Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Pull Belt Drive Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rotor blade adjustment systems in wind turbines face limitations in transmitting large actuating forces while maintaining a high lifetime for the belts, as they experience high tensile forces and tooth loads, leading to maintenance challenges and reduced efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A tension belt drive system where the tension belt is wound alternately on drive shafts or pulleys, forming a continuous strand that wraps around the rotor blade shaft, allowing for high force transmission with reduced tensile forces and eliminating the need for clamps and tension rollers, thereby minimizing wear and increasing belt lifespan.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a toothed belt drive system is used to adjust rotor blades, then the adjustment mechanism can transmit torque to the rotor blade shaft, but the belt experiences high tensile forces and tooth loads that reduce its lifetime

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetorque transmission capabilityVSAvoidbelt lifetime
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The belt drive system is segmented into multiple parallel belts working together, distributing the high tensile forces and tooth loads across multiple belt elements. This segmentation reduces the stress on each individual belt, thereby extending the overall system lifetime while maintaining the required torque transmission capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite material construction for the belts, combining materials with high tensile strength and wear resistance properties. This composite approach enables the belts to withstand the high tensile forces and tooth loads encountered during rotor blade adjustment, significantly improving belt lifetime without compromising torque transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If the rotor blade adjustment system uses high pretension in the toothed belt to maintain engagement, then torque transmission is improved, but the tensile forces on the belt are intensified reducing its service life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebelt engagement reliabilityVSAvoidbelt service life
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the pretension parameter of the belt drive system by implementing a controlled tensioning mechanism that maintains sufficient engagement force for reliable torque transmission while avoiding excessive pretension. This parameter optimization ensures reliable belt engagement without subjecting the belts to unnecessarily high tensile forces, thereby extending service life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Power

If multiple parallel belts are used to transmit large forces, then the torque transmission capability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforce transmission capabilityVSAvoidbelt drive complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple parallel belts into a unified drive system with integrated mounting and tensioning mechanisms. By combining the belts and their support structures into a consolidated assembly, the system achieves high force transmission capability while minimizing the increase in device complexity. The merged design allows the multiple belts to work together efficiently without requiring proportionally more complex control and mounting systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 system effectively transmits high torques to the rotor blade shaft with reduced tooth root stresses and tensile forces, enhancing the belt's durability and reducing maintenance needs, while allowing precise positioning and efficient power control.

Implementation Method 1

a pull belt at least partially encircles the foot or shaft of the rotor blade in such a way that a torque required for adjusting the rotor blade can be transmitted to the shaft

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

a pull belt at least partially encircles the foot or shaft of the rotor blade in such a way that a torque required for adjusting the rotor blade can be transmitted to the shaft

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTension: Tension

Implementation Method 3

The pull belt is guided between the area wrapped around the rotor blade and at least one drive shaft or pulley in the form of a pulley system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Advantage: Mechanical Advantage

Data Source

PatentEP3324041B1Rotor blade adjustment
Publication Date: 2019.12.11 CONTITECH ANTRIEBSSYSTEME GMBH
  • EP3324041B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3324041B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3324041B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Device for rotor blade adjustment on a wind turbine, in which the adjustment of a rotatably mounted rotor blade is effected via a pull belt drive, wherein a pull belt at least partially encircles the base or shaft of the rotor blade in such a way that a torque required for adjusting the rotor blade can be transmitted to the shaft, wherein the pull belt is connected at both its ends to a drive shaft or pulley equipped with a drive motor and can be wound alternately and intermittently onto the latter, wherein the pull belt forms an unwound continuous section located between the drive shafts or pulleys, which encircles the base or shaft of the rotor blade over a partial circumference and which is guided between the encircling area and at least one drive shaft or pulley in the form of a pulley system over at least one pulley pulley.