Tip marking device for wind turbine blades

Abstract

A tip marking device (6) for making the tip (2) of a wind turbine blade (1) more clearly visible is disclosed, the tip marking device (6) including a sleeve portion (7) made of an elastic material, the sleeve portion (7) configured to be fitted around the tip (2) of the wind turbine blade (1) in such a way that at least an edge of the sleeve portion (7) fits tightly around the outer surface of the wind turbine blade (1) at a first end thereof furthest from the tip (2) of the wind turbine blade (1).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tip marking device for making the tips of wind turbine blades more clearly visible, particularly during transport and storage of the wind turbine blades. [Background technology]

[0002] Due to the increasing length of turbine blades being installed on new wind turbines, it is an ever-increasing problem that the tips, and often a relatively long portion of the wind turbine blade, protrude beyond the vehicle in which the wind turbine blade is being transported or temporarily stored.

[0003] This also means that there is an increased risk of accidents in which moving vehicles hit wind turbine blades during transport or storage, simply because the vehicle driver is unaware of the protruding tips of the blades. It is therefore becoming increasingly important to make the tips of wind turbine blades more clearly visible during blade transport and storage, in order to reduce the risk of damage to the wind turbine blades and vehicles, and in particular to reduce the risk of people being injured or, in severe cases, killed in such accidents.

[0004] A known solution to this problem is the so-called "tip protector," which is essentially a bracket with two arms, each with a U-shaped cross section, so that they can grip around the leading and trailing edges of a wind turbine blade, respectively, when the bracket is pressed against the wind turbine blade from the tip of the blade. Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of such a tip protector. Tip protectors are usually made of a red foam material, which is neither luminescent nor reflective, so to make them more visible, several reflective stickers are attached to the outer surfaces of the bracket arms and on the main body of the bracket connecting the two arms.

[0005] There are several known problems with the use of such tip protectors. The brackets are prone to deterioration due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation, weather, and birds. Also, the reflective stickers often peel off, and problems with mold formation and discoloration of the wind turbine blade surface are common. In addition, different types of wind turbine blades require different tip protectors, and the tips of these wind turbine blades may not be uniformly shaped and sized. Furthermore, tip protectors take up a lot of space, so that perhaps only five or six can fit on a standardized European shipping pallet.

[0006] However, the most significant problem appears to be the tendency of such tip protectors to fall off the wind turbine blade during transportation and storage. The friction between the arms of the tip protector and the surface of the wind turbine blade is not sufficient to prevent the tip protector from simply sliding over the tip and detaching from the wind turbine blade. Attempts are often made to secure the tip protector to the wind turbine blade by wrapping a fastening tape around the two arms and pressing them toward each other. However, due to the thickness of the material of the two arms, this fastening tape is unable to contact and adhere to the surface of the wind turbine blade, and the problem remains. Furthermore, the fastening tape often covers a portion of the reflective sticker on the arms, making wind turbine blades equipped with tip protectors less visible.

[0007] US Patent Application Publication US2008 / 282590A1 discloses a wind power installation in the form of a sheath for providing simple daytime identification, distinct from the color markings of the wind turbine blades, the installation having fastening means for removably fastening the sheath to the rotor blades of the wind power installation.

[0008] European Patent Application Publication EP 2213587 A1 discloses a packaging for wind turbine blades, the packaging comprising at least one inflatable annular structure having a flat outer support wall and an inner clamping wall for clamping the blade in place. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a solution for making the tips of wind turbine blades more clearly visible, in particular during their transportation and storage, which solution overcomes the disadvantages of the solutions known from the prior art described above.

[0010] The present invention therefore relates to a tip marking device (6) for making the tip of a wind turbine blade more clearly visible, the tip marking device comprising a sleeve portion made from an elastic material, the sleeve portion configured to be fitted around the tip of the wind turbine blade in such a way that at a first end thereof furthest from the tip of the wind turbine blade, at least an edge of the sleeve portion fits tightly around the outer surface of the wind turbine blade.

