Thermographic Inspection System for Composite Wind Turbine Blade

• US 20140363294A1
• Filed: 06/05/2013
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lamberton, Gary Austin, Rose, Curtis Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 9,689,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/61
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/12 Blades specially adapted for radial flow machines or engines F01D5/04; blade roots F01D5/30; rotors with blades adjustable in operation F01D7/00; stator blades F01D9/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/48 on solution, sorption, or a chemical reaction not involving combustion or catalytic oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/72 Investigating presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49318 Repairing or disassembling

Abstract

The present application provides a method of inspecting a bond joint. The method may include the steps of applying an exothermic adhesive to a first shell and/or a second shell, attaching the first shell to the second shell via the exothermic adhesive to create the bond joint, allowing the exothermic adhesive to cure, and imaging the heat released by the exothermic adhesive along the bond joint. The bond joint may be a turbine blade bond joint.

Claims

1. A method of inspecting a bond joint, comprising:

applying an exothermic adhesive to a first shell and/or a second shell;

attaching the first shell to the second shell via the exothermic adhesive to create the bond joint;

allowing the exothermic adhesive to cure; and

imaging the heat released by the exothermic adhesive along the bond joint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bond joint comprise a turbine blade bond joint and wherein the step of applying an exothermic adhesive to a first shell and/or a second shell comprises applying an exothermic adhesive to a first turbine blade shell and/or a second turbine blade shell.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of attaching the first shell to the second shell comprises attaching the first turbine blade shell to the second turbine blade shell.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of attaching the first turbine blade shell to the second turbine blade shell comprises attaching a first shell leading edge to a second shell leading edge and attaching a first shell trailing edge to a second shell trailing edge.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of attaching the first turbine blade shell to the second turbine blade shell comprises attaching a spar cap and a shear web.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of imaging the heat released by the exothermic adhesive comprises imaging the heat released by the exothermic adhesive by an infrared camera.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of imaging the heat released by the exothermic adhesive comprises maneuvering the infrared camera along the bond joint.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of imaging the heat released by the exothermic adhesive comprises imaging a defect in the bond joint.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of imaging the heat released by the exothermic adhesive comprises imaging a width of the bond joint.

10. A turbine blade inspection system, comprising:

a plurality of turbine blades;

the plurality of turbine blades comprising a bond joint;

the bond joint comprising an exothermic adhesive; and

a thermographic device;

wherein the thermographic device images the heat released by the exothermic adhesive to determine the integrity of the bond joint.

11. The turbine blade inspection system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of turbine blades comprises a first shell and a second shell joined at the bond joint.

12. The turbine blade inspection system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of turbine blades comprises a spar cap and a shear web joined at the bond joint.

13. The turbine blade inspection system of claim 10, wherein the exothermic adhesive comprises a methyl methacrylate monomer, a cyanoacrylate, or a two-part epoxy.

14. The turbine blade inspection system of claim 10, wherein the thermographic device comprises an infrared camera.

15. The turbine blade inspection system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of turbine blades is selected from the group consisting of a composite material, a fiber-resin matrix, and a core material.

16. A turbine blade inspection system, comprising:

a plurality of turbine blades;

the plurality of turbine blades comprising a bond joint about a first shell and a second shell;

the bond joint comprising an exothermic adhesive; and

an infrared camera;

wherein the infrared camera images the heat released by the exothermic adhesive to determine the integrity of the bond joint.

17. The turbine blade inspection system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of turbine blades comprises a spar cap and a shear web joined at the bond joint.

18. The turbine blade inspection system of claim 16, wherein the exothermic adhesive comprises a methyl methacrylate monomer, a cyanoacrylate, or a two-part epoxy.

19. The turbine blade inspection system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of turbine blades comprises a composite material.

20. The turbine blade inspection system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of turbine blades comprises a fiber-resin matrix and a core material.