Manufacturing method of wind turbine blades of variable length

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9651022-B2
Application number	US-201213534685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2012
Priority date	Jul 6, 2011
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A method of manufacturing wind turbine blades of variable length with connection elements with the rotor hub. The method includes providing and using enlarged manufacturing molds having a common zone of a predetermined length and, at least, an adaptive zone arranged with the length needed for manufacturing the blades with a desired length, particularly the length required for optimizing the annual energy production (AEP) of a predetermined wind turbine model in a predetermined site.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade of an optimal length comprising steps of:
producing an inboard module from a first enlarged manufacturing mould, wherein the inboard module is a component of the blade extending from a boundary where the blade is connected to a rotor hub of a wind turbine to a boundary in a center portion of the blade,
producing an outboard module from a second enlarged manufacturing mould, wherein the outboard module is a component of the blade extending from a boundary in the center portion of the blade to a tip of the blade,
wherein the first and second enlarged manufacturing moulds comprise a common zone of a predetermined length and an adaptive zone arranged with a length needed for manufacturing the blade with an optimal overall length,
wherein the optimal overall length is a length needed for optimizing the annual energy production of a predetermined wind turbine model in a predetermined site.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the optimal overall length minimizes detrimental effects including blade tip noise, deflection of the blade, and Eigen frequencies of the blade.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adaptive zone and the common zone are configured with a same transversal section.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adaptive zone is configured with a variable transversal section corresponding to a blade optimal shape in said adaptive zone.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said adaptive zone is configured with a variable transversal section corresponding to a blade optimal shape and in said adaptive zone the first and second enlarged manufacturing moulds are flexible moulds.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the adaptive zone is between 1%-15% of the length of the common zone.

7. A wind turbine blade manufactured by the method according to claim 1 .

8. A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade of an optimal length comprising steps of:
producing an inboard module from a first enlarged manufacturing mold,
producing an outboard module from a second enlarged manufacturing mold,
wherein the second enlarged manufacturing mold comprises a common zone of a predetermined length and an adaptive zone arranged with an adaptable length,
wherein the second enlarged manufacturing mold comprises a moveable template for adjusting the length of the adaptive zone.

9. A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade of an optimal length comprising steps of:
producing an inboard module from a first enlarged manufacturing mold,
producing an outboard module from a second enlarged manufacturing mold,
wherein the first enlarged manufacturing mold comprises a common zone of a predetermined length and an adaptive zone arranged with an adaptable length,
wherein the first enlarged manufacturing mold comprises a moveable template for adjusting the length of the adaptive zone.

Assignees

• Arocena De La Rua Ion
• Sanz Pascual Eneko
• Garcia Fernandez Aviles Maria
• Aguilar Melendez Raquel
• Gamesa Innovation & Tech Sl

Inventors

• Arocena De La Rua Ion
• Sanz Pascual Eneko
• Garcia Fernandez Aviles Maria
• Aguilar Melendez Raquel

Classifications

• F05B2230/601

  using limited numbers of standard modules which can be adapted by machining · CPC title

• F05B2240/313

  with adjustable flow intercepting area (F05B2240/312 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02E10/721

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F05B2240/302

  Segmented or sectional blades · CPC title

• F03D1/0675 Primary

  of the blades · CPC title