Method of attaching a tip extension to a wind turbine blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10927809-B2
Application number	US-201716332019-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2017
Priority date	Sep 15, 2016
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A method of attaching a tip extension to a wind turbine blade is described. The method comprises: fitting the tip extension over a tip end of the blade such that an overlap region is defined between an outer surface of the blade and an inner surface of the tip extension; and supplying adhesive to the overlap region via one or more holes provided in the tip extension to bond the tip extension to the blade. In preferred embodiments, adhesive dams are provided in the overlap region to define bond cavities and constrain the adhesive within the bond cavities. An assembly comprising a wind turbine blade and a tip extension bonded thereto is also described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of attaching a tip extension to a wind turbine blade, the method comprising:
providing the wind turbine blade having an outer surface and a tip end;
providing the tip extension having an outer shell defining a substantially hollow interior for receiving the tip end of the blade;
fitting the tip extension over the tip end of the blade such that an inboard portion of the tip extension overlaps the tip end of the blade and an overlap region is defined between the outer surface of the blade and an inner surface of the inboard portion of the tip extension; and
supplying adhesive to the overlap region via one or more holes provided in the outer shell of the tip extension to bond the tip extension to the blade,
wherein the outer shell of the tip extension is translucent and the method comprises visually monitoring the flow of adhesive in the overlap region through the translucent shell.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing one or more adhesive dams in the overlap region, the one or more adhesive dams being arranged to at least partially define one or more bond cavities in the overlap region, and supplying the adhesive to the one or more bond cavities via the one or more holes in the outer shell of the tip extension.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising attaching the one or more adhesive dams to the tip end of the blade before fitting the tip extension to the blade.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more adhesive dams become sandwiched between the outer surface of the blade and the inner surface of the tip extension when the tip extension is fitted to the blade.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more adhesive dams are permeable to air.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of holes are defined in the outer shell of the tip extension, and the method comprises supplying the adhesive through each hole sequentially.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of holes are mutually spaced in a row that extends in a spanwise direction of the tip extension, and the method comprises sequentially supplying adhesive through each hole in the row moving in a direction towards an open end of the tip extension.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein air in the overlap region escapes via the open end of the tip extension when the adhesive is supplied to the overlap region.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the open end of the tip extension is an inboard end.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises terminating the supply of adhesive through a first hole when the flow of adhesive is seen through the translucent outer shell of the tip extension to approach an adjacent hole.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing a tip of the wind turbine blade prior to fitting the tip extension.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing one or more spacers in the overlap region to ensure a minimum clearance between the blade and the tip extension for the adhesive.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more spacers are pre-attached to the inner surface of the tip extension.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising removing paint and/or gel coat from the outer surface of the blade prior to fitting the tip extension.

15. A wind turbine blade assembly comprising a wind turbine blade and a tip extension attached to a tip end of the blade according to the method of claim 1 .

16. A wind turbine blade assembly, comprising:
a wind turbine blade having a trailing edge and a tip end;
a tip extension fitted to the tip end of the blade;
an overlap region defined between an inboard portion of the tip extension and the tip end of the blade; and
one or more adhesive dams in the overlap region at least partially defining one or more bond cavities;
wherein the tip extension is bonded to the blade by adhesive in the bond cavities, and
wherein the trailing edge of the blade projects into the one or more adhesive dams.

17. A method of attaching a tip extension to a wind turbine blade, the method comprising:
providing the wind turbine blade having an outer surface and a tip end;
providing the tip extension having an outer shell defining a substantially hollow interior for receiving the tip end of the blade, the tip extension further including an adhesive dam in a trailing edge region of the interior of the tip extension;
fitting the tip extension over the tip end of the blade such that an inboard portion of the tip extension overlaps the tip end of the blade and an overlap region is defined between the outer surface of the blade and an inner surface of the inboard portion of the tip extension;
sliding the tip extension onto the tip end of the wind turbine blade such that a trailing edge of the blade projects into the adhesive dam; and
supplying adhesive to the overlap region via one or more holes provided in the outer shell of the tip extension to bond the tip extension to the blade.

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Barton Leon
• Bower Alan

Classifications

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• B29C66/721

  Fibre-reinforced materials (B29C66/729 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F03D1/0675 Primary

  of the blades · CPC title

• B29C65/7826

  said distance pieces being non-integral with the parts to be joined, e.g. particles · CPC title