Wind Turbine Blade Trailing Edge Carbon Beam Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine blades face challenges in integrating reinforcement means, particularly glass fiber beams, due to limited space and complex shape variations at the trailing edge, leading to manufacturing difficulties and increased mass, which affects structural components and bearing capacity.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a pre-casted carbon beam comprising carbon fibers, which can be easily shaped and arranged in the mold, providing enhanced mechanical properties while reducing weight and mass, and is combined with foam core elements and glass fiber reinforcement for optimal stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If glass fiber beams are used for reinforcing the trailing edge region, then the required stiffness can be provided, but the beam thickness is constrained by limited space and the integration becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The glass fiber reinforcement is divided into multiple separate web layers instead of a single thick beam. These layers are arranged and embedded in the matrix material to provide the required stiffness while fitting within the limited space constraints of the trailing edge region.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement structure transitions from a three-dimensional thick beam to a two-dimensional layered arrangement. The multiple web layers are stacked and arranged in specific orientations to achieve the required mechanical properties while reducing the thickness constraint issue.
2Strength
If a thick trailing edge glass reinforcement beam is used, then the required stiffness is achieved, but the trailing edge core shape becomes irregular and long and slender, increasing manufacturing difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The thick reinforcement beam is segmented into multiple thinner web layers. This segmentation allows each layer to be more easily manufactured and positioned, avoiding the difficulties of creating a single thick irregular-shaped beam while maintaining the overall stiffness requirement.
3Strength
If a thick glass beam reinforcement is used, then the trailing edge region is sufficiently reinforced, but the blade mass and mass moment significantly increase, affecting structural components and bearing capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement structure uses a composite arrangement of multiple glass fiber web layers embedded in a matrix material. This composite structure provides the required reinforcement and stiffness while being more mass-efficient than a solid thick glass beam, as the layered configuration optimizes the strength-to-weight ratio.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Wind turbine blade, comprising an elongated blade body (7) extending from a root (8) to a tip (9) with a trailing edge (11), whereby at least one beam-like reinforcement means (18) is integrated in the blade body (7) adjacent to the trailing edge (11) for reinforcing the region (12) of the trailing edge (11), with the reinforcement means (18) extending partly over the length of the blade body (7), wherein the reinforcement means (18) is a pre-casted carbon beam (19) comprising carbon fibers.