Segmented Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Fairing Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Segmented wind turbine rotor blades face challenges in protecting the gap between connection ends from environmental impacts and require easy assembly and disassembly for maintenance, while maintaining aerodynamic performance and avoiding corrosion.
Innovation Solution
A wind turbine rotor blade design featuring two segments connected via multiple elements, with a fairing that covers the gap and is divided into separate sections to maintain aerodynamics, allowing for simple field assembly and disassembly, and integration with the lightning protection system to prevent corrosion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fairing is used to cover the gap and protect mechanical connections from environmental impacts, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fairing is divided into multiple separate fairing sections that are coupled together at coupling regions. This segmentation allows the fairing to be assembled in sections rather than as a single complex piece, reducing the overall complexity while maintaining the protective function. The fairing sections can be attached to the rotor blade segments and coupled together to cover the gap and protect the mechanical connections.
2Ease of operation
If the fairing is divided into separate sections coupled at coupling regions, then ease of assembly is improved, but aerodynamic performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling regions are positioned at specific locations on the fairing sections where they can be joined without significantly affecting the overall aerodynamic shape. The fairing sections are designed with coupling regions that allow for easy assembly while maintaining a smooth external contour. The local coupling areas are designed to minimize disruption to the aerodynamic flow over the rotor blade surface.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure concerns a segmented wind turbine rotor blade, which is formed by at least two rotor blade segments, wherein at a division area of the wind turbine rotor blade the segments are firmly connected together at respective connection ends via a plurality of connecting elements, wherein a gap is formed between the connection ends, and a fairing is attached to the segments at the division area, the fairing covering the gap and the connecting elements; wherein the fairing is divided into at least two separate fairing sections, the fairing sections are coupled together at coupling regions at the pressure side and/or at the suction side of the rotor blade, and the coupling regions are spaced apart from the trailing edge or leading edge. The disclosure also concerns a method.