Wind Turbine Blade Bond Line Barrier

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Solution Overview

Problem

The excess bond paste migrating into the interior cavity of wind turbine blades along the trailing edge adds weight and can cause damage, affecting efficiency and performance.

Innovation Solution

A barrier with a substantially impermeable wall and support members is placed within the cavity to prevent bond paste migration, ensuring the paste stays within the designed bond width and is compressed out during the bonding process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If bond paste is applied along the bond line to join shell members, then the shell members are bonded together, but excess bond paste migrates into the interior blade cavity adding weight and potentially causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebond strengthVSAvoidblade weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

A barrier member is introduced as an intermediary element between the bond paste and the interior blade cavity. The barrier member has a first end positioned at the bond line to contain the bond paste and a second end extending into the cavity to block excess paste migration. This mediator allows the bond paste to perform its bonding function while preventing it from migrating into the cavity and adding unwanted weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If bond paste is applied along the bond line to join shell members, then the shell members are bonded together, but excess bond paste can break off and cause damage to interior structure and components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebond strengthVSAvoiddamage to interior structure

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The barrier member serves as a protective intermediary that contains the bond paste at the bond line and prevents excess paste from migrating into the interior cavity where it could break off and damage internal structures or components during blade operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The barrier member is positioned in place before the bond paste is applied. This preliminary action establishes a containment structure that guides the bond paste to the correct location and prevents excessive paste from entering the cavity, thereby preventing potential damage before it can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If a barrier is added to prevent bond paste migration, then excess bond paste is contained, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebond line precisionVSAvoidbond line structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The barrier member can be implemented as a flexible or thin-walled structure that conforms to the blade's geometry. This approach provides effective containment of the bond paste while minimizing the added complexity and weight, as the thin film or flexible barrier requires less material and structural support compared to rigid alternatives.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 configuration reduces excess bond paste within the cavity, enhancing blade efficiency and preventing damage, while allowing air to escape and eliminating air pockets, thus improving overall wind turbine performance.

Implementation Method 1

A barrier is disposed within the internal cavity between the upper and lower shell members along at least one of said leading or trailing edges. The barrier serves to prevent the bond paste from moving into the internal cavity to any appreciable extent beyond the bond line.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical Containment: Physical Containment

Implementation Method 2

The wall is biased against the upper and lower shell members and is slidable along the shell members to the bond line by external actuation of the support member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

the shell members are then compressed to force excess bond paste out from between the shell members, with the wall being located at a bond line along the leading or trailing edge having a design bond width

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 4

the barrier includes a wall that is substantially impermeable to the bond paste (and may be permeable to air)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPermeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentUS8047800B2Wind turbine blades with improved bond line and associated method

Publication Date: 2011.11.01 GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECH LLC

AI summary

A wind turbine blade includes an upper shell member and a lower shell member with an internal cavity therebetween. The shell members are joined at leading and trailing edges of the blade with a bond paste along a bond line having a designed width. A barrier is disposed within the internal cavity between the upper and lower shell members along at least one of the leading or trailing edges and prevents movement of the bond paste into the internal cavity beyond the width of the bond line. The barrier includes a wall that is substantially impermeable to the bond paste and a support member that extends from the wall to the leading or trailing edge of the blade. The support member locates the wall at the bond line and the wall has a shape and resiliency so as to be engaged against the upper and lower shell members within the internal cavity.