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US blade ventures to the UK

By: Lewis Holdsworth 10/08/2015 Blade Dynamics

General Turbines

Blade Dynamics is shipping the “D78” advanced assembly blade to the UK from its NASA-based facility to be structurally tested at the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s blade testing facility at Blyth, UK.

There are multiple new technologies in the blade including a lightweight and high dimensional accuracy blade tip with built-in leading edge protection. The blade technology has been designed and engineered for simplicity of manufacture in order to reduce variation and ensure better control of quality. The modular technology also has significant benefits in the supply chain, simplifies blade transportation, and allows wind turbines to be designed and built to produce an overall lower cost of energy.

The Energy Technology Institute in the UK has supported the development since 2012.

Dr David Clarke, CEO ETI said:
"ETI supported this technology development because blades have been a limiting factor for the cost and performance of offshore wind, and this was an opportunity to demonstrate what is possible. The 78m blade uses technology capable of making rotors whose diameters can reach beyond 200m, enabling larger, more effective turbines and leading to a reduced cost of energy. Once commercialised, this technology can create a pathway to improving performance, reliability and cost for offshore wind as well as providing an exciting route for the future export of blade components from the UK. We look forward to the structural testing at ORE Catapult in the UK and are investigating ways to demonstrate a rotor using this technology on the 7MW turbine that ORE Catapult is in the process of acquiring."

The D78 Blade was partly constructed at Blade Dynamics’ facilities in the UK and the US. In the US, Blade Dynamics operates from the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility, which has 43 acres under one roof. The same building built revolutionary boats and planes in the Second World War, constructed the main booster for the Saturn 5 rocket program and the external fuel tank for the Space Shuttle program. It is currently developing fuel tanks for the Space Launch System, and Blade Dynamics share the facility with Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

The overall blade design and the manufacture of the separate blade tip were completed in the UK. The main blade section was assembled and then joined to the tip in the US, before being shipped to the UK for testing.

The completed blade was moved from the NASA assembly facility to the on-site port using transportation equipment designed and last used for the Space Shuttle program. This included the heavy-duty towing equipment last used for towing the Space Shuttle’s main fuel tanks.

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US blade ventures to the UK

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