Mounting device, mounting system and mounting method for vortex generators
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023932486
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-04-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-14
Smart Images
Figure CN2023088240_17102024_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Mounting Device, Mounting System and Mounting Method for Vortex GeneratorsFIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a device, a system and a method for mounting one or more vortex generators onto a surface of a blade of a wind turbine.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] During producing a blade of a wind turbine, it is necessary to arrange flow-altering devices, such as vortex generators (VGs) , on a surface of the blade to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the blade. As shown in FIG. 1, the vortex generator 6 typically has a base plate 61 and fins 62 protruding from the base plate 61. The base plate 61 is usually attached onto the blade surface using adhesive, and in order to achieve a better attachment effect, it is necessary to exhaust air between the base plate 61 and the blade to completely fill a space between the base plate 61 and the blade surface with adhesive without any empty gap.
[0003] In prior art, a manual mounting tool is typically used to complete the mounting process. Specifically, the operator manually presses the base plate of the vortex generator against the surface of the blade using the mounting tool to squeeze out air between the blade and the vortex generator, ensuring good adhesion of the adhesive. This method requires a lot of time and manpower, and cannot guarantee the consistency of mounting quality.
[0004] US patent application US20190309726A1 proposes a mounting device for vortex generators. As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting device 1 includes a mounting template 10 and an annular seal 20 attached to the mounting template 10. When the vortex generators are mounted, the fins of the vortex generators are fitted into a plurality of cavities 15 of the mounting template 10, and the annular seal 20 is pressed against the blade surface, thereby forming a rectangular chamber in the area within the annular seal 20. When vacuum pressure is applied into the chamber via a pressure port 181, the mounting template 10 presses the base plates of the vortex generators against the blade surface to adhere the vortex generator onto the blade surface. The disadvantage of this solution is that the pressure port 181 is located in the pressing area of the mounting template 10 for pressing the base plate, such that the vacuum chamber overlaps and interferes with the pressing area. Specifically, when the mounting template 10 contacts and presses the base plate under vacuum pressure, the pressure port 181 will be blocked by the base plate, making it impossible to continue to apply vacuum pressure and maintain the compressive force. On the other hand, in order to maintain vacuum pressure in the chamber, it is required that the mounting template 10 be spaced apart from the base plate, so that the base plate cannot be pressed by the mounting template 10. Therefore, this solution cannot achieve a good compression effect on the vortex generator.
[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The above problems are solved by a mounting device, a mounting system, and a mounting method for the vortex generator according to the invention.
[0007] In one aspect, the present invention provides a mounting device for mounting one or more vortex generators onto a surface of a blade of a wind turbine, each of the one or more vortex generators having a base plate to be adhered onto the surface of the blade, and fins extending from the base plate, characterized in that the mounting device comprises: a mounting template having, on a bottom surface facing the surface of the blade, a pressing surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the mounting template, and two lateral surfaces located on both sides of the pressing surface, the pressing surface being used for abutting against the base plate and applying compressive force to the base plate, wherein cavities are formed in the pressing surface to receive the fins; a plurality of annular seals attached to the two lateral surfaces and spaced apart from the pressing surface, wherein each of the lateral surfaces is attached with at least one of the plurality of annular seals, and wherein the plurality of annular seals are configured to abut against the surface of the blade during mounting the one or more vortex generators, so as to form a plurality of closed chambers among the two lateral surfaces, the plurality of annular seals and the surface of the blade; and a pressure source device connected to the plurality of chambers, wherein the pressure source device is configured to apply vacuum pressure into the plurality of chambers during mounting the one or more vortex generators such that the pressing surface presses the base plate against the surface of the blade, so as to adhere the base plate onto the surface of the blade.
[0008] According to the above solution, the mounting device uses negative pressure generated by vacuum instead of manual pressing in the prior art, which can greatly reduce the work intensity of operators. The pressure source device forms vacuum environment on the bottom surface of the mounting template, and the atmospheric pressure on the top surface of the mounting template pushes the mounting template and the vortex generator towards the blade, thereby pressing and mounting the vortex generator onto the blade surface. At the same time, the chambers for forming the vacuum environment are located on both sides of the pressing area, and thus do not interfere with the pressing action of the mounting template on the vortex generator, so that the base plate of the vortex generator can be pressed by the pressing surface while the vacuum pressure in the lateral chambers is maintained.
[0009] Preferably, the pressing surface protrudes relative to the lateral surface to form a step between the pressing surface and the lateral surface. With the step, the chambers can be formed with a thickness sufficient to generate a uniform and stable vacuum pressure.
[0010] Preferably, a plurality of annular sealing grooves are formed in the lateral surfaces to attach the plurality of annular seals thereto. Advantageously, the plurality of annular seals are adhered to the respective sealing grooves, or are attached to the respective sealing grooves by means of interference fit.
[0011] Preferably, the pressing surface has a pressing concave surface extending along the longitudinal axis, and pressing planes located on both sides of the pressing concave surface, so that during pressing the base plate, an intermediate region of the base plate is firstly pressed, so as to exhaust air present in adhesive between the base plate and the surface of the blade from both sides of the base plate.
