Composites blowing in the wind

The fourth AMI annual global forum on Wind Turbine Blade Manufacture 2013 takes place from 3-5 December 2013 in Dusseldorf.

Energy generated from wind is now an integral part of the power supply for all major economies and it is composites that form the rotor and capture the wind.

The blades have grown in length to over 70 metres as the market matures and moves offshore.

All aspects of this vital windmill component are being refined from design to finishing, maximizing power output and minimizing maintenance.

The fourth AMI annual global forum on Wind Turbine Blade Manufacture 2013 takes place from 3-5 December 2013 in Dusseldorf, with top speakers from across the industry.

The overall aim is to improve energy output performance and cut production costs, so that the wind energy industry improves its competitiveness in the marketplace.
There is a new IEC 61400-5 standard for design and manufacture of rotor blades, which will be reviewed by LM Windpower. Composite materials can be tested as well as whole blades: Professor Brondsted of Wind Energy DTU has test protocols for mechanical and other properties, while Euros has developed ways to examine the modulus of the matrix in situ. One of the top wind turbine makers, GE, is reviewing blade structures and will outline a new research project on tension fabric blades. Nordex Energy is using simulation software to analyse the manufacturing process.

The reliability of renewable energy supplies is critical to the long-term uptake of the technology worldwide. Wind Turbine Blade Manufacture 2013 brings together global experts in rotor manufacturing to discuss the latest technology in design, manufacture, materials and testing for the windmill blade industry.

There are new materials under review from resins to coatings. The latter are being developed to combat erosion, which can be caused by the higher speeds of larger offshore blades and by the impact of rain and hail. The programme also reviews issues with ice in extreme climates and methods of protecting the turbines