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# EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
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(43) Date of publication: 14.05.2003 Bulletin 2003/20
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(51) Int Cl.7: B29D 31/00, B29C 70/48
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(21) Application number: 02024766.4
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(22) Date of filing: 07.11.2002
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<html><body><table><tr><td>(84)Designated Contracting States: ATBEBGCHCYCZDEDKEEESFIFRGBGR IEITLILUMCNLPTSESKTR DesignatedExtensionStates: AL LT LV MK RO SI （30）Priority:13.11.2001 DK 200101686 22.11.2001DK200101745 (71）Applicant:BonusEnergyA/S 7330 Brande (DK) (72）Inventors: Stiesdal,Hendrik 5000OdenseC(DK)</td><td>·Enevoldsen,PederBay 7100 Vejle (DK) Johansen, Kaj 9440 Aabybro (DK) Kristensen, Jens Jorgen O 9240 Nibe (DK) Nortem, Michael 9230Svenstrup(DK) Winther-Jensen,Martin 4690 Haslev (DK) (74) Representative: Nielsen, Leif et al Patrade A/S FredensTorv3A 8000 Aarhus C (DK)</td></tr></table></body></html>
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# (54) Method for manufacturing windmill blades
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(57) There is disclosed a method for making a windmill blade whereby problems with glue joints and with exposure of the workers to environmentally hazardous substances are avoided. This is effected by making the windmill blade in a closed mould with a mould core (3) inside mould parts (22, 48) for formation of a mould cavity (51), in which fibre material (45,47) and core material (46) are placed. After applying vacuum to the mould cavity (51), matrix material (57) is injected via a filling pipe (29), which is placed at a downwardly oriented side edge of the blade during the filling. Hereby is established a flow front (61) which is used for indicating complete filling when this reaches the trailing edge of the blade and penetrates out through overflow apertures.
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# Description
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# Field of the Invention
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[0001] The present invention concerns a method for making windmill blades of composite materials such as glass or carbon fibre reinforced epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester, or thermoplastic.
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# Background Art
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[0002] Different methods for making windmill blades are known.
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[0003] Thus it is known that windmill blades may be made by winding roving tapes or roving bundles around a core or mandrel. Methods for this are inter alia described in US patents 4,242,160 and 4,381,960.
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[0004] Such methods by winding have the disadvantage that after setting, the winded item will normally appear with the raw composite material surface as an external surface which is incompatible with many applications, e.g. for windmill blades. A satisfactory surface quality therefore presupposes a finishing treatment, e. g. by the bonding of shells made separately.
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[0005] Another drawback by this method is that the winding normally presupposes use of a mandrel with a certain strength which therefore is desired to be reused. In these cases, the method may only be used with items having a geometry allowing removal of the mandrel, which means that the dimensions of the internal crosssection of the cavity at a given distance from the end from which the mandrel it drawn out are not to exceed the dimensions of any of the cross-sections situated between the position in question and the end, and that some tapering in the mould will normally be required in practice. Such a method may thus not be used for e.g. tanks or whole windmill blades.
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[0006] It is also prior art that windmill blades may be made by a method where a blade is usually made with two half-shells which are joined at leading and trailing edges by bonding. The half-shells are usually supported inside the blade cavity by one or more beams, which are also joined to the half-shells by bonding, where the beams e.g. may be made in U- or I-shape so that the flanges of these beams form contact surfaces with the half-shells, or where the beams e.g. may be made by winding so that a part of the external surface of the winded beam forms contact surfaces towards the half-shells. The half-shells may e.g. be made of dry fibre materials which are supplied resin by manual laying, vacuum injection or the like, or they may be made of prepeg, where the fibre materials are impregnated in advance with resin which is brought to set by the action of heat, UV-irradiation, or similar. In other embodiments, beams and/or half-shells are made of thermoplastic, e.g. by using fibre materials that are combinations of temperature resisting fibre materials and thermoplastic, and where the fibre material after laying is brought to a temperature where the thermoplastic material melts, thereby acting as resin in the finished laminate.
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[0007] However, it is a problem with this method that it may be difficult to ensure a satisfying quality of the 5 glue joints established in the interior of the structure for the mutual joining of the half-shells and for joining possible beams with the half-shells. This is partly due to fundamental problems regarding material technology, partly to more specific manufacturing problems.
