Method and system for transporting and storing at least two wind turbine blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transportation and storage of large wind turbine blades are challenging due to their size and fragility, leading to potential damage during transport and mounting, and existing solutions face restrictions and increased costs, especially for blades exceeding 45 meters in length.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for transporting and storing wind turbine blades using stackable root end and tip end frames that allow the blades to be arranged with the tip end of one blade extending beyond the root end of another, enabling a 'tip-to-root' layout that supports the blades at their stronger sections and allows for closer frame assembly, accommodating longer blades within regulatory limits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the tip end frames support the blades at the very tip of the blades, then the blades are stored compactly in a tip-to-root arrangement, but the blades are damaged due to their mechanical fragility at the tip
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the support function at different locations along the blade. Instead of uniform support, the tip end frame provides localized support at a specific distance from the tip end, where the blade has sufficient structural strength. This localized support approach maintains compact storage while avoiding damage to the fragile tip region.
2Length of moving object
If the package frames are arranged at the root end face and the blade tip, then the distance between frames is approximately equal to the length of the blades, but this becomes impossible for very long blades of 45 metres or longer due to local regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the support function into two separate frame components: a root end frame and a tip end frame. These frames can be positioned closer together than the full blade length, with intermediate support provided by the blade's own structure. This segmentation allows compliance with transport regulations regarding maximum distances between supports, even for very long blades.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the longitudinal dimension of the blade by positioning the tip end frame at a distance from the tip end rather than at the very tip. This dimensional adjustment allows the frames to be arranged within regulatory distance limits while still providing adequate support for long blades during transport.
3Loss of energy
If multiple blades are transported using a single container or packaging system, then transport costs are reduced, but the restrictions and limits on large loads increase the difficulty of transporting a plurality of blades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal packaging system with standardized root end frames and tip end frames that can accommodate multiple blades of the same type. The frames are configured to work together in a modular fashion, allowing the same basic components to be reused for transporting pairs of blades, thereby reducing overall packaging complexity while maintaining multi-blade transport capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A transportation and storage system for at least two wind turbine blades and comprising a first wind turbine blade and a second wind turbine blade is described. The wind turbine blades each having a root end and a tip end, said system comprising a packaging system that is adapted to placing the first wind turbine blade so that the tip end of the first wind turbine blade points in a first direction, and placing the second wind turbine blade so that the tip end of the second wind turbine blade points in a second direction, which is substantially opposite to the first direction. The tip end of the second wind turbine blade extends beyond the root end of the first wind turbine blade, and the tip end of the first wind turbine blade extends beyond the root end of the second wind turbine blade, when the first and the second wind turbine blades are arranged in the packaging system.