Rolled Structural Material for Wind Turbine Blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing large composite structures like wind turbine blades face challenges with in-mould time efficiency, storage, and handling due to the difficulty in managing flat stacks of glass-fibre layers, which can lead to wrinkles and compromise the structural integrity of the blades.
Innovation Solution
A roll of structural material is formed by stacking layers and holding them together with fastening means, then rolled around a reel with mutually spaced supports that allow sections of the stack to be in a slack state, preventing wrinkles by allowing layers to move and compensate for path differences during rolling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If flat stacks of glass-fibre layers are stored and handled, then the stacks can be prepared in advance to reduce in-mould time, but the stacks take up significant space and are difficult to handle and store
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by rolling the flat glass-fibre stack into a cylindrical form. This transformation converts the flat, space-consuming stack into a compact roll that is easier to store and handle while maintaining the structural integrity of the glass-fibre layers through the stitching pattern.
2Volume of moving object
If the stack is rolled around a cylindrical drum to form a compact roll, then storage and handling space is reduced, but wrinkles form in the outer layers due to larger radius of curvature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the stack into multiple glass-fibre layers that are stitched together at regular intervals. This segmentation allows each layer to accommodate the curvature differences during rolling, with the stitches providing anchoring points that prevent excessive relative movement and wrinkle formation while still allowing the stack to be compacted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the stack by transforming it from a flat configuration to a rolled cylindrical form. This parameter change in geometry reduces the volume and improves handling while the stitching pattern is designed to accommodate the curvature-induced stress differences between inner and outer layers.
3Strength
If multiple operators are used to support the periphery of the stack during lifting and placement, then the stack can be handled safely, but the process is not easily scalable for increasing stack sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by rolling the flat glass-fibre stack into a cylindrical form. This transformation converts the flat, space-consuming stack into a compact roll that is easier to store and handle while maintaining the structural integrity of the glass-fibre layers through the stitching pattern.
Data Source
AI summary
A roll (16) of structural material for use in the manufacture of large composite structures such as wind turbine blades is described. The roll (16) comprises an elongate stack of structural layers (10) fastened together and wrapped around a reel (14). The reel (14) comprises a plurality of mutually spaced supports (50) about which the stack is folded into a rolled stack. Sections of the rolled stack between the supports are substantially unsupported by the reel and are held in a slack state in order to prevent wrinkles from forming in the rolled stack.