Blade connection of a rotor blade of a wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9631502-B2
Application number	US-201113823799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2011
Priority date	Sep 24, 2010
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A fastening element ( 12 ) for arrangement in a receptacle of a rotor blade connection ( 17 ) of a rotor blade ( 5 ). The receptacle is formed on the rotor hub-side end of the, preferably flange-free, rotor blade ( 5 ). The fastening element ( 12 ) is arranged in the receptacle between an inner fastening side and an outer fastening side of the rotor blade ( 5 ) and the fastening element ( 12 ) introduced into the receptacle ( 10 ) is connected to the inner fastening side and the outer fastening side of the rotor blade ( 5 ). The fastening element ( 12 ) is formed tapered in the longitudinal extension thereof. The fastening element ( 12 ) has a connector ( 15 ) transverse, particularly perpendicular, to the longitudinal extension for a lightning protection conductor ( 18 ) of the rotor blade ( 5 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotor blade of a wind turbine, the rotor blade comprising:
a rotor blade connection ( 17 ) including a receptacle with an inner leg ( 11 a ) forming an inner fastening side and an outer leg ( 11 b ) forming an outer fastening side, wherein the inner leg ( 11 a ) defines a through hole ( 16 ) and the receptacle is formed on a rotor hub-side end of the rotor blade ( 5 );
a lightning protection conductor ( 18 ) arranged on the inner fastening side of the rotor blade ( 5 ), and
a fastening element ( 12 ) arranged in the receptacle between the inner fastening side and the outer fastening side of the rotor blade ( 5 ), where the fastening element ( 12 ) is connected to the inner fastening side and the out fastening side of the rotor blade ( 5 ), wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) includes a head side that faces an inside of the rotor blade ( 5 ),
wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) extends in a tapering manner such that the fastening element ( 12 ) decreases in size when extending away from the rotor hub-side end of the rotor blade ( 5 ), wherein the outer leg ( 11 b ) extends away from the rotor hub side end of the rotor blade ( 5 ) so as to define a longitudinal direction thereof,
wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) has a connector ( 15 ), the connector ( 15 ) is transverse to the longitudinal direction and is connected to an end of the lightning protection conductor ( 18 ) of the rotor blade ( 5 ),
wherein the connector ( 15 ) is arranged at an inside of the rotor blade ( 5 ) and projects out of the head side of the fastening element ( 12 ),
wherein the connector ( 15 ) is inserted in the through hole ( 16 ) of the inner leg ( 11 a );
wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) has a recess for receiving the connector ( 15 ) projecting out of the head side of the fastening element ( 12 ).

2. The rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) and the connector ( 15 ) are electrically conductive.

3. The rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the connector ( 15 ) forms an electrically conductive connection between the lightning protection conductor ( 18 ) that is arranged on the inner fastening side of the rotor blade ( 5 ) and the fastening element ( 12 ) that is insulated with respect to the lightning protection conductor ( 18 ).

4. The rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the connector ( 15 ) and the fastening element ( 12 ) are detachably connected together.

5. The rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) is bonded to the rotor blade ( 5 ) in the receptacle ( 10 ) of the rotor blade ( 5 ).

6. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the receptacle ( 10 ) is ring-shaped,
wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) is inserted in the ring-shaped receptacle ( 10 ) of the rotor blade connection ( 17 ),
wherein several of the fastening elements ( 12 ) are arranged equidistantly in a ring-shape at the rotor blade connection ( 17 ),
and wherein a distancing element is arranged between two of the fastening elements ( 12 ).

7. The rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) in the longitudinal direction has a borehole for the receptacle ( 10 ) of a bolt on a side, facing the rotor blade.

8. The rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein a ring is arranged on a side of the fastening element ( 12 ) facing the rotor hub.

9. The rotor blade according to claim 8 , wherein the ring is a lightning protection ring.

10. The rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) and the connector ( 15 ) are composed of metal.

11. The rotor blade according to claim 10 , wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) and the connector ( 15 ) are composed of steel.

12. The rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the recess is a borehole.

13. The rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the rotor blade ( 5 ) is flange-free.

14. The rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening element ( 12 ) defines a borehole that is perpendicular to the connector ( 15 ).

Assignees

• Zeller Lenz Simon
• Werner Markus
• Senvion Se

Inventors

• Zeller Lenz Simon
• Werner Markus

Classifications

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• Y02E10/721

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F01D5/30 Primary

  Fixing blades to rotors; Blade roots {; Blade spacers} · CPC title

• F03D1/0658 Primary

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

• F03D80/30

  Lightning protection · CPC title