Manufacture of a rotor blade for a wind turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9931689-B2
Application number	US-201113822703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2011
Priority date	Oct 12, 2010
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A method and manufacturing unit for producing a rotor blade ( 5 ) of a wind turbine ( 1 ) from at least a first rotor blade element ( 11, 11′, 12, 12 ′) and a second rotor blade element ( 11, 11′, 12, 12 ′). The first rotor blade element ( 11, 11′, 12, 12 ′) and the second rotor blade element ( 11, 11′, 12, 12 ′) are positioned in the desired relative arrangement with respect to each other such that a joint gap ( 13 ) remains between the first rotor blade element ( 11, 11′, 12, 12 ′) and the second rotor blade element ( 11, 11′, 12, 12 ′). Adhesive is introduced into the joint gap ( 13 ) for joining the first rotor blade element ( 11, 11′, 12, 12 ′) and the second rotor blade element ( 11, 11′, 12, 12 ′).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing a rotor blade ( 5 ) of a wind turbine ( 1 ), comprising the steps of:
fastening a seal ( 14 , 122 ) to a second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′) during production of the second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′);
positioning a first rotor blade element ( 11 , 11 ′) and the second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′) in a desired relative arrangement with respect to each other such that a joint gap ( 13 ) remains between the first rotor blade element ( 11 , 11 ′) and the second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′), wherein the seal ( 14 , 122 ) is fastened to the second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′) before the second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′) is positioned, and
joining the first rotor blade element ( 11 , 11 ′) and the second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′) by introducing an adhesive in a controlled manner into the joint gap ( 13 ), wherein the introduction of the adhesive into the joint gap ( 13 ) is regulated by controlling at least one of an adhesive quantity that is introduced per unit time and a movement of an adhesive application apparatus ( 20 ) along the joint gap ( 13 ), wherein the joint gap ( 13 ) is sealed along a second longitudinal side which extends opposite a first longitudinal side.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is introduced into the joint gap ( 13 ) at the first longitudinal side of the joint gap ( 13 ).

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is introduced starting at one end of the joint gap ( 13 ) along a longitudinal extension of the joint gap ( 13 ) stepwise or continuously proceeding in the joint gap ( 13 ).

4. A wind turbine ( 1 ), comprising:
a tower ( 2 );
a nacelle ( 3 ) disposed at a tip of the tower ( 2 ); and
a rotor blade ( 5 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the rotor blade ( 5 ) is attached to the nacelle ( 3 ).

5. A manufacturing unit for joining a first rotor blade element ( 11 , 11 ′) and a second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′) during production of a rotor blade ( 5 ) of a wind turbine ( 1 ), the manufacturing unit comprising:
a first positioning device ( 15 ) that receives the first rotor blade element ( 11 , 11 ′);
a second positioning device ( 16 ) that positions the second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′) with respect to the first rotor blade element ( 11 , 11 ′) such that a gap ( 13 ) remains therebetween, wherein a seal ( 14 , 122 ) is fastened to the second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′) during production of the second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′) and before the second positioning device ( 16 ) positions the second rotor blade element ( 12 , 12 ′);
an adhesive application apparatus ( 20 ) disposed at a first longitudinal side at one end of the joint gap ( 13 ), wherein the adhesive application apparatus ( 20 ) introduces an adhesive into the joint gap ( 13 ); and
a sensor ( 22 ) that senses a filling degree of the adhesive in the joint gap ( 13 ), wherein the adhesive is introduced in a controlled manner into the joint gap ( 13 ), and wherein the sensor senses the filling degree of the adhesive in the joint gap ( 13 ) near a nozzle ( 21 ) for the adhesive, wherein the joint gap ( 13 ) is sealed along a second longitudinal side which extends opposite the first longitudinal side.

6. The manufacturing unit according to claim 5 ,
wherein the adhesive application apparatus ( 20 ) comprises the nozzle ( 21 ) for the adhesive, and
wherein at least one of the adhesive application apparatus ( 20 ) and the nozzle ( 21 ) for the adhesive are movable along the first longitudinal side of the joint gap ( 13 ).

7. The manufacturing unit according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a control device for the adhesive application apparatus ( 20 ) that regulates at least one of a cross sectional area of an outlet opening of the nozzle ( 21 ) for the adhesive, an adhesive pressure, a movement of the nozzle ( 21 ) for the adhesive along the joint gap ( 13 ), and movement of the adhesive application apparatus ( 20 ) along the joint gap ( 13 ).

8. The manufacturing unit according to claim 5 , wherein the adhesive application apparatus ( 20 ) mixes adhesive composed of at least two components.

Assignees

• Zeller Lenz Simon
• Gunther Maik
• Senvion Se

Inventors

• Zeller Lenz Simon
• Gunther Maik

Classifications

• B29C66/61

  Joining from or joining on the inside (for making tubes by bending sheets and joining from the inside B29C53/387) · CPC title

• B29C66/43441

  with two right angles, e.g. for making T-shaped pieces, H-shaped pieces · CPC title

• F16B11/006

  by gluing (gluing of plastics material B29C65/48) · CPC title

• Y02P70/523

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B21K3/04 Primary

  blades, e.g. for turbines; Upsetting of blade roots · CPC title