Using Large-Scale Additive Manufacturing for Wind Turbine Blade Core Structures

Carron, William; Snowberg, Dave; Murdy, Paul; Hughes, Scott

doi:10.2172/1994799

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 34 publications

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“…If molds were less inexpensive, more innovative risks and iterations could be accepted in blade design. Other work has investigated 3D printing of internal core structures for blades 4 . Finally, though not utilizing 3D-printing, a recent techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle analysis (LCA) study demonstrated that total blade tip costs could be reduced by 15% with alternative manufacturing techniques for a representative 3.4 MW turbine 5 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Technology Integration through Additive Manufacturing of Wind Turbine Blade Tips

Houchens,

Sproul,

Berg

et al. 2024

Preprint

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The Additively-Manufactured, System-Integrated Tip (AMSIT) project is leveraging the flexibility of 3D printing to integrate several technologies in a wind turbine blade tip, while reducing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) produced. The design integration is demonstrated for a 200 kilowatt-scale turbine with 13-meter blades, with the outer 15% of the blade replaced with a 3D-printed design. Aerodynamic performance is enhanced through inclusion of a winglet and surface texturing, both challenging for traditional manufacturing. Longevity and durability is improved through integrated lightning and leading edge erosion protection. Increased power, reduced repair frequency, and ease of repair through blade modularity all contribute to reduced LCOE. Cost models are are extended to modern megawatt-scale designs to estimate the impact of the technology at scale, demonstrating the potential to reduce LCOE very significantly for modern onshore turbines, with even higher potential savings offshore.

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Technology Integration through Additive Manufacturing of Wind Turbine Blade Tips

Houchens,

Sproul,

Berg

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Techno‐Economic Analysis of Additively‐Manufactured Wind Turbine Blade Tips That Enable Technology Integration

Houchens,

Sproul,

Berg

et al. 2024

Wind Energy

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The Additively‐Manufactured, System‐Integrated Tip (AMSIT) project is leveraging the flexibility of 3D printing to integrate several technologies in a wind turbine blade tip, while reducing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) produced. The design integration is demonstrated for a 200‐kW–scale turbine with 13‐m blades, with the outer 15% of the blade replaced with a 3D‐printed design. Aerodynamic performance is enhanced without increasing swept area through inclusion of a winglet and surface texturing, both challenging for traditional manufacturing. Longevity and durability are improved through integrated lightning and leading edge erosion protection. Increased power, reduced repair frequency, and ease of repair through blade modularity all contribute to reduced LCOE. The analysis is also extended to modern MW‐scale designs to estimate the impact of the technology at scale, demonstrating the potential to reduce LCOE significantly for modern onshore turbines, with even higher potential savings offshore.

show abstract

Using Large-Scale Additive Manufacturing for Wind Turbine Blade Core Structures

Cited by 2 publications

References 34 publications

Technology Integration through Additive Manufacturing of Wind Turbine Blade Tips

Technology Integration through Additive Manufacturing of Wind Turbine Blade Tips

Techno‐Economic Analysis of Additively‐Manufactured Wind Turbine Blade Tips That Enable Technology Integration

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