Wind Turbine Blade Flatback Segment Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Incorporating flatback sections into wind turbine blades is challenging, and existing manufacturing methods often require additional glue joints and reinforcement layers, which can lead to structural issues and processing defects.
Innovation Solution
A wind turbine blade design featuring a profiled contour with a leading edge and trailing edge, integrated main spar caps, and shear webs, along with a shell core with a bend angle of at least 45 degrees, which reduces the need for additional glue joints and reinforcement layers, enabling a flatback section without increasing structural glue usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a flatback section is incorporated into the wind turbine blade, then aerodynamic performance and transportability are improved, but manufacturing complexity and structural integrity are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The blade shell is divided into two separate halves (first and second blade shell parts) that are manufactured independently using separate moulds, then joined together along a glue joint. This segmentation allows the flatback section to be manufactured in one half without complicating the overall manufacturing process, as each half can be produced using standard VARTM techniques in its own mould.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third dimension by adding a glue joint along the trailing edge where the two blade shell halves are joined. This additional joining dimension allows the flatback section to be incorporated without requiring modifications to the core manufacturing process, as the glue joint provides structural connection while allowing independent manufacturing of each shell half.
2Strength
If additional glue joints and reinforcement layers are added to incorporate flatback section, then structural integrity is improved, but processing defects and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Reinforcement layers are pre-positioned at specific locations (leading edge, trailing edge, and flatback section) before the resin impregnation process. These reinforcement layers are arranged on the fibre mats during the moulding process, ensuring proper positioning and reducing the risk of processing defects that would occur if reinforcement were added later.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite reinforcement structures combining fibre mats with reinforcement layers at critical locations. The reinforcement layers are made of fibre-reinforced material that integrates with the surrounding composite structure, providing enhanced strength at stress concentration points while maintaining the overall composite integrity and reducing processing defects through proper material selection.
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 design enhances bending stiffness, reduces the risk of processing defects, and minimizes the number of structural adhesive joints, allowing for improved aerodynamics and easier manufacturing of longer blades while maintaining high structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The resin is forced into the mould cavity due to the pressure differential and impregnates the fibre material of the fibre mats
Implementation Method 2
First the mould cavity is evacuated via the vacuum outlets so as to form an underpressure in the mould cavity
Data Source
AI summary
An optical analysis device for determining particulate matter includes three light sources having different wavelengths, an apparatus for combining the three transmitted light beams on a common optical path, a measurement volume, an optical axis in the forward scattering direction that defines the scattering angle 0°, a light absorption apparatus at 0° that absorbs unscattered light, and six detectors arranged at different specified angles which are as close as possible to 0° directly next to the light absorption apparatus, at a second scattering angle between 7° and 40°, at a third scattering angle between 41° and 70°, at a fourth scattering angle between 71° and 115°, at a fifth scattering angle between 116° and 145°, at a sixth scattering angle between 146° and 180°. A control and evaluation unit controls the light sources such that the scattered light is detected in a wavelength selective manner by the detectors.