[0012] Preferably, a receiving groove is formed in the lateral surface along an edge of the pressing surface, the receiving groove being used for receiving excess adhesive extruded between the base plate and the surface of the blade. In particular, in the case where the step is formed between the pressing surface and the lateral surface, the receiving groove is formed adjacent to the step.
[0013] Preferably, a cross section of each of the plurality of annular seals comprises a rectangular region attached to the lateral surface, and a semicircular region configured to abut against the surface of the blade. In particular, in the case where the sealing grooves are formed in the lateral surfaces, the rectangular region is attached to the sealing groove. Advantageously, the rectangular region is adhered to the sealing groove or attached to the sealing groove by means of interference fit.
[0014] Preferably, the pressure source device is connected to the plurality of chambers via a pipe and a channel which is formed in the mounting template, wherein the channel is communicated with the respective chambers via a plurality of pressure ports located on the lateral surfaces. Advantageously, the channel is communicated with the pipe via a connection port located on a side surface or an end surface of the mounting template. Advantageously, the pipe is a hose. Advantageously, a release valve (or a relief valve) is provided on the pipe to release the vacuum pressure formed in the plurality of chambers. The release valve is installed on the pipe without the need for additional release holes on the mounting template, thereby reducing a risk of vacuum leakage and facilitating the replacement of the release valve. The release valve can be a needle valve or a ball valve installed close to the mounting template to facilitate timely release of vacuum pressure. Alternatively, the pressure source device is further configured to apply positive pressure into the plurality of chambers in order to release the vacuum pressure formed in the plurality of chambers, thereby making it possible to eliminate the release valve. Advantageously, a pressure gauge is provided on the pipe to monitor the pressure within the plurality of chambers. By monitoring the pressure, a vacuum pressure with a desired magnitude can be applied to the chambers to achieve a desired compressive force on the vortex generator, thereby ensuring consistency in mounting quality.
[0015] Preferably, recesses are formed in the pressing surface, the recesses configured to receive molding features protruding from the base plate when the pressing surface presses the base plate. The molding features are formed on the upper side of the base plate when the vortex generator is molded. The molding features are, for example, rubber studs protruding from the upper side of the base plate.
[0016] Preferably, bottoms of the cavities are configured to bear against the fins during mounting the one or more vortex generators, thereby pressing the fins against the surface of the blade. Advantageously, the cavity has a contour that complements the shape of the fin. Alternatively, the size of the cavity (one or more of length, width, and depth) is greater than the size of the fin (one or more of length, width, and height) , so that the cavity can receive fins with different standards or sizes.
[0017] Preferably, the plurality of annular seals are distributed on the two lateral surfaces such that when vacuum pressure is applied into the plurality of chambers, the base plate is evenly pressed. That is, compressive force exerting on the base plate (s) is evenly distributed.
[0018] Preferably, the plurality of annular seals are distributed on the two lateral surfaces such that when vacuum pressure is applied to the plurality of chambers, under atmospheric pressure, the mounting template moves stably close to the blade without tilting. Such tilting may occur between the two sides of the mounting template (i.e. slight rotation around the longitudinal axis) or between the two ends of the mounting template (i.e. slight rotation around a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis) . Specifically, the plurality of annular seals are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the pressing surface, and / or evenly arranged along the longitudinal axis. Advantageously, the plurality of annular seals are circular seals, elliptical seals, rectangular seals, or a combination thereof.
[0019] Preferably, the two lateral surfaces are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the pressing surface. Advantageously, the two lateral surfaces converge at both ends along the longitudinal axis to completely enclose the pressing surface. Advantageously, the plurality of annular seals are two rectangular seals attached to the two lateral surfaces, respectively, the two rectangular seals being symmetrically arranged on both sides of the pressing surface, and extending along the longitudinal axis over the entire length of the pressing surface. That is, each end of the rectangular seal extends along the longitudinal axis to or beyond the respective end of the pressing surface, so that the rectangular seal covers the entire length of the pressing surface. Advantageously, an annular receiving groove is formed in the two lateral surfaces along a periphery of the pressing surface, the receiving groove being used for receiving excess adhesive extruded between the base plate and the surface of the blade.
[0020] According to another aspect, the present invention provides a mounting system for mounting one or more vortex generators onto a surface of a blade of a wind turbine, characterized in that the mounting system comprises a carrier and the mounting device according to the present invention, the carrier being configured to carry the pressure source device of the mounting device during mounting operation, and to handle or store the mounting device during non-mounting operation. Preferably, the carrier has an upper platform for carrying the mounting template, and a lower platform for carrying the pressure source device. Preferably, the carrier is equipped with a handle and wheels. Advantageously, the carrier is a wagon.
[0021] According to yet another aspect, the present invention provides a mounting method for mounting one or more vortex generators onto a surface of a blade of a wind turbine using the mounting device, each of the one or more vortex generators having a base plate, and fins extending from the base plate, characterized in that the mounting method comprises: attaching the plurality of annular seals of the mounting device to the two lateral surfaces of the mounting template of the mounting device; positioning the mounting template and the one or more vortex generators on the surface of the blade; forming a plurality of closed chambers among the two lateral surfaces, the plurality of annular seals, and the surface of the blade, by abutting the plurality of annular seals against the surface of the blade; applying, by the pressure source device of the mounting device, vacuum pressure into the plurality of chambers so that the pressing surface presses the base plate against the surface of the blade to adhere the base plate onto the surface of the blade; releasing the vacuum pressure applied into the plurality of chambers to remove the mounting template from the surface of the blade.
