Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Segment Joint Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current joint designs for wind turbine rotor blade segments are inefficient, leading to increased assembly time due to misalignment and complex interconnecting components, which raises manufacturing, transportation, and installation costs as rotor blades grow in size.
Innovation Solution
A rotor blade assembly design featuring blade segments with a body shell, shear web, spar caps, attachment members, and spar members that diverge to securely engage and align with each other, facilitating accurate and efficient assembly by simplifying the alignment and load transfer processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If blade segments are manufactured separately to reduce transportation and manufacturing costs, then cost is reduced, but assembly time increases due to alignment difficulties and complex interconnecting components
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade is divided into multiple blade segments that can be manufactured separately and transported independently. Each segment includes attachment members with alignment features that enable simplified connection during assembly, resolving the contradiction between segmented manufacturing (cost reduction) and assembly complexity (time increase).
Solution Approach 2:
Alignment features are pre-formed as integral parts of the attachment members during blade segment manufacturing. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex alignment procedures during assembly, allowing segments to be quickly connected while maintaining manufacturing cost benefits.
2Reliability
If complex interconnecting components are used in joint designs to ensure secure connection, then connection reliability is improved, but assembly time increases due to the complexity of the components
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into the attachment members, which simultaneously provide structural connection, alignment, and load transfer capabilities. This integration eliminates the need for separate complex interconnecting components while maintaining connection reliability and reducing assembly time.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment members are designed as multi-functional components that perform alignment, connection, and load bearing functions. This universal design reduces the number of parts needed and simplifies assembly procedures while ensuring reliable blade segment connections.
3Measurement precision
If alignment features are added to attachment members to improve assembly accuracy, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment features are merged into the attachment members as integral elements rather than separate components. This integration provides precise alignment functionality without increasing overall joint design complexity, as the alignment features are formed as part of the existing structural elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A blade segment of a rotor blade assembly formed from two or more blade segments is disclosed. The blade segment may generally include a body shell and a shear web extending longitudinally within the body shell. The shear web may be disposed between opposed spar caps. The blade segment may also include an attachment member and a spar member. The attachment member may be at least partially disposed within the body shell. The spar member may generally extend outwardly from the spar caps along an inner surface of the body shell and may be configured to support the attachment member within the body shell.