Male Spar Beam for Segmented Wind Turbine Blades with Mandrel-Free Moulding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of male spar beams for segmented wind turbine blades is challenging due to the difficulty in removing mandrels and the risk of fibre material misalignment, leading to defects and increased complexity, especially when using conventional moulding processes.
Innovation Solution
A male spar beam design comprising separately manufactured leading-edge and trailing-edge parts, which are adhesively joined to form spar caps, allowing for mandrel-free moulding and reduced shear stress at the joints, enabling easier inspection and incorporation of internal components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a mandrel is used in conventional moulding processes, then the male spar beam can be manufactured with proper shape, but the mandrel is difficult to remove after infusion and increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the mandrel from the mould structure entirely. Instead of using a mandrel to define the hollow interior space, the invention uses the mould walls themselves to form the exterior shape while the interior space is created by the lay-up arrangement of fibre material and infusion process, eliminating the need for mandrel removal
Solution Approach 2:
The mould is divided into two separate parts: an upper mould and a lower mould. This segmentation allows the fibre material to be laid up in the lower mould, infused, and cured without requiring a mandrel, as the two-part mould structure itself defines the hollow interior space
2Manufacturing precision
If fibre material is laid up around and on the mandrel, then the male spar beam structure can be formed, but there is a risk of fibre material misalignment and defects
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the mandrel from the process, the patent eliminates the source of misalignment problems. The fibre material is laid up directly in the lower mould without needing to be positioned around or on a mandrel, significantly reducing the risk of alignment errors and defects
Solution Approach 2:
The two-part mould structure allows fibre material to be laid up in a simpler, more controlled manner in the lower mould, with the upper mould acting as a cover during infusion. This segmentation reduces the complexity of fibre arrangement and minimizes alignment risks
3Ease of manufacture
If a flow media layer is used between fibre material and mandrel, then sufficient wetting during infusion is ensured, but the flow media layer must be removed after mandrel withdrawal which is labour-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
By eliminating the mandrel from the process, the patent also eliminates the need for a flow media layer. The two-part mould structure allows resin to flow and wet the fibre material directly through the infusion process without requiring an intermediate flow media layer that would need to be removed
Solution Approach 2:
The two-part mould design enables direct resin infusion into the fibre lay-up without a mandrel, allowing the resin to naturally flow and wet the fibres through the segmented mould structure, eliminating the need for additional flow media and post-processing removal steps
Data Source
AI summary
A male spar beam for mutually attaching a segmented wind turbine blade and, comprising: a leading-edge part comprising a second upper wall, a second lower wall, and a second shear wall connecting the second upper wall with the second lower wall, the leading-edge part; and a trailing-edge part comprising a first upper wall, a first lower wall, and a first shear wall connecting the first upper wall with the first lower wall. The leading-edge and trailing-edge parts being separately formed integrally in one piece, respectively. An end of the first lower wall is attached to an end of the second lower wall so that the first lower wall and the second lower wall form a lower spar cap of the male spar beam, and an end of the first upper wall is attached to an end of the second upper wall so that the first upper wall and the second upper wall form an upper spar cap of the male spar beam.