Wind turbine blade recycling

Abstract

Generally described, the methods disclosed herein for recycling fiber composite source objects, such as wind turbine blades, include converting a whole wind turbine blade to an output material state that is useful for manufacturing other products, such as those used in construction of buildings, packaging, raw materials, and pellets, among other products. The recycling process is performed while tracking the progress and location of each wind turbine blade such that the direct source of the output material may be determined. In some embodiments, the method includes sectioning the wind turbine blades, crushing the wind turbine blade sections, tracking the progress of each blade through the process, and loading output materials into a suitable transportation vessel. Correlating each wind turbine blade to a quantity of output material provides several advantages, including various certifications of the material for uses with restricted or otherwise controlled products and materials, cost savings, and other advantages.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A method of recycling fiber-composite source items to produce supply material, comprising:
 obtaining a fiber-composite source item for recycling;   scanning a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to the fiber-composite source item to obtain a source item code that uniquely identifies the fiber-composite source item within a recycling management database at a remote computer system;   uploading the source item code to the recycling management database at the remote computer system;   sectioning the fiber-composite source item into two or more sections by cutting the fiber-composite source item at one or more intermediate locations along a length of the fiber-composite source item;   transporting the fiber-composite source item sections to a feed bin of a crushing machine and conveying the fiber-composite source item sections from the feed bin to a rotating crushing drum;   crushing the fiber-composite source item sections in the rotating crushing drum to produce source item pieces;   conveying the source item pieces to a grinding machine configured to break the source item pieces into smaller source item particles;   grinding the source item pieces to produce the source item particles having a maximum length dimension of about ½ inch;   conveying the source item particles to a chute configured to direct the blade particles into a container;   loading the source item particles into the container;   scanning an RFID tag attached to the container to obtain a container code that uniquely identifies the container within the recycling management database;   uploading the container code to the recycling management database at the remote computer system, wherein association of the source item code and the container code in the recycling management database facilitates unambiguous tracking of the fiber-composite source item during the recycling process;   transporting the container to a loading hopper;   unloading the source item particles from the container into the hopper; and   directing the source item particles through a conduit to an outlet at a transportation vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transporting the source item particles to a manufacturing facility;   unloading the source item particles at the manufacturing facility;   manufacturing a product at the manufacturing facility using the source item particles;   scanning an RFID tag of the manufactured product to obtain a product code that uniquely identifies the manufactured product within the recycling management database;   uploading the product code to the recycling management database at the remote computer system, wherein association of the source item code, the container code, and the product code in the recycling management database facilitates unambiguous tracking of the fiber-composite source item during the recycling process.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of cutting the fiber-composite source item is performed using a cutting tool selected from the group consisting of a wire saw having an endless loop abrasive cable, a circular saw, a grinder, an impact blade, a torch, and a waterjet. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source item pieces have a maximum length dimension in the range between about 1 inch and about 4 inches following the step of crushing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the loading hopper includes an auger to facilitate the step of directing the source item particles through the conduit. 
     
     
         6 . A wind turbine blade recycling system comprising:
 a saw configured to section a wind turbine blade into at least two sections by cutting the wind turbine blade at an intermediate location along a length of the wind turbine blade;   a crushing machine comprising a rotating crushing drum configured to crush the at least two wind turbine blade sections to produce blade pieces;   a grinding machine configured to break the blade pieces into smaller blade particles;   a container configured to receive the blade particles;   one or more RFID readers configured to communicate via radio-frequency communication with an RFID tag attached to the wind turbine prior to cutting to obtain a blade code that uniquely identifies the wind turbine blade within the recycling management database, and an RFID tag attached to the container to obtain a container code that uniquely identifies the container within the recycling management database;   a computing device configured to upload the blade code and the container code to the recycling management database at the remote computer system; and   the remote computer system, wherein the remote computer system is programmed to associate the blade code and the container code in the recycling management database, and wherein the association of the blade code and the container code facilitates unambiguous tracking of the wind turbine blade during the recycling process.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the remote computer system is further programmed to associate the blade code and the container code with a product code in the recycling management database, wherein the association of the blade code, the container code, and the product code facilitates unambiguous tracking of the wind turbine blade during the recycling process and a subsequent manufacturing process. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the saw comprises a wire saw having an endless loop abrasive cable. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the grinding machine is configured to produce blade particles have a maximum length dimension of about ½ inch.