Wind turbine rotor blade element having connection assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12018642-B2
Application number	US-202318348969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2023
Priority date	May 21, 2021
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A wind turbine rotor blade element includes a connection section with a front face, an inner and an outer surface. A plurality of connection assemblies each have (i) a metal insert with a longitudinal axis, a circumferential outer surface and a joining portion for connecting the rotor blade to a wind turbine rotor hub; and, (ii) a transition material aligned with the metal insert and having a tapering longitudinal section. The longitudinal section has an axial outer surface parallel to the longitudinal axis of the metal insert and an inclined outer surface at an angle with reference to the longitudinal axis. The connection assemblies are embedded in the connection section such that the joining portions of the metal inserts are accessible. The connection assemblies are arranged in an inner row closer to the inner surface of the connection section and an outer row closer to the outer surface thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wind turbine rotor blade element comprising:
a rotor blade body having a connection section defining a front face, an inner surface and an outer surface;
said inner surface and said outer surface conjointly defining a wall thickness therebetween;
a plurality of connection assemblies arranged in said connection section;
each one of said connection assemblies including:
(i) a metal insert defining a longitudinal axis and having a circumferential outer surface and a joining portion for connecting the wind turbine rotor blade element to one of a wind turbine rotor hub or another wind turbine rotor blade element; and,
(ii) a transition material generally aligned with said metal insert and having a tapered longitudinal section defining an axial outer surface parallel to said longitudinal axis of said metal insert and said tapered longitudinal section further defining an inclined outer surface at an acute angle with respect to said longitudinal axis of said metal insert;
said plurality of connection assemblies being embedded in said connection section so as to cause said joining portions of said metal inserts to be accessible from said front face of said connection section;
said connection assemblies being arranged in an inner row closer to said inner surface of said connection section and an outer row closer to said outer surface of said connection section and so as to cause said inclined outer surface of said transition material of the connection assemblies of both said inner row and said outer row to contribute to a decrease in wall thickness of said connection section;
an outer prefabricated part comprising a cured plastics material in which is embedded a plurality of said connection assemblies of the outer row and an inner prefabricated part comprising a cured plastics material in which is embedded a plurality of said connection assemblies of the inner row; and,
said inner prefabricated part and said outer prefabricated part being mutually connected by an adhesive bond.

2. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 1 , wherein said transition material includes a core material of one of a wooden material or a foamed material.

3. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 1 , wherein said transition material comprises at least one of the following: a fiber reinforced plastics material and a pultruded material.

4. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 1 , wherein each one of said plurality of connection assemblies has at least one layer of a fiber material surrounding said metal insert thereof and said transition material corresponding thereto.

5. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 4 , wherein said at least one layer of fiber material is wrapped around said metal insert and said transition material.

6. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 1 , wherein the wind turbine rotor blade element is one of the following: a spar cap, a shell member, a longitudinal section of a spar cap, a longitudinal section of a shell member and a prefabricated connection part adapted to be integrated into a wind turbine rotor blade.

7. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 1 , wherein the wind turbine rotor blade element includes a prefabricated part including a cured plastics material in which is embedded one of a group of elements including: (i) a plurality of said connection assemblies of said inner row; (ii) a plurality of said connection assemblies of said outer row; (iii) a plurality of said connection assemblies of both said inner row and said outer row; and, (iv) all of said plurality of connection assemblies.

8. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 7 , wherein each one of said group of elements is combined with further fiber material.

9. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
i) at least one layer of a triaxial fiber lay-up is arranged at said outer surface of said connection section;
ii) at least one layer of a triaxial fiber lay-up is arranged at said inner surface of said connection section; and,
iii) at least one layer of a triaxial fiber lay-up is arranged between said connection assemblies of said outer row and said connection assemblies of said inner row.

10. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 1 , wherein an intermediate laminate is arranged between said connection assemblies of said outer row and said connection assemblies of said inner row; and, said intermediate laminate has a thickness in a range of 10% to 50% of an outer diameter of said metal inserts.

11. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
i) a spacer element is arranged between three adjacent connection assemblies;
ii) a spacer element is arranged between the inner surface of the connection section and two adjacent connection assemblies of the inner row; and,
iii) a spacer element is arranged between the outer surface of the connection section and two adjacent connection assemblies of the outer row.

12. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 11 , wherein said spacer element has a triangular cross section.

13. The wind turbine rotor blade element of claim 1 , wherein said transition material has a conical proximal end fitted into a complementary opening of said metal insert.

Assignees

• Nordex Energy Se & Co Kg
• Nordex Blade Tech Centre Aps

Inventors

• Sorensen Flemming
• Block Tim Berend

Classifications

• F05B2280/6003

  Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced · CPC title

• F05B2260/30

  Retaining components in desired mutual position · CPC title

• F05B2240/301

  Cross-section characteristics · CPC title

• F05B2230/60

  Assembly methods · CPC title

• F03D1/0658 Primary

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