CHARACTERIZATION AND CHEMICAL RECYCLING BY PYROLYSIS OF WASTE FROM WIND BLADES MANUFACTURING

Abstract

Wind energy is a form of energy that its use is expanding, and with this growth has also increased the amount of waste generated in the manufacture of wind blades. A correct way to use and disposal of these wastes is recycling. However, these are made of composite materials, usually epoxy resin and glass fiber; and by having a thermosetting polymer (the epoxy resin) in their composition, the conventional recycling by fusion is not possible. Thus, the chemical recycling by pyrolysis is presented as an alternative to the utilization of these wastes, especially glass fiber that they contain. After characterization of the waste from a wind blade industry, it was found that this was a material with more than 70% glass fiber and very dense. Pyrolysis tests were performed dry and with babassu oil, considered the most interesting face several possible and in which the waste stay completely immersed in facilitating the exchange of heat and swelling. In a heating system with vacuum, were obtained over 97% of fibers in 30 minutes at 310 °C, exactly the temperature that a thermogravimetric analysis showed to be the start of high rates of thermal degradation.