Bolt Sleeve Connector for Wind Turbine Blade Root Stress Dispersion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing wind turbine generator systems face challenges in reducing the weight and improving the bearing capacity of blade roots while maintaining structural integrity and cost-effectiveness, as conventional connection methods like T-shaped bolts and pre-embedded bolt sleeves either damage the blade root or require excessive material, limiting their use on large megawatt-level blades.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a bolt sleeve connector with extension portions that are integrally molded and connected via adhesive bonding, clamping, or welding, forming a partial ring structure, which disperses stress across multiple pre-embedded bolt sleeves, reducing the length and thickness of the metal body within the blade root, and allowing for adjustable design parameters to optimize weight reduction and strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If pre-embedded bolt sleeves are used to connect the blade root with the rotor hub, then the blade root layers are not damaged, but the length of the bolt sleeve must be relatively large to transmit load through shear force
Solution Approach 1:
The bolt sleeve is divided into two parts: a metal bolt sleeve and a glass fiber reinforced plastic sleeve. The metal bolt sleeve provides shear force transmission, while the glass fiber reinforced plastic sleeve provides compressive strength and distributes stress. This segmentation allows the metal portion to be shorter while maintaining overall load bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining metal (bolt sleeve) and glass fiber reinforced plastic (sleeve and surrounding material). The glass fiber reinforced plastic sleeve surrounds the metal bolt sleeve and extends beyond it, creating a composite connection that leverages the complementary strengths of both materials to reduce the required metal sleeve length.
2Ease of manufacture
If T-shaped bolts are used to connect the blade root, then the connection is simple, but the blade root glass fiber reinforced plastics layer may be damaged during drilling and the thickness must be relatively large
Solution Approach 1:
The bolt sleeve and glass fiber reinforced plastic sleeve are pre-embedded into the blade root before final assembly. This preliminary action allows the connection structure to be prepared in advance with proper positioning and integration, avoiding the need for post-manufacturing drilling that could damage the glass fiber reinforced plastics layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The glass fiber reinforced plastic sleeve acts as an intermediary between the metal bolt sleeve and the blade root glass fiber reinforced plastics layer. It provides a protective interface that prevents direct drilling of the blade root layer while still enabling force transmission from the metal bolt sleeve to the composite blade root structure.
3Weight of moving object
If the bolt sleeve length is reduced to lower weight and cost, then the weight and manufacturing cost are reduced, but the load bearing capacity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing portions of the metal bolt sleeve with glass fiber reinforced plastic sleeve, the overall weight is reduced while maintaining load bearing capacity. The glass fiber reinforced plastic provides sufficient compressive strength and stress distribution, allowing the metal component to be shorter and lighter.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters of the sleeve structure from purely metal to a composite of metal and glass fiber reinforced plastic. This parameter change allows optimization of the sleeve length and material distribution to achieve the minimum necessary weight while maintaining required strength properties.
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 solution effectively reduces the weight of the blade root by dispersing stress and improving the bearing capacity, enabling the use of shorter bolts and lighter materials, thereby lowering manufacturing costs and enhancing the overall efficiency of the wind turbine generator system.
Implementation Method 1
the at least two extension portions are connected together by adhesive bonding, clamping or welding
Implementation Method 2
the at least two extension portions are connected together by adhesive bonding, clamping or welding
Data Source
AI summary
A bolt sleeve connector, a blade of a wind turbine generator system and manufacturing method thereof and a wind turbine generator system are provided. The bolt sleeve connector includes at least two extension portions arranged side by side and spaced apart, and each extension portion has a first end and a second end. The first ends of the extension portions are connected together and the second end of each extension portion is connected with the corresponding bolt sleeve. By using the bolt sleeve connectors to connect multiple pre-embedded connection sleeves at the position of the blade root of the blade of the wind turbine generator system, the multiple pre-embedded connection sleeves are connected as a whole, thus can disperse the stress of the bolt and the bolt sleeve and then improve the bearing capacity of the blade root bolt and facilitate reducing the weight of the blade root.