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10 [0008] The fundamental problems regarding material technology may summarizingly be described as consequences of the impossibility of having the same material properties in the glue as in the rest of the blade. The reason for this is that the general material properties in
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15 the blade shells and the laminates of the possible beams are determined by the fibre reinforcement, which normally has rigidity several orders of magnitude higher than that of the resin, whereby the properties of the resin has minimal significance for the rigidity of the finished
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20 laminate. Conversely, the glue is normally made as pure resins (which may consist of other plastics than those used in the laminates) or as mixtures of resins and fillers but without fibre reinforcement. The result is that the elastic modulus of the glue typically deviates an order
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25 of magnitude, often several orders of magnitude, from the parts joined with the glue. To this comes that glue materials are often brittle and may therefore be vulnerable to local moments tending to open the glue joint, socalled peeling. Such local moments will particularly oc
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30 cur by very large loads on the blade, where non-linear effects may imply the blade cross-section changing its shape. By virtue of glue materials normally having relatively brittle properties, there may be the subsequent danger that cracks in glue joints propagate far beyond
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35 the area in which the original overloads have occurred. [0009] Among the manufacturing problems, one of the essential is that the glue joints are provided at leading and trailing edge and between beam and shell, so that a glue joint is established on the unprepared surface
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40 at the inner side of the shell laminate. The problem of this joint is that the glue surface may only be defined within a certain large range of tolerance. To this comes that in the case of the trailing and leading edge bond the shell laminate has to be reduced towards the edge of
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45 the shell when, as e.g. in the case of windmill blades, the case is half-shells where the edges are abutting mutually inclining in order that the glue joint can have nearly uniform thickness. This reduction may not always be provided with the necessary tolerances why a real ad
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50 aptation will require working of the assembly faces, which in turn will imply a large rise in the costs. Another problem is that the deformations arising in the blade shells in connection with small variations in the manufacturing process can give a varying gap inside the cav
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55 ity of the item so that it may be difficult to ensure a complete filling of glue of the interspace between beam and shell. All these problems with tolerances have the result that glue joints generally may have varying cross-sec
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tions and fillings which in turn implies a risk of considerable stress concentrations in the glue and the adjoining blade shells and beams. Furthermore, it is a problem that most glue materials presupposes that the surfaces to be bonded are ground in advance with the associated problems of maintaining the necessary tolerances. Finally, the glue joints are usually difficult to inspect visually as well as they are difficult to inspect by NDT methods (non-destructive testing) due to the tapering laminate and the irregular geometry of the item.
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[0010] It is also a problem with methods based on bonding individual parts of blades that even though individual sections of the blades may be produced in closed processes with small or no environmental loads, this is usually not the case with the bonding itself. Here, workers will usually be exposed to grind dust from dry grinding, partly because it is unfavourable to the subsequent gluing process to perform wet grinding and partly because they are exposed to contact with and/or vapours from the glue material itself, implying need for personal protective means.
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# Summary of the Invention
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[0011] The purpose of the invention is to provide a method for making windmill blades of composite materials so that these may be manufactured in a closed process and mainly in one piece without any glue joints.
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[0012] This is achieved with a method of the kind indicated in the introduction, which is peculiar in that the blade is made in one piece in a closed mould and, depending on the type of composite material, possibly also all of or parts of the matrix material, are placed around at least one mould core consisting of an external part of flexible material, that an outer mould part is closed around mould core and possible matrix material, that fibre reinforcement and matrix material are brought into the union relevant for the selected composite material, and that at least a part of the internal part of the mould core is then taken out of the finished windmill blade.
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[0013] Several advantages are attained by this method compared with prior art methods.
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[0014] By making the blade in one piece, where a substantial part of the outer side is an impression of one or more outer mould parts there is achieved the advantage that by using gelcoat in the mould or by a subsequent simple surface, the blade surface may appear in the quality required with regard to aerodynamic efficiency and aesthetic impression.
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[0015] By making the blade in one piece without any glue joints, the prior art problems with glue joints, including problems with tolerances of glue joint dimensions and the difficulties with subsequent inspection of the quality of the glue joints, are eliminated.
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[0016] By making the blade in one piece in a closed process, the workers' exposure to possible environmentally hazardous substances in the composite material is eliminated, so that the need for personal protective
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means may be reduced to an absolute minimum. [0017] By making the blade in a sandwich construction with a core material which largely runs continuously around the cross-sectional profile of the blade, there is
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5 achieved a particularly advantageous combination of production technique and properties of the finished product. The core material may thus be used as evacuation and flow duct by a vacuum based process, and the continuous process ensures uniform cross-sectional
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10 properties without disadvantageous transitions between sandwich and solid structure in highly loaded areas. The continuous core material and the real separation of the load bearing part of the laminate in an outer and an inner section furthermore provides the construc
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15 tional advantage that a possible crack formation in one (outer or inner) laminate only implies a very small risk of propagation to the other laminate. Hereby is achieved a hitherto unknown redundancy of the structure.
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# 20 The Drawing
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[0018] In the following, the method will be explained in detail as reference is made to the Figures. Figures 1 - 2 provides examples of prior art, and Figure 3 indicates 25 a blade made in accordance with the invention. With the Figures 4 - 11, the method is explained in an embodiment where the laminate is made of thermosetting plastic by vacuum injection.
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# 30 Description of Embodiments
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[0019] Fig. 1 shows a windmill blade made according to a usual method. A beam 1 is made by winding around a mandrel which later is taken out of the beam. Around 35 the beam is glued two half-shells 2 and 3. Each halfshell consists of an outer laminate 4, a sandwich core 5, which e.g. can be made in balsa wood or PVC foam, and an inner laminate 6. The half-shells are fastened by glue joints at the leading edge 7, at the trailing edge 8, 40 and against the beam 9. A blade made according to this usual method initially has three main parts, namely the beam 1 and the two half-shells 2 and 3. According to the circumstances, these main parts may be supplemented with further main parts, e.g. at the root of the blade, for 45 forming transition to pitch bearing and/or rotor hub.
