Wind Turbine Blade Bond Line Sleeve Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The excess bond paste in wind turbine blades migrates into the interior cavity, causing weight issues and potential damage, and existing bonding methods fail to contain it effectively along the trailing edge.
Innovation Solution
A sleeve is placed within the internal cavity between the upper and lower shell members, containing the bond paste and allowing it to bond with the shell members while preventing further migration, with a closed end that is impermeable to the paste but permeable to air, ensuring the bond line width is maintained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering 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 causing weight increase and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The bond line is segmented into multiple zones using barriers (such as tape or foil) placed at specific locations along the bond line. These barriers divide the continuous bond paste application into controlled segments, allowing paste to be contained within designated bonding zones and preventing migration into the blade cavity. This segmentation maintains adequate bond strength in each zone while eliminating excess paste accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the bond line are treated differently by applying barriers at specific locations rather than uniformly across the entire bond line. The barriers are strategically placed to create zones of controlled paste flow, ensuring adequate paste presence at critical bonding areas while preventing overflow into the cavity. This local differentiation allows optimal bond strength where needed and prevents weight increase in other areas.
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 migrates into the interior blade cavity causing potential damage to interior structure
Solution Approach 1:
The bond line is segmented into multiple zones using barriers (such as tape or foil) placed at specific locations along the bond line. These barriers divide the continuous bond paste application into controlled segments, allowing paste to be contained within designated bonding zones and preventing migration into the blade cavity. This segmentation maintains adequate bond strength in each zone while eliminating excess paste accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful excess bond paste is extracted or removed from the system by using barriers to prevent its formation in the first place. The barriers act as extraction points that redirect the bond paste flow, ensuring that paste remains within the intended bond line area and does not migrate into the interior cavity where it could cause damage to structural components.
3Manufacturing precision
If barriers are used to contain bond paste, then excess paste migration is prevented, but the complexity of the bonding process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barriers used to contain bond paste are simple, inexpensive, and easily applied/removal materials such as tape or foil. These disposable barriers can be quickly applied to the bond line, serve their containment function during the bonding process, and then be easily removed or left in place without adding significant complexity to the overall manufacturing process. Their low cost and simplicity offset the added step of application.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the bond line are treated differently by applying barriers at specific locations rather than uniformly across the entire bond line. The barriers are strategically placed to create zones of controlled paste flow, ensuring adequate paste presence at critical bonding areas while preventing overflow into the cavity. This local differentiation allows optimal bond strength where needed and prevents weight increase in other areas.
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 migration, maintaining efficiency and preventing damage by ensuring the bond line width is controlled, thereby enhancing the performance and longevity of the wind turbine blades.
Implementation Method 1
the bond paste migrates through the sleeve sides and bonds to the shell members
Implementation Method 2
The closed end of the sleeve defines the design width of the bond line and prevents further migration of the bond paste into the internal cavity of the blade
Implementation Method 3
the closed end of the sleeve is impermeable to the bond paste (but may be permeable to air)
Data Source
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 sleeve is disposed within the internal cavity between the upper and lower shell members along at least one of the leading or trailing edges, with the bond paste contained within the sleeve. The sleeve has a closed end that is impermeable to the bond paste and opposite sides that are permeable to air and permeable to the bond paste. The bond past adheres to the upper and lower shell members through the sleeve sides and the closed end of the sleeve defines the design width of the bond line in the internal cavity.