[0022] Preferably, the step of positioning the mounting template and the one or more vortex generators comprises: holding the one or more vortex generators by the mounting template, by placing the fins into respective cavities of the mounting template, and by contacting and fitting the upper side of the base plate with the pressing surface; applying adhesive to the underside of the base plate; placing the mounting template attached with the plurality of annular seals, together with the one or more vortex generators, in a mounting area on the surface of the blade.
[0023] Alternatively, the step of positioning the mounting template and the one or more vortex generators comprises: applying adhesive to the underside of the base plate; placing the one or more vortex generators in a mounting area on the surface of the blade; placing the mounting template, attached with the plurality of annular seals, onto the surface of the blade, by receiving the fins by the respective cavities of the mounting template, and by contacting and fitting the pressing surface with the upper side of the base plate.
[0024] The mounting device according to the present invention can simultaneously install several vortex generators, thereby reducing the work intensity and repetitive labor of the operators, shortening the mounting time, and greatly improving the mounting efficiency of the vortex generators. Due to the fact that the annular seals of the device are located on both sides of the vortex generators and do not come into contact with them, the impact of the vortex generators on the formation of vacuum chambers is avoided, and multiple sets of vortex generators can be continuously installed on the blade. In the prior art (e.g., in the solution taught in US patent application US20190309726A1) , the seal and the chamber need to be arranged adjacent to the vortex generators, so that when continuously installing the vortex generators in a row, the seal and the vacuum chamber of the mounting device will interfere with the vortex generator already installed on the blade, so continuous installation cannot be carried out using such a mounting device.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0025] The present invention is specifically described with reference to examples shown in the drawings, in which:
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a vortex generator;
[0027] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a mounting device in the prior art;
[0028] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a mounting device according to the invention;
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of the mounting template according to the invention;
[0030] FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of a mounting template according to the invention, wherein a length of the mounting template is omitted;
[0031] FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the mounting device according to the invention during mounting operation;
[0032] FIG. 7 shows a schematic plan view of a variant of a mounting template according to the invention, wherein a length of the mounting template is omitted;
[0033] FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an annular seal according to the invention;
[0034] FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a mounting system according to the invention;
[0035] FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of a mounting method according to the invention.
[0036] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] To facilitate understanding the present invention, the invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided for fully and completely understanding the disclosure of the present invention.
[0038] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a mounting device for vortex generators according to the invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting device 1 is used to mount the vortex generators 6 shown in FIG. 1 onto a surface of a blade 7 of a wind turbine. The mounting device 1 includes a mounting template 10, two annular seals 20 attached to the mounting template 10, and a pressure source device 30 (not shown) . During mounting operation, the vortex generators 6 are placed between the mounting template 10 and the surface of the blade 7, and chambers are formed between the mounting template 10 and the surface of the blade 7 by the lateral annular seals 20. The chambers are vacuumed by the pressure source device 30 to create negative pressure, lower than atmospheric pressure, in the chambers, such that atmospheric pressure presses the mounting template 10 and thus the vortex generators 6 against the surface of the blade 7, thereby mounting vortex generators 6 onto the surface of blade 7. Each vortex generator 6 shown in FIG. 1 has a plurality of fins, and FIG. 3 shows four vortex generators 6 to be installed. Due to the ability to install several vortex generators simultaneously, the positions of two adjacent vortex generators are determined by the corresponding contours on the mounting template, thereby reducing the measurement and positioning work during mounting vortex generators. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mounting device 1 of the present invention is suitable for mounting one or more vortex generators 6, and each vortex generator 6 can have one or more fins. Figure 3 shows two generally rectangular seals 20 located on both sides of the vortex generators 6. However, the seals 20 can be multiple, or have other shapes such as circular or elliptical, as detailed below.
[0039] FIG. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of the mounting template according to the invention, FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of the mounting template according to the invention (where a length of the mounting template is omitted) , and FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the mounting device according to the invention during mounting operation. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the mounting template 10 is generally rigid and is a generally elongated plate with a length along a longitudinal axis that is greater than a width transverse to the longitudinal axis. The plate is generally rectangular. For convenience of description, in the context, the side of the mounting template 10 facing the blade surface is referred to as a "bottom surface" , the side facing away from the blade surface is referred to as a "top surface" , the two sides extending along the longitudinal axis between the bottom surface and the top surface are referred to as "lateral surface" , and the two sides located at both ends of the longitudinal axis between the bottom surface and the top surface are referred to as "end surfaces" . The bottom surface of the mounting template 10 has a pressing surface 11 which extends along the longitudinal axis to bear against and applying compressive force to the base plates 61 of the vortex generators 6 during mounting operation, and two lateral surfaces 12 which are located on both sides of the pressing surface 11 to receive annular seals 20 and form chambers 14.
