Protective sheet for rotor and method for adhering same

Abstract

To provide an inexpensive rotor protection sheet and its adhesion method, which can improve water resistance, suppress adverse effects of ultraviolet rays, prevent damage due to vibration or contraction of rotor blades, and eliminate the risk of restrictions on use. [Solution] A rotor protective sheet 10 that is adhered to the rotatable rotor 4 of a wind power generation facility has a two-layer structure consisting of an adhesive layer 11 that is adhered to the blades 6 of the rotor 4 and a separator layer that is peelably laminated to this adhesive layer 11, with the adhesive layer 11 being a condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet that reacts with moisture in the air and cures at room temperature. Using a condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet for the adhesive layer 11 of the rotor protective sheet 10 improves water resistance and durability and can suppress changes in physical properties due to ultraviolet rays.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotor protection sheet used for rotors of wind power generation facilities installed in mountainous areas, along coasts, etc., and a bonding method for the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, clean and safe wind power generation facilities 1 that utilize natural energy have been attracting attention. As shown in FIG. 5, this type of wind power generation facility 1 comprises a tower 2 formed in a cylindrical shape or the like and incorporating a control panel etc., a hollow nacelle 3 rotatably supported on the top of the tower 2, and a propeller-type rotor 4 supported by the nacelle 3 and which rotates when exposed to wind, with multiple (e.g., three) blades 6 supported at predetermined intervals on the circumferential surface of a hub 5 of the rotor 4 (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] A yaw control mechanism that rotates the nacelle 3 and rotor 4 according to the wind direction is disposed between the top of the tower 2 and the nacelle 3, and the height of the tower 2 is set to 30 m or more, for example, between 65 m and 80 m. The nacelle 3 contains a gearbox that amplifies the rotation of the rotor 4 to the number of rotations required to generate electricity, and a generator that can generate 2000 kW or more and converts the rotational motion of the rotor 4 into electricity, and these gearbox and generator are connected by a rotatable generator shaft. A main shaft that passes horizontally through the front of the nacelle 3 rotatably protrudes from the gearbox, and a hub 5 located at the center of the rotor 4 is attached to the tip of this main shaft.

[0004] The rotor 4 has a hub 5, which is a hub body attached to the tip of the main shaft with a hub cover fitted to it. This hub 5 has a built-in variable pitch mechanism that changes the angle of the blades 6 according to the strength of the wind. Each blade 6 is formed into a long, roughly teardrop shape using fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) or the like, and a receptor 7, which serves as the lightning receiving part, is attached to the tip of the blade 6.

[0005] The rotor 4 rotates in response to wind to operate the gearbox and the generator, but snow and ice can accumulate on the blades 6 in winter, and yellow sand can collide with the blades 6 in spring, damaging their surfaces. When snow and ice accumulate on the blades 6, a greater load than designed is applied to the blades 6, which can shorten their service life or cause them to malfunction. Furthermore, when snow and ice accumulate on the blades 6, the cross-sectional shape of the blades 6 changes, reducing lift and potentially reducing the amount of power generated.

[0006] In view of the above, the following methods have been proposed in the past: (1) a long strip-shaped protective tape made of a laminate of a urethane base layer and an acrylic adhesive layer is wrapped around the blades 6 of the rotor 4 to improve the durability of the blades 6; and (2) a coating composition containing a fluorine-containing polymer having a hydrolyzable silyl group as the main component is applied to the blades 6 of the rotor 4, and then dried and cured to form a coating film 8 (see FIG. 6), thereby improving the weather resistance, snow and ice sliding properties, and contamination removal properties of the blades 6 (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-214319 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-219653 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, in the case of method (1), the protective tape uses a urethane substrate layer, which causes problems with water resistance and makes the physical properties susceptible to change due to ultraviolet light. Furthermore, in the case of method (2), the coating film 8 is formed by applying a coating composition whose main component is a fluorine-containing polymer, which reduces the flexibility of the coating film 8 and can crack if it cannot adapt to contraction caused by vibration of the blade 6 or direct sunlight. Furthermore, since the coating film 8 contains a fluorine-containing polymer, which is a substance of concern, there is a risk that its use will be restricted internationally, and it is also expensive.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide an inexpensive rotor protective sheet and an adhesion method thereof that can improve water resistance, suppress the adverse effects of ultraviolet rays, prevent damage due to vibration or shrinkage of rotor blades, and eliminate the risk of restrictions on use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a protective sheet to be adhered to a rotor of a wind power generation facility, comprising: The rotor is characterized by including an adhesive layer that is adhered to at least the blades of the rotor, and this adhesive layer is a condensation-curing type silicone rubber sheet that reacts with moisture in the air and cures at room temperature.

[0011] The adhesive layer preferably has a hardness of 40 or more after curing as measured by JIS K6249 Durometer Type A, a tensile strength of 5.0 MPa or more and 6.0 MPa or less after curing as measured by JIS K6249, an elongation of 680% or more and 800% or less after curing as measured by JIS K6249, a tear strength of 11 N / mm or more and 20 N / mm or less after curing as measured by JIS K6249, and a thickness of 3 mm or less.

