Modular Wind Turbine Blade Bonding Flange for Fatigue Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of ensuring the strength of connection points in modular wind turbine blades has become urgent as traditional molds fail to meet the manufacturing needs of large-scale blades, particularly in terms of reducing production difficulty and transportation/installation challenges.
Innovation Solution
A modular blade connection method involving a bonding flange that extends into the second module, with increased thickness reinforcement and structural adhesive overflow to enhance connection strength and fatigue resistance, while minimizing aerodynamic performance impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If modular blade segments are connected using traditional bonding methods, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but connection strength and fatigue resistance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding flange extends from the first module into the second module along the longitudinal axis, transforming a surface-level connection into a three-dimensional embedded structure. This dimensional transition increases the bonding area and structural interlocking, thereby enhancing connection strength while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The connection structure combines the bonding flange (extending into the second module), reinforcement layers (wrapped around the bonding flange), and structural adhesive to create a composite connection system. This multi-material approach integrates mechanical interlocking with chemical bonding, significantly improving both connection strength and fatigue resistance
2Reliability
If the bonding flange extends into the second module with increased thickness, then fatigue resistance is improved, but aerodynamic performance may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement structure is localized to the connection region where the bonding flange extends into the second module. The reinforcement layers are wrapped around the bonding flange specifically at this critical junction, providing enhanced fatigue resistance only where needed without adding unnecessary weight or surface disruption to the aerodynamic surfaces of the blade
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
Improves bonding quality and fatigue resistance at connection points, reducing manufacturing costs and complexity, and maintaining aerodynamic performance.
Implementation Method 1
a structural adhesive module (30)
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the field of wind turbine blade technology, in particular to a modular blade connection structure, method, and tooling, the structure comprising a first module, a second module and a structural adhesive module; wherein the first module is provided on an end face thereof with a bonding flange extending into the second module; wherein a gap between the butting surfaces of the first module and the second module is injected with a structural adhesive, which is extruded and cured to form a structural adhesive module; and wherein the thickness of the first module at the starting end of the bonding flange extends towards the inner surface to form a first reinforcement, and the structural adhesive module extends inside the second module in a direction away from the bonding flange to form a second reinforcement. The present disclosure facilitates the control the bonding quality of the double-sided overlapping of the modular blade by means of the bonding flange, and facilitates the improvement of the fatigue resistance at the assembling position by means of the first reinforcement formed by the increased thickness of the first module and the second reinforcement formed by the overflow of the structural adhesive module, while reducing the influence on the aerodynamic performance of the blade.