Rotor blade assembly

• US 8,882,466 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Stiesdal, Henrik
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Dwayne J
• Application Number:
  US13/151,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20110305574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 416/62, 416/146.R, 416/228, 416/229.R, 416/230, 416/224
• US Class Current: 416/146.R
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/065 characterised by their construction elements F03D13/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/30 Lightning protection
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/221 with horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/30 Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/70 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/711 convex
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/712 concave
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/30 Retaining components in desired mutual position
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2280/1071 Steel alloys
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2280/2001 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2201/0448 Steel
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2203/02 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A rotor blade assembly is provided that includes a rotor blade and a rotor blade tip member. The rotor blade is provided with an integrated lightning down conductor and is attachable or attached to a rotor hub of a wind turbine. The rotor blade tip member is made of an electrically insulating material and is detachably attached or adapted to be detachably attached to a free ending of the rotor blade by a connecting device. The connecting device is a wire or a rod made of an electrically conductive material establishing or adapted to establish a mechanical and electrical connection of the rotor blade tip member with the lightning down conductor of the rotor blade.

Claims

1. A rotor blade assembly comprising:

a rotor blade with an integrated lightning down conductor, the rotor blade being attachable or attached to a rotor hub of a wind turbine, the rotor blade comprising a free ending;

a rotor blade tip member made of an electrically insulating material; and

a connecting device for detachably attaching the rotor blade tip member to the free ending of the rotor blade,

wherein the connecting device is a wire or a rod made of an electrically conductive material for establishing a mechanical and electrical connection of the rotor blade tip member with the lightning down conductor of the rotor blade, and

wherein the rotor blade tip member has a cap-like shape and is provided with a connecting portion adapted to at least partially overlap the free ending of the rotor blade to abut the rotor blade in a form closure so as to build a closed surface of the rotor blade assembly.

2. The rotor blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the free ending of the rotor blade includes a portion having reduced cross-section and the connecting portion of the rotor blade tip member is adapted to engage with the portion of reduced cross-section so as to build the closed surface of the rotor blade assembly.

3. The rotor blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein a locking device is provided with the rotor blade tip member for securing the connecting device to the rotor blade tip member.

4. The rotor blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rotor blade tip member comprises at least one lightning receptor electrically connected with the connecting device.

5. The rotor blade assembly according to claim 3, wherein the locking device is a lightning receptor.

6. The rotor blade assembly according to claim 4, wherein the locking device is the at least one lightning receptor.

7. The rotor blade assembly according to claim 1, wherein the rotor blade further comprises a channel extending from the lightning down conductor to the free ending for accommodating the connecting device.

8. A rotor blade tip member for a rotor blade assembly,

wherein the rotor blade tip member is made of an electrically insulating material,

wherein the rotor blade tip member is adapted to be detachably attached to a free ending of a rotor blade of the rotor blade assembly with an integrated lightning down conductor by a connecting device, and

wherein the connecting device is a wire or a rod made of an electrically conductive material adapted to establish a mechanical and electrical connection of the rotor blade tip member with a lightning down conductor of the rotor blade;

having a cap-like shape and being provided with at least one connecting portion, the connecting portion being adapted to at least partially overlap the free ending of a rotor blade, to fit the rotor blade with a form closure so as to build a closed surface of the rotor blade.

9. The rotor blade tip member according to claim 8, further comprising a locking device for securing the connecting device thereto.

10. The rotor blade tip member according to claim 8, further comprising at least one lightning receptor electrically connected with the connecting device.

11. The rotor blade tip member according to claim 9, wherein the locking means is a lightning receptor.

12. The rotor blade tip member according to claim 10, wherein the locking means is the at least one lightning receptor.

13. The rotor blade tip member according to claim 8, wherein the rotor blade tip member has a shape of a winglet.

14. A wind turbine, comprising:

a rotor hub; and

a plurality of rotor blade assemblies attached to the rotor hub, each of the plurality of rotor blade assemblies comprising;

a rotor blade with an integrated lightning down conductor, the rotor blade being attachable or attached to a rotor hub of a wind turbine, the rotor blade comprising a free ending;

a rotor blade tip member made of an electrically insulating material; and

a connecting device for detachably attaching the rotor blade tip member to the free ending of the rotor blade,

wherein the connecting device is a wire or a rod made of an electrically conductive material for establishing a mechanical and electrical connection of the rotor blade tip member with the lightning down conductor of the rotor blade, and

wherein the rotor blade tip member has a cap-like shape and is provided with a connecting portion adapted to at least partially overlap the free ending of the rotor blade to abut the rotor blade in a form closure so as to build a closed surface of the rotor blade assembly.