[0012] The adhesive layer may also include a foreign matter sliding layer laminated on the adhesive layer, and this foreign matter sliding layer may be an addition-curing silicone rubber sheet. It is also preferable that the hardness of the foreign matter sliding layer is 38 or more when measured using JIS K6249 Durometer Type A, that the surface roughness of the foreign matter sliding layer is 0.07 μm or less in arithmetic mean roughness Sa when measured using ISO 25178, and that the thickness of the foreign matter sliding layer is 1 mm or more.

[0013] The foreign matter sliding layer may be formed in a generally sponge-like shape with foam inside and mirror-finished surfaces on both sides. The rotor protective sheet may also include a separator layer that is releasably laminated on the adhesive layer.

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method for adhering a rotor protective sheet to a rotor of a wind power generation facility, as set forth in claim 1 or 2, comprising: The uncured adhesive layer of the rotor protection sheet is adhered to at least the blades of the rotor while being pressed against the rotor, and the rotor protection sheet is left for a predetermined time to dry and cure the adhesive layer.

[0015] It is advisable to apply a primer to at least the blades of the rotor, and then bond the uncured adhesive layer while pressing it against the rotor. It is also advisable to press the uncured adhesive layer against the rotor protection sheet with a roller.

[0016] In addition, the uncured adhesive layer of the rotor protective sheet can be pressed onto both sides of the rotor blade, the protruding edge of one rotor protective sheet can be bent onto the peripheral surface of the blade and pressed onto it, and the protruding edge of the other rotor protective sheet can be placed over the bent peripheral portion of the one rotor protective sheet and pressed onto it. It is also possible to press and bond uncured adhesive layers of rotor protective sheets to both sides of the rotor blades, causing the peripheral edges of multiple rotor protective sheets to protrude from the peripheral edges of the blades, and then splicing together the protruding peripheral edges of the multiple rotor protective sheets.

[0017] Here, the adhesive layer in the claims is adhered to the rotor blades and, if necessary, the hub. Furthermore, each numerical value includes measurement error as well as different numerical values, provided that there is no difference in the effects of the present invention. The up / down, front / rear, left / right directions of the rotor protective sheet according to the present invention are directions based on the drawings and can be appropriately changed as necessary. Furthermore, while the subject of the present invention is a rotor protective sheet, if the configuration of another application is the same as the configuration of the present invention and can be converted into a rotor protective sheet, and the effects of the present invention are achieved, the configuration of the other application falls within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0018] According to the present invention, a condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet is used in the adhesive layer of the rotor protective sheet, thereby improving water resistance, durability, etc., and suppressing changes in physical properties due to ultraviolet rays. Furthermore, because the silicone rubber sheet in the adhesive layer is lightweight, inexpensive, and highly flexible, it is less likely to crack due to shrinkage caused by vibration of the rotor blades or direct sunlight, and because it does not contain fluorine-containing polymers, which are substances of concern, there is little risk of its use being restricted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the invention of claim 1 or 3, a condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet is used for the adhesive layer of the rotor protective sheet, which has the effect of improving the water resistance of the rotor protective sheet and suppressing the adverse effects of ultraviolet rays. It also has the effect of preventing damage to the rotor protective sheet due to vibration, shrinkage, etc. of the rotor blades, thereby eliminating the risk of restrictions on the use of rotor protective sheets. Furthermore, because the rotor protective sheet can be provided at low cost, improvements in versatility and mass productivity can be expected.

[0020] According to the invention of claim 2, the adhesive layer has a hardness of 40 or more after curing, which minimizes the adhesion of the adhesive layer to the rotor blades. In addition, the thickness of the adhesive layer is 3 mm or less, which makes it possible to reduce the weight of the rotor protective sheet, ensure adhesion, and facilitate manufacturing.

[0021] According to the invention of claim 4, the hardness of the foreign matter sliding layer is 38 or more, so that foreign matter such as snow is less likely to adhere to the foreign matter sliding layer and cause dents in the foreign matter sliding layer, allowing foreign matter to slide off in a short time. Furthermore, the surface roughness of the foreign matter sliding layer is 0.07 μm or less in arithmetic mean roughness Sa, allowing foreign matter that comes into contact with the foreign matter sliding layer to quickly fall off. Furthermore, the thickness of the foreign matter sliding layer is 1 mm or more, ensuring the adhesion of the rotor protection sheet, making it easier to manufacture, and reducing its weight.

[0022] According to the invention described in claim 5, instead of forming a coating film on at least the blades of the rotor, a rotor protective sheet is adhered, so the surface of the coating film will not be worn or damaged by collisions with sand, etc., and improved erosion resistance can be expected. According to the invention described in claim 6, a primer is applied to at least the blade of the rotor as a base, thereby improving the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer and making it possible to prevent the adhesive layer of the rotor protective sheet from peeling off from the blade.

