Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Shear Web Inclination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wind turbine rotor blades face challenges in balancing aerodynamic performance and structural stability, particularly in preventing tower strikes while maintaining manufacturing ease.

Innovation Solution

The rotor blade incorporates a prebend and sweep with a planar shear web that is inclined relative to the x-axis, allowing for complex curvature mapping without requiring out-of-plane curvature, facilitating standard manufacturing processes and easier handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If long, slender blades are designed for optimum aerodynamic performance, then aerodynamic efficiency is improved, but blade stiffness deteriorates making it more difficult to prevent tower strikes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaerodynamic efficiencyVSAvoidblade stiffness

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The blade is designed with a prebend curvature that causes the blade tip to be offset from the z-axis along the x-axis direction. This curved configuration increases the distance between the blade tip and the tower during rotation, preventing tower strikes while maintaining the long, slender aerodynamic design for optimal energy capture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The load carrying structure incorporates a shear web plane that is inclined with regard to the x-axis rather than being perpendicular to it. This inclination allows the shear web to effectively resist loads in multiple directions simultaneously, providing enhanced structural support and stiffness in the inclined direction while preserving the aerodynamic blade geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If a prebend is applied to increase distance between blade tip and tower, then tower strike prevention is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to complex curvature requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetower strike preventionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The prebend is implemented as a controlled curvature in the blade structure, with the blade tip offset from the z-axis along the x-axis. This systematic curvature application achieves tower strike prevention while maintaining manufacturability through standardized molding and assembly processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The load carrying structure is divided into discrete components including the shear web, spar caps, and other structural elements that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized and manufactured using standard processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the presence of prebend and sweep curvatures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If shear web is designed with out-of-plane curvature to match complex blade geometry, then structural accuracy is improved, but manufacturing difficulty and handling complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural accuracyVSAvoidmanufacturing ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The shear web plane is inclined with regard to the x-axis rather than being perpendicular to it. This inclination allows the shear web to effectively resist loads in multiple directions simultaneously, providing enhanced structural support and stiffness in the inclined direction while preserving the aerodynamic blade geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3892849B1Wind turbine rotor blade having a shear web

Publication Date: 2023.11.08 NORDEX ENERGY SPAIN SAU

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AI summary

A wind turbine rotor blade comprising • a blade tip, • a blade root for attachment to a rotor hub, the blade root defining a z-axis of a right-handed coordinate system, • an aerodynamic shell having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, a suction side, and, at a longitudinal position close to the blade tip, an aerodynamic profile with a chord and a profile height, the chord defining a direction of a y-axis of the right-handed coordinate system and the profile height defining a direction of an x-axis of the right-handed coordinate system, and • a load carrying structure including a shear web connecting the pressure side and the suction side, • wherein the wind turbine rotor blade has a prebend towards the pressure side such that the blade tip is offset from the z-axis along the direction of the x-axis and • wherein the wind turbine rotor blade has a sweep towards the trailing edge such that the blade tip is offset from the z-axis along the direction of the y-axis, • wherein the shear web is a planar shear web defining a shear web plane, • the shear web plane comprises the z-axis or has a constant distance therefrom, and • the shear web plane is inclined with regard to the x-axis.