JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 62

TECHNOLOGY thermoplastics

A step toward all-thermoplastic wind blades
The European WALiD project (Wind Blade Using Cost-Effective Advanced
Composites Lightweight Design) is intended to change the current paradigm in
offshore wind blade design by changing the design, materials and processes.
The final goal is a blade that is even lighter, more cost-effective and also
recyclable, thanks to the use of thermoplastics.

T

he WALiD project is sponsored by a consortium of eleven European companies, involving six European countries.
The partner companies are the Fraunhofer Institute for
Chemical Technology (Germany), Smithers Rapra & Smithers
Pira (UK), TNO (Netherlands), PPG (Netherlands), Norner
(Norway), Comfil APS (Denmark), Loiretech (France), Coriolis
Composites (France), NEN (Netherlands) and WPS Windrad
Power Systems (Germany). The project has been awarded
€3,964,797 in European funding under the Seventh Framework
Programme for Research and Technological Development.
The project has brought research centres and specialists together
around a set of multiple skills in polymers, nanomaterials, glass
fibres, fibre placement, thermoplastic prepregs, coatings, along
with a consultant in wind turbine production.

Blade root
with connection/blade tip

Coating

Shear web

Shell core

Fig. 1: Blade design

62

jec composites magazine / No112 April - May 2017

A complete paradigm change
The WALiD project tackles the wind blade in its entirety: blade,
root and tip, shell core, spar design and coating (Figure 1). The
materials that are developed must enable the replacement of thermoset resins by thermoplastic ones.
The blade root is the part that is subjected to the greatest stress.
The aim of the WALiD project is to improve its architecture
through an optimized use of unidirectional fibres. Because the
blade tip is supported by the blade, it has an enormous impact
on the entire blade, including load on the blade root, so its weight
should be reduced as much as possible.
Current solutions for the shell core materials use balsa wood
or PVC foam in their sandwich structure. Balsa is a very good
compromise between mechanical properties and environmental
issues. However, if the growth curve for wind turbine production
continues to rise, this material will eventually have to be replaced,
since balsa plantations will very likely be unable to meet demand.
And extruded PVC foams are difficult to upgrade, due to the
chlorine they contain. WALiD would replace these two solutions, specifically with fibre-reinforced and/or nano-reinforced
thermoplastic foams.

Focus
Key facts and figures about WALiD
Focus: manufacturing of 100%-thermoplastic long wing blades
Project duration: 48 months (1 February 2013 to 31 January 2017)
TRL (Technology Readiness Level): 2-3
European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)
under Grant Agreement no. 309985
Total funding: 3.96 million euros



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017

Cover
Edito
Opinion: Civilian robotic
Contents
NEWS
In brief
Yachting
Strategy
Fabric
Agenda
BUSINESS
Additive manufacturing
Carbon
MANUFACTURING
Press
Repair
CNC
Natural fibres
Feature Aeronautics - Will the horizon stay clear?
Simulation
Software
NDT
Tooling
Self healing
Primary structure
Natural fibre
Recycling
Environment
Structures
SOLUTIONS
Sustainability
Sailplane
Lift
Construction
In the world
TECHNOLOGY
Nanomaterials
Thermoplastics
CFRP
Index
Advertisers
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 68
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Cover
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 2
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Edito
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Opinion: Civilian robotic
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 5
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Contents
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 7
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - In brief
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 9
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Yachting
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 11
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Strategy
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 13
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Fabric
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 15
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Agenda
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 17
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Ad IPC
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Ad JEC
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Additive manufacturing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 19
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Carbon
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 21
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 22
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Press
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 24
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Repair
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - CNC
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 27
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Natural fibres
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 29
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 30
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Simulation
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 32
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Software
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 34
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - NDT
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 36
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Tooling
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 38
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 39
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 40
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Self healing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 42
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Primary structure
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 44
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Natural fibre
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 46
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 47
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Recycling
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 49
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Environment
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Structures
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 52
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 53
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Sustainability
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Sailplane
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Lift
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Construction
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - In the world
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Nanomaterials
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 60
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 61
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Thermoplastics
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 63
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - CFRP
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 65
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - Advertisers
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #112 - April/May 2017 - 67
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