Pultruded Shear Web with Compressed Flanges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shear webs in wind turbine rotor blades are difficult to manufacture with precise dimensions and adequate bonding, leading to inefficiencies and increased weight due to the use of reinforced laminate composite materials.
Innovation Solution
A rotor blade assembly featuring a shear web formed from first and second outer pultruded layers with compressed flanges at opposing ends, which are easily bonded to spar caps, and optionally encompassing a core material, allowing for quick assembly and enhanced stiffness and strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional reinforced laminate composite materials are used to construct shear webs, then the desired strength and stiffness are achieved, but the weight of the wind turbine increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by transitioning from conventional reinforced laminate composites to pultruded composite materials with specific fiber orientations (0°, 90°, and ±45° layers). This material parameter change achieves the required strength and stiffness while reducing the overall weight of the shear web component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials consisting of pultruded sections with multiple layers of composite material having different fiber orientations. This composite structure provides optimized strength-to-weight ratio, delivering the necessary mechanical properties while minimizing weight compared to conventional solid laminate constructions.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional shear webs are manufactured with precise length dimensions to span between spar caps, then adequate bonding is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes time-consuming and requires significant re-work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the shear web with integrated bonding flanges as part of the pultrusion process. The flanges are预先 formed with precise dimensions and bonding surfaces during manufacturing, eliminating the need for subsequent dimensional adjustments and reducing re-work requirements during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the shear web into distinct functional portions: the main web body and integrated bonding flanges. This segmentation allows the flanges to be pre-formed with precise bonding surfaces that mate with spar caps, simplifying the assembly process and reducing manufacturing complexity.
3Device complexity
If conventional shear webs use minimal bonding surface between spar caps and shear web, then the structure is simpler, but the bonding adequacy is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the bonding interface into a new dimension by adding flanges that protrude from the main web body. These flanges create additional bonding surface area in the transverse direction, providing adequate bonding between the shear web and spar caps while maintaining relative structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding flanges are pre-formed as integral parts of the shear web during the pultrusion process, with surfaces specifically prepared for bonding. This preliminary preparation of bonding surfaces ensures adequate bonding area and quality without requiring complex post-processing or assembly operations.
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 solution enables faster and more efficient manufacturing of shear webs with improved bonding surfaces, reducing re-work and weight while providing additional strength and stiffness to rotor blades.
Implementation Method 1
end portions of the first and second outer pultruded layers form compressed flanges at opposing ends of the shear web that are bonded to the upper and lower spar caps
Implementation Method 2
compressed flanges at opposing ends of the shear web that are bonded to the upper and lower spar caps
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a shear web for a rotor blade of a wind turbine and a method of manufacturing and assembling same. The rotor blade generally includes an upper shell member having an upper spar cap configured on an internal surface thereof and a lower shell member having a lower spar cap configured on an internal surface thereof. Further, the shear web extends between the spar caps along a longitudinal length of the blade. In addition, the shear web includes first and second outer pultruded layers at least partially encompassing a core material, wherein end portions of the first and second outer pultruded layers form compressed flanges at opposing ends of the shear web.