Browsing by Author "Hassan Rashid"

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    Design and Manufacturing of Small-Scale Wind Turbine Blade for Rural Electrification using Banana Fiber
    (Addis Ababa University, 2026-03-01) Hassan Rashid; Mesfin Belayneh
    This paper presents the design, structural evaluation, and manufacturing of a small-scale wind turbine blade developed for rural electrification using natural banana (Enset) fiber reinforced composite material. The blade geometry was created and optimized using SolidWorks simulation. Numerical analysis showed that the maximum stress occurs at the blade root while the maximum displacement occurs at the blade tip, indicating a safe and acceptable deformation pattern. Strength analysis under different operating conditions demonstrated adequate reliability, including yawing load (3.9 MPa, factor of safety 7), yaw error (0.4 MPa, factor of safety 3.7), maximum rotational speed centrifugal loading (1.99 MPa tensile stress, factor of safety 15), short-at-load connection (2.338 MPa, factor of safety 12), shutdown parking (1.1 MPa, factor of safety 15), and parked wind loading (4.07 MPa, factor of safety 7). The manufacturing procedure followed sequential steps: CAD modeling in SolidWorks, prototype fabrication using a 3D printer, preparation of a master pattern, mold fabrication, production of two mold halves, and composite lay-up. The blade was produced using resin matrix reinforced with Enset fiber, polyvinyl (PV), hardener, and gelcoat. The results confirm that the proposed blade is structurally safe, manufacturable, and suitable as a low-cost sustainable solution for decentralized rural power generation.