Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 622
Author(s):  
Yasser Elhenawy ◽  
Yasser Fouad ◽  
Haykel Marouani ◽  
Mohamed Bassyouni

This study aims to evaluate the effect of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the performance of glass fiber (GF)-reinforced polypropylene (PP) for wind turbine blades. Support for theoretical blade movement of horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs), simulation, and analysis were performed with the Ansys computer package to gain insight into the durability of polypropylene-chopped E-glass for application in turbine blades under aerodynamic, gravitational, and centrifugal loads. Typically, polymer nanocomposites are used for small-scale wind turbine systems, such as for residential applications. Mechanical and physical properties of material composites including tensile and melt flow indices were determined. Surface morphology of polypropylene-chopped E-glass fiber and functionalized MWCNTs nanocomposites showed good distribution of dispersed phase. The effect of fiber loading on the mechanical properties of the PP nanocomposites was investigated in order to obtain the optimum composite composition and processing conditions for manufacturing wind turbine blades. The results show that adding MWCNTs to glass fiber-reinforced PP composites has a substantial influence on deflection reduction and adding them to chopped-polypropylene E-glass has a significant effect on reducing the bias estimated by finite element analysis.


1995 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Caprino ◽  
V. Tagliaferri ◽  
L. Covelli

A previously proposed micromechanical formula, aiming to predict the vaporization energy Qv of composite materials as a function of fiber and matrix properties and fiber volume ratio, was assessed. The experimental data, obtained on glass fiber reinforced plastic panels with different fiber contents cut by a medium power CO2 cw laser, were treated according to a procedure previously suggested, in order to evaluate Qv. An excellent agreement was found between experimental and theoretical Qv values. Theory was then used to predict the response to laser cutting of a composite material with a fiber content varying along the thickness. The theoretical predictions indicated that, in this case, the interpretation of the experimental results may be misleading, bringing to errors in the evaluation of the material thermal properties, or in the prediction of the kerf depth. Some experimental data were obtained, confirming the theoretical findings.


AIMS Energy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 1032-1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusuke Yasuda ◽  
◽  
Hayato Iwasaki ◽  
Kentaro Yasui ◽  
Ayako Tanaka ◽  
...  

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