Wind Turbine Blade Support Assembly for Vertical Transport Packing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transportation of long wind turbine blades is challenging due to the loss and discarding of fixtures, increased in-port and sea transport costs, and potential blade damage from flexing during shipping, especially when packed horizontally.
Innovation Solution
A system with edge-vertical orientation support structures for wind turbine blades, eliminating the need for traditional fixtures, reducing the number of securing elements required, and allowing modular configurations to accommodate varying blade lengths and ship space constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If blades are stacked in edge-horizontal orientation to increase packing density, then the number of blades per shipload increases, but blade flexing and damage occur due to vertical forces during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional horizontal stacking orientation to a vertical orientation. Blades are positioned with their roots and tips supported at elevated locations, causing them to extend vertically rather than horizontally. This inversion eliminates blade flexing during transport while maintaining efficient packing density through the use of support structures that accommodate multiple blades in a vertical configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces support structures as intermediary elements between the blades and the ship deck. These support structures include rootsupports positioned at elevated locations and straps or other securing mechanisms that prevent blade movement. The intermediaries bear the mechanical loads and prevent direct contact between blades and the deck, eliminating flexing while enabling vertical orientation for efficient packing.
2Reliability
If traditional fixtures are used to secure blades to ship decks, then blades can be securely transported, but fixtures are lost or discarded at wind turbine farms, causing monetary loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the support structures to be self-contained and reusable systems that remain with the blade throughout transport. The rootsupports and securing mechanisms are integrated into the blade assembly process and can be recovered and reused at the wind turbine farm. This eliminates the need for separate fixtures that would be lost or discarded, as the support structures serve dual purposes: securing during transport and providing mounting points at the destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structures are designed to perform multiple functions: they secure blades to the ship deck during transport, support blades in a vertical orientation to prevent flexing, and can be reused at the wind turbine farm as mounting structures. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate fixtures and reduces material loss by making the same components serve multiple purposes throughout the supply chain.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If blades are supported with roots and tips at elevated locations in vertical orientation, then blade flexing is minimized and packing efficiency improves, but complex support structures are required
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into distinct functional components: rootsupports positioned at elevated locations to support blade roots, tipsupports or securing mechanisms at elevated locations for blade tips, and straps or linkages to secure the assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while simplifying the overall design through modularity. The segmented structure can be easily assembled and disassembled, reducing complexity despite the elevated support configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for transporting wind turbine blades includes a first support structure for supporting a cylindrical root section of a first wind turbine blade and a second support structure aligned with and spaced from the first support structure for supporting a tip section of the first wind turbine blade. A third support structure is included for supporting a tip section of a second wind turbine blade. A fourth support structure is spaced from and aligned with the third support structure for supporting a cylindrical root section of the second wind turbine blade. The first and second wind turbine blades extend with an edge-vertical orientation in opposing directions such that a tip of the first wind turbine blade is disposed horizontally adjacent the cylindrical root section of the second wind turbine blade and a tip of the second wind turbine blade is disposed horizontally adjacent the cylindrical root section of the first wind turbine blade.