[0040] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pressing surface 11 has a pressing concave surface 111 extending along the longitudinal axis of the mounting template 10, and pressing planes 112 located on both sides of the pressing concave surface 111. The pressing concave surface 111 is recessed inwardly in the cross section, and the shapes of the pressing concave surface 111 and the pressing planes 112 generally match or complement the shapes of the base plates 61 of the vortex generators 6, so that during pressing the base plates 61, the intermediate region of the base plates 61 is firstly pressed to allow air present in the adhesive to be discharged from both sides of the base plates 61. Specifically, when the mounting template 10 is moved in the direction towards the blade 7 under the action of atmospheric pressure, the intermediate region of the vortex generators 6 is firstly deformed under the compressive force of the mounting template 10, so that the intermediate region is firstly pressed tightly onto the surface of the blade 7, and then the vortex generators 6 are gradually pressed onto the surface of the blade 7 from the intermediate region to both sides, and air present between the vortex generators 6 and the blade 7 is discharged from both sides. At the same time, the uniformity of adhesive distribution has also been improved.
[0041] A plurality of cavities 15 for receiving the plurality of fins 62 of the vortex generators 6 are formed in the pressing surface 11. The cavity 15 shown in FIG. 5 is an inclined elongated groove and has an orientation and a profile corresponding to the fin 62 of the vortex generator 6. The depth of the cavity 15 may correspond to the height of the fin 62, so that the bottom of the cavity 15 abuts against the top of the fin 62 during mounting the vortex generator 6, thereby pressing the fin 62 towards the surface of the blade 7 to provide an auxiliary pressing effect. It is conceivable that the size of the cavity 15 may be larger than the size of the fin 62, such that the cavity 15 does not come into contact with the fin 62 during mounting operation. It is also conceivable that the cavity 15 is formed of a non-inclined rectangular groove (i.e., the sides of the rectangular groove are parallel or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis) , which has a sufficient size to receive the inclined fin. Further, the rectangular groove may have a sufficient size to receive fins with various standards or sizes. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, it can be seen that the cavity 15 is a cavity with a closed bottom (such as a blind groove or a blind hole) . However, the cavity 15 can also be a through cavity that runs through the mounting template 10 (such as a through groove or a through hole) . One or more recesses 113 for receiving molding features protruding from the upper side of the base plate 61 are also formed in the pressing surface 11 to allow the pressing surface 11 to fully contact and adhere to the upper surface of the base plate 61. The molding feature is, for example, a rubber stud or an injection port that is formed on the upper side of the base plate 61 when molding the vortex generator 6. In addition, longitudinal gaps (not shown) can be formed in the pressing surface 11 to allow adjacent vortex generators 6 to be spaced apart from each other at a certain spacing according to mounting requirements.
[0042] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the lateral surface 12 is a substantially flat plane, and the pressing surface 11 protrudes towards the blade surface relative to the lateral surface 12, thereby forming a step 16 between the pressing surface 11 and the lateral surface 12. A receiving groove 17 is formed adjacent to the step 16 in the lateral surface 12 to receive excess adhesive extruded from between the base plate 61 and the surface of the blade 7, preventing the adhesive from contacting the annular seal 20 and damaging its sealing performance, thereby improving the service life of the annular seal. It can be envisaged that there may be no step between the lateral surface 12 and the pressing surface 11, that is, both the lateral surfaces 12 and the pressing surface 11 are in the same plane. The two lateral surfaces 12 shown in FIG. 5 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the pressing surface 11 and converge at both ends of the mounting template 10 to completely surround the pressing surface 11. That is to say, the pressing surface 11 is the form of an "island" surrounded by the two lateral surfaces 12. Meanwhile, both the step 16 and the receiving groove 17 are in a circular or runway shape that completely surrounds the pressing surface 11. However, it can be conceivable that the pressing surface 11 extends throughout the entire length of the mounting template 10, thereby separating the two lateral surfaces 12 from each other. At that time, both the steps 16 and the receiving grooves 17 extend longitudinally on both sides of the pressing surface 11. Annular (especially, runway-shaped) sealing grooves 13 are also formed in the lateral surfaces 12, and are spaced apart from the pressing surface 11 so as to receive the annular seals (or annular sealing strips) 20. The sealing grooved 13 are shown as two rectangular sealing grooves formed in the two lateral surfaces 12, respectively, and these two rectangular sealing grooves and the received rectangular seals are symmetrically arranged relative to the pressing surface 11, and cover the entire length of the pressing surface 11 along the longitudinal axis. That is to say, each end of the rectangular sealing groove and the received rectangular seal extends longitudinally to or beyond the respective end of the pressing surface 11, such that when the chambers formed by the seals are vacuumed, the pressing surface 11 can apply uniform compressive force to the base plate (s) 61. The sealing groove 13 should be separated from the pressing surface 11 by a certain spacing to prevent the adhesive extruded between the base plate 61 and the blade surface from coming into contact with the seal, and to prevent air bubbles from being blocked by the seal when they are discharged from the adhesive. The annular seal 20 can be adhered to the sealing groove 13. Using the sealing groove 13, it is possible to quickly install the annular seal 20 when replacing it, without the need for measurement and positioning. The size (width) of the sealing groove 13 can be smaller than the size (width) of the annular seal 20 to allow the annular seal 20 to attach to the sealing groove 13 through interference fit without the need for adhesive or glue adhering. In the case of the interference fit, the annular seal 20 is clamped between the two sides of the sealing groove 13 instead of being fixed to its bottom surface. It can be envisaged that no sealing groove 13 is formed on the lateral surface 12, and the annular seal 20 is directly attached (e.g., adhered) to the lateral surface 12.
