Segmented Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Extension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wind turbine rotor blades face structural challenges due to increased loading when attempting to enhance aerodynamic performance by increasing the chord-wise dimension, particularly in the root region, which can lead to material buckling and excessive strain at the trailing edge.
Innovation Solution
A segmented extension portion is appended to the rotor blade, comprising lightweight materials and interfaces that inhibit load transmission between segments, allowing for a cantilevered configuration that maintains a straight load path and minimizes structural loading, while enabling easy transportation and replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the chord-wise dimension of the rotor blade is increased in the root region to enhance aerodynamic performance, then the surface area presented to the wind is increased, but the structural loading and material strain at the trailing edge increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade is divided into multiple segments along its span, with each segment capable of independent movement. This segmentation allows the blade to optimize its aerodynamic surface area while distributing structural loads across multiple independent sections, preventing excessive strain concentration at any single location such as the trailing edge.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor blade incorporates movable or deformable portions that can dynamically adjust their configuration during operation. This dynamic capability enables the blade to adapt to varying aerodynamic conditions, maximizing energy capture while maintaining structural integrity by redistributing loads in real-time rather than being constrained to a fixed rigid configuration.
2Productivity
If the chord-wise dimension is increased in the root region to compensate for slower tangential velocity, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but the curvature at the trailing edge increases causing higher fluctuating strains
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the blade structure, the invention reduces the curvature radius at the trailing edge of each segment. This segmentation approach allows the blade to achieve the necessary chord-wise dimension for energy capture while distributing the fluctuating strains across multiple segments, preventing excessive stress concentration that would occur in a monolithic structure with high curvature.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor blade employs different structural characteristics at different locations along its span. The root region incorporates specific structural features optimized for handling fluctuating strains while maintaining adequate chord-wise dimension. This localized optimization allows the blade to capture energy efficiently without subjecting any single area to excessive curvilinear strain.
3Strength
If a conventional monolithic rotor blade design is used, then structural loading is transmitted continuously to the hub, but transportation and maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade is segmented into multiple sections that can be independently handled during transportation and maintenance. This modular approach reduces the size and complexity of individual components that need to be moved, while the segmented structure maintains the capability to transmit loads to the hub through the connection points between segments and the hub.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable or deformable portions in the rotor blade design allow for flexible assembly and disassembly configurations. This dynamic characteristic enables the blade to be easily transported in segmented portions and reassembled at the installation site, significantly reducing transportation complexity while maintaining continuous load transmission capability when assembled.
Data Source
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Figure 7a~7c
AI summary
A wind turbine rotor bladeextension portion is provided. The extension portion comprisesa plurality of segments, located adjacent one another in a span-wise sense. Aninterface between adjacent segments isconfigured to minimise disruption to fluid passing thereover and to inhibit transmission of longitudinal loads between segments. Each segment comprises a first surface and a second surface. The first surface isspaced from the second surface at a proximal region of the extensionportion and the first surface isconnected to the second surface at a distal region of the extensionportion to thereby generate a fair surface for a rotor blade to which the extensionportion is connected, in use.