BLADE INSERT FOR A WIND TURBINE ROTOR BLADE

• US 20140301855A1
• Filed: 04/04/2013
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Danielsen, Darren John, Busbey, Bruce Clark
• Granted Patent: US 9,297,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/223.R
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0641 of the section profile of the blades, i.e. aerofoil profile
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/065 characterised by their construction elements F03D13/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0675 of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 13/10 Assembly of wind motors; Arrangements for erecting wind motors
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/302 Segmented or sectional blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49337 Composite blade

Abstract

A blade insert for coupling a first blade segment to a second blade segment is disclosed. The blade insert may generally include an aerodynamic body extending between a forward end configured to be coupled to the first blade segment and an aft end configured to be coupled to the second blade segment. The aerodynamic body may include a top side extending between a forward edge and an aft edge. The top side may define a top scarfed section at its forward edge. The aerodynamic body may further include a bottom side extending between a forward edge and an aft edge. The bottom side may define a bottom scarfed section at its forward edge. Additionally, at least a portion of the forward edge of the top side may be configured to be offset relative to the forward edge of the bottom side.

Claims

1. A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine, the rotor blade assembly comprising:

a first blade segment defining a first joint end;

a second blade segment defining a second joint end; and

a blade insert extending between a forward end coupled to the first blade segment and an aft end coupled to the second blade segment, the blade insert comprising;

a top side extending between a forward edge and an aft edge, the top side defining a top scarfed section at its forward edge; and

a bottom side extending between a forward edge and an aft edge, the bottom side defining a bottom scarfed section at its forward edge,

wherein at least a portion of the forward edge of the top side is offset relative to the forward edge of the bottom side such that an access window is defined between the top side and the first blade segment when the forward end of the blade insert is positioned adjacent to the first joint end of the first blade segment.

2. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, wherein the first blade segment defines a bottom scarfed section at the first joint end, the bottom scarfed section of the first blade segment configured to be aligned with the bottom scarfed section of the blade insert.

3. The rotor blade assembly of claim 2, further comprising a scarfed connector extending between the aligned bottom scarfed sections.

4. The rotor blade assembly of claim 2, wherein the forward edge of the bottom side and the first blade segment abut one another at the aligned bottom scarfed sections when the forward end of the blade insert is positioned adjacent to the first joint end of the first blade segment.

5. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, wherein the first blade segment defines a top scarfed section at the first joint end, the top scarfed section of the first blade segment configured to be aligned with the top scarfed section of the blade insert.

6. The rotor blade assembly of claim 5, further comprising a scarfed connector extending between the aligned top scarfed sections.

7. The rotor blade assembly of claim 5, wherein the aligned top scarfed sections are spaced apart from one another when the forward end of the blade insert is positioned adjacent to the first joint end of the first blade segment.

8. The rotor blade assembly of claim 5, wherein the top side includes an elongated portion that extends outwardly beyond the forward edge of the bottom side, the top scarfed section of the blade insert being defined in the elongated portion.

9. The rotor blade assembly of claim 8, wherein elongated portion of the top side and the first blade segment abut one another at the aligned top scarfed sections when the forward end of the blade insert is positioned adjacent to the first joint end of the first blade segment.

10. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, further comprising a shear web insert extending across at least a portion of the blade insert.

11. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, further comprising a wind cover configured to extend across at least a portion of the access window.

12. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, wherein the top side further defines a top scarfed section at its aft edge and the bottom side further defines a bottom scarfed section at its aft edge, and wherein at least a portion of the aft edge of the top side is offset relative to the aft edge of the bottom side such that an access window is defined between the top side and the second blade segment when the aft end of the blade insert is positioned adjacent to the first joint end of the first blade segment.

13. The rotor blade assembly of claim 12, wherein the second blade segment defines both a bottom scarfed section and a top scarfed section at the second joint end, the bottom scarfed section of the second blade segment configured to be aligned with the bottom scarfed section of the bottom side of the blade insert and the top scarfed section of the second blade segment configured to be aligned with the top scarfed section of the top side of the blade insert.

14. The rotor blade assembly of claim 13, further comprising a bottom scarfed connector extending between the aligned bottom scarfed sections and a top scarfed connector extending between the aligned top scarfed sections.

15. A blade segment for coupling a first blade segment to a second blade segment, the blade segment comprising:

an aerodynamic body extending between a forward end configured to be coupled to the first blade segment and an aft end configured to be coupled to the second blade segment, the aerodynamic body including a top side extending between a forward edge and an aft edge, the top side defining a top scarfed section at its forward edge, the aerodynamic body further including a bottom side extending between a forward edge and an aft edge, the bottom side defining a bottom scarfed section at its forward edge,

wherein at least a portion of the forward edge of the top side is configured to be offset relative to the forward edge of the bottom side.

16. The blade segment of claim 15, wherein the top side includes an elongated portion that extends outwardly beyond the forward edge of the bottom side, the top scarfed section of the blade segment being defined in the elongated portion.

17. The blade segment of claim 15, wherein the top side further defines a top scarfed section at its aft edge and the bottom side further defines a bottom scarfed section at its aft edge, and wherein at least a portion of the aft edge of the top side is offset relative to the aft edge of the bottom side by a second spanwise distance.

18. A method for assembling a blade insert between a first blade segment and a second blade segment, the blade insert including a top side extending between a forward edge and an aft edge and a bottom side extending between a forward edge and an aft edge, the method comprising:

positioning a forward end of the blade insert adjacent to a first joint end of the first blade segment, at least a portion of the forward edge of the top side being offset relative to the forward edge of the bottom side such that an access window is defined between the blade insert and the first blade segment;

positioning a bottom scarfed connector between a bottom scarfed section defined in the bottom side of the blade insert and a bottom scarfed section defined in the first blade segment;

positioning a window cover across at least a portion of the access window; and

positioning a top scarfed connector between a top scarfed section defined in the top side of the blade insert and a top scarfed section defined in the first blade segment.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising positioning a shear web insert across at least a portion of the blade insert.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising positioning shell inserts over at least a portion of a flange defined by at least one of the blade insert, the first blade segment or the window cover.