IIT Mandi researchers use microwaves, eco-friendly chemicals to recover glass fibres from decommissioned wind turbine blades
India Today
The method developed by researchers will lead to a profound shift in recycling technologies which can help the country move towards a circular economy for wind turbine blades.
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi have used microwaves to recycle polymer composites to make wind turbine blades. The developed method is rapid, sustainable, and eco-friendly compared to currently used methods like landfills, thermal-based recycling, etc.
The findings of the research have been published in the Resources, Conservation and Recycling Journal. The research was led by Dr Sunny Zafar, Assistant Professor, School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, along with Dr Venkata Krishnan, Associate Professor, School of Chemical Sciences, IIT Mandi and co-authored by their students Manjeet Rani and Priyanka Choudhary.
There is a worldwide impetus to adopt renewable sources of energy such as wind energy to overcome the drawbacks of fossil fuel-based energy. India is the fourth largest installer of wind energy systems and as of 31 July 2022, the total installed wind power capacity was 40.893 GW. Wind power is harnessed through the installation of wind turbines (windmills) in strategic areas in the country.
The blades of these wind turbines are made of polymer composites that are polymer systems in which fibres such as carbon fibres and glass fibres are incorporated for strength.
Explaining the research, Dr Sunny Zafar said, "We have developed a sustainable microwave-assisted chemical recycling (MACR) process to recycle glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite waste."
At the end of the service life of the wind turbine blades, the de-commissioned structures, composed of glass fibres in epoxy polymers are demolished and either landfilled or incinerated. Both methods of disposal add to environmental pollution and cost.
It is predicted that about 200,000 tons of composite waste will be generated by wind turbine blades between 2024 and 2034 all over the world. This negates the environmental benefits offered by wind energy. Furthermore, restrictions on landfill disposal and fluctuating raw material costs could increase the costs of the composites used in wind turbine blades.