[0043] Referring to FIG. 6, during mounting the vortex generators 6, one sides of the plurality of annular seals 20 are attached to the lateral surfaces 12 or the sealing grooves 13 in the lateral surfaces 12, and the other sides bear against the surface of the blade 7, thereby forming a plurality of closed chambers 14 between the lateral surfaces 12, the plurality of annular seals 20, and the surface of the blade 7. It can be realized that in the absence of the step 16, the height of the portion of the annular seal 20 protruding from the lateral surface 12 is slightly greater than the thickness of the edge or end of the base plate 61, such that this portion of the annular seal 20 to be compressed and deformed when it abuts against the surface of the blade 7, thereby making the thickness of the formed chamber 14 approximately equal to the thickness of the edge of the base plate 61. In the presence of the step 16, the height of the portion of the annular seal 20 protruding from the lateral surface 12 is slightly greater than the sum of the thickness of the edge of the base plate 61 and the height of the step 16, such that this portion of the annular seal 20 to be compressed and deformed when it abuts against the surface of the blade 7, thereby making the thickness of the formed chamber 14 approximately equal to the sum of the thickness of the edge of the base plate 61 and the height of the step 16. The chamber 14 formed in the case of the step 16 has a more stable thickness and pressurized volume.
[0044] A channel 18 is formed in the mounting template 10 to be communicated with the respective chambers 14 via a plurality of pressure ports 181 located on the lateral surfaces 12, and with the pressure source device 30 via one connection port 182 located on a side surface or an end surface of the mounting template 10 (see FIG. 4) . By placing the connection port 182 on the side surface or the end surface of the mounting template 10, it is possible to avoid contact between the connection port 182 and the vortex generators, thereby avoiding the impact of the connection port 182 on mounting operation. FIG. 5 shows only one pressure port 181 for one seal. It is conceivable that for each seal, there is a plurality of pressure ports 181 that are evenly distributed in the region of the seal, so as to provide uniform vacuum pressure to the respective chamber 14. It can be realized that in order to connect one connection port 182 to the plurality of pressure ports 181, the channel 18 formed in the mounting template 10 can have a plurality of branches, with one ends of these branches converging to the one connection port 182 and the other ends branching to the plurality of pressure ports 181. During the mounting operation, the pressure source device 30 vacuums the chamber 14 via the channel 18 to create negative pressure in the chambers 14, such that the pressing surface 11 presses the base plate 61 against the surface of the blade 7 under the action of external atmospheric pressure to expel bubbles present in the adhesive between the base plate 61 and the surface of the blade 7, and to adhere the base plate 61 onto the surface of the blade 7.
[0045] FIG. 7 shows a schematic plan view of a variant of the mounting template according to the invention, where a section of the length of the mounting template is omitted. As shown in FIG. 7, the number of sealing grooves 13 arranged on each lateral surface 12 can be plural and can take on different shapes, such as rectangle, circle (i.e., O-ring) , ellipse, or combinations thereof. Each sealing groove 13 is equipped with one or more corresponding pressure ports 181. These sealing grooves 13 should be arranged on the two lateral surfaces 12 so that when vacuum pressure is applied to the respective chambers formed by the seals, the base plate 61 is evenly pressed, that is, the compressive force exerting on the base plate 61 is evenly or uniformly distributed. Additionally or alternatively, these sealing grooves 13 should be arranged on the two lateral surfaces 12 so that when vacuum pressure is applied to the respective chambers formed by their seals, the mounting template 10 can stably or smoothly move (or translate) close to the blade 7 under atmospheric pressure without tilting. Such tilting may occur between the two sides of the mounting template 10 (i.e. slight rotation around the longitudinal axis) , or between the two ends of the mounting template 10 (i.e. slight rotation around a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis) . It can be realized that with or without the sealing grooves 13, the annular seals 20 can adopt similar quantities, shapes, and distributions.
[0046] FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the annular seal in the form of rectangle according to the invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the cross section of the annular seal 20 includes a rectangular region 201 intended to attach (e.g., adhere) to the lateral surface 12, and a semicircular region 202 intended to abut against the surface of the blade 7 to be compressed and deformed, thereby forming a sealing engagement between the mounting template 10 and the surface of the blade 7. In the case where the sealing groove 13 is formed in the lateral surface 12, the rectangular region 201 is attached to the sealing groove 13. In particular, the rectangular region 201 can be adhered to the sealing groove 13 or attached to the sealing groove 13 through interference fit. The annular seal 20 is structurally simple, without the need for a specific annular structure, and without the need for a specialized molding process. It can be achieved by bonding a length of a sealing strip end-to-end to form a closed loop structure on site according to actual needs, thereby reducing costs. The annular seal can be made of foam rubber with a low density. The annular seal can form a face contact with the blade surface, with a large contact area, thereby reducing the requirements for blade surface quality. Also, in the case of the circle form, the annular seal 20 may be a commercially available standard component, such as an O-ring.