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[0020] Fig. 2 shows a windmill blade made according to another usual method. Two beams 10 and 11 are made by moulding in separate moulds. The two beams are joined with two half-shells 12 and 13. The half-shells
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50 are fastened by glue joints at the leading edge 14, at the trailing edge 15, and against the beams 16 and 17. At the outset, a blade made according to this prior art method has four main parts, namely the beams 10 and 11 and the two half-shells 12 and 13. Depending on the cir
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55 cumstances, these main parts may be supplemented with further main parts, e.g. at the root of the blade, for forming transition to pitch bearing and/or rotor hub.
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[0021] Fig. 3 shows a windmill blade made by the method according to the invention. The blade is an integrated unit, which is constituted by an outer shell 18, a sandwich core 19, an inner shell 20 and a shear web 21. In other sections, the blade may be made with plural shear webs or completely without webs.
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[0022] Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of a mould part suited for making windmill blades with the method according to the invention, where the laminate is made by vacuum injection of thermosetting plastic. The mould part 22 is made as a negative impression of a part of the external surface of the blade; as an example here is shown the section termed the pressure side, which during operation of the windmill largely faces the wind. The mould part 22 may be treated with a suited release agent on the surface 23 on which the blade in moulded. The mould part is provided with closure edges 24 with which tightness through abutment against other mould parts may be achieved. The mould part may be achieved with an integrated temperature regulating system 25 with which the temperature of the blade laminate may be changed during setting. The mould part 22 may be composed of several parts with joints that are to achieve tightness.
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[0023] Fig. 5 shows a first step in making windmill blades by the method according to the invention. An outer layer of fibre material 26 is laid in the mould part 22, e.g. mats or web of glass fibre or carbon fibre. Some of the outer layer of fibre material may e.g. extend out beyond the closure edge 24 at the leading edge 27. Upon at least a part of the outer layer of fibre material 26 there is provided a core material 28 that e.g. may be made in balsawood or PVC foam. At one or more suited places, here indicated by the leading edge 27, is provided one or more flow pipes 29, or other kinds of apertures are made along the blade. Besides the core material 28, which is placed upon the outer layer of fibre material 26, other core parts 30 may be provided, entirely or partly enclosed by the fibre material 26. At least a part of the surface of the fibre material 26, the core material 28, the possible flow pipe 29 and possible other core parts 30, are then covered by an inner layer of fibre material 31. This inner layer of fibre material 31 may in the same way as the outer layer of fibre material 26 entirely or partly extend beyond the closure edge 24. The flow pipe 29 may be provided with holes or saw grooves 32, or in other ways there may be provided flow ducts for resin from the interior of the flow pipe 29 to the core material 28, to the outer layer of fibre material 26 and to the inner layer of fibre material 31. The core material 28 and possible other core parts 30 may be provided with tracing 33, or flow paths for resin between the core material 28 and at least one of the two layers 26 and 31 may be provided. The core material 28 and possible other core parts 30 may be provided with borings or through-going cuttings 34, or flow ducts for resin between the two surfaces of core material 28 may be provided in other ways.
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[0024] Fig. 6 shows a subsequent step in the making of windmill blades with the method according to the in
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vention. On the inner layer of fibre material 31, the mould core 35 and possible shear webs 36 are placed. In the shown example, a mould core in two parts 37 and 38 is utilized that each may be divided into subparts. A core
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5 part 37 may e.g. consist of a firm inner part 39 that e.g. may be made of wood or composite material. The firm inner part 39 may be surrounded on at least a part of its outer side of a flexible outer part 40, which e.g. may be made in foam rubber. Each core part 37 is surrounded
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10 by a flexible, airtight membrane 41 that e.g. may be made of nylon or silicone rubber. The flexible membrane 41 may be treated with a suitable release agent. A shear web 36 may be made with an inner core part 42, which e.g. may be made of plywood, balsawood or PVC foam,
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15 and which at each side may have a core support part 43 in one or more parts, which e.g. may be made of plywood, balsawood or PVC foam. On each or both sides of the core parts 42 and 43, a fibre material 44 of e.g. glass or carbon can be placed. The fibre material 44 may
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20 advantageously extend to some extent across the inner layer of fibre material 31, as well as it may extend across the core part 37. [0025] Fig. 7 shows a subsequent step in making windmill blades with the method according to the inven
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25 tion. Across the core part 35 and the fibre material 44 from the possible shear web or webs 36, an inner layer of fibre material 45 is laid that e.g. may be mats or web of glass or carbon fibre, which advantageously may be composed in the same way as the inner layer of fibre
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30 material 31 in the lower mould part 22. On top of at least a part of the inner layer of fibre material 45 there is provided a core material 46, that e.g. may be made in balsawood or PVC foam, and which advantageously may be shaped in the same way as the core material 28 in
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35 the lower mould part 22. In some cases, it will be advantageous to postpone the laying of the flow pipe 29 as described above in step 5 to this stage of the process. At least a part of the surface of the fibre material 45, the core material 46, the possible flow pipe 29 and possible
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40 other core parts 30 are then covered by an outer layer of fibre material 47. This outer layer of fibre material 47 may e.g. be mats or web of glass or carbon fibre, and may advantageously be composed in the same way as the outer layer of fibre material 26 in the lower mould
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45 part 22. In the process of laying the inner fibre material 45, core material 46 and outer fibre material 47, the parts of the outer layer of fibre material 26 and the inner layer of fibre material 31, which extend beyond the closure edge 24 after laying of the material in the mould part 22,
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50 are put together into the inner fibre material 45 and/or the outer fibre material 47, so that overlap of fibre material across the joint face 48 occurring at the closure edge 24 is achieved. These layers of fibre materials 26 and 31 that extend beyond the closure edge 24 after
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55 laying of the material in the mould part 22 may entirely or partly extend right to the trailing edge when they are laid upon the mould core 35, the fibre material 44 from the possible shear web or webs, and/or the core material
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# 46.
