Mobile on-site recycling system for a wind turbine blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12459161-B2
Application number	US-202117914549-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2021
Priority date	Mar 27, 2020
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

A recycling ship configured to sail to an offshore site for recycling a composite material rich structure at the site. The composite material rich structure can include a wind turbine blade, a boat or a ship comprising fiber reinforced composite material. The recycling ship comprises a first processing unit having a cutter configured to receive the composite material rich structure and to section it into composite parts, and a second processing unit having a crusher and/or grinder configured to reduce the size of the composite parts into composite material granulates.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A recycling ship, for recycling a composite material rich structure, comprising fiber reinforced composite material at a site being offshore or at a site in a harbor, the recycling ship comprising a plurality of processing units ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ), wherein the plurality of processing units comprises:
a first processing unit ( 1 ) having a first apparatus configured to section the composite material rich structure into a plurality of composite parts; a second processing unit ( 2 ) having a second apparatus configured to crush and/or grind the composite parts into composite material granulates, an inlet ( 6 b ) arranged to receive the composite parts from the first processing unit and an outlet ( 7 b ) for outputting the composite material granulates; a third processing unit ( 3 ) having a third apparatus configured for chemical recycling of the composite material granulates, an inlet ( 6 c ) for receiving the composite material granulates, and an outlet ( 7 c ) for a liquid fraction and an outlet ( 7 d ) for a solid fiber fraction and wherein the outlet ( 7 b ) of the second processing unit is arrangeable to be connected to the inlet ( 6 c ) of the third processing unit; and a fourth processing unit ( 4 ) having a fourth apparatus configured for partitioning of the liquid fraction, an inlet ( 6 d ) for receiving the liquid fraction, an outlet ( 7 e ) for an organic fraction and an outlet ( 7 f ) for an aqueous fraction and wherein the outlet ( 7 c ) for the liquid fraction of the third processing unit is arrangeable to be connected to the inlet ( 6 d ) of the fourth processing unit, the recycling ship being configured to sail to the offshore site and to receive the composite material rich structure by the first processing unit.

2 . The recycling ship according to claim 1 , wherein the first apparatus comprises a saw and/or a waterjet cutter operable to cut the composite material rich structure.

3 . The recycling ship according to claim 1 , wherein the first processing unit has an inlet ( 6 a ) for receiving the composite material rich structure and an outlet ( 7 a ) for outputting the composite parts, and wherein the inlet ( 6 b ) of the second processing unit is arrangeable to be connected to the outlet ( 7 a ) of the first processing unit.

4 . The recycling ship according to claim 1 comprising one or more storage spaces configured to store one or more of the composite material granulates, the liquid fraction, the solid fiber fraction, the organic fraction and the aqueous fraction.

5 . The recycling ship according to claim 1 , comprising a water intake and wherein the sectioning in the first processing unit ( 1 ) and/or the crushing and/or grinding in the second processing unit ( 2 ) is performed using water from the water intake.

6 . A method for offshore recycling of a composite material rich structure, the method comprising:
installing a plurality of processing units ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) on a recycling ship, wherein the plurality of processing units comprises a first processing unit ( 1 ) having a first apparatus configured to section the composite material rich structure into a plurality of composite parts, further wherein the plurality of processing units comprises a second processing unit ( 2 ) having a second apparatus configured to crush and/or grind the composite parts into composite material granulates, an inlet ( 6 b ) for receiving the composite parts and an outlet ( 7 b ) for outputting the composite material granulates; assembling the plurality of processing units into a decommissioning and recycling system ( 5 ) comprising arranging the first processing unit and the second processing unit such that the inlet ( 6 b ) of the second processing unit is arranged to receive the composite parts from the first processing unit; sailing the recycling ship to an offshore site of the composite material rich structure; receiving the composite material rich structure by the first processing unit ( 1 ); sectioning the composite material rich structure by the first apparatus to obtain a plurality of composite parts; transferring the plurality of composite parts to the second processing unit ( 2 ); and mechanical crushing and/or grinding the plurality of composite parts by the second apparatus to obtain composite material granulates, wherein the plurality of processing units ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) comprises a third processing unit ( 3 ) having a third apparatus configured for chemical recycling of composite material granulates, an inlet ( 6 c ) for receiving the composite material granulates, an outlet ( 7 c ) for a liquid fraction and an outlet ( 7 d ) for a solid fiber fraction and wherein assembling the plurality of processing units further comprises connecting the outlet ( 7 b ) of the second processing unit to the inlet ( 6 c ) of the third processing unit, and the method comprises transferring the composite material granulates via the outlet ( 7 b ) of the second processing unit and the inlet ( 6 c ) of the third processing unit to the third apparatus and subjecting the composite material granulates to thermal recycling and/or chemical recycling in the third apparatus to obtain a mixture comprising a liquid fraction and a solid fiber fraction, and wherein the plurality of processing units ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) comprises a fourth processing unit ( 4 ) having a fourth apparatus configured for partitioning of the liquid fraction, an inlet ( 6 d ) for receiving the liquid fraction, an outlet ( 7 e ) for an organic fraction and an outlet ( 7 f ) for a aqueous fraction, and wherein assembling of the plurality of processing units further comprises connecting the outlet ( 7 c ) for the liquid fraction of the third processing unit to the inlet ( 6 d ) of the fourth processing unit, and the method comprises transferring the liquid fraction via the outlet ( 7 c ) for the liquid fraction of the third processing unit and the inlet ( 6 d ) of the fourth processing unit to the fourth apparatus and partitioning the liquid fraction in the fourth apparatus to obtain an organic fraction and an aqueous fraction.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first processing unit has an inlet ( 6 a ) for receiving the composite material rich structure and an outlet ( 7 a ) for outputting the composite parts, and wherein the arranging of the first processing unit and the second processing unit comprises connecting the outlet ( 7 a ) of the first processing unit to the inlet ( 6 b ) of the second processing unit.

8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of processing units ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) comprises a container containing a respective one of the first apparatus through the fourth apparatus of the processing unit.

9 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the ship comprises one or more storage spaces, and the method comprises storing one or more of the composite material granulates, the liquid fraction, the solid fiber fraction, the organic fraction and the aqueous fraction in the one or more storage spaces.

10 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the sectioning in the first processing unit ( 1 ) and/or the crushing and/or grinding in the second processing unit ( 2 ) is performed with means for dust suppression using water.

11 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the organic fraction exiting the fourth apparatus via the outlet ( 7 e ) or part thereof is used as energy source on-site for pyrolysis.

Assignees

• Lm Wind Power As

Inventors

• Korsgaard John

Classifications

• B02C18/0084

  specially adapted for disintegrating garbage, waste or sewage · CPC title

• B02C2201/06

  for garbage, waste or sewage · CPC title

• B02C21/026

  self-propelled · CPC title

• B09B3/35

  Shredding, crushing or cutting · CPC title

• B63B2035/4473

  Floating structures supporting industrial plants, such as factories, refineries, or the like · CPC title