Fabrication and Performance Analysis of Natural Fiber Turbine Blades
Keywords:
Flax fiber; Hand-layup fabrication method; Power developed by turbine; Power co-efficient; Speed of wind turbine; Power developed by wind.Abstract
In past few decades wind turbines are manufactured mainly by using standard components. Later, turbines were fabricated by using special components only. The best way to solve this is by using composite materials in wind turbine blades. Many of the composites are comprises of two materials. One material i.e., which binds together a bunch of fibres matrix (epoxy resin) and the second material (the reinforcement) adjacent these fibres. These days few researchers have aspired in utilizing the diversified applications of composite materials as the materials of the future. In this perspective wind turbine with three blades (Flax fibre) are designed and fabricated using hand-layup fabrication method and this process considers fiber in weight percentage of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%. Moulds are
prepared by using these combinations and undergone different tests like flexural, tensile and impact and the best suited combination of weight is used in turbine blade manufacturing. These turbine blade samples are used for understanding of different air velocities and different specifications of wind turbine such as power developed by wind turbine, power developed by wind, power co-efficient, speed of wind turbine are calculated and compared with existing aluminium material blades used in wind turbine.
