Campus
Circularity

Wind turbine blade turned into a pump track

Last Thursday, the square in front of the Industrial Design Engineering Faculty was transformed into a pump track – a hybrid between a BMX and a skate park. The demonstration setup was part of the graduation project of IDE student Jesse Pupping. One striking detail was that the final bump in the course is made from the back section of a wind turbine blade.

IDE-student Jesse Pupping (l.) and owner Jan demonstrate the pump track in front of the IDE building. (Photo: Thijs van Reeuwijk)

Pupping’s graduation supervisor, IDE researcher Jelle Joustra, has been working on reusing polyester components from wind turbine blades for some time. Flat sections from the front of the blade are easier to repurpose as tables or panels compared to the curved back. However, for a pump track, curvature is actually an advantage. A suitable section was cut from a discarded blade using a waterjet, seamlessly integrated, and finished with a non-slip layer.

Pump track operator Jan is pleased with the result but is curious about the cost of a track component made from polyester. The rest of the temporary track is made from wooden parts, which are about the same weight but far less weather-resistant. Jan believes that straight sections of asphalt could pair well with polyester curves and bumps in permanent pump tracks.

“It’s amazing when you can turn a waste problem into something that encourages kids to get moving,” says Pupping. He hopes to graduate with this project in about a month and a half.

Science editor Jos Wassink

Do you have a question or comment about this article?

j.w.wassink@tudelft.nl

Comments are closed.