Wind Turbine Blade Preform Layup With Local Binder Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process of preform building elements for wind turbine rotor blades is time-consuming due to the need for prolonged heating to activate binders, especially in thicker elements, leading to unwanted capillary diffusion of the binder at the surface and inefficiencies in heating the core.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the sequential laying of fiber mat components on a molding surface with a moving boundary, applying and activating a binding agent only at the contact area between components, allowing for localized adherence without requiring external heating sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If prolonged heating is applied to activate binders in thicker preform building elements, then the binder activation is improved, but unwanted capillary diffusion of the binder at the surface occurs and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by activating the binding agent only in the contact areas between components rather than heating the entire preform building element uniformly. This localized activation ensures binder activation occurs precisely where needed at component interfaces, preventing capillary diffusion at the surfaces while maintaining reliable adhesion in the core regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the heating process into discrete localized zones at each component interface rather than applying global heating. Each binding agent activation occurs independently at its specific contact area, allowing precise control over where and when binder activation happens, thus avoiding the harmful surface diffusion that occurs with prolonged uniform heating.
2Reliability
If prolonged heating is applied to activate binders in thicker preform building elements, then the binder activation is improved, but manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the binding agent in the fiber mat components before assembly. The binding agent is already in place and ready for activation, so that when components are assembled and contact areas are formed, the binding agent can be activated immediately at those specific locations without requiring prolonged heating of the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The binding agent activation is applied locally at component interfaces rather than uniformly throughout the entire preform building element. This localized approach dramatically reduces the time required for binder activation since only small discrete areas need heating, not the entire thick structure, thus resolving the time contradiction.
3Reliability
If uniform heating is applied throughout the preform building element, then binder activation is achieved, but energy consumption increases and overheating occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by activating binding agents only at the specific contact areas between components rather than applying uniform heating throughout the entire preform building element. This localized heating approach dramatically reduces energy consumption while ensuring reliable binder activation precisely where adhesion is needed, eliminating wasteful energy expenditure in non-critical regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies self-service by using the assembly process itself to define the heating zones. As components are assembled, the contact areas automatically identify where binding agent activation is needed, and heating is applied only to those self-determined locations, eliminating the need for energy-intensive uniform heating of the entire structure.
4Strength
If binding agent is applied throughout the entire fiber mat, then adhesion is improved, but material cost increases and capillary diffusion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the binding agent only in the regions where adhesion is actually required - specifically at the contact areas between components. This selective application ensures strong adhesion at component interfaces while minimizing binder material consumption and preventing capillary diffusion at surfaces where the binding agent would otherwise be unnecessarily applied.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the binding agent application from the bulk fiber mat and concentrates it only at the critical contact areas between components. This extraction approach removes unnecessary binder material from non-critical regions, reducing material consumption and preventing capillary diffusion, while maintaining adhesion strength at the essential component interfaces.
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 approach reduces heating time to a linear scale with the number of layers, prevents overheating, and enables the production of thicker preform building elements with improved adherence and reduced material costs, facilitating automation and quality control.
Implementation Method 1
a binding agent supplied in the laid-out fiber mat component and/or in the subjacent component is activated at least sectionally at and/or behind the boundary
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a preform building element used for building a wind turbine rotor blade, that is manufactured from one or more fiber mat components and at least one further component arranged on a molding surface of a mold, wherein one or more fiber mat components are arranged one after the other on the further component and/or on previously arranged fiber mat components, wherein the fiber mat component is laid out at least sectionally on the respective directly subjacent component with a moving boundary of a contact area, at which the laid out fiber mat comes into contact with the subjacent component, during laying out of the or each fiber mat component, a binding agent is applied at least sectionally to the boundary and/or a binding agent supplied in the laid-out fiber mat component and/or in the subjacent component is activated at least sectionally at and/or behind the boundary.