Techniques of recycling end-of-life wind turbine blades in the pavement industry: A literature review
Rapid global industrialization has increased the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions leading to global warming and severe weather conditions. To lower such emissions, several countries are swiftly seeking sustainable and low-carbon energy alternatives. As a green energy source, wind power has gained...
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AIMS Press
2024-09-01
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| Series: | Clean Technologies and Recycling |
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| Online Access: | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/ctr.2024005 |
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| author | Shuwen Zhang Noah Kirumira |
| author_facet | Shuwen Zhang Noah Kirumira |
| author_sort | Shuwen Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rapid global industrialization has increased the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions leading to global warming and severe weather conditions. To lower such emissions, several countries are swiftly seeking sustainable and low-carbon energy alternatives. As a green energy source, wind power has gained recent popularity due to its low cost and lower carbon footprint; but with a short blade life span, the industry faces a blade waste issue. Wind turbine blade recyclability is challenging due to factors such as blade sheer size, material complexity, low economic feasibility, and a lack of suitable recycling policies; yet, many blades are still being constructed and others are being decommissioned. This paper aims to discuss different wind turbine blade recyclability routes under the pavement sector. Wind turbine blades are made of composite materials, and based on literature data, it was found that recycled fibers can be extracted from the composites using methods such as pyrolysis, solvolysis, and mechanical processing; of these methods, solvolysis provides cleaner and better fibers. The recycled fibers, when incorporated in both asphalt and concrete, improved their mechanical properties; nevertheless, recycling of fibers from carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) was more economical than glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRPs). Waste wind turbine blades can take other routes, such as processing them into waste wind turbine aggregates, roadside bicycle shades, bridge girders, and road acoustic barriers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ca74dc6222554df09f988c44a2105900 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2770-4580 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-09-01 |
| publisher | AIMS Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clean Technologies and Recycling |
| spelling | doaj-art-ca74dc6222554df09f988c44a21059002025-01-23T07:56:42ZengAIMS PressClean Technologies and Recycling2770-45802024-09-01418910710.3934/ctr.2024005Techniques of recycling end-of-life wind turbine blades in the pavement industry: A literature reviewShuwen Zhang0Noah Kirumira1Department of Civil Engineering, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Blvd, Zhongyuan District, Zhengzhou, Henan, China, 450001Department of Civil Engineering, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Blvd, Zhongyuan District, Zhengzhou, Henan, China, 450001Rapid global industrialization has increased the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions leading to global warming and severe weather conditions. To lower such emissions, several countries are swiftly seeking sustainable and low-carbon energy alternatives. As a green energy source, wind power has gained recent popularity due to its low cost and lower carbon footprint; but with a short blade life span, the industry faces a blade waste issue. Wind turbine blade recyclability is challenging due to factors such as blade sheer size, material complexity, low economic feasibility, and a lack of suitable recycling policies; yet, many blades are still being constructed and others are being decommissioned. This paper aims to discuss different wind turbine blade recyclability routes under the pavement sector. Wind turbine blades are made of composite materials, and based on literature data, it was found that recycled fibers can be extracted from the composites using methods such as pyrolysis, solvolysis, and mechanical processing; of these methods, solvolysis provides cleaner and better fibers. The recycled fibers, when incorporated in both asphalt and concrete, improved their mechanical properties; nevertheless, recycling of fibers from carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) was more economical than glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRPs). Waste wind turbine blades can take other routes, such as processing them into waste wind turbine aggregates, roadside bicycle shades, bridge girders, and road acoustic barriers.https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/ctr.2024005wind turbine blades wasteglass fiber compositescarbon fiber compositessolvolysispyrolysisasphaltconcretepavements |
| spellingShingle | Shuwen Zhang Noah Kirumira Techniques of recycling end-of-life wind turbine blades in the pavement industry: A literature review Clean Technologies and Recycling wind turbine blades waste glass fiber composites carbon fiber composites solvolysis pyrolysis asphalt concrete pavements |
| title | Techniques of recycling end-of-life wind turbine blades in the pavement industry: A literature review |
| title_full | Techniques of recycling end-of-life wind turbine blades in the pavement industry: A literature review |
| title_fullStr | Techniques of recycling end-of-life wind turbine blades in the pavement industry: A literature review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Techniques of recycling end-of-life wind turbine blades in the pavement industry: A literature review |
| title_short | Techniques of recycling end-of-life wind turbine blades in the pavement industry: A literature review |
| title_sort | techniques of recycling end of life wind turbine blades in the pavement industry a literature review |
| topic | wind turbine blades waste glass fiber composites carbon fiber composites solvolysis pyrolysis asphalt concrete pavements |
| url | https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/ctr.2024005 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shuwenzhang techniquesofrecyclingendoflifewindturbinebladesinthepavementindustryaliteraturereview AT noahkirumira techniquesofrecyclingendoflifewindturbinebladesinthepavementindustryaliteraturereview |