Segmented Cable Fastening Elements for Wind Turbine Blades

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cable guide systems in wind turbine rotor blades are inefficient and inflexible during installation, maintenance, and retrofitting, requiring significant installation effort and being difficult to repair and maintain.

Innovation Solution

A semi-finished product with a layer-like structure comprising a carrier tape and cable fastening elements, allowing for flexible installation and maintenance, which can be integrated into the rotor blade as a component part or laminated onto existing structures, eliminating the need for adhesive resins and enabling easy access and replacement of cables.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional cable guide systems are used in wind turbine rotor blades, then cables can be guided and protected, but installation effort is major and the system is relatively inflexible in place of installation and difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation effortVSAvoidsystem flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cable guide system is segmented into discrete cable fastening elements that can be independently positioned and installed along the rotor blade structure. Each element can be separately attached to the carrier tape at different locations, allowing flexible configuration without requiring installation of a complete rigid system, thereby reducing installation effort while maintaining system functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from a fixed, rigid cable guide structure to a dynamic, adjustable configuration using flexible carrier tape and movable cable fastening elements. The carrier tape can be positioned at different locations along the rotor blade, and cable fastening elements can be attached or removed as needed, providing adaptability during installation and maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional cable guide systems are used in wind turbine rotor blades, then cables can be guided and protected, but the system is relatively inflexible in place of installation and not easy to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplace of installation flexibilityVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The carrier tape is pre-fabricated with multiple attachment positions and cable fastening elements can be pre-positioned or pre-assembled before final installation in the rotor blade. This preliminary preparation allows for easier adjustment and reconfiguration during installation and simplifies maintenance operations, as individual elements can be independently accessed and replaced without disassembling the entire cable guide system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system is designed to allow individual cable fastening elements to be easily removed, replaced, or recovered from the carrier tape during maintenance operations. Defective or obsolete cable fastening elements can be discarded and new ones attached to the same carrier tape, enabling simple repairs and upgrades without replacing the entire cable guide system, thus improving ease of repair while maintaining installation flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Reliability

If adhesive resins are used for cable fastening elements, then cables can be securely fastened, but processing time is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable fastening securityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces chemical bonding (adhesive resins) with mechanical fastening mechanisms. Cable fastening elements use mechanical features such as clips, clamps, or friction-based retention to secure cables directly to the carrier tape and rotor blade structure. This mechanical approach eliminates the curing time required for adhesives while maintaining secure cable fastening, thereby improving productivity without compromising reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11242839B2Semi-finished product for a cable guide system of a wind turbine component, wind turbine component, wind turbine rotor blade and methods

Publication Date: 2022.02.08 NORDEX ENERGY SE & CO KG

AI summary

The invention relates to a semi-finished product (134) for a cable guide system in a wind turbine component having a layer-like structure (135) witha carrier tape (136),a plurality of cable fastening elements (138) which are fixed in place distributed along the length (L) of the carrier tape (136), anda top layer (142) with a plurality of cutouts or incisions (144), wherein the cable fastening elements (138) are arranged between the top layer (142) and carrier tape (136) in such a way that each cable fastening element (138) at least in part projects out from the top layer (142) from a corresponding cutout or incision (144).The invention also relates to a wind turbine component, a wind turbine a wind turbine rotor blade and methods.