Low Viscosity Resin Spar Cap for Wind Turbine Blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and weight of wind turbine blades, particularly due to the spar caps, hinder the cost-competitiveness and energy efficiency of wind turbines, as they require expensive lightweight materials, and there is a need to reduce the weight and material consumption while increasing the composite fiber volume fraction and tensile modulus.
Innovation Solution
The use of a low viscosity resin system combined with a high density fabric to manufacture wind turbine blade spar caps, where the low viscosity resin system has a viscosity range of 1 to 100 centipoises at 0° C. to 125° C., allowing for a higher fiber volume fraction and increased composite stiffness, reducing material usage and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional epoxy resin systems are used to manufacture spar caps, then the composite material achieves sufficient structural strength, but the viscosity of the resin system is high (above 100 centipoises), limiting fiber volume fraction and increasing material cost and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the viscosity parameter of the resin system by using a mixture of cyclic olefin polymer (COP) and reactive diluent, achieving a viscosity range of 1-100 centipoises at processing temperatures, which is significantly lower than traditional epoxy resins. This parameter change enables higher fiber volume fractions in the spar cap composite material.
2Strength
If high density fabric is used to increase fiber volume fraction, then the composite stiffness and tensile modulus increase, but the resin must have low viscosity to properly impregnate the fabric
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the resin viscosity parameter to enable proper impregnation of high density fabric. By using COP mixed with reactive diluent, the resin achieves low viscosity (1-100 cP) that allows complete penetration and impregnation of the high density fabric structure, ensuring adequate fiber wet-out and composite quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite resin system combining cyclic olefin polymer (COP) with reactive diluent. This composite material approach allows the resin to achieve both low viscosity for fabric impregnation and sufficient structural properties for spar cap applications, resolving the contradiction between impregnation ease and composite strength.
3Weight of moving object
If the fiber volume fraction is increased to reduce weight, then the blade becomes lighter and more energy efficient, but the resin system must have specific low viscosity properties to achieve high fiber content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the viscosity parameter of the resin system to 1-100 centipoises by using COP and reactive diluent mixture. This low viscosity enables the resin to flow easily through the composite structure, allowing achievement of high fiber volume fractions (60-80%) which directly reduces the overall blade weight while maintaining structural integrity.
4Weight of moving object
If expensive lightweight materials are used to decrease blade weight, then energy efficiency increases, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite resin system of cyclic olefin polymer (COP) and reactive diluent that provides the necessary performance for lightweight construction at lower cost than traditional epoxy systems. This composite material approach achieves both weight reduction and cost reduction by utilizing alternative polymer chemistry that is less expensive while maintaining structural requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present application generally provide for wind turbine blade spar caps comprising composite materials prepared using a low viscosity resin system and a high density fabric and methods for their manufacture. In particular embodiment, the low viscosity resin system has a viscosity in the range of about 1 to about 100 centipoises at a temperature in the range of about 0° C. to about 125° C. during the preparation of the composite material. By using low viscosity resin systems, composite materials have been prepared having a fiber volume fraction of greater than about 65% and a composite modulus of greater than 48000 MPa.