Rotor Blade Preform Channels for Faster Through-Thickness Resin Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
The permeability of textile reinforcement components in wind turbine rotor blades, particularly in the through-thickness direction, is significantly lower than in the in-plane direction, leading to longer manufacturing times and affecting the choice of materials that can be used, which impacts the structural stability and mechanical properties of the blades.
Innovation Solution
The use of a penetration arrangement with adhesive elements that create channels perpendicular to the fiber direction in preform elements, enhancing permeability without compromising structural stability, allowing for the use of textiles with smaller gaps between fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If textile reinforcement components with smaller gaps between fibers are used, then structural stability and mechanical properties are improved, but permeability in the through-thickness direction decreases, leading to longer manufacturing times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a porous foam core element with through-thickness flow channels that create high-permeability pathways perpendicular to the fiber direction. This allows resin to flow through the preform element much faster than through the textile layers alone, resolving the contradiction by providing rapid resin infusion without requiring larger gaps between fibers in the reinforcement textiles, thus maintaining mechanical properties while reducing manufacturing time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure combining textile reinforcement components with a foam core element. The foam core provides through-thickness permeability and structural support, while the textile layers provide in-plane strength. This composite approach allows the use of textiles with smaller fiber gaps for improved mechanical properties while the foam core compensates for the reduced through-thickness permeability
2Stability of the object's composition
If a high number of reinforcement layers are stacked at the root end of the blade, then structural stability is improved, but the material arrangement time increases, extending mold takt time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple reinforcement layers into a single integrated preform element that combines textile components with a foam core. This consolidation allows the entire multi-layer structure to be placed in the mold as one unit, eliminating the time-consuming sequential placement of individual layers while maintaining the required structural stability through the combined architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The preform element is manufactured in advance with the complete multi-layer reinforcement structure and foam core already assembled and adhered together. This preliminary preparation of the entire stack-up eliminates the need for time-consuming material arrangement in the mold, allowing the preform to be simply lifted and placed as a complete assembly, thus reducing mold takt time while preserving structural stability
3Productivity
If preform elements are manufactured separately and lifted into the mold, then production rate is improved, but resin distribution uniformity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The foam core element is provided with flow channels at specific locations and orientations tailored to the local resin flow requirements of different regions in the preform element. This localized optimization of flow channel placement ensures uniform resin distribution throughout the complex multi-layer structure while maintaining the benefits of separate preform manufacturing and mold placement
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
This method reduces mold takt time and manufacturing costs while maintaining structural integrity, enabling better mechanical properties and reduced weight in wind turbine rotor blades.
Implementation Method 1
adhesive agent that binds fibers together
Implementation Method 2
penetration arrangement with adhesive elements that create channels perpendicular to the fiber direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Method for manufacturing a preform element (23) for manufacturing a rotor blade (4) of a wind turbine (1), comprising the steps of: - providing a mold (7) with a molding surface (8) and a penetration arrangement (13) comprising a plurality of elongated penetration elements (15) protruding from a base structure (14) and/or from the molding surface (8), arranging preform building components (9) and an adhesive agent on the molding surface (8) in such manner that the penetration elements (15) protrude into the textile component (10) locally spacing the fibers, - Activating the adhesive agent, - Solidifying the activated adhesive agent, and - Separating the penetration arrangement (13) and the preform components (9) for forming the preform element (23) comprising channels (24) protruding from an outer surface (25) of the preform element (23) into the textile component (10) at the positions of the penetration elements (15).