Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Shell Overvoltage Protection Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotor blade shells for wind turbines with electrically conductive components face challenges in safe operation and manufacturing complexity, particularly in accessing and maintaining overvoltage protection devices without damaging wiring or requiring additional protective covers.
Innovation Solution
The rotor blade shell design incorporates an overvoltage protection device with accessible terminals, either externally or internally, allowing for easy contact and maintenance without opening the entire shell, reducing the need for internal wiring and eliminating additional protective covers, using a vacuum infusion process to embed the device within the shell body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the overvoltage protection device is integrated inside the rotor blade shell body, then the internal wiring is reduced and assembly effort is minimized, but the accessibility for maintenance and servicing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade shell is divided into two separate parts: a shell body and a cover. The overvoltage protection device is integrated into the shell body, while the cover provides external access to the device's connections. This segmentation allows the protection device to be both integrated (reducing internal wiring complexity) and accessible (enabling easy maintenance by removing the cover without opening the entire shell).
2Reliability
If additional protective covers are added for the overvoltage protection device, then the device is protected from damage, but the manufacturing complexity and assembly effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover function is merged with the existing rotor blade shell cover rather than adding a separate protective enclosure. The shell cover is designed to provide both structural coverage and access to the overvoltage protection device connections. This merging eliminates the need for additional protective covers, reducing manufacturing complexity and assembly effort while maintaining protection and accessibility.
3Ease of operation
If the rotor blade shell is completely cut through to access the overvoltage protection device, then full accessibility is achieved, but the structural integrity and safety are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The shell is segmented into a shell body and a removable cover that can be separated without cutting through the entire structure. This allows access to the overvoltage protection device by removing only the cover portion, maintaining the structural integrity of the main shell body while providing full accessibility to the device connections for maintenance and servicing.
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 design simplifies the manufacturing and maintenance of rotor blade shells by allowing external or internal access to overvoltage protection devices, reducing assembly effort, minimizing the risk of wiring damage, and eliminating the need for additional protective covers, thus enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
using a vacuum infusion process to embed the device within the shell body
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A rotor blade shell for a rotor blade (104) of a wind turbine (100) comprises: - a rotor blade shell body (108) with a recess (109) surrounding an interior (110) of the rotor blade (104) and having an outer surface (111) facing away from the interior (110), - an overvoltage protection device (130) with a first connection (131) and a second connection (132), wherein the overvoltage protection device (130) is arranged completely within the recess (109) and is electrically contactable from the interior (110) or the outer surface (111) of the rotor blade shell (107).