Inflatable Blade Platform for Wind Turbine Service Enclosure
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Solution Overview
Problem
During the servicing or installation of wind turbines, harsh weather conditions and debris accumulation can compromise the integrity and safety of the work environment, particularly within the hollow sections of wind turbine components like blades, towers, and hubs, leading to uncontrolled temperature fluctuations and potential damage from external particles and loose objects.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable component with an air-tight shell and sealable passages is inserted into the hollow sections of wind turbine modules, providing a thermal and physical barrier against external fluids and particles, and can be secured with hooks and ropes to maintain a controlled environment for work, acting as a platform for technicians.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If work is performed in hollow sections of wind turbine components during harsh weather conditions, then service or installation can be conducted, but temperature fluctuations and external particles compromise the work environment integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an inflatable component with a flexible air-tight shell that can be inserted into hollow sections of wind turbine components. When inflated, this flexible shell creates a sealed environment that blocks external particles (dust, debris) and provides thermal insulation against temperature fluctuations, while still allowing the structure to adapt to the internal geometry of the hollow section
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable component acts as an intermediary barrier between the external harsh environment and the internal work space. It mediates the interaction by providing a physical seal that prevents direct contact between external harmful factors (particles, weather) and the work environment, while allowing controlled access through the sealable passage
2Ease of operation
If the hollow section is left open for access, then technicians can enter and work inside, but external fluids and particles can enter and cause damage
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable component with its air-tight shell serves as an intermediary barrier that allows controlled access while maintaining protection. The sealable passage enables technicians to inflate the component, enter the hollow section, and then seal the passage to prevent external fluids and particles from entering, thus maintaining both accessibility and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible air-tight shell of the inflatable component can be inserted into and conform to the hollow section, creating a seal that prevents external contaminants from entering while allowing the structure to maintain its protective function throughout the work process
3Reliability
If an inflatable component is inserted to provide environmental control, then temperature stability and particle protection are achieved, but the component complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable component is designed to be self-contained with an internal air-tight shell and sealable passage that can be inflated and deflated as needed. This self-service design allows the component to create its own controlled environment without requiring complex external support structures, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The use of a flexible air-tight shell provides an simple yet effective solution for environmental control. The shell can be inflated to create the barrier function and deflated for removal, avoiding the need for complex mechanical structures while achieving temperature stability and particle protection
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 inflatable component maintains optimal working conditions by blocking external elements and preventing debris entry, ensuring safer and faster service or installation processes by maintaining temperature stability and protecting against damage.
Implementation Method 1
The inflation structure is dimensioned to provide a thermal and/or physical barrier in respect of external fluids and/or physical objects or particles acting upon the inflation structure
Implementation Method 2
that dust or particles that may be created during the work, but also rain and snow, cannot enter the inside of the hollow blade beyond the inflatable component which acts as a seal and also as a collector for falling objects, dust or particles
Implementation Method 3
The inflation structure is dimensioned to provide a thermal and/or physical barrier in respect of external fluids
Data Source
AI summary
A wind turbine arrangement, that includes: a wind turbine blade; an inflatable platform positioned in the wind turbine blade; and an inflatable outer pressure ring surrounding the platform, wherein the outer pressure ring, when inflated with a gaseous fluid, fixes the platform in the wind turbine blade by generating a normal friction force between the platform and the wind turbine blade. In a first wind turbine arrangement, after the platform has been inflated with a gaseous fluid, the inflated platform includes a material that contains the gaseous fluid and is continuously distributed throughout the area defined by a circular or oval shape of the platform. In a second wind turbine arrangement, the platform comprises a fibrous material disposed in the platform. In a third wind turbine arrangement, a tarpaulin edge is positioned above the platform and positioned interior to the outer pressure ring.