Methods for manufacturing geopolymer concrete using recycled wind turbine rotor blades
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsXiaopeng Li, Arvind Rangarajan, Robenson Cherizol, Yangang Liang
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Abstract
A method for recycling a used rotor blade of a wind turbine includes processing the used rotor blade into a plurality of material fragments. The method also includes treating the plurality of material fragments to remove at least a portion of the at least one composite material and expose the at least one fiber material of the used rotor blade. Further, the method includes mixing the treated plurality of material fragments with, at least, an alkali activator to form a usable geopolymer concrete.
Claims20
A method for recycling a used rotor blade of a wind turbine, the used rotor blade formed of at least one composite material reinforced with at least one fiber material, the method comprising:
- processing the used rotor blade into a plurality of material fragments;
- treating the plurality of material fragments to remove at least a portion of the at least one composite material and expose the at least one fiber material of the used rotor blade;
- and,
- mixing the treated plurality of material fragments with, at least, an alkali activator to form a usable geopolymer concrete.
A geopolymer concrete, comprising:
- a slurry comprising:
- a plurality of material fragments formed from at least one of a used rotor blade of a wind turbine or rotor blade manufacturing materials;
- an alkali activator;
- and,
- water comprising one or more additional materials dissolved therein,
- wherein each of the plurality of material fragments has a certain amount of resin removed therefrom to expose at least one fiber material of the used rotor blade or rotor blade manufacturing materials, the exposed at least one fiber material configured to react with the alkali activator.
A method for recycling a fiber-reinforced composite component, the fiber-reinforced composite component formed of at least one composite material reinforced with at least one fiber material, the method comprising:
- processing the fiber-reinforced composite component into a plurality of material fragments;
- treating the plurality of material fragments to remove at least a portion of a coating of the fiber-reinforced composite component and expose the at least one fiber material of the fiber-reinforced composite component;
- and,
- mixing the removed plurality of material fragments with, at least, an alkali activator to form a usable geopolymer concrete.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.