Wind Turbine Blade Root Reinforcement Using Pre-Fabricated Stacks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process of wind turbine blades is complex and time-consuming, particularly in reinforcing the root section, where high curvature requires precise laying of fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) sheets to avoid defects like creases and bends, which can reduce the strength of the blade.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using pre-fabricated stacks of reinforcing material, where each stack has a spine formed by joining multiple plies along a common edge, allowing them to be easily adapted to the curved mould surface by suspending and lowering them vertically to minimize crease formation, with chamfered edges for easier joining and reduced tension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple individual FRP sheets are laid into the mould one by one to reinforce the blade, then the blade structure can be strengthened, but the manufacturing time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual FRP sheets are merged into a single pre-fabricated stack containing all required sheets. This stack is then laid into the mould as one unit, transforming the sequential laying process into a single operation. The stack comprises multiple sheets bonded together along common edges, allowing all reinforcement layers to be installed simultaneously rather than one by one, thus dramatically reducing manufacturing time while maintaining the required structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The FRP sheets are pre-assembled into a complete stack before being brought to the mould. All sheets are prepared, bonded, and organized in the correct sequence and orientation in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the time-consuming process of handling and positioning each sheet individually during mould assembly, while ensuring proper alignment and reducing the risk of installation errors.
2Strength
If FRP sheets are laid into a high-curvature mould section, then the root portion reinforcement is achieved, but creases and bends form in the sheets causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple FRP sheets are bonded together to form a unified stack with common edges. This merged structure provides better stability and control during the laying process into high-curvature mould sections. The bonded sheets move as a single unit, preventing individual sheets from buckling, creasing, or bending independently, thus maintaining manufacturing precision while achieving the required root section reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the FRP sheets is changed from individual flexible sheets to a bonded stack structure. This parameter change in the form and structural configuration provides rigidity and dimensional stability to the reinforcing material, enabling it to maintain its shape and position during placement into high-curvature mould sections without forming creases or bends that would compromise manufacturing precision.
3Strength
If more layers of FRP are added to reinforce the blade, then the blade strength increases, but the complexity of the assembly process increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple FRP sheets required for blade reinforcement are merged into a single pre-fabricated stack. This consolidation transforms a complex multi-step assembly process involving numerous individual sheets into a single installation operation. The stack contains all necessary layers pre-bonded in the correct sequence, eliminating the complexity of handling, aligning, and securing each sheet separately while achieving the required blade strength through multiple reinforcement layers.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade using pre-fabricated stacks of reinforcing material is described. The stacks 14 comprise a plurality of plies of fibre material, joined together along a side edge to form a spine. The opposite edges of the stack are left unjoined so that the plies can separate and slide across one another. In doing so, the stacks can be stored flat, but on installation into a curved mould 12 profile, the plies may slide to adopt the curved shape of the mould. The stacks extend from a point near the leading or trailing edge of the mould to an intermediate point on the mould surface. The stacks may be used to construct the thickened root section of a wind turbine blade.