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[0026] Fig. 8 shows the next step in making windmill blades by the method according to the invention. Across the outer layer of fibre material 47 there is disposed one or more mould parts 48 that are shaped as a negative impression of a part of the outer surface of the blade, here illustrated the part termed the suction side, and which during operation of the windmill largely faces away from the wind. The mould part 48 may be treated on the surface 49 on which the blade is moulded with a suited release agent. The mould part is provided with closure edges 50 with which tightness may be achieved against the first mould part 22. The mould part may be provided with an integrated temperature regulation system 25 with which the temperature of the laminate of the blade may be changed during setting. The mould part 48 may be composed of several parts with joints that are to attain tightness.
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[0027] Fig. 9 shows the next step in making windmill blades by the method according to the invention. Between on the one hand the mould parts 22 and 48 and on the other hand the flexible membrane 41 around the mould core 35 there is a cavity 51. The cavity 51 is partly filled by the fibre materials 26, 31, 44, 45 and 47, the core materials 28, 42, 43, and 46, the flow pipe 29 and possible other core parts 30, as the cavities between the fibre and between the fibre and other parts are filled with air. Now, vacuum is applied to the cavity 51 so that at least a substantial part of the air staying between the parts in the cavity is evacuated. Thereby, fibre and core materials etc. are compressed in the cavity 51 as the flexible membrane 41 expands. In order to ensure good sealing, the surfaces between the closure edges 24 and 50 may advantageously be made with at least two sealing arrangements, an internal arrangement 52 and an external arrangement 53, so that between these arrangements there is provided a cavity 54 that may be subjected to vacuum separately from vacuum in the cavity 51, and which may advantageously be maintained at a lower absolute pressure than the cavity 51, whereby possible leakages from the surrounding air to the cavity 51 is prevented.
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[0028] Fig. 10 shows the next step in making windmill blades by the method according to the invention. The closed mould, consisting of the mould parts 22 and 48 with the entire amount of fibre and core materials, mould cores etc., is now turned about its longitudinal axis, so that the flow pipe 29 assumes a position close to the lowest point in a cross-section of the closed mould. A connection 55 is established between the flow pipe 29 and a reservoir 56 with suitable resin 57 with the right mix ratio, e.g. polyester, vinyl ester or epoxy. The connection 55 that may be a pipe or a tube or combinations thereof, may be provided with a variable flow control valve 58, or in other ways there may be established means for controlling the flow rate in connection 55 to the flow pipe 29, e.g. in the form of pressure control of the space 59 over the resin 57. The connection 55 may
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be provided with a stop cock 60, or in other ways there may be established possibility of blocking the flow from the reservoir 56 through the connection 55, e.g. by the flow control valve 58 being able to shut the connection
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5 off completely. When the blade has the desired position, there is opened up for the flow in the connection 55, and injection is commenced as the resin flows into the cavity 51 under action of the pressure difference between the vacuum established in the cavity and the pressure on
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10 the resin 57. During the injection, the flow is regulated with the flow control valve 58, or in other ways, so that a controlled development of the fluid front 61 of the injected resin 62 is maintained with balance between regulated inflow and gravitation. The fluid front may e.g. be
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15 tried kept approximately horizontal so that the risk of blocking and confinement of larger or lesser amounts of residual air is minimized. [0029] Fig. 11 shows the next step in making windmill blades according to the invention. The flow front 61 has
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20 now reached the trailing edge of the blade, and resin now penetrates up into one or more overflow containers 63. When there is pure resin in the relevant overflow containers, the injection is terminated by the stop cock 60, or in other ways. The temperature regulating system
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25 25 may be active during the whole or a part of the injection process, and particularly after finished injection it may be used to bring the injected laminated up to a temperature that enhances the setting process for the resin. Depending on the embodiment, the temperature regu
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30 lating system may also be used for cooling mould and laminate, if the exothermic heat of the setting process is in danger of raising the temperature of mould and laminate to an undesired level. However, one may also completely omit a temperature regulating system in the
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35 mould and perform possible final setting in a separate process afterwards.
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[0030] After finished setting, the moulds are opened and the finished blade is taken out.
