Joint for connecting a wind turbine rotor blade to a rotor hub and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11319922-B2
Application number	US-201616061468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2016
Priority date	Dec 14, 2015
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

A connecting joint for attaching a wind turbine blade to a rotor hub includes an insert configured to be coupled to the wind turbine blade. The insert includes a main body having an outer surface configured to interface with the blade, a first tubular extension extending from the main body and having inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade, and a second tubular extension extending away from the main body and having inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade. A wind turbine blade having such a connecting joint is also disclosed. Additionally, a method of making a wind turbine blade including the connecting joint is disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connecting joint for attaching a rotor blade to a rotor hub on a wind turbine comprising an insert configured to be coupled to the wind turbine blade, the insert comprising:
a main body having a first end and a second end, a central bore open to the first end and extending toward the second end, and an outer surface configured to interface with the blade;
a first tubular extension extending away from the second end of the main body and having an inner surface and an outer surface, each of the inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade; and
a second tubular extension extending away from the main body and having an inner surface and an outer surface, each of the inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade,
wherein the central bore of the main body includes a threaded portion for receiving a bolt that attaches the blade to the rotor hub, and
wherein the insert has a length greater than 48 millimeters.

2. The connecting joint according to claim 1 , wherein the second tubular extension is coaxially disposed within the first tubular extension to define a gap between the outer surface of the second tubular extension and the inner surface of the first tubular extension.

3. The connecting joint according to claim 1 , wherein the first tubular extension and/or the second tubular extension has a conical configuration.

4. The connecting joint according to claim 3 , wherein the outer or inner surface of the first tubular extension and/or the second tubular extension forms an acute taper angle relative to a central axis of the insert.

5. The connecting joint according to claim 4 , wherein the taper angle remains substantially constant along the length of the first and/or second tubular extension.

6. The connecting joint according to claim 1 , wherein the insert has a two-part construction comprising a first insert element and a second insert element coupled together to form the insert.

7. The connecting joint according to claim 6 , wherein each insert element carries one of the tubular extensions.

8. The connecting joint according to claim 7 , wherein the first insert element comprises a base and the first tubular extension extending away from the base, the base having the central bore disposed therein and a cavity open to a hollow of the first tubular extension, wherein the second insert element comprises a base and the second tubular extension extending away from the base, and wherein the base of the second insert element is seated within the cavity in the first insert element to couple the insert elements together and thereby form the insert.

9. The connecting joint according to claim 8 , wherein the cavity is open to the central bore in the first insert element.

10. The connecting joint according to claim 9 , further comprising a channel through the base of the second insert element and open to a hollow of the second tubular extension.

11. The connecting joint according to claim 1 , further comprising a bolt having a blade end configured to be received within the central bore of the insert to couple the bolt to the insert, and a hub end configured to be coupled to the rotor hub.

12. A wind turbine rotor blade having a root end and a tip end, the rotor blade comprising a plurality of connecting joints embedded within the root end of the rotor blade, wherein each of the plurality of connecting joints includes an insert comprising:
a main body having a first end and a second end, a central bore open to the first end and extending toward the second end, and an outer surface configured to interface with the blade;
a first tubular extension extending away from the second end of the main body and having an inner surface and an outer surface, each of the inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade; and
a second tubular extension extending away from the main body and having an inner surface and an outer surface, each of the inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade.

13. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of bores formed in the root end of the rotor blade, wherein the insert of the connecting joints is positioned within the respective bores in the root end of the rotor blade such that the outer surface of the main body forms a bonded interface with the blade, the inner and outer surfaces of the first tubular extension form a bonded interface with the blade, and the inner and outer surfaces of the second tubular extension form a bonded interface with the blade.

14. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 13 , wherein each of the bores comprises:
a first cavity portion having a first end open to an end face of the root end of the rotor blade and extending away from the end face to a second end;
a first annular cavity open to the first cavity portion and extending away from the second end of the first cavity portion; and
a second annular cavity open to the first cavity portion and extending away from the second end of the first cavity portion,
wherein the main body of the insert is generally positioned within the first cavity portion, the first tubular extension is generally positioned within the first annular cavity, and the second tubular extension is generally positioned within the second annular cavity.

15. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 12 , further comprising a bolt having a blade end and a hub end, wherein the blade end of the bolt is coupled to the insert and the hub end of the bolt is configured to be coupled to the rotor hub to secure the rotor blade to the rotor hub.

16. A wind turbine comprising:
a tower; and
a rotor coupled to the tower, the rotor including a hub and the wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 12 attached to the hub.

17. A method of making a wind turbine rotor blade, comprising:
providing a rotor blade having a root end and a tip end;
providing a plurality of inserts, each insert comprising a main body having a first end and a second end, a central bore open to the first end and extending toward the second end, and an outer surface; a first tubular extension extending away from the second end of the main body and having an inner surface and an outer surface; and a second tubular extension extending away from the main body and having an inner surface and an outer surface; and
embedding the inserts within the root end of the rotor blade such that the outer surface of the main body interfaces with the blade, the inner and outer surfaces of the first tubular extension interface with the blade, and the inner and outer surfaces of the second tubular extension interface with the blade.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein providing a plurality of inserts further comprises:
forming a first insert element having the first tubular extension;
forming a second insert element having the second tubular extension, the second insert element being formed separate from the first insert element; and
joining the first and second insert elements to form the insert.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein embedding the inserts within the root end of the blade further comprises:
forming a plurality of bores in the root end of the rotor blade;
positioning an insert within each of the bores in the root end of the rotor blade; and
bonding the inserts within the bores.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein forming a plurality of bores further comprises:
forming a first cavity portion having a firs

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Bech Anton

Classifications

• F03D1/0658 Primary

  Arrangements for fixing wind-engaging parts to a hub · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

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

• B29C65/52

  characterised by the way of} applying the adhesive {(B29C65/50 takes precedence; apparatus for applying liquids in general B05C; processes for applying liquids in general B05D) · CPC title

• B29C66/721

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

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title