| Title |
Pursuing the circularity of wind turbine blades: Thermochemical recycling by pyrolysis and recovery of valuable resources |
| ID_Doc |
17132 |
| Authors |
Royuela, D; Martínez, JD; López, JM; Callén, MS; García, T; Verdejo, R; Murillo, R; Veses, A |
| Title |
Pursuing the circularity of wind turbine blades: Thermochemical recycling by pyrolysis and recovery of valuable resources |
| Year |
2024 |
| Published |
|
| DOI |
10.1016/j.jaap.2024.106657 |
| Abstract |
Wind turbine blades (WTBs) are the primary waste generated by the wind energy industry and represent one of the major challenges associated with renewable energy from a disposal perspective. Therefore, it is necessary to develop recycling processes to address this environmental issue as circular economy strategies are implemented. This work investigates the technical feasibility of a combined thermochemical process to recover high-quality glass fibers from WTBs while optimizing the composition of the liquid and gaseous fractions. For this purpose, a thermal pyrolysis process in the range of 450-500 degrees C was studied in a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor, followed by thermal cracking of the vapors between 300 and 700 degrees C. The fixed bed reactor in which the pyrolysis was performed was also used to study a secondary thermochemical process under oxidizing conditions in order to remove residual exogenous organic compounds from the recovered fibers (RFs). For the sake of comparison, a muffle furnace was also used in this second stage. The results indicate that high yields of RFs can be recovered (75.8-77.5 wt%) and, depending on the temperature used in the cracking reactor, either valuable gas (up to 12.9 wt%) or phenol-rich oils (in the range of 8.8-18.7 wt%) can be produced. In addition, carbonaceous compounds can be completely cleaned of RFs after an oxidation process in the same pyrolysis unit, providing a highly versatile process. As an additional advantage, it is observed that after oxidation the RFs are functionalized. This work aims at creating a resource-efficient circular economy, specifically for waste generated from end-of-life renewable energy technologies such as wind turbines. |
| Author Keywords |
Circular economy; Pyrolysis; Wind turbine blades; Glass fiber; Waste management |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) |
| EID |
WOS:001281808400001 |
| WoS Category |
Chemistry, Analytical; Energy & Fuels; Engineering, Chemical |
| Research Area |
Chemistry; Energy & Fuels; Engineering |
| PDF |
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