| Title | Wind Turbine Blades Using Recycled Carbon Fibers: An Environmental Assessment |
|---|---|
| ID_Doc | 19672 |
| Authors | Upadhyayula, VKK; Gadhamshetty, V; Athanassiadis, D; Tysklind, M; Meng, FR; Pan, Q; Cullen, JM; Yacout, DMM |
| Title | Wind Turbine Blades Using Recycled Carbon Fibers: An Environmental Assessment |
| Year | 2022 |
| Published | Environmental Science & Technology, 56.0, 2 |
| Abstract | Polymers reinforced with virgin carbon fibers (VCF) are being used to make spar caps of wind turbine (WT) blades and polymers with glass fibers (GF) to make skins of the blade components. Here, we assess the life cycle environmental performance of the hybrid blades with spar caps based on VCF and the shells and shear webs based on RCF (recycled CF) composites (RCF-hybrid). The production of the WT blades and associated reinforced polymers is assumed to occur in Sweden, with their uses and end-of-life management in the European region. The functional unit is equivalent to three blades in an offshore WT with the market incumbent blades solely based on the GF composite or the hybrid option. The RCF-hybrid blades offer 12-89% better environmental performance in nine out of 10 impact categories and 6-26% better in six out of 10 impact categories. The RCF-hybrid blades exhibit optimum environmental performance when the VCF manufacturing facilities are equipped with pollution abatement systems including regenerative thermal oxidizers to reduce ammonia and hydrogen cyanide emissions; spar caps are made using VCF epoxy composites through pultrusion and resin infusion molding, and the blade scrap is mechanically recycled at the end of life. The energy and carbon payback times for the RCF-hybrid blades were found to be 5-13% lower than those of the market incumbents. |
| https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/29847567-1437-48db-b286-01faa7a61288/download |
Similar Articles
| ID | Score | Article |
|---|---|---|
3205
|
Jensen, JP; Skelton, K Wind turbine blade recycling: Experiences, challenges and possibilities in a circular economy(2018) | |
| 21961
|
Khalid, MY; Arif, ZU; Hossain, M; Umer, R Recycling of wind turbine blades through modern recycling technologies: A road to zero waste(2023) | |
| 12553
|
Tayebi, ST; Sambucci, M; Valente, M Waste Management of Wind Turbine Blades: A Comprehensive Review on Available Recycling Technologies with A Focus on Overcoming Potential Environmental Hazards Caused by Microplastic Production(2024)Sustainability, 16.0, 11 | |
| 16603
|
Joustra, J; Flipsen, B; Balkenende, R Structural reuse of high end composite products: A design case study on wind turbine blades(2021) | |
| 8009
|
Bank, LC; Arias, FR; Gentry, TR; Al-Haddad, T; Tasistro-Hart, B; Chen, JF Structural analysis of FRP parts from waste wind turbine blades for building reuse applications(2019) | |
| 76494
|
Psomopoulos, CS; Kalkanis, K; Kaminaris, S; Ioannidis, GC; Pachos, P A Review of the Potential for the Recovery of Wind Turbine Blade Waste Materials(2019)Recycling, 4, 1 | |
| 28002
|
Beauson, J; Laurent, A; Rudolph, DP; Jensen, JP The complex end-of-life of wind turbine blades: A review of the European context(2022) | |
| 24873
|
Pender, K; Romoli, F; Fuller, J Lifecycle Assessment of Strategies for Decarbonising Wind Blade Recycling toward Net Zero 2050(2024)Energies, 17, 12 | |
| 3964
|
Tyurkay, A; Kirkelund, GM; Lima, ATM State-of-the-art circular economy practices for end-of-life wind turbine blades for use in the construction industry(2024) | |
| 6828
|
Colombo, B; Gaiardelli, P; Dotti, S; Caretto, F Environmental assessment of a spinning process for the production of ring-spun hybrid yarns from recycled carbon fiber: A cradle-to-gate approach(2023) |