Epoxy/Wood Composite Blades for Archimedes Wind Turbines: An Affordable Solution for Areas with Low Wind Speed
Year: 2025
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: The Archimedes wind turbine has emerged as a viable solution for such areas with low wind speed.The horizontal-axis design incorporates spiralshaped blades, allowing it to operate effectively even at 2.5 m/s.Its drag-based design improves torque generation and delivers higher aerodynamic efficiency compared to vertical-axis alternatives.This type of turbine is suitable for urban applications such as street lighting.Material selection is critical for optimizing turbine performance.Although fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) is commonly used, it is costly and limits accessibility.This study explores an epoxy-wood powder composite as an alternative material for Archimedes turbine blades.Computational fluid dynamics was used to analyse the aerodynamic properties of the Archimedes blade made of wood composites (WCs).A 3D model of the Archimedes turbine blade prototype was created with a diameter of 152.6 mm and a rotor length of 112 mm.The angle of the spiral is 120˚ and all three blades are identical.The numerical analysis was computed for three different wind speeds: 3, 5, and 10 m/s.The results show that the wood composites are applicable as an Archimedes turbine blade at wind speeds between 3-5 m/s.At higher wind speeds, there is high turbulence, causing lower efficiency of power generation.Moreover, wood composites are not rigid enough to sustain the dynamic loading.These findings highlight the potential of wood composites as a cost-effective, sustainable material for Archimedes wind turbines, facilitating the broader utilization of low-speed wind resources in Indonesia.
Institution: Politeknik Negeri Bali
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4415696992