Tribrid Wind Turbine Blade Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine blade manufacturing methods face challenges such as complex bonding operations, time-consuming attachment of aerodynamic fairings, and demanding integral moulding processes, which affect efficiency and weight distribution in the blade structure.
Innovation Solution
A tribrid wind turbine blade design comprising separate load-bearing spar, load-bearing shell, and integrally-formed tip portions, allowing for the utilization of different constructional approaches where they provide the greatest impact, with the load-bearing spar at the root end, cost-effective shell construction for the mainboard, and adhesive-free tip portion for weight savings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If load-bearing shell approach is used for blade construction, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but bonding operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into three separate portions (root portion with spar structure, mainboard portion with shell construction, tip portion with integral construction) that can be manufactured independently using different optimal methods, then assembled together. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized separately, reducing overall bonding complexity while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Strength
If load-bearing spar approach is used for blade construction, then load-bearing performance is improved, but aerodynamic fairing attachment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is segmented into root portion (with spar structure for load-bearing), mainboard portion (with shell construction for aerodynamics), and tip portion. This allows the load-bearing spar to be concentrated where needed (root portion) while the aerodynamic fairing can be integrated into the mainboard portion manufactured separately, reducing attachment time through parallel manufacturing processes.
3Strength
If integral moulding approach is used for blade construction, then structural strength is improved, but manufacturing process difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into three portions that can be manufactured using different methods optimized for each section. The tip portion uses integral moulding where it provides the greatest structural benefit, while the root and mainboard portions use alternative methods. This selective application reduces overall manufacturing process difficulty while maintaining structural strength where critical.
Solution Approach 2:
Different construction methods are applied to different portions of the blade based on local requirements: load-bearing spar construction at the root where loads are highest, shell construction in the mainboard where aerodynamics are critical, and integral construction at the tip where weight savings are most beneficial. This local optimization reduces overall manufacturing complexity.
4Strength
If adhesive bonding is used to connect blade portions, then structural integrity is improved, but blade weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is segmented into three portions connected by bonding operations. While adhesive bonding is used at the connection interfaces to maintain structural integrity, the overall blade weight is reduced compared to fully bonded constructions because each portion can be optimized independently and the bonding is limited to necessary connection points rather than continuous bonding throughout the entire blade structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A tribrid wind turbine blade is described, wherein the blade is formed from three separate parts made using three different manufacturing approaches. A root section of the blade is formed by a load-bearing central spar having an aerodynamic shell or fairing fitted to the spar. A mainboard portion is formed from a load-bearing shell structure. A tip portion is formed as an integrally-formed element from a one-shot closed moulding process.