Chinese energy giant, Sany Renewable Energy has embarked on a project to build the most powerful wind turbines ever deployed on a terrestrial wind farm.
Stationed at a mammoth facility in Bayannur, Inner Mongolia, the blades are ready for testing and deployment. The SY1310A blades are much thicker and longer than previous generations and have already clinched the title of the longest onshore wind turbine blades. At 430 feet (131m), it even surpasses the blades of most offshore turbines, including the current CRVT prototypes.
The Chinese turbine manufacturer has automated most of its manufacturing operations to cut down construction time and improve efficiency. With a prefabrication failure rate of almost zero percent, each blade takes less than 30 hours to manufacture – ten hours less than the industry average.
In its press release, Sany Renewable also highlighted its implementation of IoT technologies including the use of a ‘digital twin’ virtual factory for remote supervision of all procedures carried out in the physical factory.
Durability is the chief concern for wind turbines, and it becomes increasingly difficult with the size and scale of the blades. Courtesy of a thicker airfoil, a reinforced carbon fiber main beam and a metal mesh for lightning protection, Sany’s SY310A blades are built to last. And although they aren’t 100% recyclable, the trailing edge insert is made of recycled polyurethane structural parts that can be easily circulated after the lifespan of the turbine.
After the required component and full-size testing, the Chinese engineering firm intends to install these mammoth blades on its planned 15 MW onshore wind turbine. A global rollout is, however, highly improbable.
You can buy a small 800W five-blade Hilitand wind turbine on Amazon.
I was fortunate to be exposed to the awesomeness of tech as a child. I delighted in seeking out the nerdiest sci-fi gadgets I could afford to play with. These days I take a professional interest in biotech, especially health-tracking wearables, and futuristic smart home appliances. If you ever come to Unilag’s College of Medicine, you’ll probably find me geeking about some biomedical discovery. That’s if I’m not scrolling YouTube shorts. Or sleeping.
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