<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/us-researchers-identify-new-sugar-based-resin-for-easily-recyclable-wind-turbine-blades/>
"Researchers from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) say they
have developed a new material for use in the construction of wind turbine
blades that is both bio-derivable and easily recyclable.
The NREL researchers believe the newly developed resin, made from materials
produced using bio-derivable resources, paves a “realistic path” towards the
manufacturing of wind blades that can be chemically recycled and the components
reused, ending the practice of old blades winding up in landfills at the end of
their useful life.
Importantly, the new resin – nicknamed PECAN for PolyEster Covalently Adaptable
Network – can be dropped in to current manufacturing techniques, avoiding the
need for completely new manufacturing lines or production techniques.
While there already exist several methods for recycling wind turbine blades,
these are time and labour intensive, making it a less than attractive option
for some operators, leading to the much-hyped fear of landfills filled with
turbine blades.
PECAN, however, could revolutionise the recyclability of wind turbine blades,
requiring only the use of mild chemical processes.
The researchers built a prototype 9-metre blade to demonstrate the
manufacturability of PECAN and which helped them to demonstrate an end-of-life
strategy for the blades which included recovery and reuse strategies for each
component used in its construction.
According to Ryan Clarke, a postdoctoral researcher at NREL, the chemical
recycling process was able to break down the prototype blade in only six hours.
Further, the recycling process allowed the components of the blades to be
repeatedly recaptured and reused, allowing for the remanufacture of the same
product.
The new resin – which is made using bio-derivable sugars – also disproved the
idea that a turbine blade designed to be recyclable is inherently less durable.
“Just because something is bio-derivable or recyclable does not mean it’s going
to be worse,” said Nic Rorrer, one of the two corresponding authors of the
paper, which was published in the journal
Science."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