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[0031] Before or after the blade is taken out, the mould
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40 core 35 is removed. In the shown example there is used a mould core in two core parts 37 and 38. The front core part 37 may be removed in one piece in this example, whereas the rear core part 38 may advantageously be divided into subparts that are removed in the sequence
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45 which is most convenient with regard to geometry and handling. If a core part 37 consists of a firm internal part 39 surrounded by a flexible external part 40, which e.g. may be made of foam rubber and enclosed by a flexible, airtight membrane, over at least apart of its outer side,
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50 it may advantageous to apply vacuum on the flexible external part 40, whereby the airtight membrane 41 contracts and is released in relation to the cavity in the moulded blade. For this process, it may be an advantage that the flexible, airtight membrane 41 is constitut
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55 ed by plural layers so that possible adherence between the moulded blade and the airtight membrane is limited to the outermost layer of the membrane. It may also be an advantage to provide an airtight layer between the
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firm internal part 39 and the flexible external part 40 so that vacuum is limited to the flexible external part 40, and larger or lesser pressure loads are not applied on the firm internal part 39.
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[0032] In the above, the process is described with the use of a flow pipe 29 which is integrated in the leading edge of the blade. The flow pipe may very well be disposed outside the blade itself, e.g. in a recess in the mould, and this recess may constitute the flow duct so that a separate pipe is not necessary. Versions with more flow pipes and flow ducts integrated in the blade as well as disposed externally as continuous recesses or tubes in the mould parts may also be envisaged, or partly or entirely in the shape of flow pipes with discrete inlets at the inner sides of the mould parts.
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[0033] In the above is described a practical embodiment of the method, where the fibre material is laid in dry conditions, and where the resin is supplied by vacuum injection. In other practical embodiments, a socalled prepeg is laid, where the fibre materials are impregnated with resin in advance, which, after being applied vacuum, is brought to set by the action of heat, UV irradiation, or similar, or fibre materials that are combinations of temperature resisting fibre materials and thermoplastic may be laid, and where the fibre material after laying may be brought to a temperature where the thermoplastic material melts and thereby acts as resin in the finished laminate.
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[0034] Combinations of the practical embodiment of the method with fibre material laid in dry condition and where a part of laid material is in form of finished fibre reinforced parts, e.g. previously moulded part for the blade root or longitudinally pultruded profiles. Combinations of materials in the laying may also be envisaged, which otherwise in prior art methods are held separate to each other. E.g. mats in prepeg may also be envisaged where the integrated resin contributes to the injection of the surrounding dry fibre material to a certain degree, and where the amount of resin needed for complete impregnation of the laminate is provided by vacuum injection as described above.
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# Claims
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1. A method for making a windmill blade of composite materials which include a fibre reinforced matrix material, the improvement comprising that the blade is made in one piece in a closed mould and comprising steps that provide:
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a mould core with a flexible external core part and an internal, firm or workable core part, and outer mould parts arranged to close around the mould core for formation of a mould cavity there between, that composite material and possible core inserts are laid on an outer mould part and/or the
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mould core,
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that the outer mould parts are closed around the mould core and around the composite material placed in the mould cavity,
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that the composite material is set,
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that the outer mould parts are removed, and that the mould core is taken out of the shape permanent blade before or after removing the outer mould parts.
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2. A method according to claim 1, wherein some of the required matrix material is used in connection with the reinforcing fibre when laying the composite material and where additional matrix material is added after closing the mould.
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3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the composite material is laid around a core material for forming the blade as a sandwich structure, where the core material is used for evacuation and flow at vacuum formation of the blade as the mould cavity is subjected to vacuum whereby air is evacuated simultaneously with composite materials and possible core inserts being pressed against the inner side of the outer mould parts due to the flexible external core part of the mould core, and where the matrix material is injected formation of the mould cavity by vacuum.
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4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the material is injected through a duct disposed at a vertical underside of the mould cavity and with a flow regulated for controlling an upwardly advancing fluid front of the matrix material so as to avoid confinement of air in the mould cavity.
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5. A method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein an outer layer of fibre material extending beyond a side edge of the mould cavity is laid on a first outer mould part, where at least one flow pipe is placed at the said side edge for injecting matrix material, where a layer of core material and possible other core parts are placed, where an inner layer of fibre material extending beyond the said side edge is laid, where the mould core is placed in the layers that are laid, where the fibre material extending beyond the side edge is folded in over the mould core and the flow pipe, where a layer of core material and an outer layer of fibre material are laid on the mould core, where a second outer mould part is placed in close contact with the first outer mould part, where vacuum is applied to the mould cavity and where the matrix material is injected via the flow pipe.
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5 6. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein core inserts are disposed between the layers of fibre material and are taken out of the mould together with the composite material for making a blade in which such inserts constitute structural elements in the finished blade.
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7. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein thermal setting is used, and wherein the temper- 5 ature in the composite materials of the blade are changed during the setting by using a temperature control system in at least one of the mould parts.
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8. A method according to any of claims 3 - 7, wherein 10 the core material is provided with through-going passages used as ducts for fluid matrix material between the two layers of fibre material.
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9. A method according to any preceding claim, where- 15 in injection of the matrix material is terminated when fluid matrix material is pressed out of apertures at the upwardly facing side edge of the blade.
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10. A method according to any preceding claim, where- 20 in the mould core is provided as a plurality of separate sections.