[0011] Fitting a sleeve segment around the tip of a wind turbine blade is a fast, simple, and reliable method for improving tip visibility. The use of an elastic material allows for a "one-size-fits-all" solution and often ensures that the sleeve segment fits tightly to the surface of the wind turbine blade along its entire inner surface, or at least most of it. This is an improvement over the sheath in U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2008 / 282590 A1, which requires a cable to secure to the wind turbine blade because the sheath is not made of an elastic material that ensures a tight fit around the various sizes of the outer surface of the wind turbine blade. Similarly, European Patent Application Publication EP 2 213 587 A1, in which the tip sheath is positioned around the tip by expansion, also does not disclose an elastic material that ensures a tight fit around the various sizes of the outer surface of the wind turbine blade.

[0012] A further advantage of the tip marking device of the present invention is that when not in use it takes up significantly less space than tip protection known in the prior art, so that hundreds of such tip marking devices can be shipped on a single standardized European shipping pallet.

[0013] In one embodiment of the invention, the tip marking device further comprises an end marking portion at a second end of the sleeve portion opposite the first end, the end marking portion having an end marking surface, at least a part of which is positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade and facing away from the tip of the wind turbine blade when the sleeve portion is fitted around the tip of the wind turbine blade.

[0014] To improve safety and to meet legal requirements in some countries, the tip marking device may be provided with an end marking portion that provides a visible surface that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade along which the outer surface of the sleeve portion extends.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sleeve portion is manufactured from an elastic fabric or mesh, or from an elastic polymeric material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or thermoplastic polyurethane.

[0016] The sleeve portion of the tip marking device can in principle be made from any elastic material that allows the sleeve portion to be attached to the tip of the wind turbine blade and fit tightly to its surface. However, due to weight, cost and strength considerations, the aforementioned materials have been found to be preferred. Furthermore, such materials are quick-drying and / or water-repellent, which significantly reduces the risk of mold formation and discoloration of the wind turbine blade surface.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the material from which the sleeve portion is made is a high visibility material that has luminescent and / or reflective properties and / or a color that is easily distinguishable from almost any background.

[0018] For example, the use of high visibility materials, such as the fabrics used to make so-called hi-vis clothing for running and training, is advantageous in that it makes the sleeve portion highly visible, is lightweight and takes up very little space.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sleeve portion is configured as a cylindrical or conical tube before being fitted around the tip of the wind turbine blade.

[0020] Depending on the shape of the tip of the wind turbine blade on which the tip marking device is to be used, it may be advantageous to form the sleeve portion as a conical tube whose first end is wider than its second end.

[0021] In one embodiment of the invention, the sleeve portion includes an adhesive tape along the edge of the first end of the sleeve portion for securing the edge of the sleeve portion to the outer surface of the wind turbine blade.

[0022] The adhesive tape is a simple and reliable means of ensuring that the edge of the first end of the sleeve portion fits tightly around the outer surface of the wind turbine blade and remains in place during transport and storage of the wind turbine blade.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sleeve portion includes one or more regions on its inner surface, such as along an edge of the first end of the sleeve portion, which are at least partially covered with a friction-enhancing material, such as a rubber material.

[0024] The use of friction-enhancing material on the inner surface of the sleeve portion improves the likelihood that the sleeve portion will stay in place during transport and storage of the wind turbine blade. For example, small dots of friction-enhancing material can be glued to the inner surface of the sleeve portion, similar to the solution used in some work gloves.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present invention, the friction enhancing material is integrated into the material from which the sleeve portion is manufactured.

[0026] If the elastic material is a fabric or mesh, for example, thread stripes of friction-enhancing material may be woven into the elastic material, or the two materials may be sewn together.

[0027] In one embodiment of the invention, the edge marking portion comprises a plate made from a solid material such as wood, metal or plastic, one side of which constitutes the edge marking surface.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the edge marking surface is a flat surface, which is easily obtained by using one of the sides of a solid plate for this purpose. The periphery of the plate can have any shape, such as a circle, a triangle, a square, or an octagon (like a stop sign in traffic).

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, the end marking portion comprises a plate or frame made from a solid material such as wood, metal, plastic or bamboo, and the end marking surface is constituted by a flexible material covering the plate or frame.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible material is the same elastic material from which the sleeve portion is made.

