Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Trailing Edge Segment Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing designs for rotor blades in wind turbines face challenges in transporting large blades due to their increased profile depth, which complicates installation and can lead to connection damage under strong winds, especially when attaching trailing edge segments.
Innovation Solution
A trailing edge segment for wind turbine rotor blades is proposed, comprising inner and middle blade segments coupled via a central coupling device with parallel shell elements, allowing for uniform force distribution and reducing moment-induced damage, enabling easier transportation and assembly by separating components for on-site assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the rotor blade profile depth is increased to reduce vortex generation and improve efficiency, then the aerodynamic performance is improved, but the transportability of the rotor blade deteriorates due to difficulty in passing under bridges and other obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade is divided into multiple segments: a first blade segment with a reduced profile depth for transport, and a second blade segment (trailing edge segment) that can be attached later to increase the profile depth. This segmentation allows the blade to be transported in a compact form while achieving the desired aerodynamic performance after assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The first blade segment is manufactured with a reduced profile depth in advance to facilitate transport. The trailing edge segment is prepared separately and attached at the installation site, allowing the blade to achieve its full aerodynamic potential after transport and assembly.
2Length of moving object
If a trailing edge segment is attached to the rotor blade to increase profile depth, then the transportability is improved, but the assembly complexity increases and requires considerable time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The trailing edge segment is further divided into an inner blade segment and an outer blade segment that can be attached separately to the first blade segment. This segmentation simplifies the assembly process by allowing modular attachment of components.
Solution Approach 2:
A coupling device with a coupling element is introduced as an intermediary component to connect the inner and outer blade segments. This coupling device simplifies the connection process and reduces assembly complexity by providing a standardized interface between segments.
3Ease of operation
If a coupling device is used to attach blade segments, then the assembly ease is improved, but the connection reliability deteriorates due to unilateral force application causing moment effects that can lead to damage under strong winds
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is designed with an asymmetric structure where the coupling element is positioned eccentrically within the coupling device housing. This asymmetric design allows the coupling element to engage with both the inner and outer blade segments simultaneously, distributing forces bilaterally and eliminating moment effects that would compromise connection reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a wind turbine rotor blade trailing edge segment (2, 112) for increasing a profile depth of a rotor blade (1, 108) of a wind turbine (100). The wind turbine rotor blade trailing edge segment (2, 112) comprises at least one inner blade segment (6, 7, 8) having an inner blade shell (12), and at least one middle blade segment (5) having a middle blade shell (11). In that context, the at least one middle blade segment (5) and the at least one inner blade segment (6, 7, 8) can be coupled to one another via a coupling device (25), and the coupling device (25) has at least one shell element (13, 53) with two mutually parallel inner sides (22, 62) which form a receiving space (66), created to receive at least one of the inner blade shell (12) or middle blade shell (11), and the two inner sides (22, 62) are in each case created such that they can be connected to at least one of the inner blade shell (12) or middle blade shell (11), such that a force acting on the wind turbine rotor blade trailing edge segment (2, 112) is guided centrally into the coupling device (25).