwich constructions with a hybrid core that comprises balsa
wood and PVC and SAN foams. Each blade weighs
approximately 10 metric tonnes (22,000 lb), has a root diameter
of 2.5m/8.2 ft and a chord width of 3.5m/11.5 ft.
More recently, Invenergy (Chicago, Ill.) became the first
company to purchase GEs new 2.5-120 series turbine. The
turbine is equipped with 60m/197-ft long blades and has a
capacity factor of more than 50 percent in low-wind conditions.
Invenergy purchased three of the 2.5-MW turbines, which will be
installed as part of Goldthwaite Energy Center, an 86-turbine
facility under construction in Mills County, Texas. GE says the
turbine is the first to integrate short-term battery storage and software that enables power
producers to store short-term surges in power during peak wind conditions. This onboard
system eliminates the need for more costly offline, farm-level battery storage systems.
Longtin reports that one of the companys strategies for reducing variability and costs in
the ramp up to bigger blades is a standardized design and manufacturing process, which
facilitates scalability of composite layups. The company also collaborates with its suppliers
to find ways to enhance automation. For example, one of the companys suppliers, TPI
Composites, which manufactures rotor blades for GEs turbines at its plant in Newton,
Iowa, reports using hydraulic power hinges to assemble blade halves. The hinges have
eliminated the need for flip fixtures for skin demolding, resulting in significant reductions in
assembly time. TPI manufactures blades using the Seamann Composites (Gulfport, Miss.)
Resin Infusion Molding Process (SCRIMP), in which feed lines, vacuum lines and
embossed distribution channels are integrated into a reusable vacuum bag to reduce
setup time and improve process repeatability.
Better design and design for manufacture Better design and design for manufacture Better design and design for manufacture Better design and design for manufacture
Building ever-larger rotor blades using the same or similar production methods and
materials is a strategy now subject to the law of diminishing returns: The increase in the
weight of, and loads borne by, longer turbine blades outpaces the increases in power
capacity. Turbine manufacturers, therefore, are vigorously investigating optimized
designs, lighter materials and more efficient manufacturing processes to reduce blade
weight and cost.
Siemens AG (Erlangen, Germany) is building what is purported to be the worlds largest
wind turbine, the SWT-6.0-154. Each of its three B75 blades measures about 75m/246 ft
in length. Fabricated as a single cast part, comprising glass, epoxy and balsa wood, the
blade is molded via the companys patented and trademarked IntegralBlade process. The
seamless blade has no bonded joints weak points that could crack or separate,
exposing the joint to water ingress and accelerated weathering. Additionally, a weight
savings of about 20 percent, compared to conventionally produced blades, is achieved by
incorporating a specially designed blade profile, shaped to maximize the rotor capacity
factor at a variety of wind speeds. The turbine has a cut-in wind speed of 3 to 5 m/sec,
produces nominal power at 12 to 24 m/sec and has a cut-out wind speed of 25 m/sec. It is
part of the companys D6 platform, which replaces the gearbox, coupling and generator
with direct-drive technology that eliminates about 50 percent of wear-prone and geared
parts. The reduction in associated maintenance costs is especially advantageous for
offshore applications. Siemens is testing the B75 blades on a prototype 6-MW turbine at
Denmarks Osterlid test station. After testing is complete, power supplier Dong Energy
(Fredericia, Denmark) plans to purchase and install about 300 SWT-6.0-154 turbines off
the British coast, according to a recent press release from Siemens.
Meanwhile, Kolding, Denmark-based LM Wind Powers 73.5m/240-ft blades were installed
on Alstoms (Levallois-Perret, France) Haliade 150-6MW wind turbine in Carnet, France,
this past year, and the company has plans to open a blade manufacturing plant in
Cherbourg, France, and begin production of the blades there by 2016 (see Fair winds for
offshore wind farms, under "Editor's Picks," at top right). The glass/polyester blades
feature the companys SuperRoot design, which supports blades that are up to 20 percent
longer without an increase in root diameter. Additionally, in 2012, LM Wind Power
extended its GloBlade line of ultraslim wind turbine blades to 3-MW turbines. Originally
introduced for the 1.5-MW segment, the GloBlade replacement blades are designed with
plug-and-play features that make them compatible with a variety of turbine platforms and
aerodynamic configurations. The new 3-MW line includes 58.7m and 61.2m (192.6-ft and
200.8-ft) blades, which the company says can improve annual energy production by as
much as 14 percent, compared to the standard blades they replace.