[0031] Another advantageous way to obtain a suitable end marking surface is to cover a plate or frame with a flexible material, such as the elastic material from which the sleeve portion is made. If a frame is used, the mass of the tip marking device can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, using the same material for the end marking surface as the sleeve portion means that an elastic material can be used to connect the sleeve portion and the end marking portion and to hold the two portions in place relative to each other.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, the end marking surface and / or the outer surface of the sleeve portion is provided with one or more reflective markers, such as reflective stickers or adhesive reflective tape.

[0033] The use of reflective markers greatly improves visibility, thereby improving safety, especially at night and other times when there is less sunlight.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sleeve portion and / or end marking surface is made from fabric or mesh, and the reflective markers are woven into or otherwise integrated into the fabric or mesh.

[0035] If the elastic material is a fabric or mesh, the elastic material may be woven with thread stripes of reflective material, or the two materials may be sewn together.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the sleeve portion is fitted around the tip of the wind turbine blade, the length from the first end to the second end of the sleeve portion is between 20 cm and 2 m, preferably between 40 cm and 80 cm.

[0037] Sleeve portions within these ranges of length have been found to be sufficient and advantageous in terms of keeping the tip marking device in place around the tip of the wind turbine blade during transport and storage of the wind turbine blade.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, the area of ​​the edge marking surface is 100 cm 2 ~5,000cm 2 and preferably 300 cm 2 ~2,500cm 2 and most preferably 600 cm 2 ~1,500cm 2 is.

[0039] It has been found that edge marking surfaces within these size ranges are clearly visible yet not too large to handle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0040] In the following, some exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the figures. [Figure 1] 1 shows a wind turbine blade as known in the prior art; [Figure 2] 1 shows a tip protector known in the prior art. [Figure 3] 1 shows a tip marking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 4 illustrates the tip marking device shown in FIG. 3 when mounted around the tip of a wind turbine blade. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is an end view of the leading edge marking device shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the leading edge marking device shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 4 shows a tip marking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10 shows a tip marking device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10 shows a tip marking device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 shows the tip marking device shown in FIG. 9 when mounted around the tip of a wind turbine blade. [Figure 11] 10 shows a tip marking device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 10 shows a tip marking device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 10 shows a leading edge marking device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 10 shows a tip marking device according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] 1 shows a wind turbine blade 1 known in the prior art having a tip end 2 and a root end 3, the latter being the end that attaches to the hub (not shown) of the wind turbine. All modern wind turbine blades 1 have an airfoil-shaped cross section with a leading edge 18 and a trailing edge 19 so that the wind turbine blade 1 can generate significant lift as it moves through the air.

[0042] Figure 2 shows a tip protector 4 known in the prior art. As explained above, the tip protector 4 includes two arms that grip the leading edge 18 and the trailing edge 19, respectively, of the tip 2 of the wind turbine blade 1. The illustrated tip protector 4 further includes several reflective markers 5 located on the sides of the tip protector 4. As can be seen from Figure 2, such a conventional tip protector 4 is simply slid onto the tip 2 of the wind turbine blade 1 and easily slides off again.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a tip marking device 6 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, having a sleeve portion 7 and an end marking portion 8. The sleeve portion 7 is configured as a conical cylinder, with a first end, where an opening 9 is located, being wider than a second end, which is closest to the end marking portion 8. FIG. 3 also shows how the sleeve portion 7 is provided with a reflective marker 5, and how the opening 9 has a length W1. For example, the reflective marker 5 may be a reflective sticker attached to the outer surface of the sleeve portion, or may be manufactured by weaving a reflective material into the fabric from which the sleeve portion 7 is manufactured.

[0044] Figure 4 shows the tip marking device 6 shown in Figure 3 when fitted around the tip 2 of a wind turbine blade 1. It can be seen how fitting the tip marking device 6 around the tip 2 involves stretching the elastic material from which the sleeve portion 7 is made so that the width W2 of the opening 9 in the sleeve portion 7 is greater than the width W1 shown in Figure 3.

[0045] Figure 5 is a schematic end view of the leading edge marking device 6 shown in Figure 3. It should be noted that this is not an exact drawing, as can be seen, for example, from the oval shape of the sleeve portion 7. It is clear that in reality the inner surface 10 of the sleeve portion 7, which fits tightly against the outer surface of the wind turbine blade 1 (not shown in this figure), will have a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the airfoil of the wind turbine blade 1 (see the comments above to Figure 1). Furthermore, Figure 5 shows the plane A:A along which the cross-section shown in Figure 6 is taken.

