Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Root Assembly Pre-Cured Inserts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing rotor blade root assembly processes are labor-intensive and result in poor laminate quality, particularly due to the manual placement of small glass strips and the use of dry fabrics, which increases manufacturing cycle time and costs.
Innovation Solution
A rotor blade root assembly featuring a blade root section with a radial gap containing pre-cured or pre-consolidated thermoplastic or thermoset root inserts and spacers, which are pultruded and infused with composite materials, reducing labor and improving laminate quality through reduced resin consumption and faster manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual placement of glass strips and dry fabrics is used to fill gaps between root bolt inserts, then the blade root structure can be assembled, but labor cycle time increases and laminate quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gap filler material is pre-infused with resin and pre-cured to form a solid, ready-to-install component. This preliminary action eliminates the need for manual glass strip placement and resin infusion during assembly, significantly reducing labor cycle time while ensuring consistent laminate quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a pre-formed, disposable gap filler block that is discarded after single use in each blade root assembly. This eliminates the need for reusable molds or complex assembly fixtures, reducing both time and cost despite the filler being a single-use component.
2Ease of manufacture
If manual placement of glass strips and dry fabrics is used to fill gaps between root bolt inserts, then the blade root structure can be assembled, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gap filler is pre-infused with resin and pre-cured in advance, transferring the complex manufacturing steps to a preliminary stage where they can be performed more efficiently. This eliminates costly manual labor during blade root assembly and reduces overall manufacturing costs despite the additional preliminary processing step.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap filler combines multiple functions into a single component: it fills the gap between inserts, provides structural support, and serves as a laminate substrate. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate glass strips, fabrics, and resin infusion steps, reducing total material and labor costs.
3Loss of time
If pre-cured composite materials and pultruded root inserts are used, then labor cycle time is reduced and laminate quality is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Both the root inserts and gap filler are pre-cured and pre-formed in advance using pultrusion and mold processes. This shifts complexity to the preliminary manufacturing stage where it can be managed more efficiently, while the actual blade root assembly becomes a simple, fast operation with no manual glass placement or resin infusion required.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a root assembly 30 for a rotor blade 16 of a wind turbine 10 and methods of manufacturing same. The root assembly 30 includes a blade root section 32 having an inner sidewall surface 40 and an outer sidewall surface 42 separated by a radial gap 44, a plurality of root inserts 46 spaced circumferentially within the radial gap 44, and a plurality of spacers 52 configured between one or more of the root inserts 46. Further, each of the root inserts 46 includes at least one bushing 48 surrounded by a pre-cured or pre-consolidated composite material 50, 54. In addition, the spacers 52 are constructed of a pre-cured or pre-consolidated composite material 50, 54.