TECH
New 4D-printing method creates lighter, faster-spinning wind turbine blades
Small, vertical wind turbines could become cheaper and more efficient, thanks to a new manufacturing technique developed by researchers at Concordia.
Using a process known as 4D printing of composites, PhD candidate Emad Fakhimi and Suong Van Hoa, professor at the Concordia Centre for Composites, aim to make small wind turbines lighter, less expensive and easier to produce.
Vertical-axis wind turbines are often used on buildings and in other urban settings, but their curved blades require specialized, complex molds that can take a long time to make while also being expensive and heavy. With this “first-of-its-kind” 4D printing method, though, the researchers are able to begin with the desired blade geometry, allowing them to work backward to determine how to best arrange and orient layers.
This allows for less expensive and more efficient production of commercial aluminum turbine blades that also weigh about 80 per cent less. Testing also showed that these blades rotated faster.
Wind turbines are one source of generators of green energy. The majority of wind turbines are horizontal axis type, with very long blades and can generate a large amount of energy. Another type of wind turbine is the vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). These are smaller wind turbines. They are usually located on the roof of buildings. The amount of energy they generate is small but may be sufficient for energy needs in a small building. The global VAWT market size accounted for $12.9 billion in 2022 and is projected to achieve a market size of $17.7 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 3.2% from 2023 to 2032. According to research conducted by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) in the United States, VAWTs provide more yearly energy per unit area than horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT).
One example of the VAWT is shown in image below. This Savonius type wind turbine is of RX-SV2 turbine from R & X Technology company in Nantong, China. The company specifications mention it exhibits a nominal power output of 200 W, a rotor diameter of 0.48 m, and a weight of 15 kg. It utilizes two sets of aluminum blades, with each set comprising five individual segments. The segments are assembled around a vertical axis, facilitated by horizontal arms. It can be observed that the blades are configured with a backward twist to reach higher performance and harvest more energy. These blades may be made by roll forming, or hydraulic pressing techniques. Either of these techniques requires a mold.
Researchers at Concordia University have developed a manufacturing technique based on 4D printing of composites that could make small wind turbines lighter, cheaper and easier to fabricate. The technology uses curved blades for vertical-axis wind turbines that are fabricated from flat panels made of carbon-fibre composites.
This novel fabrication process resulted in blades with shapes resembling those of commercially available aluminium blades, although they weighed 80 per cent less. Laboratory tests showed that vertical-axis wind turbines with such blades rotate faster than the turbines that were equipped with aluminum blades. The researchers said that the proposed technique could lower manufacturing costs and increase the applicability of lightweight composites in renewable energy and other engineering applications.
Vertical-axis wind turbines are currently widely used in buildings and urban areas, but the manufacture of their curved blades requires special procedures and expensive moulds. This makes the fabrication process lengthy and adds additional weight to the turbines. To solve the problem, the scientists developed a one-of-a-kind “inverse” design procedure.
Instead of starting with a specific layup, which refers to the arrangement and orientation of the carbon-fibre layers, and observing the resulting shape, the scientists first designed the blade geometry and, then, figured out how the layers were supposed to be oriented to create it.
Flat carbon or epoxy laminates deform into curved shapes during cooling after being cured. The curvature is achieved through carefully engineered differences in material properties across the layers.
80% lighter wind turbine blades made from flat panels using new 4D-printing tech...Researchers at Concordia University have developed a new way to make small wind turbines, which could make them lighter, less expensive, and easier to build. Their recent study describes a 4D printing method that turns flat carbon fiber panels into curved blades for vertical-axis wind turbines, without the need for complex molds.
Ph.D. candidate Emad Fakhimi and Professor Suong Van Hoa from the Concordia Center for Composites led the project. Their approach could make it easier to produce blades for rooftop and city wind turbines and also boost their performance.
New design method removes the need for complex molds...Vertical-axis wind turbines are becoming more common in cities because they work well in shifting winds and fit easily onto buildings. But making their curved blades has still been difficult.
Traditional manufacturing uses specialized forming processes and custom molds to achieve the desired shape. These molds make production more expensive, take more time, and add extra weight to the blades.
To solve these problems, the Concordia team developed a new “inverse” design process. Rather than starting with the carbon fiber layout and seeing what shape it made, they began by deciding on the blade shape they wanted.
They then worked backward to figure out exactly how to arrange and position the carbon fiber layers so the blade would take on the right shape during manufacturing.
The new method uses 4D printing, which means materials can change shape after they are made. The team began with flat carbon or epoxy composite sheets. After curing and cooling, these sheets bent on their own into the needed curved shape. This happens because the different layers in the composite are designed with varying properties.
By planning the layers ahead of time, the team could make turbine blades without needing extra shaping steps.
The simplified production method eliminates the need for heavy molds while maintaining the exact blade shape required for the turbines to work well.
Lightweight blades deliver stronger performance...Tests showed that the finished composite blades were very similar in shape to commercial aluminum turbine blades.
The biggest advantage came from their weight. The composite blades were 80% lighter than similar aluminum blades, making them easier to fabricate and install.
Lab tests also showed better turbine performance. Turbines with the composite blades spun faster than those with aluminum blades, which suggests the lighter design could help generate more energy in similar conditions.
The researchers believe the manufacturing approach could cut production costs for small wind turbines and help more people use lightweight renewable energy technology.
Since this method uses simple manufacturing and composite materials, it could also work for other engineering projects that need curved, lightweight parts.
Beyond renewable energy, this inverse design approach could help engineers make complex composite parts with fewer steps, using less material and lowering costs. As more industries look for lighter, more efficient structures, this new process could be a practical alternative to traditional mold-based methods.
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