Wind Turbine Blade Guide Rods for Hub Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation and maintenance of large offshore wind turbines are complex and costly due to the difficulty in efficiently attaching and detaching wind turbine blades from the rotor hub, often resulting in time-consuming and labor-intensive processes that can damage fasteners if not properly aligned.
Innovation Solution
A blade connection apparatus featuring guide members and fasteners with male and female parts, where guide members align the fasteners before connection, ensuring proper alignment and preventing damage during attachment and detachment, and a system of arms and guide rods to facilitate the rotational alignment and secure attachment of blades to the rotor hub.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional attachment methods without guide members are used, then the attachment process is simpler in design, but the fasteners may become misaligned and damaged during connection
Solution Approach 1:
Guide members act as intermediary elements between the blade and rotor hub, facilitating proper alignment of fasteners during the connection process. These guide members temporarily engage with corresponding features on both components to ensure correct positioning before final fastener engagement, preventing misalignment and damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide members perform preliminary alignment action before the actual fastening operation. By establishing correct geometric relationships between the blade and rotor hub in advance, the system ensures that fasteners are properly positioned before load-bearing connection occurs, eliminating the need for complex real-time adjustment mechanisms.
2Productivity
If manual alignment methods are used for fasteners, then the apparatus design is simpler, but the attachment process becomes more time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The guide members enable the connection system to self-align without requiring manual intervention or complex adjustment procedures. The geometric features of the guide members automatically guide the blade into correct position relative to the rotor hub, allowing the system to perform its own alignment function efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide members serve as mediating elements that translate the rough positioning of the blade into precise alignment with the rotor hub. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for manual measurement and adjustment, significantly reducing both time and operational complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple lifting operations with large cranes are used for assembly, then the wind turbine components can be installed in their assembled position, but the installation cost and time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The connection apparatus is designed as a segmented system with separate guide members and fastening components that can be independently installed and operated. This segmentation allows for modular assembly procedures where components can be attached in sequence using smaller, more efficient equipment rather than requiring complete pre-assembly with large cranes.
Data Source
AI summary
The application describes an apparatus for and a method of mounting wind turbine blades on a wind turbine tower. A number of guide rods are provided in the vicinity of the blade root and hub for connection to corresponding socket sections. The guide rods and socket sections are provided on respective ones of a wind turbine blade and a wind turbine hub to facilitate connection of one to the other. The guide rods and the sockets may be provided on the same or on different ones of the blade or hub. The guide rods and sockets allow the blade to be positioned at the hub in the correct rotational orientation to facilitate connection of the necessary fasteners.