Thermo-chemical simulation of a composite offshore vertical axis wind turbine blade

In the present study three dimensional steady state thermo-chemical simulation of a pultrusion process is investigated by using the finite element/nodal control volume (FE/NCV) technique. Pultrusion simulation of a composite having a C-shaped cross section is performed as a validation case. The obtained cure degree profiles for specific points match well with those in the literature.

Following the validation case, the proposed numerical technique is applied to the modelling of the pultrusion of a composite blade which has a NACA0018 airfoil cross section. The effects of pulling speed and various set temperature schemes of heating platens on the quality of the composite NACA0018 blade are explored.