Using Large-Scale Additive Manufacturing for Wind Turbine Blade Core Structures
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
This report describes the techno-economic potential of using additive manufacturing technologies to design large wind turbine blade structures. After considering all additive technologies, the authors identified large-scale, polymer-based, material extrusion as the three-dimensional (3D) printing technology best suited to meet modern wind turbine blade manufacturing costs, cycle times, and geometric scale. Due to the lower structural performance requirements and the opportunity to reduce resin uptake mass penalties within the blade, the core material within the sandwich composite sections of the wind turbine blade is established as a logical entry point into advanced wind turbine blade manufacturing.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Wind Energy Technologies Office
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 1994799
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP--5000-85673; MainId:86446; UUID:8b5e1777-90be-4527-9576-73307055d104; MainAdminID:69479
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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