[0023] According to the invention described in claim 7, by pressing a roller against the rotor protective sheet, a uniform pressing force can be applied to the adhesive layer without allowing air to enter between the rotor blade and the adhesive layer, and the adhesive layer can be adhered approximately flatly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a rotor protective sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a rotor blade in an embodiment of a rotor protective sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory cross-sectional view schematically showing a second embodiment of a rotor protective sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a rotor blade in a second embodiment of a rotor protective sheet according to the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a wind power generation facility. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory view schematically showing a rotor blade of a wind power generation facility. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 5, the rotor protective sheet 10 in this embodiment is a lightweight, inexpensive protective sheet that is adhered to the rotatable rotor 4 of a wind power generation facility 1, and by having a two-layer structure comprising an adhesive layer 11 that is adhered to the multiple blades 6 of the rotor 4 and a separator layer 12 that is peelably laminated to each adhesive layer 11 when not in use, it contributes to the achievement of Goal 9 of the SDGs adopted at the United Nations Summit.

[0026] 5, the wind power generation facility 1 has a rotor 4 with multiple blades 6 formed into a long, hollow, approximately teardrop shape and made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), carbon fiber composite material (CFRP), glass fiber composite material (GFRP), or the like. In large-scale facilities, each blade 6 may be formed to a length of, for example, 23 m or more, specifically, 25 m, 37 m, 45 m, 80 m, or the like, but is basically the same as in conventional facilities. Each blade 6 comprises, for example, multiple shell plates bonded together facing each other and multiple spar webs installed between the multiple shell plates. Each shell plate is curved into a roughly semi-elliptical arc, and the shell plates are made of polyvinyl chloride resin, balsa, or the like, and are manufactured by a method such as vacuum impregnation.

[0027] 1 and 2, adhesive layer 11 is formed from an inexpensive, optically transparent condensation-curable silicone rubber sheet. This condensation-curable silicone rubber sheet is molded into a translucent rubber sheet from a moisture-condensation-curable silicone rubber composition of the deoxime type that reacts with moisture in the air and cures at room temperature, and is firmly adhered to the front and back surfaces of each blade 6 of rotor 4, exhibiting excellent durability, weather resistance, water resistance, corrosion resistance, flexibility, heat resistance, cold resistance, chemical resistance, flame retardancy, strong adhesion, rubber elasticity, etc.

[0028] Experimental results have shown that the physical properties of the adhesive layer 11 after curing are as follows: hardness measured using a JIS K6249 Durometer Type A at 23°C and 50% RH is 40 or more, preferably 40 to 50, and more preferably around 45; tensile strength measured using a JIS K6249 No. 3 dumbbell at 23°C and 50% RH is 5.0 MPa to 6.0 MPa, preferably 5.3 MPa to 5.5 MPa, and more preferably around 5.4 MPa; elongation measured using a JIS K6249 No. 3 dumbbell at 23°C and 50% RH is 680% to 800%, preferably 710% to 760%, and more preferably around 730%; and tear strength measured using a JIS K6249 uncut angle tester at 23°C and 50% RH is 11 N / mm to 20 N / mm, preferably 14 N / mm to 18 N / mm, and more preferably around 16 N / mm.

[0029] The hardness of adhesive layer 11 after curing is set to 40 or more because if it is less than 40, adhesion of adhesive layer 11 to blades 6 of rotor 4 may be hindered. Furthermore, taking into consideration factors such as ensuring lightweight and adhesive properties and ease of manufacturing, the thickness of adhesive layer 11 is optimally 3 mm or less, preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm, more preferably 0.5 mm to 2 mm, and even more preferably 0.5 mm to 1 mm. Such adhesive layer 11, in other words, a condensation-curable silicone rubber sheet, is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include Polymer Ace (registered trademark) UG (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd.) and Polymer Ace (registered trademark) PA (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd.).

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, separator layer 12 is made of an inexpensive resin film such as a flexible biaxially oriented polypropylene resin film or a polyethylene terephthalate resin film, and functions to prevent a decrease in the adhesive strength of the condensation-curable silicone rubber sheet by releasably adhering to the condensation-curable silicone rubber sheet of adhesive layer 11 from the time of production of rotor protective sheet 10 until just before use.

[0031] In the above configuration, when manufacturing the rotor protective sheet 10 for the wind power generation facility 1, the adhesive layer 11 is formed into a strip shape by calendaring using a condensation-curing silicone rubber composition, a resin film that will become the separator layer 12 is laminated on one exposed side of this adhesive layer 11 to form the rotor protective sheet 10, and this rotor protective sheet 10 is then packaged in a packaging bag and sealed.

[0032] Next, when adhering rotor protective sheet 10 to rotor 4 of wind power generation equipment 1, first, rotor 4 of wind power generation equipment 1 is stopped, the front and back surfaces of blades 6 of this rotor 4 are cleaned, and a primer to strengthen adhesion is preferably applied to blades 6. After applying the primer in this way, separator layer 12 is peeled off from uncured adhesive layer 11 of rotor protective sheet 10 taken out of the packaging bag to completely expose adhesive layer 11, and then uncured adhesive layer 11 is adhered to blades 6 of rotor 4 while being pressed against them without heating.