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|
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|
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|
||||
EP 1 310 351 A1
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
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|
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|
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<html><body><table><tr><td colspan="3">DOCUMENTSCONSIDEREDTOBERELEVANT</td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td>Category</td><td>Citationofdocumentwithindication,whereappropriate, ofrelevantpassages</td><td>Relevant toclaim</td><td>CLASSIFICATIONOF THE APPLICATION (IntCI.7)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>X A A A A</td><td colspan="2">NL 8 800 301 A(AKZ0NV) 1 September 1989 (1989-09-01) *[ page 2, 1ine 6, paragraph 2 * NL 8 104 019 A (JAN B0S) 16 March 1983 (1983-03-16) * page 3, line 29 - 1ine 33; claim 9; figures * US 5 304 339 A (LE C0MTE AD0LF) 19 Apri1 1994 (1994-04-19) column 1, line 23; figures * *( column 4, 1ine 18 - 1ine 38; claims 1,2 * FR 2 555 501 A (SEPTEM SA) 31 May 1985 (1985-05-31) * page 2, line 24 - page 4， line 5 * EP 0 722 825 A(B0EING C0) 24 Ju1y 1996 (1996-07-24)</td><td>1-7,9,10] B29D31/00 B29C70/48 8 1,8 1-8 2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">* the whole document *</td><td>TECHNICAL FIELDS SEARCHED (Int.Cl.7) B29D B29C</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">Thepresentsearchreport hasbeen drawn upforall claims</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Place of search Date ofcompletion of thesearch THE HAGUE</td><td colspan="2">17 February 2003</td><td>Examiner Van Wallene, A</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">CATEGORYOFCITEDDOCUMENTS T:theoryorprincipleunderlying theinvention X:particularlyrelevant if takenalone afterthefilingdate Y:particularlyrelevantifcombinedwithanother D:document cited in the application documentofthesamecategory L:documentcitedforotherreasons A:technologicalbackground O:non-written disclosure &:memberof thesamepatentfamily,corresponding P:intermediatedocument document</td><td>E: earier patent document, but published on, or</td></tr></table></body></html>
|
||||
|
||||
# ANNEX TO THE EUROPEAN SEARCH REPORT ON EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION NO.
|
||||
|
||||
This annexlists the patent familymembersrelating to thepatentdocuments cited in the above-mentioned European searchreport. Themembersareascontainedin theEuropeanPatentOfficeEDPfileon The European Patent Ofice is in no way liable for these particulars which are merely given for the purpose of information.
|
||||
|
||||
17-02-2003
|
||||
|
||||
<html><body><table><tr><td>Patent document cited in search report</td><td>Publication date</td><td></td><td>Patent family member(s)</td><td>Publication date</td></tr><tr><td>NL 8800301 A</td><td>01-09-1989</td><td>NONE</td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td>NL 8104019 A</td><td>16-03-1983</td><td>NONE</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>US 5304339 A</td><td>19-04-1994</td><td>US NL</td><td>5096651 A 9200963 A</td><td>17-03-1992 01-07-1993 31-05-1985</td></tr><tr><td>FR 2555501 A EP 0722825 A</td><td>31-05-1985</td><td>FR EP WO US</td><td>2555501 A1 0162097 A1 8502365 A1</td><td>27-11-1985 06-06-1985 22-10-1996</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>24-07-1996</td><td>EP US</td><td>5567499 A 0722825 A2 5851336 A</td><td>24-07-1996 22-12-1998</td></tr></table></body></html>
|
||||
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276
叶片制造装置/US9422916美国专利/auto/US9422916美国专利.md
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|
||||
# (12) United States Patent Schibsbye
|
||||
|
||||
(10) Patent No.: US 9,422,916 B2
|
||||
(45) Date of Patent: Aug. 23, 2016
|
||||
|
||||
(54) METHODFORMANUFACTURINGAWIND TURBINEROTORBLADE
|
||||
|
||||
U.S.PATENT DOCUMENTS (75) Inventor: Karsten Schibsbye, Fredericia (DK)
|
||||
|
||||
(73)Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, Minchen （\*）Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 658 days.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
(21) Appl. No.: 13/267,244 (22)Filed: Oct.6, 2011 (65) Prior Publication Data US 2012/0091627 A1 Apr. 19, 2012
|
||||
|
||||
CN 1058168A 1/1992
|
||||
CN 1283149 A 2/2001
|
||||
CN 101327654 A 12/2008
|
||||
EP 1310351 A1 5/2003
|
||||
EP 2123431 A1 11/2009
|
||||
JP 2008531902 A 8/2008
|
||||
WO WO 2009032195 A1 3/2009
|
||||
WO 2009139619 A1 11/2009
|
||||
|
||||
\* cited by examiner
|
||||
|
||||
Oct. 13, 2010 (EP) 10187414
|
||||
|
||||
Primary Examiner —Robert J Grun (51) Int.Cl. B29C 70/44 (2006.01) F03D1/06 (2006.01) B29L31/08 (2006.01)
|
||||
|
||||
(52) U.S.Cl. CPC F03D 1/0675 (2013.01);B29C 70/443 (2013.01); B29C 70/446 (2013.01); B29L 2031/085 (2013.01); F05B 2230/00 (2013.01); Y02E 10/721 (2013.01); Y02E 10/722 (2013.01); Y02P 70/523 (2015.11)
|
||||
|
||||
(58) Field of Classification Search CPC B29C 70/443;B29C 70/446;B29L 2031/085;F03D 1/0675;F05B 2230/00; Y02E 10/721;Y02E 10/722 USPC 264/258
|
||||
|
||||
# (57)
|
||||
|
||||
# ABSTRACT
|
||||
|
||||
A method for forming a profile for a hollow component is provided. A first composite fiber layer is laid out on a first surface corresponding to a first profile section of the component. A second composite fiber layer is laid out in a second surface corresponding to a second profile section of the component. A collapsed bag is laid out in onto the first composite fiber layer. The bag and the first composite fiber layer are fixed to the first surface. First and second mould elements are coupled such that the first surface and the second surface correspond to the first and second profiles. The bag is inflated such that the first composite fiber layer is pressed to the first surface and the second composite fiber layer is pressed to the second surface so that the first and second layers are coupled to form the profile.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
