Wind Turbine Blade Composite Moulding Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manufacturing methods for large wind turbine blades face issues with poor quality and reproducibility of inner structures, difficulty in resin distribution leading to weak spots, high production time and cost, and mechanical property reductions due to stitched and infused unidirectional materials.
Innovation Solution
A fibre-reinforced composite moulding process where the outer structure is infused with a low-viscosity resin and the inner structure is built using prepregs with a higher viscosity resin, eliminating the need for resin to flow into dry regions and allowing for better fibre alignment and mechanical performance, combined with an interlaminar flow medium for complete infusion and air removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If resin infusion is used for inner structure, then resin distribution improves, but weak spots and poor quality occur due to difficulty in resin flow into dry regions
Solution Approach 1:
The moulding is divided into two distinct structures: an outer structure made by resin infusion and an inner structure made by prepreg lamination. This segmentation allows each structure to be optimized for its specific manufacturing method, avoiding the problem of resin flow into dry regions in the inner structure while maintaining good resin distribution in the outer structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different manufacturing approaches are applied to different parts of the composite moulding: the outer structure uses resin infusion with low-viscosity resin for good flow and distribution, while the inner structure uses prepreg lamination with higher viscosity resin that does not require flowing into dry regions. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between resin distribution and quality consistency.
2Productivity
If stitched and infused unidirectional materials are used, then production time reduces, but mechanical properties are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The inner structure uses unstitched unidirectional prepreg layers that maintain excellent mechanical properties through direct fibre-resin bonding, while the outer structure uses stitched fabric for structural integrity. This local differentiation preserves mechanical properties in the critical inner structure while maintaining productivity through the outer structure's design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines two different composite material systems: prepreg-impregnated fibrous material for the inner structure and resin-infused fibrous material for the outer structure. This composite approach allows each material system to发挥 its strengths, maintaining mechanical properties while achieving production efficiency.
3Stability of the object's composition
If outer structure is made with high viscosity resin, then fibre alignment improves, but resin distribution becomes difficult leading to weak spots
Solution Approach 1:
The outer structure uses low-viscosity resin that flows easily into the fibrous material, ensuring complete resin distribution and eliminating weak spots. The inner structure uses higher viscosity resin in prepreg form that maintains excellent fibre alignment without requiring flow. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between fibre alignment and resin distribution.
4Manufacturing precision
If resin flows into dry regions, then complete impregnation occurs, but production time increases and cost rises
Solution Approach 1:
The moulding is segmented into an outer structure that receives resin infusion and an inner structure made from pre-impregnated prepreg material. This eliminates the need for resin to flow into dry regions of the inner structure, as the prepreg material is already impregnated before placement, thereby reducing production time while maintaining complete impregnation.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner structure uses prepreg material that is pre-impregnated with resin before being placed in the mould. This preliminary impregnation action eliminates the need for subsequent resin flow into dry regions, significantly reducing production time while ensuring complete and consistent impregnation throughout the inner structure.
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 approach results in improved mechanical properties, reduced production time and cost, consistent resin distribution, and enhanced reproducibility of wind turbine blades, enabling the production of large-scale composite parts with better compression strength and fatigue performance.
Implementation Method 1
a first resin material is infused into the outer structure
Implementation Method 2
wherein the build up is covered with a vacuum bag and air is removed from the build up by applying reduced pressure
Implementation Method 3
The mould is placed in a heated press and the bladder is pressurized
Implementation Method 4
the first and the second resin material are cured
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention regards a fibre-reinforced composite moulding with an outer (102) structure and an inner structure (106), wherein the outer structure (102) is formed from at least one layer of fibrous reinforcing material and a cured first resin material, and the inner structure (106) is formed from a plurality of layers of fibrous reinforcing material and a second cured resin material, wherein the viscosity of the uncured first resin material is lower than the viscosity of the uncured second resin material and wherein in the composite moulding the two cured resin materials are at least partially mixed with each other. It also regards a process for the production of such a fibre-reinforced composite moulding.