Use of Yarn and Carded Jute as Epoxy Matrix Reinforcement for the Production of Composite Materials for Application in the Wind Sector: A Preliminary Analysis for the Manufacture of Blades for Low-Intensity Winds

Abstract

The development of wind turbines for regions with low wind speeds imposes a challenge to the expansion of the corresponding energy generation capacity. The present work consists of an evaluation of the potential carded jute fiber and jute yarn to be used in the construction of a wind blade for regions of low wind intensity. The fibers used were supplied by Company Textile of Castanhal (Castanhal-Para-Brazil) and used in the study without chemical treatment in the form of single-filament fibers and yarns with a surface twist of 18.5°. The composites were produced through the resin infusion technique and underwent tensile and shear tests using 120-Ohm strain gauges and a blade extensometer to obtain the Young’s modulus. In the analysis of the results, the ANOVA test was applied with a 0.05 significance level, followed by Tukey’s test. The results showed that long, aligned jute fibers can be a good option for laminated structures applied in composites for small wind turbine blades.