As part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Partnerships for Advanced Component Technologies program, Global Energy Concepts LLC (GEC) is performing a study concerning blades for wind turbines in the multi-megawatt range. Earlier in this project constraints to cost-effective scaling-up of the current commercial blade designs and manufacturing methods were identified, and candidate innovations in composite materials, manufacturing processes and structural configurations were assessed. In the present work, preliminary structural designs are developed for hybrid carbon fiber/fiberglass blades at system ratings of 3.0 and 5.0 MW. Structural performance is evaluated for various arrangements of the carbon blade spar, and critical performance aspects of the carbon material and blade structure are discussed. Recommendations are made for new testing of composite coupons and blade sub-structure to address the technical uncertainties identified in this work.
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November 2003
Technical Papers
Alternative Composite Materials for Megawatt-Scale Wind Turbine Blades: Design Considerations and Recommended Testing
Dayton A. Griffin,
Dayton A. Griffin
Global Energy Concepts, LLC, 5729 Lakeview Drive NE, Suite 100, Kirkland, WA 98033
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Thomas D. Ashwill
Thomas D. Ashwill
Wind Energy Technology Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185-0708
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Dayton A. Griffin
Global Energy Concepts, LLC, 5729 Lakeview Drive NE, Suite 100, Kirkland, WA 98033
Thomas D. Ashwill
Wind Energy Technology Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185-0708
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS for publication in the ASME JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING. Manuscript received by the ASME Solar Energy Division February 27, 2003; final revision, July 14, 2003. Associate Editor: D. Berg.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Nov 2003, 125(4): 515-521 (7 pages)
Published Online: November 26, 2003
Article history
Received:
February 27, 2003
Revised:
July 14, 2003
Online:
November 26, 2003
Citation
Griffin, D. A., and Ashwill, T. D. (November 26, 2003). "Alternative Composite Materials for Megawatt-Scale Wind Turbine Blades: Design Considerations and Recommended Testing ." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. November 2003; 125(4): 515–521. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1629750
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