Remanufacturing index of wind turbine systems

• Main Author: Ngiam, Ethel Jing Ting.
• Other Authors: Sridhar Idapalapati
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/54023
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The use of wind energy has seen unprecedented growth in recent years. In the face of rising energy prices and concerns over the emission of greenhouse gases, countries are increasingly looking toward using wind energy to generate clean energy for their economic growth and sustainable development. Despite this seemingly advantageous method of generating energy, the wind turbine does pose an adverse impact on the environment. The life cycle of the wind turbine includes stages such as processing the raw material, manufacturing its components, assembly of these product components and disposal of the wind turbine at its end of life. These stages cause detrimental effects, which threaten the environment. Therefore, this report seeks to use the process of remanufacturing to reduce the environmental impact of the wind turbine at its end of life. Through remanufacturing, virgin material and manufacturing processes of new components can be saved. This will significantly lower the environmental impact of the wind turbine at its end of life. By formulating a remanufacturing index, this report illustrates the feasibility of remanufacturing with regards to wind turbine systems. It uses a mathematical approach, which incorporates the economics of a wind turbine, to formulate an output that demonstrates the extent of remanufacturability. In addition to the remanufacturing index, qualitative support is provided through the usage of a ReOpt Tool offered by the Center for Remanufacturing and Reuse (CRR) in the United Kingdom. The scope of this report is not limited to the end of life process of the wind turbine. Instead, analysis is also done on the life cycle of the wind turbine. The Eco Audit Tool from the Cambridge Engineering Selector (CES) calculates its energy usage and carbon footprint throughout its product life. This delivers a greater understanding of the total environmental impact the wind turbine creates throughout its entire life cycle.