Bladder Heating for Wind Turbine Preform Adhesive Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing preform elements for wind turbine rotor blades face challenges in achieving sufficient bonding between components due to limited temperature and time process windows, leading to poor interlaminar bonding and reduced stability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a bladder filled with a fluid to control the heating and cooling of the adhesive agent, allowing for precise temperature control and high heat transfer rates, thereby optimizing the bonding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the adhesive agent is heated to a high temperature or heated for a long time period to achieve sufficient bonding, then the bonding strength between components is improved, but the adhesive agent is drawn into the textile layers by capillary action and away from the bonding surfaces, resulting in poor interlaminar bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the temperature and time parameters of the adhesive agent within a narrow optimal window. The heating system enables rapid temperature adjustment to achieve sufficient bonding while preventing excessive heat exposure that would cause adhesive migration into textile layers through capillary action.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional heating methods with a fluid-based heating system that can deliver controlled thermal energy. This substitution allows for more precise temperature control and faster heating rates, enabling the adhesive to reach optimal bonding temperature quickly without prolonged exposure that would cause adhesive migration.
2Manufacturing precision
If the adhesive agent is not heated to a high enough temperature or heated for too short of a time period, then the adhesive agent does not sufficiently impregnate the textile surfaces, but the heating time must be extended to achieve adequate bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional heating methods with a fluid-based heating system that enables rapid and controlled heat transfer. This substitution achieves adequate adhesive impregnation of textile surfaces in shorter time periods while maintaining precise temperature control to ensure sufficient bonding without excessive heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the temperature and time parameters of the heating process to achieve the minimum effective treatment. By carefully adjusting these parameters within an optimal range, the system achieves adequate adhesive impregnation in reduced time while preventing adhesive migration that would occur with excessive heating.
3Productivity
If a fluid is supplied to the bladder for heating or cooling of the adhesive agent, then the heating and cooling rates are increased and temperature control is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the addition of bladder and fluid supply system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the bladder system to serve multiple functions: heating the adhesive agent, cooling it after bonding, and potentially applying pressure to ensure contact between components. This multi-functionality justifies the added device complexity by consolidating multiple process requirements into a single integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a fluid as an intermediary medium to transfer thermal energy between the heating/cooling source and the adhesive agent. This intermediary enables efficient and controlled temperature management, achieving rapid heating and cooling rates while maintaining precise temperature control throughout the bonding process.
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 reduces the heating time, minimizes adhesive migration, and improves the structural properties of the preform element, while also reducing the total cycle time and manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
at least one fluid is supplied to the bladder for heating or cooling of the adhesive agent. The heating and/or cooling of the adhesive agent occurs by providing a fluid to the bladder which has a temperature that is higher, or lower, respectively, than the temperature of the adhesive agent
Implementation Method 2
at least one fluid is supplied to the bladder for heating or cooling of the adhesive agent. The heating and/or cooling of the adhesive agent occurs by providing a fluid to the bladder which has a temperature that is lower, respectively, than the temperature of the adhesive agent
Implementation Method 3
heating and/or cooling of the adhesive agent may be required for activation and/or for establishing a connection between different components of the preform element, for instance by liquefying and subsequent solidifying of the adhesive agent
Data Source
AI summary
Method for manufacturing a preform element used in particular for manufacturing a rotor blade of a wind turbine, wherein the preform element includes one or more components provided with at least one adhesive agent, wherein the components are arranged on a molding surface of a mold, wherein at least one bladder is arranged on top of the components and/or underneath the mold and wherein at least one fluid is supplied to the bladder for heating or cooling of the adhesive agent.