[0033] In this case, because the rotor protective sheet 10 is a single-layer sheet, it does not occupy a large space when transporting it to the wind power generation facility 1. Furthermore, because the rotor protective sheet 10 has excellent versatility and conformability, the shape of the rotor protective sheet 10 can be freely changed to match the shape of the blades 6 of the rotor 4. Furthermore, when adhering the rotor protective sheet 10, it is preferable to press and move a rotatable roller against the adhesive layer 11, gradually adhering the adhesive layer 11 from the edge. This is because if the adhesive layer 11 is pressed manually without using a roller, it will not be sufficiently crushed and will not adhere properly. The roller may be a commercially available rubber roller rotatably supported on a shaft, a plastic roller, or the like.

[0034] Next, unnecessary portions of rotor protective sheet 10 that protrude beyond blades 6 of rotor 4 are removed, and rotor protective sheet 10 is left to dry for a predetermined time (e.g., 24 hours) to completely harden adhesive layer 11 of rotor protective sheet 10, thereby allowing rotor protective sheet 10 to be adhered to rotor 4 of wind power generation facility 1. Thereafter, the above process can be repeated according to the number of blades 6 of rotor 4.

[0035] When the rotor protective sheets 10 are adhered to the front and back surfaces of the blades 6 of the rotor 4, the uncured adhesive layers 11 of the rotor protective sheets 10 may be adhered to the front and back surfaces of the blades 6 while being pressed against each other, and the protruding peripheral portion of one of the rotor protective sheets 10 may be bent and pressed against the peripheral surface of the blades 6, and the protruding peripheral portion of the other rotor protective sheet 10 may be overlapped and pressed against the already bent peripheral portion of one of the rotor protective sheets 10.

[0036] Furthermore, when the rotor protective sheets 10 are adhered to the front and back surfaces of the blades 6 of the rotor 4, the peripheral portions of the multiple rotor protective sheets 10 may be allowed to protrude from the peripheral portion of the blades 6, and the protruding peripheral portions of the multiple rotor protective sheets 10 may be folded and interlocked with each other to form a seam joint.

[0037] In the above configuration, when the rotor 4 protected by the rotor protective sheet 10 of the wind power generation facility 1 rotates in winter, snow and ice may adhere to the rotor protective sheet 10, but this snow and ice falls off in a shorter time than before. Also, when the rotor 4 rotates in spring, yellow sand may collide with the rotor protective sheet 10, but this yellow sand falls off in a shorter time than before without colliding with the blades 6.

[0038] According to the above configuration, a condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet is used for the adhesive layer 11 of the rotor protective sheet 10, improving water resistance and durability and suppressing changes in physical properties due to ultraviolet rays. Furthermore, even if yellow sand blows in during the spring, the blades 6 of the rotor 4 can be effectively prevented from being damaged. Furthermore, the condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet of the adhesive layer 11 also has excellent weather resistance, enabling longer use than conventional methods. Furthermore, its excellent cold resistance down to approximately -30°C also serves as a measure against salt damage when the wind power generation facility 1 is installed along the coast.

[0039] In addition, because the condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet is inexpensive and highly flexible, it will not crack due to shrinkage caused by vibration of the blade 6 or exposure to direct sunlight, and because it does not contain fluorine-containing polymers, which are substances of concern, there is no risk of its use being restricted internationally. Furthermore, since the condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet of adhesive layer 11 is adhered to the blade 6 rather than applying a coating composition to form a coating film which may result in unevenness, greatly improved erosion resistance can be expected.

[0040] Next, Figures 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which in addition to adhesive layer 11 and separator layer 12, a multilayer structure is provided with a foreign matter sliding layer 13 that is laminated on each adhesive layer 11 so as to be located on the opposite side of separator layer 12 and exposed to the outside.

[0041] 3 and 4, foreign matter sliding layer 13 is formed from an inexpensive, light-transmitting addition-curing silicone rubber sheet and is exposed to wind and rain. The addition-curing silicone rubber sheet is molded (e.g., by calendar molding) into a light-transmitting, translucent rubber sheet from a molding material containing an addition-curing silicone rubber composition that has low shrinkage upon curing and excellent dimensional stability, and is directly laminated and bonded to the surface of the condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet of adhesive layer 11, thereby exhibiting excellent durability, weather resistance, water resistance, corrosion resistance, flexibility, heat resistance, cold resistance, chemical resistance, flame retardancy, weak adhesion, rubber elasticity, etc., and also functions to slide off foreign matter such as snow, ice, yellow sand, and dust that comes into contact with the surface.

[0042] The addition-curing silicone rubber composition used as the molding material is not particularly limited, but examples include molding silicone rubber KE-541-U (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) and molding silicone rubber KE-581-U (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.).

