Thermoset Rotor Blade Weldable Thermoplastic Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing wind turbine rotor blades face challenges in joining thermoset components to thermoplastic materials, often requiring expensive adhesives and fasteners that add weight and cost, while also compromising structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a polymerized thermoplastic component with a removable protective layer, co-infused with a thermoset resin to create a weldable thermoplastic interface, allowing for the integration of thermoplastic components into thermoset blades, reducing the need for costly bonding materials and enhancing structural strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional adhesives and fasteners are used to join thermoset components to thermoplastic materials, then the components can be joined together, but the weight and cost increase and structural integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical joining systems (adhesives and fasteners) with a welding process that directly fuses thermoplastic components to thermoset blade structures. The welding process melts and fuses the thermoplastic material to the thermoset substrate, creating a metallurgical-grade bond that eliminates the need for separate bonding materials and achieves superior structural integrity without adding weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite material construction by integrating thermoplastic components within a thermoset matrix structure. The thermoplastic sections are strategically placed at interfaces requiring joining, while the thermoset material provides the primary structural framework. This composite approach allows welding at thermoplastic interfaces while maintaining the overall thermoset blade architecture, achieving both weight reduction and structural integrity.
2Strength
If conventional adhesives and fasteners are used to join thermoset components to thermoplastic materials, then the components can be joined together, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive adhesive and fastener systems with a welding process that directly fuses thermoplastic components to thermoset blade structures. The welding process melts and fuses the thermoplastic material to the thermoset substrate, creating a metallurgical-grade bond that eliminates the need for separate bonding materials and achieves superior structural integrity without adding weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and bonding mechanism at the joint interface by applying heat to melt the thermoplastic material, transforming it from a solid state to a molten state and back upon cooling. This phase change enables direct fusion bonding between thermoplastic and thermoset materials, replacing chemical adhesive bonding with thermal fusion, thereby eliminating adhesive material costs and reducing overall manufacturing expenses.
3Weight of moving object
If thermoplastic components are integrated into thermoset blades, then weight is reduced and welding is enabled, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the blade into distinct segments with different material properties - thermoplastic components are separated into discrete sections that can be independently manufactured and then welded to the main thermoset blade structure. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and enables modular manufacturing, reducing overall process complexity despite the multi-material nature of the blade.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares thermoplastic components in advance with specific surface characteristics and geometries that facilitate welding to the thermoset blade structure. By pre-forming these components with appropriate interfaces and protective layers before integration, the actual welding process during blade assembly is simplified, and the complexity of coordinating multi-material joining is reduced through advance preparation.
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 enables cost-effective and lightweight rotor blades with improved structural integrity by allowing thermoplastic components to be welded directly, eliminating the need for expensive adhesives and fasteners, and enhancing the blade's ability to withstand operational loads.
Implementation Method 1
co-infusing the plurality of dry plies and the thermoplastic component with a resin material so as to form the rotor blade
Implementation Method 2
removing the removable protective layer from the thermoplastic component and welding a thermoplastic blade component to the thermoplastic component of the rotor blade
Implementation Method 3
welding a thermoplastic blade component to the thermoplastic component of the rotor blade
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a method for manufacturing a thermoset component having a weldable thermoplastic interface. The method includes forming a polymerized thermoplastic component having a removable protective layer on a portion thereof. Another step includes placing a plurality of dry plies and the thermoplastic component into a mold of the thermoset component with the removable protective layer facing an outer surface of the thermoset component mold. Thus, the method further includes co-infusing the dry plies and thermoplastic component with a resin material so as to form the thermoset component having a weldable thermoplastic interface.