8 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
|
||||
|
||||
# FIG 1
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
FIG 3
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
# FIG 4
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
# U.S. Patent
|
||||
|
||||
# FIG 5
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
# US 9,422,916 B2
|
||||
|
||||
# 2
|
||||
|
||||
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
|
||||
|
||||
This application claims priority of European Patent Office application No. 10187414.7 EP filed Oct. 13, 2010, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
|
||||
|
||||
# FIELD OF INVENTION
|
||||
|
||||
The present invention relates to a method for forming a profile for manufacturing a hollow component made of composite fibre, in particular of a hollow blade for a wind turbine. Moreover, the present invention relates to a blade for a wind turbine and to a moulding system.
|
||||
|
||||
# ART BACKGROUND
|
||||
|
||||
Wind turbine blades for wind turbine becoming larger and larger in size. Hence, modern wind turbine blades are mostly made of composite fibre, in particular made of glass fibre. In order to manufacture such large wind turbine blades, several manufacturing methods, such as resin transfer moulding, are applied.
|
||||
|
||||
EP 1 310 351 A1 discloses a method for manufacturing blades for a wind turbine. A mould core is placed to a layer of glass fibre, which is laid in a mould part forming an underside of a blade. On top of the mould core, a further layer of glass fibre is laid. Finally, an upper mould part is laid over the mould core, so that the fibre layers that are pressed to the mould core form the profile of the blade.
|
||||
|
||||
# METHODFORMANUFACTURINGAWIND TURBINEROTORBLADE
|
||||
|
||||
After curing of the fibre layers in the mould parts, the mould core has to be removed, which may cause difficulties due to the large size of the wind turbine blades and due to the complex profiles of the wind turbine blades.
|
||||
|
||||
# SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION
|
||||
|
||||
It may be an object of the present invention to simplify a manufacturing method for a wind turbine blade.
|
||||
|
||||
This object is solved by a method for forming a profile for manufacturing hollow components made of composite fibre, in particular a hollow blade for a wind turbine, by a blade for a wind turbine and by a moulding system for applying the method according to the independent claims.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for forming a profile for manufacturing a hollow component made of composite fibre, in particular a hollow blade for a wind turbine, is presented. According to the method, a first composite fibre layer is laid out on a first mould surface of the first mould element, wherein the first mould surface corresponds to a first profile section of the hollow component to be manufactured. A second composite fibre layer is laid out in a second mould surface of the second elements, wherein the second mould surface corresponds to a second profile section of the hollow component to be manufactured. A bag is laid out in a collapsed state onto the first composite fibre layer.
|
||||
|
||||
The bag and the first composite fibre layer are fixed to the first mould surface. The first mould element is coupled to the second mould element in such a way, that the first mould surface and the second mould surface correspond to the profile of the hollow component (e.g. the wind turbine blade) to be manufactured. The bag is inflated in such a way, that the first composite fibre layer is pressed to the first mould surface and the second composite fibre layer is pressed to the second mould surface, so that the first composite fibre layer and the second composite fibre layer are coupled to form the profile of the hollow component to be manufactured.
|
||||
|
||||
5 According to a further exemplary embodiment, a blade for a wind turbine is presented, wherein the blade is manufactured by the above mentioned method.
|
||||
|
||||
Moreover, according to a further aspect of the present invention, a moulding system for applying the above menl0tioned method for the manufacturing hollow components made of composite fibre is presented.
|
||||
|
||||
The first mould element may be an upper mould part and the second mould element may be a lower mould part of a moulding device. The first mould element may comprise the
|
||||
15 first mould surface, wherein the first mould surface forms for example a female mould of a first section of a profile of the hollow component to be formed. When laying a first composite fibre layer into the first mould element on the first mould surface, the first composite fibre forms the first profile section
|
||||
20 of the hollow component. For example, if the first mould element is an upper half and the second mould element is a lower half, the first mould surface forms a female mould of the upper half of the hollow component (e.g. upper half of a blade) to be manufactured and the second mould surface
|
||||
25 forms a female mould of the lower half of the component (lower half of the blade) to be manufactured. Beside this, the moulding device may comprise the first mould element, the second mould element and further mold elements, so that the mould surface is formed by the first mould surface, the second
|
||||
30mould surface and the further mould surface, to which two or a plurality of individual composite fibre layers may be laid onto. In other words, the final profile of the component to manufactures may be divided in more than two profile sections.