[0047] FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a mounting system according to the invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the mounting system 100 includes a carrier 50, and the mounting device 1 which in turn includes the mounting template 10, the annular seals 20 (not shown) , the pressure source device 30, and the pipe 40 connecting the pressure source device 30 to the mounting template 10. The pressure source device 30 is, for example, a vacuum pump that is connected to the chambers 14 through the pipe 40 and the channel 18 formed in the mounting template 10, and the channel 18 is connected to the pipe 40 via the connection port 182. The pipe 40 may be a hose, and a release valve (e.g., a needle valve or ball valve) may be provided on the pipe 40 to release the vacuum pressure formed in the chambers 14. In addition, a pressure gauge may be provided on the pipe 40 to monitor the pressure level in the chambers 14. In this way, it is possible to accurately control the magnitude of the vacuum pressure formed in the chambers 14, and thus precisely control the magnitude of the compressive force applied to the vortex generator, thereby achieving a consistent and desired compression effect. It is conceivable that instead of the relief valve, the pressure source device 30 can be used to apply a positive pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure into the chambers 14 in order to release the vacuum pressure formed in the chambers 14. In addition, a dedicated release port may be provided to communicate the channel 18 to the external environment to release the vacuum pressure. In addition, other valves, connectors, and other pneumatic devices may also be provided on the pipe 40. In particular, the pipe 40 can be connected to the channel 18 of the vacuum template 10 via the connection port 182 using a quick connector that can be quickly plugged in and out to achieve rapid assembly and disassembly of the pipe 40 to and from the vacuum template 10. The pipe 40 can also be connected to the pressure source device 30 using a quick connector to achieve rapid assembly and disassembly of the pipe 40 to and from the pressure source device 30.
[0048] As shown in FIG. 9, the carrier 50 is basically a wagon which is equipped with a handle 53 and several wheels 54, and which has an upper platform 51 and a lower platform 52. The mounting template 10 attached with the annular seal 20 can be placed on the upper platform 51, and the pressure source device 30 can be placed on the lower platform 52. In this way, the entire mounting device 1 can be stored on the carrier 50 during non-mounting operation. To perform mounting operation, the mounting device 1 can be transported to a working location near the blade by the carrier 50, and then the mounting template 10 can be taken down for mounting operation.
[0049] FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of a mounting method according to the invention. As shown in Figure 10, the mounting method starts at step S10, where preparations for the mounting steps need to be completed, such as preparing materials, inspecting equipment, and connecting components. Next, at step S20, the plurality of annular seals 20 of the mounting device 1 are attached to the two lateral surfaces 12 of the mounting template 10 of the mounting device 1 to form the mounting template 10 to which the annular seals 20 are attached. In the case where the sealing grooved 13 are formed in the lateral surfaces 12, the annular seals 20 are attached to the sealing grooves 13.
[0050] Subsequently, at step S30, the mounting template 10 to which the annular seals 20 are attached, and one or more vortex generators 6 are positioned at a mounting position on the surface of the blade 7. The positioning step S30 can be performed in two manners. In the first manner, firstly, at step S31, the vortex generator 6 is held on the mounting template 10, which can be achieved by placing the fins 62 of the vortex generators 6 into the corresponding cavities 15 of the mounting template 10, and by fitting the upper sides of the base plates 61 of the vortex generators 6 with the pressing surface 11 of the mounting template 10; next, at step S32, adhesive is applied (coated or brushed) onto the lower sides of the base plates 61 of the vortex generators 6 held on the mounting template 10; finally, at step S33, the mounting template 10 attached with the annular seals 20 and the vortex generators 6 applied with the adhesive are placed together in a mounting area on the surface of the blade 7. In the second manner, the adhesive is firstly applied (coated or brushed) on the undersides of the base plates 61 of the vortex generators 6 at step S35; next, at step S36, the vortex generators 6 applied with the adhesive are placed in the mounting area on the surface of the blade 7; finally, at step S37, the mounting template 10 attached with the annular seals 20 is also placed on the surface of the blade 7, and during placement, the cavities 15 of the mounting template 10 should receive the corresponding fins 62 of the vortex generators 6, and the pressing surface 11 should be fitted to the upper sides of the base plates 61 of the vortex generators 6.
