Self-Aligning Rotor Blade Joint Structure for Wind Turbine Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of large wind turbine blades is hindered by the difficulty in aligning and clamping multi-sectional blades due to their length and weight, which complicates transportation and installation, especially in remote locations where maneuverability and loading/unloading are challenging.
Innovation Solution
A precision alignment and clamping structure using bulkheads with male alignment pins and bushings, along with shear webs and spar caps, facilitates the accurate mating and secure joining of blade sections, allowing for temporary support during assembly and permanent bonding with adhesive.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multi-sectional blades are used to reduce transportation difficulties, then blade transportability is improved, but alignment precision of blade sections deteriorates due to length and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The bulkheads are pre-assembled with alignment pins and bushings precisely positioned before blade section assembly. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the long, heavy blade sections are brought together, the alignment features are already in place to guide precise mating, eliminating the need for complex alignment operations during final assembly
Solution Approach 2:
Alignment pins and bushings serve as intermediary elements between the bulkheads of adjacent blade sections. These intermediaries facilitate the alignment process by providing fixed reference points that guide the sections into precise alignment, solving the alignment difficulty caused by the length and weight of the sections
2Length of moving object
If blade sections are made smaller for multi-sectional design, then transportation ease is improved, but clamping and alignment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into multiple sections with bulkheads at the ends of each section. Each bulkhead is independently assembled with alignment pins and bushings, allowing the sections to be manufactured, transported, and prepared separately before final assembly, thereby reducing transportation complexity while maintaining alignment simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment pins on one bulkhead automatically mate with the bushings on the adjacent bulkhead during assembly. This self-aligning mechanism eliminates the need for complex external alignment tools or procedures, allowing the structure to align itself through the inherent geometry of the pins and bushings
Data Source
AI summary
An inventive self-aligning blade joint structure is provided to facilitate assembly and clamping of wind turbine blade sections carried on a transporter. The blade joint structure includes alignment pins on one end bulkhead of a blade body section at the joint and complimentary female bushings on a bulkhead of an adjacent blade body section to permit fine alignment of the joint. The blade joint structure also includes through holes in the end bulkheads for the adjacent blade body sections to permit clamping of the sections in preparation for application of adhesive bonding to the joint. A pair of male scarfed surfaces of spar caps extend from one blade section into the second blade section and engage female scarfed surfaces of spar caps formed in the second blade section and recessed from the joint. An inventive method is provided to utilize the self-aligning blade joint structure for assembly of the blade sections.