Repower Wind Turbine Blades With Tensioned Load-Sharing Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbines face limitations in increasing rotor diameter due to increased loads on load-carrying components, making it difficult to enhance power production and earnings, especially at lower wind speeds.
Innovation Solution
The method involves replacing conventional blades with repower blades and installing blade connecting members and a tensioning system to adjust blade tension, allowing for increased rotor diameter while reducing loads through coning and pitch adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the rotor diameter is increased to enhance power production and earnings, then the power production and earnings are improved, but the loads on the hub, nacelle, and tower increase
Solution Approach 1:
The blade structure is segmented into multiple sections with connection points along the blade span. Blade connecting members are installed between adjacent blades at these connection points, creating a modular segmented structure that distributes loads more effectively across the rotor system while enabling larger overall rotor diameter.
Solution Approach 2:
Blade connecting members act as intermediary elements between the blades and the hub. These connecting members include tensioning systems that can be independently adjusted to optimize the load distribution pattern, allowing the rotor to support larger diameters without proportionally increasing loads on the hub, nacelle, and tower.
2Productivity
If the rotor diameter is increased to capture more energy at lower wind speeds, then the energy yield is improved, but the weight of the rotor increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade connecting members are strategically positioned at specific connection points along the blade span rather than requiring uniform reinforcement throughout the entire rotor. This localized approach allows the rotor to achieve the necessary structural strength for larger diameters at critical locations while minimizing overall weight increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The tensioning system allows for dynamic adjustment of the mechanical properties of the blade connecting members. By changing the tension parameters in response to operating conditions, the system can optimize the weight-to-strength ratio, enabling the rotor to support larger diameters with reduced weight compared to traditional solid reinforcement methods.
3Device complexity
If conventional blades are used without connection points, then the blade structure is simpler, but the ability to reduce loads through coning and pitch adjustments is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The blade connecting members incorporate tensioning systems that can be dynamically adjusted during operation. This dynamic capability allows the system to optimize load distribution in real-time based on wind conditions, enhancing the reliability of load reduction through coning and pitch adjustments while maintaining relatively simple blade structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade connecting members serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, enable coning angle adjustments, facilitate pitch control, and allow tensioning system integration. This multi-functionality achieves reliable load reduction capability without requiring separate dedicated components for each function, thus avoiding excessive complexity in the blade structure.
Data Source
AI summary
In a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of repowering a horizontal-axis wind turbine comprising a tower, a nacelle located rotatably at the apex of the tower, and a rotor having a hub and at least three used blades mounted pitchably to the hub and extending radially therefrom, the method comprising the steps of uninstall the at least three used blades from the hub, install at least three repower blades to the hub, each repower blade extending between a root and a tip, and each repower blade further comprising a connection point located between the root and the tip, install a plurality of blade connecting members, each blade connecting member being connected between corresponding connection points of a pair of repower blades; and install a tensioning system with the hub, the tensioning system being configured to adjust a tension in each blade connecting member.