Methods for assembling rotor blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10138867-B2
Application number	US-201514852910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2015
Priority date	Sep 14, 2015
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

Methods for assembling rotor blades are provided. A method includes receiving a first portion of a rotor blade at an erection site. The method further includes receiving a second portion of the rotor blade at the erection site. The method further includes aligning the first portion and the second portion at the erection site, the first portion and the second portion supported on a fixture system when aligned. The method further includes connecting a blade component of the first portion and a blade component of the second portion together at the erection site.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for assembling a rotor blade, the method comprising:
receiving a first portion of a rotor blade at an erection site, wherein the first portion is a root portion or a tip portion;
receiving a second portion of the rotor blade at the erection site;
aligning the first portion and the second portion at the erection site, the first portion and the second portion supported on a fixture system, the fixture system comprising a first cradle assembly supporting the first portion and a second cradle assembly supporting the second portion;
welding a spar cap of the first portion and a spar cap of the second portion together at the erection site, the spar cap of the first portion and the spar cap of the second portion each comprising a thermoplastic resin; and
connecting a blade segment of the first portion and a blade segment of the second portion together at the erection site, wherein at least one of the blade segment of the first portion or the blade segment of the second portion comprises a thermoset resin and a localized portion of a thermoplastic resin.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is, when received at the erection site, supported on the first cradle assembly, at least a portion of the first cradle assembly supported on a transportation vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein, during the aligning step, the fixture system is at least partially supported on the transportation vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein, when the first portion is received at the erection site, at least a portion of the second cradle assembly is supported on the transportation vehicle.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transportation vehicle is a truck.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the welding step comprises connecting an electrical connector to a resistive heating element disposed between the spar cap of the first portion and the spar cap of the second portion at a joining location to heat at least one of the spar cap of the first portion or the spar cap of the second portion, the electrical connector connected to a power source, the resistive heating element remaining at the joining location after welding.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the welding step further comprises moving the electrical connector in a span-wise direction; and connecting the electrical connector to a second resistive heating element disposed between the spar cap of the first portion and the spar cap of the second portion at the joining location.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the fixture system at the erection site separately from the first portion and the second portion, the fixture system at least partially supported on a transportation vehicle when received.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is a root portion and the second portion is a tip portion.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connecting step comprises welding the blade segment of the first portion and the blade segment of the second portion together, the blade segment of the first portion and the blade segment of the second portion each comprising a thermoplastic resin.

11. A method for assembling a rotor blade, the method comprising:
receiving a first portion of a rotor blade at an erection site, wherein the first portion is, when received at the erection site, supported on a first cradle assembly of a fixture system, the first cradle assembly supported on a transportation vehicle;
receiving a second portion of the rotor blade at the erection site;
aligning the first portion and the second portion at the erection site, the first portion and the second portion supported on the fixture system when aligned; and
connecting a blade component of the first portion and a blade component of the second portion together at the erection site, wherein at least one of the blade component of the first portion or the blade component of the second portion comprises a thermoset resin and a localized portion of a thermoplastic resin.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein, during the aligning step, the fixture system is at least partially supported on the transportation vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein, when the first portion is received at the erection site, at least a portion of the second cradle assembly is supported on the transportation vehicle.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the transportation vehicle is a truck.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first portion is a root portion and the second portion is a tip portion.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Caruso Christopher Daniel
• Yarbrough Aaron A
• Hynum Daniel Alan
• Tobin James Robert

Classifications

• F03D13/40

  Arrangements or methods specially adapted for transporting wind motor components · CPC title

• B60P3/40

  for carrying long loads, e.g. with separate wheeled load supporting elements ({E04G21/14 takes precedence}; signal devices to be attached to overhanging load B60Q7/02) · CPC title

• F05B2230/60

  Assembly methods · CPC title

• F03D1/0675 Primary

  of the blades · CPC title

• Y10T29/49337

  Composite blade · CPC title