Although turbine blades have been getting longer, they must be sleek, light, and resilient to wear and tear as they spin through the wind. To assist the elongation of the blade is Owens Corning. They say their Ultrablade fabric treated with epoxy resin can help improve blade aerodynamics and strength, without sacrificing length.
According to the company, the material can increase blade length by 6% and stiffness by 205. It could also allow blade thickness to decrease by 6%, total blade weight by 5%, and lessen the weight of its carbon-fiber spars by 18%. Added up, Owens Corning says turbine designers could take almost a metric ton of reinforcement and resin from a 2-MW turbine, when compared with similarly sized blades of standard E-glass.
Designers can use a combination of several improved properties in different areas of a blade. They can choose to increase blade length for any given weight while keeping thrust constant and assuring sufficient tower clearance.
At lower wind speeds, weight-saving Ultrablade fabric can help increase a blade’s aerodynamic lift, torque, and energy capture. The end-result will be higher annual energy production from optimised blade designs using high-performance fabrics.
Owens Corning
Filed Under: Blades, News