[0051] After the positioning step S30 is completed, the mounting method proceeds to step S40. At step S40, the chambers 14 are formed among the mounting template 10, the annular seals 20, and the surface of the blade 7. In particular, the plurality of annular seals 20 bear against the surface of the blade 7, thereby forming the plurality of closed chambers 14 among the two lateral surfaces 12 of the mounting template 10, the plurality of annular seals 20, and the surface of the blade 7. Then, at step S50, vacuum pressure is applied into the plurality of chambers 14 by the pressure source device 30 to create negative pressure in the chambers 14, thereby pressing the base plate 61 towards the surface of the blade 7 by the mounting template 10 (especially the pressing surface 11) under the external atmospheric pressure. In this manner, bubbles present in the adhesive between the base plate 61 and the surface of the blade 7 are extruded, and the base plate 61 is adhered onto the surface of the blade 7. The vacuum pressure formed in the chambers 14 can be maintained for a certain time to wait for the adhesive to cure. Then, at step S60, the vacuum pressure in the chambers 14 is released and the mounting template 10 attached with the annular seal 20 is removed from the surface of the blade 7. Finally, the mounting method ends at step S70, after which other vortex generators may be mounted, or the mounting operation ends.
[0052] The technical features of the embodiments described above may be arbitrarily combined, and for the sake of brevity, all possible combinations of the technical features in the embodiments described above are not described, but should be considered as being within the scope of the present specification as long as there is no contradiction between the combinations of the technical features.
[0053] The above embodiments only express several embodiments of the present invention, and the description thereof is more specific and detailed, but not construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that, for a person skilled in the art, several variations and modifications can be made without departing from the inventive concept, which falls within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scopes of the present patent shall be defined by the appended claims.
[0054] List of reference signs:
[0055] 100 mounting system
[0056] 1 mounting device
[0057] 10 mounting template
[0058] 11 pressing surface
[0059] 111 pressing concave surface
[0060] 112 pressing plane
[0061] 12 lateral surface
[0062] 13 sealing groove
[0063] 14 chamber
[0064] 15 cavity
[0065] 16 step
[0066] 17 receiving groove
[0067] 18 channel
[0068] 181 pressure port
[0069] 182 connection port
[0070] 20 annular seal
[0071] 201 rectangular region
[0072] 202 semicircle region
[0073] 30 pressure source device
[0074] 40 pipe
[0075] 50 carrier
[0076] 51 upper platform
[0077] 52 lower platform
[0078] 53 handle
[0079] 54 wheel
[0080] 6 vortex generator
[0081] 61 base plate
[0082] 62 fin
[0083] 7 blade
[0084] S10 start
[0085] S20 attaching annular seals to a mounting template
[0086] S30 positioning the mounting template and vortex generators on a surface of a blade
[0087] S31 holding the vortex generators by the mounting template
[0088] S32 applying adhesive to base plates of the vortex generators
[0089] S33 placing the mounting template on the surface of the blade
[0090] S35 applying adhesive to base plates of the vortex generators
[0091] S36 placing the vortex generators on the surface of the blade
[0092] S37 placing the mounting template on the surface of the blade
[0093] S40 forming closed chambers among the mounting template, the annular seals and the surface of the blade
[0094] S50 applying vacuum pressure into the chambers to press the vortex generators
[0095] S60 releasing the vacuum pressure to remove the mounting template
[0096] S70 end
Claims
1.A mounting device (1) for mounting one or more vortex generators (6) onto a surface of a blade (7) of a wind turbine, each of the one or more vortex generators (6) having a base plate (61) to be adhered onto the surface of the blade (7) , and fins (62) extending from the base plate (61) , characterized in that the mounting device (1) comprises:a mounting template (10) having, on a bottom surface facing the surface of the blade (7) , a pressing surface (11) extending along a longitudinal axis of the mounting template (10) , and two lateral surfaces (12) located on both sides of the pressing surface (11) , the pressing surface (11) being used for abutting against the base plate (61) and applying compressive force to the base plate (61) , wherein cavities (15) are formed in the pressing surface (11) to receive the fins (62) ;a plurality of annular seals (20) attached to the two lateral surfaces (12) and spaced apart from the pressing surface (11) , wherein each of the lateral surfaces (12) is attached with at least one of the plurality of annular seals (20) , and wherein the plurality of annular seals (20) are configured to abut against the surface of the blade (7) during mounting the one or more vortex generators (6) , so as to form a plurality of closed chambers (14) among the two lateral surfaces (12) , the plurality of annular seals (20) and the surface of the blade (7) ; anda pressure source device (30) connected to the plurality of chambers (14) , wherein the pressure source device (30) is configured to apply vacuum pressure into the plurality of chambers (14) during mounting the one or more vortex generators (6) such that the pressing surface (11) presses the base plate (61) against the surface of the blade (7) , so as to adhere the base plate (61) onto the surface of the blade (7) .2.The mounting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressing surface (11) protrudes relative to the lateral surface (12) to form a step (16) between the pressing surface (11) and the lateral surface (12) .3.The mounting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a plurality of annular sealing grooves (13) are formed in the lateral surfaces (12) to attach the plurality of annular seals (20) thereto.4.The mounting device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the plurality of annular seals (20) are adhered to the respective sealing grooves (13) , or are attached to the respective sealing grooves (13) by means of interference fit.5.The mounting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pressing surface (11) has a pressing concave surface (111) extending along the longitudinal axis, and pressing planes (112) located on both sides of the pressing concave surface (111) , so that during pressing the base plate (61) , an intermediate region of the base plate (61) is firstly pressed, so as to exhaust air present in adhesive between the base plate (61) and the surface of the blade (7) from both sides of the base plate (61) .6.The