Shear Web Installation Without Gantry Using Heated Bulkheads
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing large-scale composite structures like wind turbine blades require complex and costly gantry systems for shear web installation, leading to complications in shop floor space, increased production cycle times, and additional weight and design complexity due to the need for permanent fixtures.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize support elements, specifically bulkheads with removable lids and apertures for fluid circulation, to guide and stabilize the shear web during installation, eliminating the need for a gantry and allowing for precise positioning and simultaneous bonding and curing within the blade mold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a gantry system is used for shear web installation, then the shear web can be positioned and bonded, but the shop floor space requirements increase and production cycle time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the gantry system entirely from the installation process. Instead of using a complex overhead gantry to position and support the shear web, the invention integrates positioning features directly into the mold structure itself, extracting the unnecessary gantry component while maintaining installation precision through molded-in guides and support elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold structure provides self-positioning and self-support functionality through integrated guides and support elements. The shear web is positioned and stabilized by features built into the mold rather than requiring external gantry equipment, allowing the system to serve itself without additional complex apparatus.
2Manufacturing precision
If a gantry system is used for shear web installation, then the shear web can be installed, but the production cycle time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mold includes pre-integrated guides and support elements that are prepared in advance during mold fabrication. These features are built into the mold structure before production begins, enabling rapid shear web installation without requiring time-consuming gantry setup and operation for each installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated mold features provide automatic positioning and support functionality, eliminating the time-consuming operations associated with gantry system setup, movement, and positioning. The mold structure itself performs the positioning function instantly when the shear web is installed.
3Manufacturing precision
If permanent fixtures are used to guide the shear web, then the shear web can be positioned during mold closing, but the blade weight increases and design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes permanent guiding fixtures from the final blade structure. Instead of leaving permanent fixtures in place to guide the shear web, the invention uses temporary or removable guides that are extracted after installation, eliminating unnecessary weight and design complexity from the final product while maintaining positioning precision during the installation process.
4Reliability
If a gantry system is used for shear web installation, then the shear web can be supported, but the capital expenditures increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for expensive gantry systems by integrating support functionality directly into the mold structure. The mold includes built-in support elements that provide the necessary stability and reliability for shear web installation without requiring external gantry equipment, thereby reducing capital expenditures while maintaining support stability.
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 approach reduces shop floor space requirements, accelerates the installation and curing processes, saves on capital expenditures, and maintains structural integrity without adding significant weight, while ensuring proper web placement and orientation.
Implementation Method 1
heating the interior of the blade, wherein heating includes directing fluid from the blade root through a bulkhead towards the blade tip with the fluid circulating around the shear web
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A method of forming a wind turbine blade is provided which includes upper and lower blade mold halves, and a shear web having at least one aperture formed therein. A plurality of bulkheads are attached to the shear web and the shear web can be lifted and rotated, without need for a complex gantry/galactica apparatus, to be placed inside the lower blade mold. The upper mold half can then be closed with the shear web and bulkhead(s) disposed within the blade interior. A heating fluid can be pumped into the interior to pass through the bulkheads, circulating around the shear web and exiting the blade root with the assistance of a sump to pull the cold air outside the blade.