Custom molder Molded
Fiberglass Cos. (Ashtabula,
Ohio) manufactures spinner
nosecones, which fit over the
rotor hub, by vacuum
infusion from E-glass and
polyester. Company VP Carl
LaFrance says greater
collaboration between
suppliers and blade
manufacturers is a must if
the industry is to reduce
system costs and compete
with other sources of power.
Source: GE Wind Energy
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Molded Fiber Glass Cos. (MFG, Ashtabula, Ohio) custom molds blades and a variety of
parts for wind turbines. For example, the company manufactures a spinner nose cone,
which fits over the windward side of the rotor hub, from E-glass fabric and polyester for a
major wind turbine manufacturer. Carl LaFrance, MFGs VP of renewable energy
products, cites the need to reduce wind energys cost per kW-hr and to make investments
in material and process R&D. We dont have a full understanding of how blade design,
materials and manufacturing processes affect system costs, says LaFrance, so we dont
have any idea about how much cost we could potentially take out. He believes that will
require more upfront collaboration between custom molders and turbine manufacturers,
but adds, its a conversation not all customers are willing to have because of the
competitive nature of this business.
LaFrance specifically earmarks the need for tougher matrices, and he notes that early
testing and prototype work with polyurethanes appears promising. Polyurethanes have
much better fatigue properties than either polyester or epoxy, he contends. LaFrance also
reports that some materials suppliers are researching methods to make vinyl ester a
tougher material.
Erosion control and de-icing capability Erosion control and de-icing capability Erosion control and de-icing capability Erosion control and de-icing capability
As blades get longer and blade tips reach greater speeds, resistance to wind-driven rain,
ice, sand and salt is a key performance criterion, especially along the blades leading
edge. When wind-driven particulate strikes a blade spinning as fast as 60 m/sec, there is
the potential for damaging shear forces in the first laminate layer of the edge. Leading-
edge erosion reduces power output, which results in significant revenue loss for wind farm
operators.
To counteract erosion, LM Wind Power recently introduced a new protective coating
technology, LM ProBlade Collision Barrier. The company claims the coating can improve
erosion resistance along the leading edge by up to 20 times, compared to standard barrier
coatings already in use. The coating system comprises a primer and an aliphatic-based,
solvent-free, two-component, highly elastic polyurethane topcoat. LM says results of
independent testing on prototype blades shows the coating lasts about twice as long as
leading-edge thermoplastic polyurethane tape. Tape produces aerodynamic drag, and LM
estimates that eliminating it can enhance the average annual energy production of a
turbine by 2 percent. The company began serial production of the coating in the second
quarter of 2013. Lene Ri Ran Kristiansen, manager of global communications at LM, says
the barrier technology will be available, initially, only on blades produced by LM Wind
Power.
Another option, Arkema Inc.s (King of Prussia, Pa.) KYNAR PVDF-acrylic hybrid emulsion
coating, has been used for more than 30 years as an architectural weather coating on
exposed metal in large commercial buildings and public structures. The original solvent-
borne emulsion requires baking at temperatures up to 200C/392F to cure. However, the
company introduced a water-based version of KYNAR, in both thermoplastic and
thermoset formulations, which is curable at room temperature and can be applied to a
variety of composites.
Kurt Wood, group leader of KYNAR PVDF coatings R&D, reports that the company has
been working with researchers at North Dakota State University (NDSU) to evaluate the
performance of paints formulated with the water-based thermoset and a hybrid resin when
they are applied on typical glass/epoxy laminates as a possible all-purpose leading-edge
and weather-resistant coating. In the thermoset formulation, hydroxy-functional monomers
are incorporated in the acrylic portion; the hybrid resin is combined with commercially
available water-dispersible polyisocyanate crosslinkers to produce a two-part urethane.