[0043] A vulcanizing agent is blended into the molding material as needed, and examples of this vulcanizing agent include C-8, a grayish-white paste containing 2.5 dimethyl-2.5 bis(tertiarybutylperoxy)hexane, C-25A containing a metal complex, and C-25B containing a crosslinking agent (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.). The vulcanizing agent is blended in an amount of 2.5 to 5.0 parts by mass, preferably 2.7 to 5.0 parts by mass, and more preferably 2.9 to 4.9 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the addition-curable silicone rubber composition.

[0044] Experimental results show that the hardness of foreign matter sliding layer 13, when measured using a JIS K6249 Durometer Type A in an environment of 23°C and 50% RH, is 38 or more, preferably 38 to 80, more preferably 40 to 79, and even more preferably around 40, 77, or 79. This is because if the hardness is less than 38, foreign matter sliding layer 13 is too soft, causing snow to adhere to foreign matter sliding layer 13 and causing a dent in foreign matter sliding layer 13, which means it takes time for the snow to slide off.

[0045] The surface roughness of the foreign-matter-sliding layer 13, when measured with a laser microscope according to JIS B0601, is preferably 0.05 μm or less, more preferably 0.01 μm to 0.05 μm, more preferably 0.013 μm to 0.05 μm, and even more preferably 0.015 μm to 0.05 μm, in terms of arithmetic mean roughness Ra, from the viewpoint of suppressing changes in physical properties due to ultraviolet light and allowing foreign matter that comes into contact with the surface of the foreign-matter-sliding layer 13 to slide off quickly. On the other hand, the arithmetic mean roughness Sa, when measured with a laser microscope according to ISO 25178, is preferably 0.07 μm or less, more preferably 0.01 μm to 0.07 μm, more preferably 0.015 μm to 0.068 μm, and even more preferably 0.019 μm to 0.064 μm, for the same reasons as for the arithmetic mean roughness Ra.

[0046] The physical properties of the foreign matter sliding layer 13 depend on the presence and type of vulcanizing agent, but preferably the tensile strength measured using a JIS K6249 No. 3 dumbbell at 23°C and 50% RH is 7.5 MPa or more and 11.5 MPa or less, and preferably 8.0 MPa or more and 10.5 MPa or less; the elongation at break measured using a JIS K6249 No. 3 dumbbell at 23°C and 50% RH is 210% or more and 740% or less, preferably 260% or more and 720% or less, and more preferably 310% or more and 700% or less; and the tear strength measured using a JIS K6249 uncut angle mold at 23°C and 50% RH is 9 kN / mm or more and 28 kN / mm or less, preferably 10 kN / mm or more and 25 kN / mm or less, and more preferably 10 kN / mm or more and 23 kN / mm or less.

[0047] The adhesive strength of foreign matter sliding-off layer 13 is set to be weaker than the adhesive strength of adhesive layer 11 in order to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the surface of foreign matter sliding-off layer 13 and failing to slide off. In addition, the thickness of foreign matter sliding-off layer 13 should be 1 mm or more, preferably 1 mm to 2 mm, more preferably 1 mm to 1.5 mm, and even more preferably 1 mm, in consideration of ease of handling, ease of production, lightness, etc.

[0048] In the above configuration, when manufacturing the rotor protective sheet 10 for the wind power generation facility 1, the adhesive layer 11 is calendered into a strip shape using a condensation-curing silicone rubber composition, and the foreign matter sliding layer 13 is calendered into a strip shape using an addition-curing silicone rubber composition, these adhesive layer 11 and foreign matter sliding layer 13 are laminated together, and a resin film that will become the separator layer 12 is laminated on the exposed surface of the adhesive layer 11 to form the rotor protective sheet 10, and then this rotor protective sheet 10 is packaged in a packaging bag and sealed.

[0049] When molding the foreign matter sliding layer 13 from an addition-curing silicone rubber composition, the addition-curing silicone rubber composition may be used to make both the front and back surfaces mirror-finished while foam-molding the interior, thereby making the foreign matter sliding layer 13 sponge-like and reducing the weight of the foreign matter sliding layer 13.

[0050] Next, when adhering rotor protective sheet 10 to rotor 4 of wind power generation equipment 1, first rotor 4 of wind power generation equipment 1 is stopped, the front and back surfaces of blades 6 of this rotor 4 are cleaned, and a primer that strengthens adhesive strength is preferably applied to blades 6. After applying the primer in this way, separator layer 12 is peeled off from uncured adhesive layer 11 of rotor protective sheet 10 taken out of the packaging bag to expose adhesive layer 11, and then uncured adhesive layer 11 is adhered to blades 6 of rotor 4 while being pressed against them without heating.

[0051] At this time, it is preferable to press and move a rotatable roller against the foreign matter sliding layer 13 of the rotor protective sheet 10, gradually pressing the adhesive layer 11 from the edge. This is because if the adhesive layer 11 is pressed manually without using a roller, the adhesive layer 11 will not be sufficiently crushed and will not adhere properly. The roller may be the same as in the above embodiment.

