A TRIBRID WIND TURBINE BLADE

• US 20160108736A1
• Filed: 06/18/2014
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LM WP Patent Holding A/S (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LM WP Patent Holding A/S (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Inventors: SCHURING, Roel
• Granted Patent: US 10,947,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/147 Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0675 of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2230/60 Assembly methods
• 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: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A tribrid wind turbine blade is described, wherein the blade is formed from three separate parts made using three different manufacturing approaches. A root section of the blade is formed by a load-bearing central spar having an aerodynamic shell or fairing fitted to the spar. A mainboard portion is formed from a load-bearing shell structure. A tip portion is formed as an integrally-formed element from a one-shot closed moulding process.

Claims

1. A wind turbine blade having a root portion, a mainboard portion, and a tip portion, wherein:

the root portion comprises at least one substantially load-bearing spar structure having at least one aerodynamic shell coupled to said spar structure;

the mainboard portion comprises a load-bearing aerodynamic shell; and

the tip portion comprises an integrally-formed tip element.

2. The blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein said root portion forms approximately the inner 0-33% of the total length of the wind turbine blade, taken from the root end of the blade.

3. The blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mainboard portion forms approximately ⅔

of the total length of the wind turbine blade, preferably the middle 33-97% of the length of the wind turbine blade taken from the root end of the blade, further preferably 33-95%, further preferably 33-90%, further preferably 33-85%.

4. The blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tip portion forms approximately the outer 85-100%, of the length of the wind turbine blade, preferably 90-100%, further preferably 95-100%, further preferably 97-100%, taken from the root end of the blade.

5. The blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mainboard portion forms approximately the middle ⅓

of the total length of the wind turbine blade, and wherein said tip portion forms approximately the outer ⅓

of the total length of the wind turbine blade.

6. The blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein the root portion comprises a substantially load-bearing central spar, wherein said central spar comprises a substantially circular cross-sectional shape at the root end of the blade, said central spar transitioning to a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape at the interface between the root portion and the mainboard portion.

7. The blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein the root portion comprises a load-bearing internal spar having at least one external aerodynamic shell fitted to the exterior of said spar, said at least one external aerodynamic shell defining a substantially closed shell extending about the internal load-bearing spar.

8. The blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein the root portion comprises a load-bearing central spar having an aerodynamic leading edge shell and/or an aerodynamic trailing edge shell fitted to said load-bearing central spar, wherein a portion of said load-bearing central spar forms part of the exterior surface of the wind turbine blade.

9. The blade as claimed in claim 7, wherein the root portion comprises a plurality of rib elements mounted to said at least one substantially load-bearing spar structure, wherein said at least one aerodynamic shell is supported by said plurality of rib elements.

10. The blade as claimed in claim 9, wherein said rib elements comprise a plurality of leading edge ribs and/or a plurality of trailing edge ribs, wherein the ribs are shaped to present an outline of a portion of a desired aerodynamic shape for the root portion of the blade.

11. The blade as claimed in claim 10, wherein said at least one aerodynamic shell is formed as a relatively flexible material, said at least one aerodynamic shell supported by said rib elements ribs to define an aerodynamic profile.

12. The blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tip portion comprises an integrally-formed aerodynamic tip shell.

13. The blade as claimed in claim 12, wherein said tip portion comprises a substantially cap-like shape having a first open end and a distal tip end, said first open end having a relatively wide opening tapering or narrowing towards said distal tip end.

14. The blade as claimed in claim 13, wherein said mainboard portion comprises a connecting section located at the outer end of said mainboard portion, wherein said connecting section is shaped to couple with said first end of said tip portion, and wherein a portion of said connecting section is chamfered or tapered such that said first end of said tip portion is fitted to said connecting section.

15. The blade as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mainboard portion is formed from at least two load-bearing blade shell sections coupled together to form an aerodynamic blade shell.

16. A wind turbine comprising at least one wind turbine blade as claimed in claim 1.

17. A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade comprising the steps of:

providing a blade root portion by manufacturing a load-bearing spar structure and fitting at least one aerodynamic shell to said load-bearing internal spar structure;

providing a blade mainboard portion by manufacturing portions of a load bearing shell in a negative mould and assembling said portions of a load bearing shell to form said blade mainboard portion, preferably comprising at least one internal bridging spar or web extending between adjacent portions of said load bearing shell;

providing a blade tip portion by manufacturing a single tip element using an integral moulding procedure; and

assembling said blade root portion, said blade mainboard portion, and said blade tip portion to form a wind turbine blade.