The resulting crosslinked polymer in the applied coating is structured as a bi-continuous
network of fluoropolymer and acrylic urethane.
The standard rain erosion test, first developed for helicopter blades, spins blades on a
fixture at a high speed through simulated rain. This test is very expensive. Arkema,
therefore, is working with NDSU to develop an alternative test method that keeps the part
stationary and uses a wind tunnel to accelerate water droplets into the part at high speed.
This method will be used to test the rain erosion of blades coated with KYNAR-based
paints. The company will be presenting preliminary test results at several wind energy
conferences this year. Wood says the company also has done studies that suggest the
hybrid resin may have superior long-term erosion-resistance and ice-shedding properties
compared to a number of commercial urethane coatings that are currently in use.
To address leading-edge erosion, 3Ms Renewable Energy Div. (St. Paul, Minn.) now
offers Wind Blade Protection Coating W4600. The product, which was introduced to the
market in May, is a two-component polyurethane coating designed for application via
brush or by casting at the OEM facility. 3M also offers Wind Tape 8608 and 8609 for
erosion control at the leading edge. The pressure-sensitive tape is UV stable and puncture
resistant, and it can be die- or plotter-cut to conform to complex 3-D shapes.
Currently GE Wind Energy employs process controllers on most of its wind turbines to
manage ice buildup on the turbines rotor blades. When the controller detects imbalances
in the rotor as a result of ice buildup, it adjusts the rotor speed to allow continued safe
operation, or it shuts down the turbine if ice buildup becomes too extreme. But Longtin
Seite 3 von 5 Wind blades: Progress and challenges : CompositesWorld
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reports that GE also has conducted field testing of a nanoparticle, ice-phobic coating on
its 1.6-MW turbine blades, with encouraging results. We are going to announce the
results later this year but we think the technology has promise, says Longtin.
Reducing wind turbine radar interference Reducing wind turbine radar interference Reducing wind turbine radar interference Reducing wind turbine radar interference
As wind farms proliferate, a concern about turbine radar interference has, in recent years,
prompted aviation, weather, military and marine operations to contest proposed wind
turbine installations. The Union of Concerned Scientists (Cambridge, Mass.) estimates the
issue has delayed the installation of as much as 6 to 9 GW of potential wind energy
production. In a white paper that addresses radar interference from wind farms, the group
recommends a number of mitigation measures, including upgrades to the aging, long-
range radar infrastructure, modifications to wind farm design to reduce radar cross-section
and the use of gap fillers in radar coverage.
Turbine manufactures also are investigating technologies to reduce the intrinsic radar
signature of wind blades. Vestas Wind Systems A/S (Aarhus, Denmark) is reportedly
researching the use of a stealth technology, similar to what is used in military aircraft, to
reduce a turbines radar signature. The company has built a number of experimental wind
blades that comprise two layers of glass fabric printed with a special ink. The radar
signal passes through the first layer and is effectively trapped between the two layers.
According to online reports, the technology works, but the cost could be prohibitive
especially considering the market pressure on turbine manufacturers to reduce, not raise,
costs. Further, a turbine completely undetectable to radar would pose a hazard to aircraft
flying in the vicinity of a wind farm. The trick, which Vestas is attempting to master, is to
tune the technology so a spinning turbine doesnt appear as a threat on the aircrafts
radar, yet doesnt entirely disappear from the radar screen.
Elsewhere, GE Wind Energy is taking a slightly different approach to reduce a turbines
radar interference. Longtin reports that GEs R&D center in Munich, Germany, has
investigated applying a number of commercial radar-absorbing materials to rotor blades,
which have subsequently been tested on turbines and were shown to be capable of
reducing radar interference. We are using materials that you can purchase off-the-shelf
and staying away from more exotic materials used in the defense industry, says Longtin.
If the industry were to move to requiring a blade producing less radar interference, we
think we have some technology that we can draw upon that could help.
As it matures, the wind energy industry faces a number of significant challenges that
require collaboration and new, cost-effective technologies. As it stands, even without
subsidies, wind energy is competitive, or nearly competitive, with traditional energy
sources, including coal and oil. Ongoing materials and manufacturing innovation will help
push this important end market to wider, and permanent, acceptance.
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