[0052] Next, unnecessary portions of rotor protective sheet 10 that protrude beyond blades 6 of rotor 4 are removed, and rotor protective sheet 10 is left to dry for a predetermined time (e.g., 24 hours), allowing adhesive layer 11 of rotor protective sheet 10 to completely harden and adhere, thereby adhering rotor protective sheet 10 to rotor 4 of wind power generation facility 1. Thereafter, the above process can be repeated according to the number of blades 6 of rotor 4.

[0053] In the above configuration, when the rotor 4 protected by the rotor protective sheet 10 of the wind power generation facility 1 rotates in winter, snow and ice may adhere to the foreign matter sliding layer 13 of the rotor protective sheet 10, but this snow and ice falls off in a short time. Also, when the rotor 4 rotates in spring, yellow sand may collide with the foreign matter sliding layer 13, but this yellow sand falls off in a short time without colliding with the blades 6.

[0054] According to this embodiment, an addition-curing silicone rubber sheet is used for the foreign matter sliding layer 13 of the rotor protective sheet 10 instead of a urethane substrate layer or the like, thereby improving water resistance and durability and suppressing changes in physical properties due to ultraviolet rays. Furthermore, even if yellow sand blows in during the spring, the blades 6 of the rotor 4 can be effectively prevented from being damaged. Furthermore, the foreign matter sliding layer 13 has excellent weather resistance, enabling use for 10 years or more, longer than conventional methods. Furthermore, it has excellent cold resistance down to approximately -30°C, which also serves as a countermeasure against salt damage when the wind power generation facility 1 is installed along the coast.

[0055] In addition, because the silicone rubber sheet is inexpensive and highly flexible, it will not crack due to shrinkage caused by vibration of the blade 6 or direct sunlight, and because it does not contain fluorine-containing polymers, which are substances of concern, there is no risk of its use being restricted internationally. Furthermore, since the rotor protective sheet 10 is adhered to the blade 6 rather than applying a coating composition to form a coating film that may be uneven, significant improvements in erosion resistance can be expected. Furthermore, because the adhesive layer 11 is not simply a pressure-sensitive adhesive but a condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of creep, a phenomenon in which the adhesive layer 11 gradually deforms, even in a high-temperature environment exposed to direct sunlight.

[0056] While the above embodiment illustrates a wind power generation facility 1 for land use, it may also be for offshore use or for home use. The rotor 4 may be a propeller type, or may be a Dutch type, multi-blade type, Darrieus type, or the like. The shape of the blades 6 of the rotor 4 may be a substantially ellipse, a substantially semi-ellipse, a substantially triangular, a substantially inverted triangle, a substantially parallelogram, a substantially trapezoid, a substantially rectangular, or the like, and the number of blades 6 may be two, four, or the like. Furthermore, when manufacturing the rotor protective sheet 10, the condensation-curing silicone rubber composition may be dispensed in a strip shape onto the resin film of the separator layer 12 to form the adhesive layer 11, and then a calendered foreign matter sliding layer 13 may be laminated onto this adhesive layer 11 to manufacture the rotor protective sheet 10.

[0057] Furthermore, the strength of the rotor protective sheet 10 can be improved by interposing a breathable fiber layer (e.g., a glass fiber layer) between the adhesive layer 11 and the foreign matter sliding layer 13. Furthermore, all of the technologies described in this specification are subject to patent protection through amendments or divisional applications, etc. [Example]

[0058] Examples of the rotor protective sheet according to the present invention will be described below together with comparative examples. Example 1 To form a foreign body slide-off layer, a molding material containing the addition-curing silicone rubber composition was calendered to a thickness of 1 mm to form an addition-curing silicone rubber sheet. The molding material was prepared by mixing 100 parts by mass of the additive-blended molding silicone rubber composition KE-541-U (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), 0.5 parts by mass of the vulcanizing agent C-25A (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and 2.4 parts by mass of the vulcanizing agent C-19B (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.).

[0059] After the addition-cure silicone rubber sheet for the foreign body sliding layer was calendered, the arithmetic mean roughness Sa of the surface of the addition-cure silicone rubber sheet was measured using a laser microscope manufactured by Keyence Corporation in accordance with ISO 25178 in order to measure the surface roughness of the foreign body sliding layer. The arithmetic mean roughness Sa was measured to be 0.064 μm. After calendering the foreign body sliding layer, an outdoor exposure test and a snow-shedding test were also conducted on this foreign body sliding layer.

[0060] Outdoor exposure test of the foreign object sliding layer In the outdoor exposure tests, an accelerated test was carried out using a weathering tester with ultraviolet light irradiation equivalent to 10 years of outdoor exposure, and the arithmetic mean roughness Sa of the surface of the UV-irradiated foreign body sliding layer was measured after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 years using a laser microscope manufactured by Keyence Corporation in accordance with ISO 25178. The measured values ​​are shown in Table 1.

