Renewable Energy
Fig. 1. To capture the maximum energy from the wind, the wind blades have to be large, stiff and sufficiently robust to withstand every weather condition.
Making the case for new renewable energy materials
There is no single solution to the many challenges of future energy harvesting. There will be a number of solutions, but it is certain that wind and solar energy will play an important part. Thierry Perchet reports.
W
ind is a valued renewable source of energy because it is constantly being produced, is plentiful, widely distributed, clean and produces no greenhouse gas
emissions. Governments and energy utilities across the world are embracing wind power because it can compete with conventional energy sources such as oil and gas – not just in terms of the environment, but also on the grounds of cost. Huntsman’s product range covers the whole chain of wind blade production, from seamless modelling pastes for master models, gel coats and resins for mould production to Germanischer Lloyd, GL, certified resins and adhesives for part production and materials which can also be used for on-site repair. One example of where Huntsman materials are being used is for wind blade work in partnership with Composite Technology Centre, CTC, who chose Araldite resins for the production of composite wind blades through a closed infusion process. Te Araldite system that CTC selected was the GL approved Araldite LY 1564/Aradur 3416.
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Commenting on the choice of resin system, Jos ter Laak, MD CTC, said: “For a number of years we have worked with Huntsman on an infusion system which has excellent mechanical properties as well a number of attractive operational features such as a low viscosity, a long pot life and a fast increase of glass transition temperature during the pre-cure cycle to match the requirements of the internal structure of the wind blade.”
Another advantage is that the Huntsman resin is not sensitive to variations to the environmental temperature during process. In other words, it is a robust system with regard to processing temperatures. To capture the maximum energy from the wind, the wind blades have to be large, stiff and sufficiently robust to withstand every weather condition. Te largest blades designed by CTC are 50metres in length with Araldite resin contributing about a third to their weight of approximately 10tonnes. Te chosen Araldite system improves temperature
resistance and toughness, all particularly important features if the wind blades are to withstand adverse weather conditions. Te result is new composite wind
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