Frustoconical Blade Adapter for Wind Turbine Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind power plants face limitations in rotor blade length due to transportability and manufacturing challenges, leading to uneven force distribution on rotor hubs and bearings, which can result in increased wear and damage, and require costly reinforcements to mitigate these issues.
Innovation Solution
A wind turbine design featuring blade adapters with a frustoconical shape that connects to the rotor hub and rotor blades, distributing loads evenly and allowing for increased rotor diameter, with a hollow structure and accessible bolt circles for easy assembly and maintenance, reducing peak loads on the rotor blade bearing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the rotor blade length is increased to increase the area swept by the rotor, then the electrical energy generation is improved, but the transportability and manufacturing challenges worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The blade adapter is divided into multiple segments (first adapter segment, second adapter segment, third adapter segment) that can be manufactured separately and assembled together. This segmentation allows each segment to be produced within feasible manufacturing and transport limits, while the assembled structure achieves the function of a longer rotor blade extension.
2Productivity
If wing extenders are used to increase the area swept by the rotor, then the overall yield is improved, but the forces acting on the rotor hub and bearings increase and are unevenly distributed
Solution Approach 1:
The blade adapter incorporates a frustoconical section with a specific opening angle (α) that is optimized to distribute loads evenly. This local geometric feature creates a favorable stress distribution pattern in the critical bearing area, preventing peak loads and uneven force distribution while maintaining the yield enhancement benefit.
3Reliability
If the rotor blade bearing is reinforced to prevent wear and damage from uneven force distribution, then the reliability is improved, but the costs and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of reinforcing the bearing to withstand harmful uneven loads, the blade adapter's frustoconical geometry converts the potential harmful concentrated loads into beneficial evenly distributed loads. This eliminates the need for bearing reinforcement, avoiding the associated weight and cost increases while maintaining reliability.
4Reliability
If a blade adapter with a frustoconical section is used to distribute loads evenly, then the reliability of the rotor blade bearing is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade adapter uses a frustoconical section defined by a specific opening angle parameter (α). By optimizing this geometric parameter, the adapter achieves even load distribution without requiring complex internal structures, reinforcements, or additional components. The solution relies on a single geometric parameter change rather than increased structural complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a blade adapter (10) for rotor blades (6) of wind turbines (1) for increasing the rotor diameter, and to a wind turbine (1) with corresponding blade adapters (10). The blade adapter (10) according to the invention for rotor blades (6) of wind turbines (1) for increasing the rotor diameter has a first end (11) for attachment to the rotor hub (5) and a second end (12) spaced axially apart for connection to the blade root (8) of a rotor blade (6). Furthermore, the blade adapter (10) has a bolt circle (13) at each of its first and second ends (11, 12) for connection to the rotor hub (5) or the rotor blade (6), wherein the axially extending wall (15) of the blade adapter (10) opens outwards in a frustoconical shape from the first end (11) to the second end (12) in at least one section (16).In the wind energy system (1) according to the invention, comprising a rotor (4) rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and comprising at least two rotor blades (6) attached to a rotor hub (5), a blade adapter (10) according to the invention is provided between the rotor hub (5) and each of the individual rotor blades (6).