[0061] The weather resistance tester used was a Super UV Tester (SPUV) (manufactured by Iwasaki Electric Co., Ltd., product name: Eye Super UV Tester W Type SUV-W262), which has an irradiation intensity nearly 100 times that of sunlight and is ideal for ultra-accelerated testing. This Super UV tester uses a metahalide lamp as its light source and has a radiation intensity of 1,500 W / m 2 The wavelength is 295nm to 450nm, and the exposure time is 55 hours, equivalent to one year outdoors.

[0062] Snow removal test of foreign object sliding layer In the snow-fall test of the foreign object sliding layer, the foreign object sliding layer was set in an inclined position as a specimen in a shaved ice type snow fall tester, and shaved ice was dropped onto the inclined specimen, which was regarded as snow, and the time it took for this snow to fall off was measured.

[0063] The shaved ice snow tester is a testing device that includes an insulated refrigerator-shaped tank, a specimen mounting stand that is built into the tank and supports the specimen at an angle, an electronic balance located below the specimen mounting stand, and a shaved ice machine that is built into the tank and drops snow onto the specimen. The specimen is tilted at a 45° angle relative to the tank floor. The amount of shaved ice, i.e., the assumed amount of snow accumulation, is 25g + 1g and is measured using the electronic balance.

[0064] The snow-fall test was performed by dropping shaved ice onto the specimen in the shaved ice-type snow tester at a temperature below 0°C, completing the snow accumulation process, then raising the temperature inside the tank of the shaved ice-type snow tester to 5°C and maintaining that temperature, and measuring the time it took for the snow to fall off. The measured values ​​are shown in Table 2.

[0065] Example 2 To form a foreign body slide-off layer, a 1 mm thick addition-cure silicone rubber sheet was calendered using a molding material containing the addition-cure silicone rubber composition. The molding material was prepared by mixing 100 parts by weight of a composite molding silicone rubber composition KE-541-U (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), 2 parts by weight of vulcanizing agent C-8 (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), 0.5 parts by weight of C-25A (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and 2.4 parts by weight of vulcanizing agent C-19B (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.).

[0066] After the addition-cured silicone rubber sheet for the foreign-matter-sliding layer was calendered, the arithmetic mean roughness Sa of the surface of the addition-cured silicone rubber sheet was measured using a laser microscope manufactured by Keyence Corporation in accordance with ISO 25178 in order to measure the surface roughness of the foreign-matter-sliding layer. The arithmetic mean roughness Sa was measured to be 0.032 μm. As in Example 1, an outdoor exposure test and a snow-shedding test were also conducted on the foreign-matter-sliding layer, and the test results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0067] Example 3 To form a foreign body slide-off layer, a molding material containing the addition-cure silicone rubber composition was calendered to a thickness of 1 mm to form an addition-cure silicone rubber sheet. The molding material was prepared by mixing 100 parts by mass of the additive-blended molding silicone rubber composition KE-581-U (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), 0.5 parts by mass of the vulcanizing agent C-25A (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and 2.4 parts by mass of the vulcanizing agent C-19B (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.).

[0068] After calendering the addition-cured silicone rubber sheet for the foreign matter sliding layer, the arithmetic mean roughness Sa of the surface of the addition-cured silicone rubber sheet was measured using a laser microscope manufactured by Keyence Corporation in accordance with ISO 25178 in order to measure the surface roughness of the foreign matter sliding layer. The arithmetic mean roughness Sa was measured to be 0.045 μm. Furthermore, as in Example 1, an outdoor exposure test and a snow-shedding test were conducted on the foreign matter sliding layer, and the test results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0069] Example 4 To form a foreign body slide-off layer, a 1 mm thick addition-cure silicone rubber sheet was calendered using a molding material containing the addition-cure silicone rubber composition. The molding material was prepared by mixing 100 parts by weight of a composite molding silicone rubber composition KE-581-U (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), 2 parts by weight of vulcanizing agent C-8 (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), 0.5 parts by weight of C-25A (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and 2.4 parts by weight of vulcanizing agent C-19B (product name, manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.).

[0070] After the addition-cured silicone rubber sheet for the foreign matter sliding layer was calendered, the arithmetic mean roughness Sa of the surface of the addition-cured silicone rubber sheet was measured using a laser microscope manufactured by Keyence Corporation in accordance with ISO 25178 in order to measure the surface roughness of the foreign matter sliding layer. The arithmetic mean roughness Sa was measured to be 0.019 μm. Furthermore, as in Example 1, an outdoor exposure test and a snow-shedding test were conducted on the foreign matter sliding layer, and the test results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0071] Comparative Example To form the foreign matter sliding layer, a fluororesin paint was applied instead of an addition-curing silicone rubber composition, and then dried and cured to form a 150 μm thick coating, which was considered to be the foreign matter sliding layer. The fluororesin paint used was Non-Snow α (product name: fluororesin paint with snow-shedding promotion function, manufactured by Yoshimoto Pole Co., Ltd.).

