Segmented Wind Turbine Blades for On-Site Assembly and Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wind turbine blade manufacturing is costly due to high capital investment, extensive manual labor, and transportation challenges, especially for remote installations, where large, complex blades need to be transported over long distances.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for manufacturing wind turbine blades using modular shell core sections, strengthening elements, and an outer surface material layer, where sections are assembled and cured locally near the installation site, minimizing human labor and transportation costs by using additive manufacturing or moulding techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional centralized manufacturing methods are used to produce large wind turbine blades, then manufacturing precision and structural integrity can be achieved, but transportation costs and difficulties increase significantly, especially for remote installations
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into multiple transportable sections that are manufactured separately and then assembled on-site. Each section maintains structural integrity during transport while the final assembly achieves the complete blade configuration, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and transportation ease.
2Manufacturing precision
If large-scale moulds and centralized manufacturing facilities are used, then manufacturing precision can be maintained, but capital investment and facility requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into modular sections that can be produced using smaller, less complex facilities. Each section is manufactured independently with controlled precision requirements, and the final assembly achieves the complete blade structure, reducing both capital investment and facility complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing approach transitions from producing one large blade in a single centralized facility to producing multiple smaller sections that can be manufactured in distributed, smaller-scale facilities. This dimensional change in the manufacturing system reduces the complexity and capital requirements of individual manufacturing sites.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual labor is used extensively in blade manufacturing and assembly, then manufacturing flexibility can be maintained, but labor costs and assembly time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Blade sections are pre-manufactured with integrated connection features and precision mounting interfaces during the manufacturing phase. This preliminary action reduces the complexity of on-site assembly operations, enabling faster assembly while maintaining manufacturing flexibility through standardized modular components.
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 reduces labor and transportation costs by allowing local assembly and manufacturing of wind turbine blades, enabling efficient construction of large blades with varying profiles without the need for extensive manual labor and long-distance transport, thus improving the efficiency and accessibility of wind energy installations.
Implementation Method 1
An outer surface material layer is deposited to cover the external surface and the plurality of strengthening elements. The outer surface material layer defines an external profile of the blade
Data Source
AI summary
A system (24) and method are described herein for manufacturing a wind turbine blade (22) proximate to the final installation site of a wind turbine (10). The system (24) includes a creel (72) of feeders (74) configured to apply strengthening elements (62) onto a plurality of shell core sections (26) coupled together and fed through the creel (72). The shell core sections (26) include an external surface (56) with a plurality of external grooves (58) recessed into the external surface (56) such that the strengthening elements (62) are laid into the external grooves (58). The system (24) also includes a deposition station (78) configured to apply an outer surface material layer (82) in fluid form to cover the external surface (56) and the plurality of strengthening elements (62). A curing station (86) heats and consolidates the shell core sections (26), the strengthening elements (62), and the outer surface material layer (82) together into a final consolidated part, with the outer surface material layer (82) defining an external profile of the blade (22) following curing.