The researchers said that the new materials with special properties will be also be suitable for other lightweight structures.
Under the EU’s Wind Blade Using Cost-Effective Advanced Lightweight Design (WALiD) project, the Fraunhofer researchers have teamed up with ten industry and research partners to develop lightweight design of rotor blades.
The design enhancement and the material used would reduce the weight of the blades while increasing service life, the researchers said.
The partners are working on using materials such as meltable plastics, which can be processed efficiently in automated production facilities.
Fraunhofer ICT project coordinator lorian Rapp said: “Our meltable plastic foams, by contrast, are temperature stable and therefore suitable as insulation material in areas close to the engine.
“They can permanently withstand higher temperatures than, for example, expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) or expanded polypropylene (EPP).”
Additionally, the partners plan to use sandwich materials made from thermoplastic foams and fiber-reinforced plastics for the development of outer shell of the rotor blade, as well as for segments of the inner supporting structure.
The new materials are manufactured at the institute’s own foam extrusion plant located in Pfinztal.
Rapp explains the process: “We melt the plastic granules, mix a blowing agent into the polymer melt and foam the material. The foamed, stabilized particles and semi-finished products can then be shaped and cut as desired.”
The researchers are planning to demonstrate miniature wind turbine made from the new foams and composites at the K 2016 trade fair scheduled to be held in Düsseldorf, Germany from 19 -26 October.
Image: The rotor blades made using thermoplastic sandwich materials. Photo: © Photo Fraunhofer ICT.
