Segmented Rotor Blade Shell Design for Shaping Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotor blade shells for wind turbines lack flexibility in shaping, which restricts the design of rotor blades and increases material usage and manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
A rotor blade shell design featuring a core layer with a rotor blade belt in the first section and a fiber layer in the second section, where the fiber layer extends transversely to provide longitudinal direction rigidity, allowing for curved shapes and reduced material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rotor blade rib extends over the entire length of the rotor blade shell, then the bending stiffness and stability are improved, but the flexibility in shaping the rotor blade tip is reduced and material usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade shell is divided into two sections: a first section with a rotor blade rib for stiffness, and a second section without the rib for shaping flexibility. This segmentation allows different structural requirements to be met in different regions of the same component.
Solution Approach 2:
The rib structure is applied locally only where needed (first section) rather than uniformly across the entire blade. This local quality approach provides stiffness where required while allowing design freedom in other areas.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rotor blade rib extends over the entire length of the rotor blade shell, then the stability is improved, but the material usage and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rib is segmented to extend only over the first section of the blade rather than the full length, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining stability where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The rib is extracted or removed from the second section of the blade where it is not needed for stability, reducing material usage and manufacturing complexity without compromising overall structural integrity.
3Device complexity
If the rotor blade chord is extended straight to the blade tip, then the structural simplicity is maintained, but the ability to reduce stresses through curved designs is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade shell is designed with curved leading and trailing edges in the second section, creating a swept-back appearance. This curvature enables stress reduction while the rib in the first section maintains structural simplicity where needed.
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 enhances flexibility and reduces material requirements while maintaining structural integrity, enabling more efficient load distribution and reduced manufacturing effort.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the two laminates in a second section of the rotor blade shell, which adjoins the first section at the end of the first section facing the shell tip and extends substantially to the shell tip, has at least one fiber layer. This fiber layer extends transversely from the trailing edge of the shell to the leading edge of the shell and contains fibers, a predominant proportion of which, preferably more than 60%, and in particular more than 80%, extends longitudinally.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a rotor blade shell (110a, 110b), a rotor blade (100) and a wind turbine. The rotor blade shell (110a, 110b) extends from a shell root (400) to a shell tip (401). A layer system of the rotor blade shell (110a, 110b) extending in a longitudinal direction (L) contains a core layer and two laminates (1a, 2b, 5a, 5b, 21, 51) which are arranged on mutually opposing sides of the core layer. One part of the core layer is formed in a first portion (A) by a rotor blade belt (2a, 2b, 12) which ends at an end (a) of the first portion (A) facing the shell tip. At least one of the two laminates (1a, 2b, 5a, 5b, 21, 51) has, in a second portion (B) which adjoins the first portion (A) at the end (a) of the first portion (A) facing the shell tip, at least one fibre layer (11a, 11b, 15a, 15b, 20, 50) which extends in a transverse direction (Q) from a trailing edge (8) of the shell to a leading edge (9) of the shell and contains fibres, of which a majority extend in the longitudinal direction (L).