Segmented Wind Turbine Blade Prefabricated Spar Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wind turbine blade designs face limitations in size due to transportation and infrastructure constraints, necessitating the division of blades into sections for assembly on-site, which complicates manufacturing and quality control, especially as blades approach lengths of 100 meters and maximum chords of 8 meters.
Innovation Solution
A wind turbine blade configuration divided into two modules, an inboard and an outboard module, with each module composed of prefabricated spars and shells made from glass fibre reinforced plastic or carbon fibre reinforced plastic, using different materials and manufacturing processes to optimize structural integrity and aerodynamic performance, and assembled using polyurethane adhesive and metallic inserts for efficient on-site assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the blade length is increased to produce more energy, then the power output increases, but the transportation and infrastructure requirements become more difficult to satisfy
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into multiple longitudinal sections that can be manufactured separately and transported independently. Each section is then assembled at the wind turbine site to form the complete blade structure, enabling transportation of longer blades that would otherwise exceed infrastructure limits.
2Ease of operation
If the blade is divided into longitudinal sections for transportation, then the transportation problem is solved, but the manufacturing complexity and quality control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Joining elements are pre-installed into the blade sections during the manufacturing process before transportation. This preliminary action ensures proper alignment and positioning, simplifying the final assembly operation and reducing quality control issues at the assembly site.
3Ease of operation
If joining means are added to connect blade sections, then the blade can be assembled from sections, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The joining elements are integrated with the blade section structures themselves, merging the connection function into the existing components. This approach eliminates separate attachment hardware and simplifies both manufacturing and assembly processes by combining multiple functions into unified elements.
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 configuration allows for efficient manufacturing and transportation of large blades, optimizing quality control, reducing non-conformity costs, and improving productivity by enabling parallel manufacturing of parts and easier assembly, while adapting materials and processes to specific module requirements for enhanced structural and aerodynamic performance.
Implementation Method 1
assembled using polyurethane adhesive and metallic inserts for efficient on-site assembly
Data Source
Figure 1a~2
Figure 3a~4b
Figure 5~8
AI summary
A wind turbine blade transversely divided in an inboard module (13) and an outboard module (33) provided on their end sections with connecting means, comprising, respectively, an inboard spar (15), an inboard upper shell (17) and an inboard lower shell (19); an outboard spar (35), an outboard upper shell (37) and an outboard lower shell (39); and arranged so that the aerodynamic profile of said inboard and outboard modules (13, 33) is defined by said upper and lower shells (17, 19; 37, 39), in which the inboard spar (15) is composed of two cap prefabricated panels (21, 23) and two web prefabricated panels (25, 27), and the outboard spar (35) is composed of first and second prefabricated panels (41, 43) integrating its caps (45, 47) and webs (49, 51). The invention also refers to a method of fabricating said wind turbine blade.