[0072] After forming the coating film of the foreign matter sliding layer, the arithmetic mean roughness Sa of the coating surface was measured using a laser microscope manufactured by Keyence Corporation in accordance with ISO 25178 in order to measure the surface roughness of the foreign matter sliding layer. The arithmetic mean roughness Sa was measured to be 0.165 μm, which is greater than 0.07 μm. Furthermore, as in Example 1, an outdoor exposure test and a snow-shedding test were also carried out on the foreign matter sliding layer.

[0073] Outdoor exposure test of the foreign object sliding layer In the outdoor exposure test, an accelerated test was carried out using a weathering tester with ultraviolet irradiation equivalent to five years of outdoor exposure, and the arithmetic mean roughness Sa of the surface of the ultraviolet-irradiated foreign body sliding layer was measured after one year, two years, three years, four years, and five years using a laser microscope manufactured by Keyence Corporation in accordance with ISO 25178, and the measured values ​​are shown in Table 1. All other points were the same as in the examples.

[0074] Snow removal test of foreign object sliding layer In the snow-shedding test of the foreign object sliding layer, the foreign object sliding layer was set in an inclined position as a specimen in a shaved ice type snow fall tester, shaved ice was dropped onto the specimen and regarded as snow, and the time it took for this snow to fall off was measured up to four years later. All other points were the same as in the examples.

[0075] [Table 1]

[0076] [Table 2]

[0077] 〔evaluation〕 In each example, the results of outdoor exposure tests of the foreign matter sliding layer revealed that even if the surface of the foreign matter sliding layer was exposed to 10 years' worth of ultraviolet light, the surface did not become significantly roughened or its physical properties did not change significantly. Furthermore, the results of snow removal tests revealed that the time it took for snow to fall off was less than 45 minutes even after 4 years, and less than 45 minutes even after 10 years. Therefore, it is estimated that if the foreign matter sliding layer of each example is used in a rotor protection sheet, snow will slide off in a short period of time.

[0078] In contrast, in the case of the comparative example, the results of outdoor exposure tests of the foreign matter sliding layer revealed that even if the surface of the foreign matter sliding layer was exposed to five years' worth of UV rays, the surface did not become significantly roughened or its physical properties did not change significantly. However, in the case of the comparative example, because the fluororesin was contained and the arithmetic mean roughness Sa of the foreign matter sliding layer surface exceeded 0.07 μm, it was found that it took 46 minutes for snow to fall off after two years and more than 50 minutes after three years. Therefore, it is estimated that if the comparative example's foreign matter sliding layer containing fluororesin is used in a rotor protection sheet, there is a high risk that snow will not slide off in a short period of time. [Industrial Applicability]

[0079] The rotor protective sheet and the bonding method thereof according to the present invention are used in the field of wind power generation facilities. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1. Wind power generation facilities 2. Tower 3 Nacelle 4 rotors 5 Hub 6 blades 7 Receptor 10 Rotor protection sheet 11 Adhesive layer 12 Separator layer 13 Foreign matter sliding layer

Claims

1. A rotor protective sheet to be adhered to the rotor of a wind power generation facility, comprising an adhesive layer to be adhered to at least the blades of the rotor, the adhesive layer being a condensation-curing silicone rubber sheet that reacts with moisture in the air and cures at room temperature.

2. 2. The rotor protective sheet according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer has a hardness after curing of 40 or more as measured by JIS K6249 Durometer Type A, a tensile strength after curing of 5.0 MPa or more and 6.0 MPa or less as measured by JIS K6249, an elongation after curing of 680% or more and 800% or less as measured by JIS K6249, a tear strength after curing of 11 N / mm or more and 20 N / mm or less as measured by JIS K6249, and a thickness of 3 mm or less.

3. 3. The rotor protection sheet according to claim 1, further comprising a foreign matter sliding layer laminated on the adhesive layer, the foreign matter sliding layer being an addition curing type silicone rubber sheet.

4. 4. The rotor protective sheet according to claim 3, wherein the hardness of the foreign matter sliding layer is 38 or more when measured using a JIS K6249 Durometer Type A, the surface roughness of the foreign matter sliding layer is 0.07 μm or less in terms of arithmetic mean roughness Sa when measured using ISO 25178, and the thickness of the foreign matter sliding layer is 1 mm or more.

5. 3. A method for adhering a rotor protective sheet to a rotor of a wind power generation facility according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: A method for adhering a rotor protective sheet, comprising: adhering an uncured adhesive layer of the rotor protective sheet to at least the blade of the rotor while pressing the sheet against the blade; and leaving the rotor protective sheet for a predetermined period of time to dry and harden the adhesive layer.

6. 6. The method for adhering a rotor protective sheet according to claim 5, wherein a primer is applied to at least the blades of the rotor, and then the uncured adhesive layer is pressed against the blades to adhere the sheet.

7. 7. The method for adhering a rotor protective sheet according to claim 6, wherein the uncured adhesive layer is pressed against the rotor protective sheet while pressing the roller against the sheet.

Images