mounting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a receiving groove (17) is formed in the lateral surface (12) along an edge of the pressing surface (11) , the receiving groove (17) being used for receiving excess adhesive extruded between the base plate (61) and the surface of the blade (7) .7.The mounting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a cross section of each of the plurality of annular seals (20) comprises a rectangular region (201) attached to the lateral surface (12) , and a semicircular region (202) configured to abut against the surface of the blade (7) .8.The mounting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pressure source device (30) is connected to the plurality of chambers (14) via a pipe (40) and a channel (18) which is formed in the mounting template (10) , wherein the channel (18) is communicated with the respective chambers (14) via a plurality of pressure ports (181) located on the lateral surfaces (12) .9.The mounting device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the channel (18) is communicated with the pipe (40) via a connection port (182) located on a side surface or an end surface of the mounting template (10) .10.The mounting device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that a release valve is provided on the pipe (40) to release the vacuum pressure formed in the plurality of chambers (14) .11.The mounting device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that a pressure gauge is provided on the pipe (40) to monitor the pressure within the plurality of chambers (14) .12.The mounting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that recesses (113) are formed in the pressing surface (11) , the recesses (113) configured to receive molding features protruding from the base plate (61) when the pressing surface (11) presses the base plate (61) .13.The mounting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the plurality of annular seals (20) are distributed on the two lateral surfaces (12) such that when vacuum pressure is applied into the plurality of chambers (14) , the base plate (61) is evenly pressed.14.The mounting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the plurality of annular seals (20) are distributed on the two lateral surfaces (12) such that when vacuum pressure is applied to the plurality of chambers (14) , under atmospheric pressure, the mounting template (10) moves stably close to the blade (7) without tilting.15.The mounting device (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that the plurality of annular seals (20) are circular seals, elliptical seals, rectangular seals, or a combination thereof.16.The mounting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two lateral surfaces (12) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the pressing surface (11) .17.The mounting device (1) according to claim 16, characterized in that the two lateral surfaces (12) converge at both ends along the longitudinal axis to completely enclose the pressing surface (11) .18.The mounting device (1) according to claim 16, characterized in that the plurality of annular seals (20) are two rectangular seals attached to the two lateral surfaces (12) , respectively, the two rectangular seals being symmetrically arranged on both sides of the pressing surface (11) , and extending along the longitudinal axis over the entire length of the pressing surface (11) .19.The mounting device (1) according to claim 17, characterized in that an annular receiving groove (17) is formed in the two lateral surfaces (12) along a periphery of the pressing surface (11) , the receiving groove (17) being used for receiving excess adhesive extruded between the base plate (61) and the surface of the blade (7) .20.A mounting system (100) for mounting one or more vortex generators (6) onto a surface of a blade (7) of a wind turbine, characterized in that the mounting system (100) comprises a carrier (50) and the mounting device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 19, the carrier (50) being configured to carry the pressure source device (30) of the mounting device (1) during mounting operation, and to handle or store the mounting device (1) during non-mounting operation.21.A mounting method for mounting one or more vortex generators (6) onto a surface of a blade (7) of a wind turbine using the mounting device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 19, each of the one or more vortex generators (6) having a base plate (61) and fins (62) extending from the base plate (61) , characterized in that the mounting method comprises:attaching the plurality of annular seals (20) of the mounting device (1) to the two lateral surfaces (12) of the mounting template (10) of the mounting device (1) ;positioning the mounting template (10) and the one or more vortex generators (6) on the surface of the blade (7) ;forming a plurality of closed chambers (14) among the two lateral surfaces (12) , the plurality of annular seals (20) , and the surface of the blade (7) , by abutting the plurality of annular seals (20) against the surface of the blade (7) ;applying, by the pressure source device (30) of the mounting device (1) , vacuum pressure into the plurality of chambers (14) so that the pressing surface (11) presses the base plate (61) against the surface of the blade (7) to adhere the base plate (61) onto the surface of the blade (7) ;releasing the vacuum pressure applied into the plurality of chambers (14) to remove the mounting template (10) from the surface of the blade (7) .22.The mounting method according to claim 21, characterized in that the step of positioning the mounting template (10) and the one or more vortex generators (6) comprises:holding the one or more vortex generators (6) by the mounting template (10) , by placing the fins (62) into respective cavities (15) of the mounting template (10) , and by contacting and fitting the upper side of the base plate (61) with the pressing surface (11) ;applying adhesive to the underside of the base plate (61) ;placing the mounting template (10) attached with the plurality of annular seals (20) , together with the one or more vortex generators (6) , in a mounting area on the surface of the blade (7) .23.The mounting method according to claim 21, characterized in that the step of positioning the mounting template (10) and the one or more vortex generators (6) comprises:applying adhesive to the underside of the base plate (61) ;placing the one or more vortex generators (6) in a mounting area on the surface of the blade (7) ;placing the mounting template (10) , attached with the plurality of annular seals (20) , onto the surface of the blade (7) , by receiving the fins (62) by the respective cavities (15) of the mounting template (10) , and by contacting and fitting the pressing surface (11) with the upper side of the base plate (61) .