Rear casing, rotor blade with rear casing, and a wind turbine that comprises such a rotor blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9897070-B2
Application number	US-201214362558-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2012
Priority date	Dec 8, 2011
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

The invention concerns a rear box section for a rotor blade, in particular of a wind power installation, comprising a pressure-side surface, a suction-side surface, a trailing edge separating the pressure-side and suction-side surfaces, and a connecting side which is opposite to the trailing edge and which is adapted for mounting to a corresponding connecting surface of the rotor blade. The invention concerns in particular a rear box section which is sub-divided into a foot segment having the connecting side and one or more head segments which have the trailing edge and which can be coupled to the foot segment. The invention also concerns a rotor blade for a wind power installation, and a wind power installation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rear box section for mounting in a region of a rotor blade root of a rotor blade of a wind power installation, the rear box section comprising:
a head segment having a pressure-side surface, a suction side surface, a trailing edge separating the pressure-side and suction-side surfaces, and a first connecting side opposing the trailing edge, wherein the head segment has a plurality of spaced projections, each having a first recess; and
a foot segment having a second connecting side that is adapted for mounting to and adhering to a corresponding connecting surface of the rotor blade in the region of the rotor blade root, the foot segment having a third connecting side configured to be coupled to the first connecting side of the first head segment, wherein the foot segment has a plurality of spaced projections, each having a second recess, the first and second recesses being arranged to align with each other and to be used to fixedly secure the head segment to the foot segment, wherein the foot segment, when mounted to the rotor blade, causes the rotor blade and the foot segment to have a combined cross-section width that is substantially the same as a lamest cross-section width of the rotor blade without the foot segment.

2. The rear box section according to claim 1 wherein the head segment includes a plurality of head segments, and the third connecting side of the foot segment has for each of the plurality of head segments a separate sub-division plane at which each of plurality of the head segments can be coupled to the foot segment.

3. The rear box section according to claim 2 wherein the sub-division planes are so arranged that the maximum profile width of the rotor blade is in a region of 4 m or less when the foot segment is connected to the rotor blade.

4. The rear box section according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the foot segment and the head segment have in a region of the sub-division, a respective leg extending from the pressure-side surface to the suction-side surface.

5. The rear box section according to claim 1 wherein the head segment includes a plurality of head segments, and the second connecting side of the foot segment has for the plurality of head segments a continuous sub-division plane at which the respective head segments can be coupled to the foot segment.

6. The rear box section according to claim 1 wherein the foot segment and the head segment are configured to be coupled together in a positively locking relationship.

7. The rear box section according to claim 1 further comprising an elongate body that has a cross-section that is adapted to a cross-section of the first and second recesses and configured be introduced into the plurality of first and second recesses when the projections of the foot segment are oriented with the projections of the head segment.

8. The rear box section according to claim 7 wherein the elongate body extends in a mounted condition through the plurality of the projections of the foot segment and the head segment.

9. The rear box section according to claim 1 wherein the elongate body comprises at least one of a fiber composite material and glass fiber-reinforced plastic.

10. The rear box section according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of projections of the foot segment and of the head segment are arranged along a curved path.

11. The rear box section according to claim 10 wherein the curvature of the path corresponds to the contour configuration of the rotor blade.

12. The rear box section according to claim 1 wherein sidewalls of the first and second recesses are at least partially lined with a plastic material.

13. The rear box section according to claim 1 wherein the projections are straps and have a fabric comprising two or more fiber composite material layers.

14. The rear box section according to claim 1 wherein at least two or more head segments are associated with the foot segment.

15. The rear box section according to claim 1 wherein near the first connecting side, both the pressure-side surface and the suction-side surface are respectively delimited by an edge having a respective edge configuration that is adapted to the contour of the connecting surface of a rotor blade.

16. The rear box section according to claim 1 further comprising one or more regions for applying bonding agents are located in an interior of the rear box section to secure the rear box section to the region of the rotor blade root of the rotor blade.

17. The rear box section according to claim 1 further comprising arresting means for selectively locking or releasing a relative position between the foot segment and the head segment in the coupled condition.

18. A rotor blade for a wind power instillation, comprising:
a supporting portion,
a rotor blade root embraced by the supporting portion for mounting to a rotor of the wind power installation,
a pressure-side blade surface,
a suction-side blade surface,
a trailing edge separating the pressure-side and the suction-side surfaces,
a connecting surface, and
a rear box section that includes:
a head segment having a pressure-side surface, a suction-side surface, a trailing edge separating the pressure-side and suction-side surfaces, and a first connecting side opposing the trailing edge; and
a foot segment having a second connecting side that is secured to the connecting surface of the rotor blade at a region of the rotor blade root by a bonding material, the foot segment having a third connecting side coupled to the first connecting side of the first head segment, the head segment coupled to the foot segment, wherein the foot segment causes the rotor blade and the foot segment to have a combined cross-section width that is substantially the same as a largest cross-section width of the rotor blade without the foot segment.

19. The rotor blade according to claim 18 wherein the rear box section includes a plurality of head segments, wherein the foot segment is coupled to the plurality of head segments.

20. A wind power installation comprising:
a pylon;
a pod;
a rotor; and
at least one rotor blade according to claim 18 connected to the rotor.

21. The rotor blade according to claim 18 , wherein:
the head segment has a plurality of spaced projections, each having a first recess; and
the foot segment has a plurality of spaced projections, each having a second recess, the first and second recesses being arranged to align with each other and to be used to fixedly secure the head segment to the foot segment.

22. The rotor blade according to claim 18 , wherein the connecting surface of the rotor blade is located on the pressure-side blade surface and the suction-side blade surface.

Assignees

• Wobben Properties Gmbh

Inventors

• Hoffmann Alexander
• Kannenberg Johannes
• Baker Laurence
• Spieth Falk

Classifications

• F03D13/40

  Arrangements or methods specially adapted for transporting wind motor components · CPC title

• F05B2240/30

  Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor · CPC title

• F05B2260/30

  Retaining components in desired mutual position · CPC title

• F05B2230/60

  Assembly methods · CPC title

• F05B2240/302

  Segmented or sectional blades · CPC title