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    废弃风机叶片特性与回收利用技术发展趋势

    Characteristics of Waste Wind Turbine Blades and Development Trends of Recycling Technologies

    • 摘要: 随着风电和光伏等可再生能源的迅速发展,特别是大规模风电场的建设,退役风机组件数量逐年上升,废弃风机叶片的回收处理已成为全球性挑战。风机叶片主要由玻璃纤维、碳纤维、树脂和芯材等复合材料构成,资源化价值高,但分离回收技术难度大,容易造成二次污染。通过系统分析废弃风机叶片的产生特性,对未来废弃量的演变趋势进行了定量预测,并从技术、经济和环境多维度综合比较现有回收处理技术,展望其发展前景。研究显示,按照风机叶片20~25年的报废周期,预计到2050年,全球废弃叶片数量将从2025年的约20万t增长至260万~600万t,我国的废弃量将达到90万~190万t。在材料回收方面,玻璃纤维主要采用焚烧、水泥窑协同处理和机械物理回收;碳纤维则倾向于热解和化学回收等高值化方法。资源化技术中,热处理回收工艺相对成熟,已实现工业化应用,但经济效益偏低,且二次污染控制难度大;化学分离回收技术效率高、价值大,但工艺复杂、运行成本高,尚未实现工业化推广。

       

      Abstract: The rapid growth of renewable energy, particularly wind power, has led to the large-scale construction and operation of wind farms. By the end of 2024, the global installed wind power capacity had reached 1 136 GW, with China leading the world by contributing over 520 GW. Consequently, the number of decommissioned wind turbine blades is rising at an accelerating rate, indicating an impending surge in waste volume. This anticipated surge of composite waste has elevated the recycling and disposal of wind turbine blades from a niche concern to a pressing global environmental challenge. Wind turbine blades are primarily composed of high-performance composite materials, notably glass fibers, carbon fibers, polymer resins, and various core materials. These components are engineered for durability and strength, which also gives them significant resource value. The recovery and reclamation of these valuable materials are crucial for fostering a circular economy within the renewable energy sector itself. However, the technologies for separating and recycling these materials pose significant challenges and risks of causing secondary pollution. This study systematically analyzes the generation characteristics of waste wind turbine blades to project future waste volumes; comprehensively compares existing recycling technologies from technical, economic, and environmental perspectives, based on the blades′ structural and material properties; and discusses future technological developments. Furthermore, by reviewing national and provincial policies, this paper elucidates the current policy landscape and future directions for the recycling sector. Results indicate that, based on a 20–25-year blade service life, global waste blade volumes are projected to surge from approximately 200000 tons in 2025 to 2.6–6.0 million tons by 2050. China′s share is expected to reach 0.9–1.9 million tons by 2050. For the glass and carbon fibers in blades, glass fiber recycling primarily utilizes incineration, co-processing in cement kilns, and mechanical-physical recovery. In contrast, higher-value methods such as pyrolysis and chemical processing are favored for carbon fiber recycling. In terms of resource recovery technologies, thermal treatment processes are relatively mature and have achieved industrial application; however, they offer low economic returns and pose significant challenges in controlling secondary pollution. Although chemical separation technologies are highly efficient and yield valuable recovered products, their complex procedures and high operating costs have prevented widespread industrial adoption. Mechanical-physical methods, typically used as pretreatment steps, are low-cost and widely implemented in industry. However, they require integration with chemical or thermal processes to achieve efficient separation and full-scale recovery. Effectively addressing the recycling of discarded wind turbine blades is crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainability and circularity of the wind power industry itself, requiring joint efforts from both industry and academia.

       

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