[0046] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tip marking device 6 shown in Figure 5. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner surface 10 of the sleeve portion 7 is provided with several areas that are fully or partly covered with a friction-enhancing material 11. This serves the purpose of increasing the friction between the sleeve portion 7 and the outer surface of the wind turbine blade 1, thereby reducing the risk that the tip marking device 6 may slide out of its correct position during transportation and storage of the wind turbine blade 1. For the same purpose, the sleeve portion 7 is provided with a friction-enhancing material 11 and / or an adhesive tape 12 along the edge of a first end of the sleeve portion 7.

[0047] 6 also shows that in the illustrated embodiment, end marking portion 8 essentially consists of plate 20, one side of which forms end marking surface 13. To improve the visibility of end marking portion 8, especially at night and during other times when there is less sunlight, one or more reflective markers 5 are disposed on end marking surface 13.

[0048] 7 shows a tip marking device 6 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the end marking portion 8 includes a frame 14 that is covered by the same flexible material used to make the sleeve portion 7, thereby forming an end marking surface 13 that has the same properties as the outer surface of the sleeve portion 7.

[0049] Clearly, some means will be required to keep the elastic in the shape shown in Figure 7. Figure 8 shows schematically a tip marking device 6 according to a third embodiment of the invention, which is obtained by a non-elastic seam 15 at the second end of the sleeve portion 7. Another means for obtaining the shape of the elastic as shown in Figure 7 could be a tight rubber band or the like placed around the junction between the sleeve portion 7 and the end marking portion 8.

[0050] 9 shows a tip marking device 6 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the tip marking device 6 consists only of a sleeve portion 7, on whose outer surface several reflective markers 5 are arranged. When not fitted around the tip 2 of a wind turbine blade 1, the sleeve portion 7 has the configuration of a simple cylindrical tube.

[0051] Figure 10 shows the tip marking device 6 shown in Figure 9 when it is fitted around the tip 2 of the wind turbine blade 1. Figure 10 illustrates how the elastic material of the sleeve portion 7 is stretched, particularly at its first end, while fitting tightly against the outer surface of the wind turbine blade 1. The outermost tip of the wind turbine blade 1 is covered by the tip marking device 6 from all sides around the longitudinal axis of the wind turbine blade 1, but not on its tip side.

[0052] Figure 11 shows a tip marking device 6 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, which is similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 9 and 10 except that the sleeve portion 7 is closed at its second end with a hemispherical portion so that when the tip marking device 6 is fitted around the tip portion 2 it also covers the tip side of the tip portion 2 of the wind turbine blade 1.

[0053] 12 shows a tip marking device 6 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, in which the sleeve portion 7 is closed at its second end by gathering the elastic material, for example by sewing, gluing or bonding the elastic material together.

[0054] Figure 13 shows a tip marking device 6 according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, which is similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4. In this embodiment, the sleeve portion 7 is provided with several safety straps 16, which can be fixed to the outer surface of the wind turbine blade 1, for example by adhesive tapes 12 to further ensure that the tip marking device 6 stays in place during transport and storage of the wind turbine blade 1.

[0055] Figure 14 shows a tip marking device 6 according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention, which is very similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 13 except that the safety strap 17 is adhesive and therefore adheres to the outer surface of the wind turbine blade 1 without the need for an additional adhesive tape 12.

[0056] 13 and 14, a clamping mechanism, for example in the form of one or more loop straps, may be used. The clamping mechanism may be positioned around the sleeve portion 7, possibly near the sleeve portion opening 9.

