Wind Turbine Blade Beam with Rounded Transition Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbine blades experience fractures and failures due to high loads at the connections between shell parts and reinforcing beams, leading to increased complexity and risk of deformation and buckling in existing designs.
Innovation Solution
A wind turbine blade with a hollow shell body made of fibre-reinforced resin, featuring a longitudinally extending I-shaped beam with rounded or chamfered transition areas and a fibre-reinforced polymer web, which reduces the risk of fracture by distributing forces effectively and minimizing notch stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If beams are connected to the inner side of shell parts by gluing, then the beams provide reinforcing function, but the connection areas are subjected to heavy loads which may result in fracture in the beams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies rounded transitions at the connection areas between beams and shell parts, replacing sharp corners with curved surfaces. This curvature distributes stress more evenly across the connection zone, preventing stress concentration that would lead to fracture. The rounded geometry directly addresses the fracture risk by modifying the shape of the connection area.
2Strength
If internal reinforcing floor is added between trailing edge and leading edge, then resistance against deformation of shell is improved, but complexity of structure and manufacture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the reinforcing function directly into the existing beam structure by adding web elements that connect to the shell parts. Instead of adding a separate internal floor structure, the reinforcement is merged with the beam assembly, utilizing the same manufacturing process and material system. This combines multiple functions (reinforcement and structural support) into a single integrated component.
3Strength
If beam core with large thickness is used, then beam strength is improved, but notch stress at transition areas increases leading to fracture risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifically addresses the notch stress problem by rounding the transition areas where the beam core meets the web and flange structures. This curvature eliminates sharp corners that would concentrate stress, allowing the use of thicker beam cores for strength without incurring the penalty of high notch stress. The rounded transitions distribute the stress field more favorably.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different geometric characteristics to different parts of the beam structure. The beam core maintains large thickness for overall strength, while the transition areas feature rounded geometry to reduce notch stress. This local differentiation of geometric properties allows each region to optimize for its specific functional requirement.
Data Source
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AI summary
A wind turbine blade comprising a profiled hollow contour, at least one reinforcing beam (15) placed between two shell body parts (13, 14), the beam comprising a first beam flange (16a) and an opposing second beam flange (16b), a beam body (17) connected to the first beam flange (16a) by a first transition area (32a) and connected to the second beam flange (16b) by a second transition area (32b). The beam body comprises a beam core (22). The beam core (22) comprises a first outer core surface (24a) and an opposite second outer core surface (24b). The beam body further comprises a web (50) arranged on the outer core surfaces. The flanges (16a, 16b) and the web (50) are made from a fibre-reinforced polymer. The transition areas (32a, 32b) comprise notch-reducing mean formed of rounded corners of the beam core (22).