As today’s renewable energy, wind must drive wind turbine blades so that all generating engine devices can work well to create kinetic energy to produce various resources that are important for us. Nowadays most blades are a blend of polyester or epoxy and fiberglass. Then it is not uncommon for carbon fiber or aramid to be the reinforcing material.
You may have ever seen something different from the past where wind turbine blades mostly used wood. Nowadays, people rarely use wood as blades. But the use of wood compounds such as wood epoxy or wood fiber epoxy is still an option for many people.
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Best Type of Wind Turbine Blades
There are many types of turbines that the wind moves with the help of blades to produce sources of electrical energy, water, and other kinetic energy. One of the best turbines is one that has three blades with a horizontal axis.
Technically a smaller number of blades allows better balance. Meanwhile, the wind turbine always faces the same direction so that the turbine can always follow the wind until it can utilize its potential energy.
How Wind Turbine Blades Work
The blades are a propeller that gets energy from the wind with its aerodynamic force to convert it into electricity. The way wind turbine blades work is the same as an airplane or helicopter propeller. There is a difference in air pressure on both sides of the blade which is able to create lift and drag. The rotor gets rotation because of the lifting force which is stronger than the pulling force.
The rotor itself connects to the generator directly or through the shaft and gearbox so that the rotation is faster. Over time the electricity will come out.
Anyway, when we talk about the wind turbine blades, we will notice the light material fiberglass. The wind energy industry really needs fiberglass yarn for light construction uses. Resin compatible composite E-glass threads from the rotor blades and nacelles for mind generation. So, the power of this turbine can be high with low weight.
If you want to make longer rotor blades and larger wind turbines then the production costs will be lower. You can consider using fiberglass to strengthen the rotor blades, where the length can even reach 80 meters. You can make a long onshore windmill or offshore at an affordable cost.
Wind Turbine Blades Maintenance
For wind turbine blades maintenance you should use preventive and corrective measures. Preventive measures include regular inspections to see the condition of the blades and identify any damage. This inspection technique can use a high precision telephoto lens technique by climbing the blade with a rope, crane or lifting platform. Meanwhile, you can also use drones for regular remote inspections.
Then you can carry out corrective maintenance which includes repairs at several points. Sometimes it is also necessary to reconstruct the blades and nacelle to repair any damage that may have occurred not only on the surface but also inside the structure.
How to Fix Wind Turbine Blades
Cracks due to bird strikes or lightning strikes could occur in the wind turbine blades. Maybe this happens at the front or rear openings. For this reason, you have to prepare experts for repairs by climbing the turbine where workers will hang from the blades with ropes. Sometimes, if it is too difficult, workers can climb onto a platform that will rise to the top slowly.
In the future, cleaning and repairs may use drones so that the safety of field workers can increase. People who work in this wind turbine industry have also look for any innovations to make the maintenance and repair. The use of fiberglass should be mandatory in making wind turbine blades. Without fiberglass, repair and maintenance of wind power plants would be the most difficult thing in this industry.
So, you can collaborate with companies that produce quality fiberglass and carbon fiber so that the windmills or turbines and generators you make remain of adequate quality.
Don’t forget to always check all the wind turbine blades everytime you want to run the generator. Is it still in good condition or any other damages even for a tiny scratch on the surface?