Segmented rotor blade with a bolt connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9797369-B2
Application number	US-201514679086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2015
Priority date	Apr 11, 2014
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A rotor blade of a wind turbine with a first rotor blade segment and a second rotor blade segment is provided. The rotor blade has a hollow space surrounded by a shell. The first rotor blade segment is connected with the second rotor blade segment by a bolt connection. The bolt connection has a first connection of the first rotor blade segment, a second connection of the second rotor blade segment, and a bolt establishing a bolted joint between the first connection and the second connection. At least the bolt is situated in the hollow space of the rotor blade. Furthermore, a method of connecting a first rotor blade segment of a rotor blade of a wind turbine and a second rotor blade segment of the rotor blade is provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotor blade of a wind turbine with a first rotor blade segment and a second rotor blade segment, the rotor blade comprising
a hollow space surrounded by a shell,
wherein the first rotor blade segment is connected with the second rotor blade segment by a bolt connection,
wherein the bolt connection comprises a first connection of the first rotor blade segment, a second connection of the second rotor blade segment, and a bolt establishing a bolted joint between the first connection and the second connection, and
wherein at least the bolt is situated in the hollow space of the rotor blade,
wherein the first connection comprises a cylindrical first fixing element inserted in a first opening of the first rotor blade segment,
wherein the second connection comprises a cylindrical second fixing element inserted in a second opening of the second rotor blade segment, and
wherein the bolt is fixed with at least one tightening nut to the first and/or second fixing element.

2. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the hollow space comprises a spar and air, and the bolt is situated in the air.

3. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second rotor blade segment is a tip section of the rotor blade.

4. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein a thickness of the shell of the second rotor blade segment is smaller than 50 millimeters at the bolt connection of the first rotor blade segment and the second rotor blade segment.

5. The rotor blade according to claim 4 ,
wherein a thickness of the shell of the second rotor blade segment is smaller than 30 millimeters at the bolted connection of the first rotor blade segment and the second rotor blade segment.

6. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the shell comprises a laminated composite material comprising glass fibers.

7. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the rotor blade comprises a first reinforcement element for reinforcing the first opening and/or a second reinforcement element for reinforcing the second opening.

8. The rotor blade according to claim 7 ,
wherein the rotor blade comprises the second reinforcement element for reinforcing the second opening.

9. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first fixing element and the second fixing element each comprise a through-hole for inserting the bolt.

10. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the bolt connection is pre-tensioned.

11. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one bracket is inserted in a gap which is generated by pre-tensioning of the bolt connection.

12. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the shell comprises at least one shell opening for fastening the bolt to the first fixing element and/or the second fixing element and/or for pre-tensioning the bolt connection.

13. The rotor blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first rotor blade segment and the second rotor blade segment are connected in a form-fitted manner.

14. The rotor blade according to claim 13 ,
wherein the first rotor blade segment and the second rotor blade segment are connected in a form-fitted manner by connection of a male end part and a female end part.

15. A method of connecting a first rotor blade segment of a rotor blade of a wind turbine and a second rotor blade segment of the rotor blade, wherein the rotor blade comprises a hollow space surrounded by a shell, the method comprising
providing both rotor blade segments, and
establishing a bolted connection between a first connection of the first rotor blade segment and a second connection of the second rotor blade segment by a bolt, wherein the bolt is situated in the hollow space of the rotor blade,
wherein the first connection comprises a cylindrical first fixing element inserted in a first opening of the first rotor blade segment,
wherein the second connection comprises a cylindrical second fixing element inserted in a second opening of the second rotor blade segment, and
wherein the bolt is fixed with at least one tightening nut to the first and/or second fixing element.

16. The method according to claim 15 ,
wherein the establishment of the bolted connection further comprises:
tightening the tightening nut,
pre-tensioning the bolted connection, and
inserting at least one bracket in a gap which is generated by pre-tensioning of the bolted connection.

17. The method according to claim 16 ,
wherein pre-tensioning the bolted connection is accomplished via an hydraulic tool.

18. A rotor blade of a wind turbine comprising:
a shell comprising a first rotor blade segment and a second rotor blade segment, a first fixing element disposed in a hollow space defined by the first rotor blade segment and connected to a pressure side and to a suction side of the first rotor blade segment,
a first reinforcement element disposed on an inner surface of the first rotor blade segment and configured to distribute a load between the first fixing element and the first rotor blade segment,
a second fixing element disposed in a hollow space of the second rotor blade segment and connected to a pressure side and to a suction side of the second rotor blade segment,
a second reinforcing element disposed on an inner surface of the second rotor blade segment and configured to distribute a load between the second fixing element and the second rotor blade segment, and
a bolt configured to establish a bolted joint between the first fixing element and the second fixing element, wherein the bolt is disposed between the pressure side and the suction side of at least one of the first and second rotor blade sections; wherein
the first reinforcement element comprising a first plate through which the first fixing element is disposed, and the second reinforcement element comprising a second plate through which the second fixing element is disposed.

19. The rotor blade of a wind turbine of claim 18 , the first reinforcement element comprising a first plate through which the first fixing element is disposed, and the second reinforcement element comprising a second plate through which the second fixing element is disposed.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Kratmann Kasper Koops
• Schibsbye Karsten

Classifications

• F03D1/0633 Primary

  of the blades · CPC title

• F05B2230/60

  Assembly methods · CPC title

• F05B2240/302

  Segmented or sectional blades · CPC title

• F05B2260/301

  Retaining bolts or nuts · CPC title

• F03D1/0675

  of the blades · CPC title