[0057] It will be understood, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that the details and features of the various embodiments described above may be combined in many other ways than those illustrated in the given examples. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1. Wind turbine blades 2. Tip of wind turbine blade 3. Root end of wind turbine blade 4. Tip protector (prior art) 5.Reflective markers 6. Tip marking device 7. Sleeve part 8.End marking part 9. Sleeve partial opening 10.Inner surface of sleeve 11. Friction-enhancing materials 12. Adhesive tape 13.End marking surface 14. Frame of end markings 15. Seams 16. Safety strap 17. Adhesive Safety Straps 18. Leading edge of wind turbine blade 19. Trailing edge of wind turbine blade 20.End marking plate W1. First width of sleeve partial opening W2. Second width of sleeve partial opening

Claims

1. 1. A tip marking device (6) for making a tip (2) of a wind turbine blade (1) more clearly visible, the tip marking device (6) comprising a sleeve portion (7) made of an elastic material, the sleeve portion (7) configured to be fitted around the tip (2) of the wind turbine blade (1) at a first end thereof furthest from the tip (2) of the wind turbine blade (1) in such a way that at least an edge of the sleeve portion (7) fits tightly around an outer surface of the wind turbine blade (1).

2. 2. The tip marking device (6) according to claim 1, further comprising an end marking portion (8) at a second end of the sleeve portion (7) opposite the first end, the end marking portion (8) having an end marking surface (13), at least a part of which is arranged to be perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade (1) and pointing away from the tip end (2) of the wind turbine blade (1) when the sleeve portion (7) is fitted around the tip end (2) of the wind turbine blade (1).

3. 3. The tip marking device (6) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve portion (7) is manufactured from an elastic fabric or mesh, or from an elastic polymer material such as polyethylene, polypropylene or thermoplastic polyurethane.

4. The tip marking device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the material from which the sleeve portion (7) is made is a highly visible material having luminescent and / or reflective properties and / or a color that is easily distinguishable against almost any background.

5. The tip marking device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sleeve portion (7) is configured as a cylindrical or conical tube before being fitted around the tip (2) of the wind turbine blade (1).

6. 6. The tip marking device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sleeve portion (7) comprises an adhesive tape (12) along the edge of the first end of the sleeve portion (7) for fixing the edge of the sleeve portion (7) to an outer surface of the wind turbine blade (1).

7. 7. The tip marking device (6) of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sleeve portion (7) includes one or more regions on its inner surface (10), such as along the edge of the first end of the sleeve portion (7), the one or more regions being at least partially covered with a friction-enhancing material (11), such as a rubber material.

8. 8. The tip marking device (6) according to claim 7, wherein the friction-enhancing material (11) is integrated into the material from which the sleeve portion (7) is manufactured.

9. 9. A tip marking device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the end marking portion (8) comprises a plate (20) made from a solid material such as wood, metal or plastic, one side of the plate constituting the end marking surface (13).

10. 9. The tip marking device (6) of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the end marking portion (8) comprises a plate (20) or frame (14) made from a solid material such as wood, metal, plastic or bamboo, and the end marking surface (13) is constituted by a flexible material covering the plate (20) or frame (14).

11. 11. The tip marking device (6) according to claim 10, wherein the flexible material is the same as the elastic material from which the sleeve portion (7) is made.

12. The tip marking device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the end marking surface (13) and / or the outer surface of the sleeve portion (7) are provided with one or more reflective markers (5), such as reflective stickers or adhesive reflective tape.

13. A tip marking device (6) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the sleeve portion (7) and / or the tip marking surface (13) are made from a fabric or mesh and a reflective marker (5) is woven into or otherwise integrated into the fabric or mesh.

14. The tip marking device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the sleeve portion (7) is provided with several safety straps (16, 17) configured to be fixed to the outer surface of the wind turbine blade (1).

15. 15. The tip marking device (6) according to claim 14, wherein the number of safety straps (16) are configured to be fixed to the outer surface of the wind turbine blade (1) by adhesive tapes (12).

16. 15. The tip marking device (6) according to claim 14, wherein the several safety straps (17) are adhesive and configured to adhere to the outer surface of the wind turbine blade (1) without the need for additional adhesive tape (12).

17. 17. The tip marking device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the length of the sleeve portion (7) from the first end to the second end, when the sleeve portion (7) is fitted around the tip (2) of a wind turbine blade (1), is between 20 cm and 2 m, preferably between 40 cm and 80 cm.

18. The area of ​​the edge marking surface (13) is 100 cm ２ ~5,000 cm ２ and preferably 300 cm ２ ~2,500cm ２ and most preferably 600 cm ２ ~1,500cm ２ The tip marking device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 17,

Images