Wind Turbine Blade Reinforced Shell Inlay Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wrinkles in the shell and base part of wind turbine blades, caused by compression during the vacuum-assisted resin transfer moulding process, reduce the stiffness and strength of the blades, particularly affecting glass fibre layers under pultrusion layers.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating preforms of pre-cured glass fibre mats as inlays under the edges of the pultrusion layer to prevent compression and maintain material properties, with the inlays extending along the proximal and distal edges of the pultrusion layer, ensuring they are flush with the surrounding surfaces to support the laminate structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding is used to infuse resin into the fibre layers, then the manufacturing process is efficient and complete, but wrinkles are caused in the glass fibre layers near the edges of the pultrusion layer
Solution Approach 1:
A support structure is positioned underneath the glass fibre layers near the edges of the pultrusion layer before the vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding process. This support structure prevents compression and wrinkle formation during the resin infusion process, allowing the manufacturing process to proceed efficiently without compromising surface quality.
2Strength
If the pultrusion layer is placed on top of the glass fibre layers, then the structural reinforcement is achieved, but the glass fibres are compressed and cause wrinkles
Solution Approach 1:
A support structure is introduced as an intermediary element between the pultrusion layer and the glass fibre layers. This support structure distributes the load and prevents direct compression of the glass fibres by the pultrusion layer, thereby preventing wrinkle formation while maintaining the structural reinforcement benefits.
3Ease of manufacture
If the glass fibre layers are arranged underneath the pultrusion layer, then the base part structure is formed, but the fibres are more prone to compression and wrinkle formation
Solution Approach 1:
A support structure is positioned in advance underneath the glass fibre layers before the pultrusion layer is placed. This preliminary positioning prevents compression of the glass fibres during subsequent manufacturing steps, allowing the base part structure to be formed easily without compromising surface quality.
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 method effectively reduces wrinkles in the shell and base part, maintaining the stiffness and strength of the wind turbine blades by distributing the material properties uniformly and preventing compression, thereby enhancing the structural integrity of the blades.
Implementation Method 1
During the vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding process fibres may be compressed and cause wrinkles. Especially glass fibres are more prone to compression when they are arranged underneath a pultrusion layer
Implementation Method 2
Infusion of the fibres may be provided by vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM)
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a reinforced shell part for a wind turbine blade (10) comprising, providing a shell having an (39a), optionally arranging a plurality of fibre layers on the inner surface (39a) of the shell to form a base part of a reinforced section, providing a preform of a first inlay, arranging the preform of the first inlay on the inner surface of the shell and/or on the base part of the reinforced section, providing a preform of a second inlay, arranging the preform of the second inlay on the inner surface of the first shell part and/ or on the base part of the reinforced section, arranging at least one pultrusion layer on the preform of the first inlay, the preform of the second inlay, and the inner surface of the shell and/or the base part of the reinforced section, wherein the pultrusion layer comprises a plurality of pultruded members grouped together, the pultrusion layer having a proximal edge, a distal edge and two opposing lateral edges, and wherein the pultrusion layer is arranged in a spanwise direction of the blade such that the proximal edge of the pultrusion layer is arranged on the preform of the first inlay and the distal edge of the pultrusion layer is arranged on the preform of the second inlay.