Wind Turbine Blade Root-End Handling for Safer Post-Moulding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handling of large wind turbine blades during post-moulding processes is challenging due to their increased size and weight, leading to inconveniences and a need for improved handling systems that reduce costs, increase flexibility, and enhance manufacturing safety.
Innovation Solution
A root end element and manipulator system for attaching to the root end of a wind turbine blade, featuring a plurality of attachment points and supports to stabilize and manipulate the blade, along with a root end interface and manipulator for rotating and elevating the blade, facilitating secure handling and positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If known blade handling systems are used with increasing blade size and weight, then blade handling capability is maintained, but handling convenience and safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The handling system is divided into separate functional modules: a root end element with attachment points, a root end manipulator for manipulation operations, and a tip end structure for support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for handling large, heavy blades while maintaining overall system effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The root end element acts as an intermediary component between the blade and the manipulator system. It provides multiple attachment points that distribute forces across the blade root, enabling safe and convenient handling of heavy blades without direct contact between the manipulator and the blade structure.
2Productivity
If blade length increases beyond 70 meters, then energy capture capability is improved, but handling reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The root end element is pre-configured with multiple attachment points and the manipulator is pre-positioned to engage with the blade before manipulation operations begin. This preliminary setup ensures that forces are properly distributed from the outset, maintaining reliability during handling of extremely long blades.
Solution Approach 2:
The handling system parameters are adapted to accommodate increasing blade lengths: the root end element provides multiple attachment points spaced to distribute loads, and the manipulator configuration is adjusted to maintain appropriate force distribution and control across the entire blade span, ensuring reliable handling regardless of blade length.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional handling methods are used for new post moulding processes, then process continuity is maintained, but manufacturing flexibility and safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The root end element with its multiple attachment points and the modular manipulator system are designed to be universally applicable across different post moulding processes. The same basic handling system can accommodate various blade types and processing requirements, providing manufacturing flexibility without requiring completely different handling equipment for each process.
Solution Approach 2:
The handling system incorporates dynamic capabilities through the manipulator's ability to perform multiple operations (rotation, elevation, positioning) and the root end element's multiple attachment points that can be configured for different loading scenarios. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to handle new post moulding processes effectively, though it does increase system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a root end element for attachment to a root end of a wind turbine blade root end manipulator configured to manipulate a wind turbine blade, and a blade manipulation system comprising the root end element and the root end manipulator The root end element being configured to support the root end of the wind turbine blade.