Turbine Blade Geometry Prediction from Point Cloud Airfoil Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

The specific geometrical structure of wind turbine blades is proprietary and unknown, hindering their reuse in structural and architectural applications due to the lack of public information on their geometry and material structure.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for predicting the external geometry of turbine blades using a point cloud, generating a mesh, defining a reference axis, and matching sampling planes to a database of known airfoil profiles to create a geometrical representation, adjusting parameters iteratively to minimize a fitness score.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the geometry and material structure of turbine blades are kept proprietary, then the manufacturers protect their intellectual property and competitive advantage, but the reuse and recycling of blades in structural applications is hindered due to lack of public information

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIntellectual property protectionVSAvoidReuse in structural applications

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates accurate digital copies (3D models) of turbine blade geometries through scanning and reverse engineering techniques. These digital replicas preserve the essential geometric information needed for structural reuse applications without requiring access to proprietary manufacturing drawings or original design data, thus enabling reuse while respecting intellectual property boundaries

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If blade geometries are made public to enable reuse, then structural applications can be developed, but the manufacturers lose their competitive advantage and intellectual property protection

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveReuse in structural applicationsVSAvoidIntellectual property protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of releasing original proprietary designs, the patent generates independent digital copies through physical scanning and reverse engineering. This approach provides sufficient geometric accuracy for structural applications while maintaining a clear distinction between the copied geometry and the original proprietary design data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the blade geometry into discrete measurable features and parameters that can be independently characterized. This segmentation allows extraction of essential geometric information for structural reuse without revealing the complete proprietary design package including material specifications, manufacturing processes, and internal structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of substance

If recycling methods such as shredding are used, then composite materials can be recovered, but the mechanical properties of the recycled material are dramatically decreased

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveComposite material recoveryVSAvoidMechanical properties of recycled material

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary characterization of blade geometry and structure before recycling or reuse. By creating accurate 3D models and understanding the internal structure in advance, appropriate recycling strategies can be selected that minimize damage to composite materials, such as directional dismantling or selective material recovery, rather than indiscriminate shredding

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If the specific geometrical structure of blades is unknown, then intellectual property is protected, but accurate prediction and utilization of blade geometry for reuse applications becomes impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIntellectual property protectionVSAvoidGeometry prediction accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces direct access to proprietary manufacturing data with non-contact scanning technologies (such as laser scanning or photogrammetry) and computational reverse engineering. These methods capture geometric information optically and mathematically reconstruct the 3D model, substituting physical measurement access with digital reconstruction techniques that achieve high precision without requiring proprietary data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12511451B2Systems and methods for predicting the geometry and internal structure of turbine blades

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 GEORGIA TECH RES CORP

AI summary

An exemplary embodiment provides a method of predicting a geometry of a turbine blade, comprising: obtaining a point cloud of the turbine blade, the point cloud comprising a plurality of points corresponding to locations on an external contour of the turbine blade; generating an external mesh for the turbine blade based on point cloud; defining a reference axis along the length of the blade; generating a plurality of sampling planes along the length of the reference axis, each sampling plane being normal to the reference axis and having a shape defined by portions of the mesh intersecting the sampling plane; for each of the plurality of sampling planes, matching the sampling plane to an airfoil profile in a database of known airfoil profiles; and creating a geometrical representation of the turbine blade by placing the airfoils on the reference axis and connecting the perimeter of each of the airfoils.