Estudo do efeito de intempéries regionais na deterioração de pás eólicas

Abstract

Nowadays, there is a growing demand for alternative and clean energy sources that do not cause great negative effects on the environment and the need to take advantage of the global wind potential is increasing. However, the wind power industry specifically the wind turbines manufacturers, constantly seek for improvements and good performance of the mechanical properties of the materials used in the manufacture of wind turbines. In this way, knowing the behavior of the materials used is of fundamental importance so that one can better take advantage of the winds and consequently avoid damages and accidents. The objective of the present work was to evaluate in wind tunnel the effect of sand and salt particles on the surface of wind turbines. For the tests, were used specimens based on orthophthalic resin coated with blanket and fiberglass fabrics were commonly used as the most widely used material for wind turbine. Was analyzed, in wind tunnel, a section of wind turbine with size of 17 cm x 2.5 cm, model of NACA 7715 in the preparation of the specimens. Were made 15 assays and various angles of attack were made at 0 °, 45 ° and 90 ° for every 12 hours of assay, the total of 180 hours of testing for both sand and salt wastes. Computational simulations, tensile tests, flexural tests, mass loss, roughness and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed on all specimens after the tests. The computational simulation allowed to visualize the aerodynamic behavior inside the tunnel and to determine the most stable place for fixation of the specimen. The tensile and flexion tests allowed to identify the maximum strengths of the material used. The roughness tests confirm the changes that occurred in the microstructure and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characterization technique identified the changes, faults and behavior between matrix and reinforcement.