Actuated Telescopic Shear Web Support for Wind Turbine Blade Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of large wind turbine blades faces challenges in maintaining the perpendicularity and alignment of shear webs during assembly, leading to inconsistent bond lines and structural integrity issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving telescopic support members with actuators is used to adjust the length of the support members, ensuring proper alignment and perpendicularity of shear webs within the blade shell, utilizing fluid-driven actuators like pneumatic cylinders to push the shear webs into correct positions during the bonding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If shear webs are manually positioned and supported during assembly, then the blade can be manufactured with standard equipment, but the alignment and perpendicularity of shear webs cannot be maintained consistently
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is designed with adjustable length capability, transitioning from a static support structure to a dynamic one that can adapt to different shear web positions and orientations during assembly, thereby maintaining consistent alignment and perpendicularity
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical positioning and support system is replaced with an adjustable support member that provides controlled positioning, eliminating the need for complex manual support structures while achieving precise alignment
2Reliability
If shear webs are bonded without proper support, then the assembly process is simpler, but the bond line quality and structural integrity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is positioned and adjusted before the bonding operation begins, ensuring that the shear web is correctly aligned and supported in advance of the actual bonding process, which guarantees bond line quality without complicating the bonding steps themselves
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the quality and reproducibility of bond lines, reduces misalignment, and improves the structural integrity of wind turbine blades by ensuring full contact between shear web flanges and the shell surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing fluid-driven actuators like pneumatic cylinders to push the shear webs into correct positions during the bonding process
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade (10). The method comprises arranging one or more shear webs (50, 55, 70) within a first shell half, adhesively joining the one or more shear webs to the first shell half, and adhesively joining the second shell half to the first shell half and to the one or more shear webs. The step of arranging the one or more shear webs within the first shell half comprises arranging at least one telescopic support member (80) between the inside surface (38b) of the first shell half (38) and the lateral surface (62) of at least one of the shear webs (70), wherein the telescopic support member (80) comprises an actuator (82) for adjusting the length of the telescopic support member.