Split Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Connecting Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern wind turbines with larger rotor diameters and longer blades face challenges in transportation and installation due to increased weight and complexity, particularly with steel rotor blades, which require heavy cranes and result in higher nacelle weights.
Innovation Solution
A rotor blade design comprising a split structure with a fiber-reinforced plastic inner and outer part, connected using anchoring and counter-elements with connecting bolts and expansion sleeves, allowing for a lightweight and easily transportable solution while maintaining structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If steel rotor blade sections are used, then structural strength is improved, but weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade sections are constructed using composite materials, specifically glass fiber reinforced plastic or carbon fiber reinforced plastic, combined with foam core materials. This composite structure provides the necessary structural strength while maintaining significantly lower weight compared to solid steel construction, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and weight
2Power
If rotor blade length is increased, then power generation capacity is improved, but transportation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade is divided into multiple separable sections (typically three main sections and optional intermediate sections) that can be transported independently to the installation site and then assembled. This segmentation allows longer blades to be transported using standard infrastructure while maintaining the power generation benefits of increased blade length
3Ease of operation
If rotor blade is divided into sections, then transportation ease is improved, but connection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Connection elements such as anchoring elements, counter elements, and connecting bolts are pre-integrated into the rotor blade sections during manufacturing. This preliminary integration simplifies the on-site assembly process, as the connection components are already in place and require minimal additional work during field installation
Solution Approach 2:
Standardized connecting components serve as intermediaries between blade sections, including anchoring elements embedded in one section, connecting bolts, and counter elements in the other section. These intermediary components facilitate simple and reliable connections while maintaining structural integrity, reducing the overall complexity of the joining process
4Reliability
If cradle structure is added for connection, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cradle structure is merged with the rotor blade shell itself, forming an integrated connection system. The cradle elements are embedded directly into the blade sections and work together with the connecting bolts and counter elements to create a unified, reliable connection that does not require separate, complex external structures
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a rotor blade of a wind turbine for fixing to a rotor hub, said rotor blade having a rotor blade longitudinal axis, comprising a rotor blade inner part (2) near the rotor hub and a rotor blade outer part (4) further away from the rotor hub. The rotor blade inner part (2) and the rotor blade outer part (4) are connected to each other by means of at least one connecting device, and the connecting device comprises at least one anchoring element (34) which is anchored in the rotor blade outer part (4), at least one counter element (20) which is anchored in the rotor blade inner part (2), and at least one connecting bolt (28) which passes through the counter element (20) and is fixed in the anchoring element (34).