Wind Turbine Blade Spar Cap Layup for Better Drapability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing wind turbine blades using pultrusion main laminates face issues such as low drapability, leading to resin pools and wrinkles, which reduce the strength-to-weight ratio and limit design flexibility due to precise placement requirements and inability to tailor strength to blade loads.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of preforms made from a mixture of fibre material and binding agent, which are stacked and infused under vacuum pressure to conform to the blade shape, forming a spar cap integrated with the shell, allowing for increased design flexibility and predictable mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a pultrusion main laminate is used to replace fibre sheet stack, then manual layup is reduced and mechanical properties predictability is improved, but drapability is reduced leading to wrinkles and resin pools
Solution Approach 1:
The pultrusion main laminate is divided into multiple segments or sections that can be individually positioned and conform to the shell contour. This segmentation allows each segment to be more manageable and adaptable to the curved surfaces while maintaining the overall structural integrity and predictable mechanical properties of the full laminate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static, rigid pultrusion laminate to a more dynamic configuration where the laminate can adapt its shape during manufacturing. This may involve using flexible support structures, adjustable positioning mechanisms, or progressive forming techniques that allow the laminate to gradually conform to the shell contour during the infusion process.
2Productivity
If pultrusion main laminate is used, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but precise placement is required avoiding gaps that cause resin pools
Solution Approach 1:
The pultrusion main laminate is pre-shaped or pre-positioned with features that facilitate automatic alignment with the shell contour and adjacent components. This may include pre-formed edges, positioning tabs, or surface characteristics that guide the laminate into the correct position during assembly, reducing the need for manual adjustment and minimizing gaps.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary layer or material is introduced between the pultrusion main laminate and the shell to facilitate better contact and alignment. This intermediary may serve as a buffer that compensates for minor dimensional variations, ensures uniform spacing, and prevents gaps that would lead to resin pools, while still allowing the laminate to maintain its structural function.
3Productivity
If pultrusion main laminate is used, then production speed is improved, but design flexibility is reduced due to one-dimensional configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The pultrusion main laminate is segmented into multiple sections that can be independently configured in both one and two dimensions. This allows the design to optimize for production efficiency by using standardized segments while simultaneously achieving design flexibility through varied arrangement patterns, orientations, and combinations of segments to meet specific load requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines pultrusion main laminate with other complementary materials or structures that provide the needed design flexibility. This composite approach allows the pultrusion laminate to handle primary loads efficiently while supplementary materials or structural features address localized design requirements, achieving both production efficiency and adaptability.
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
The method enables the production of wind turbine blades with improved strength and reduced resin pooling and wrinkling, facilitating more flexible design options and easier handling of smaller, standardized preforms.
Implementation Method 1
placing a plurality of separately provided preforms directly on the one or more shell fibre layers in a stacked arrangement... infusing the stacked preform arrangement, the one or more shell fibre layers and the optional exterior coat with a resin in mould cavity of the blade mould
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade, comprising the steps of:placing one or more shell fibre layers on a mould surface of a blade mould,placing a plurality of separately provided preforms directly on the one or more shell fibre layers in a stacked arrangement,infusing and curing the stacked preform arrangement, the one or more shell fibre layers together via a resin in mould cavity of the blade mould to form a wind turbine blade part with a spar cap integrated in a shell part providing part of the aerodynamic shape of the wind turbine blade.