Wind Turbine Spar Cap Stack Alignment Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of wind turbine rotor blade spar caps faces challenges in maintaining the alignment of pultruded planks during the production process, particularly on steeply inclined mold sections, leading to difficulties in achieving the desired aerodynamic shape and structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a stack alignment device to pre-align pultruded plank stacks before transferring them into a mold, ensuring precise orientation and preventing slippage, followed by resin infusion to connect the planks, which reduces cycle time and avoids the need for laborious alignment within the mold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If planks are stacked side-by-side on steeply inclined mold sections, then the aerodynamic shape of the rotor blade can be achieved, but the planks tend to move or slide due to gravity making alignment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-aligning the plank stacks in a flat storage area before transferring them to the inclined mold. The stacks are arranged in the correct side-by-side configuration on a flat surface where gravity does not cause misalignment, and then transferred as a pre-assembled unit to the mold, eliminating the alignment difficulty that would occur if stacking were attempted directly on the inclined surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary element - a support structure or transfer mechanism - that facilitates the movement of pre-aligned plank stacks from the flat storage area to the inclined mold without disturbing their alignment. This intermediary system allows the stacks to be transferred as a complete aligned unit, preventing gravity-induced sliding during the critical alignment phase.
2Shape
If stacks are transferred into a curved mold, then the desired rotor blade contour can be formed, but maintaining predetermined alignment during transfer is challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling the complete stack arrangement in the correct side-by-side configuration on a flat storage area before transfer. This preliminary assembly ensures that all stacks are correctly positioned and aligned prior to the transfer operation, making the subsequent transfer to the curved mold simpler and more reliable since the alignment is already established.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the multiple plank stacks into a single pre-assembled unit or group during the preliminary arrangement phase on the flat surface. By combining the stacks into a unified configuration before transfer, the operation becomes easier to control and maintain alignment, as the entire assembled structure is moved together rather than attempting to align individual stacks during transfer to the curved mold.
3Manufacturing precision
If stacks are manually aligned within the mold, then precise orientation can be achieved, but the process becomes laborious and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing the alignment operation in advance on a flat storage area before the stacks are transferred to the mold. The stacks are arranged in the correct side-by-side orientation and position during this preliminary phase, so that when they are transferred to the curved mold, the alignment is already established and no additional laborious alignment work is needed within the mold itself, thereby reducing production cycle time.
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 ensures accurate alignment and connection of planks without the stack alignment device impacting the final product, improving mechanical structure and reducing costs by eliminating the need for additional material and preparation steps, thus enhancing the efficiency and quality of spar cap production.
Implementation Method 1
the stacks remain in predetermined alignment... preventing slippage
Implementation Method 2
connecting the stacks by means of resin infusion in the mold to manufacture the spar cap
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4a~4c
AI summary
The invention concerns a method for manufacturing a spar cap (136) for a wind turbine rotor blade (110) in a mold (172), the method comprising the following steps: - providing several stacks (140) of pultruded planks (142), wherein each stack (140) comprises a main extension direction (144), a top side (148) and a bottom side (146), wherein the stacks (140) are arranged side by side along their main extension direction (144), - mounting a stack alignment device (160) onto the stacks (140), the stack alignment device (160) being configured to put a distance between each adjacent two stacks (140), such that a gap (170) is formed between each adjacent two stacks (140) and the stacks (140) remain in predetermined alignment, - transferring the stacks (140) with the stack alignment device into a mold (172), thereby maintaining the predetermined alignment, - removing the stack alignment device (160), and - connecting the stacks (140) by means of resin infusion in the mold (172) to manufacture the spar cap (136). The invention also concerns a stack alignment device (160).