|
||||
35 The composite fibre layers may be formed with fibres in a uni-directional or multi-directional orientation with respect to each other. Moreover, the composite fibres may be provided in a web form, a woven form, such as a fibre mat or a prepreg. The first fibre layer may describe one or a plurality of
|
||||
40fibre layers laid on top ofeach other located to the first mould element and the second fibre layer describes one or a plurality of fibre layers laid on top of each other located to the second mould element.
|
||||
|
||||
The composite fibres may comprise glass fibres, carbon 45fibres or other polymer fibre materials.
|
||||
|
||||
The bag is a flexible, i.e. inflatable and foldable, hollow body made for example of rubber or other elastic material.
|
||||
|
||||
The bag may be collapsible and inflatable. In a collapsed state, the bag is folded and minimized in size and in the 50 inflated state, the bag is maximized in size. The inflatable state ofthe bag may be achieved by blowing-in pressurized air inside the hollow bag or by applying underpressure at the environment ofthe bag. The bag is impermeable with respect to e.g. liquids i.e. resin and airtight.
|
||||
|
||||
55 By the present invention a mould dorn to which composite fibre layers are placed in the prior art manufacturing methods may be obsolete and a hollow component, such as the blade of wind turbine, may be manufactured in one step. This is achieved by fixing (securing) the collapsed bag and the first
|
||||
60 composite fibre layer to the first mould element. The fixing of the bag and the first composite fibre layer may be achieved by applying an adhesive (e.g. resin) or by providing underpressure between the bag and the first mould surface. Hence, when the bag and the first composite fibre layer is fixed to the
|
||||
65 mould surface, the first mould element may be handled very simple and no slipping and relative movement of the first composite fibre layer with respect to the first mould surface is
|
||||
|
||||
# US 9,422,916 B2
|
||||
|
||||
caused, because the first composite fibre layer is pressed on the first mould surface by the bag. For this reason, the first mould element may be turned overhead without a falling-out of the bag and the first composite fibre layer out of the first mould element. Hence, the first mould element and the second mould element may be assembled easily and later after a coupling of both mould elements, finalizing steps, such as resin injection or curing may be applied for finalizing the profile of the component to be formed.
|
||||
|
||||
By the prior art manufacturing methods, a massive dorn is put to a composite fibre layer in a mould element and later the second composite fibre layer has to be placed on top of the massive dorn. Finally, the second mould element is coupled to the first mould element, wherein there is a risk that the second composite fibre layer slips away. Moreover, the adjustment of all parts in the mould element is complex. With the presented inventive method, the first composite fibre layer and the inflatable bag are already fixed and aligned to the first mould element before the first mould element is coupled to the second mould element. For this reason, a slipping of the first composite fibre layer with respect to the first mould element may be prevented. A pressing of the composite fibre layers to the surfaces of the mould elements may be accomplished by the inflatable bag. For the fixing of the bag and the first composite layer to the upper first mould element, a massive dorn may be obsolete.
|
||||
|
||||
Additionally, after curing the composite fibre layers, the bag may be collapsed and thus reduced in size again, so that the bag may easily be removed from the inner cavity of the manufactured hollow component.
|
||||
|
||||
This is beneficial, if a complex component, such as a blade for a wind turbine, is manufactured that is e.g. twisted in its length direction. By such a twisting of the wind turbine blade, conventional massive dorns are complex to remove. By the inflatable bag, an easy removal of the bag from the inner cavity of a finalized wind turbine blade is achieved.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the fixing of the bag is achieved by sucking off air between the bag and the first mould surface, such that the bag and the first composite fibre layer are fixed to the first mould surface by underpressure (i.e. vacuum). Hence, by the present exemplary embodiment the bag may easily be removed when stopping to suck-off air. Additionally or alternatively, the bag and/or the first composite layer may be fixed to the first mould surface by an adhesive (e.g. resin), for example. An additional fixing pressure from outside, e.g. by a massive dorn, may be obsolete.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the first composite layer is larger than the first mould surface such that the first composite fibre layer forms a surplus section that extends over an edge of the first mould surface. The surplus section describes an excess length, an overhang or a protrusion. By using a surplus section in particular at the margin areas of the first composite fibre layer, an overlapping of the second composite fibre layer over the edges of the mould element, which edges defines the area of the first mould surface corresponds to a size of a respective profile section, may be achieved. The surplus section is movable (e.g. foldable) and is not fixed to the first mould surface by the bag.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the coupling of the first mould element to the second mould element comprises an adjusting of the first mould element to the second mould element in such a way, that the surplus section overlaps partially with the second composite fibre layer in the second mould element. Hence, the contact areas (interface sections) between the first composite fibre layer and the second composite fibre layer may be reinforced, so that a more robust component may be manufactured. Thereby, during the adjustment of the first mould elements to the second mould elements, the surplus section is bended to the inside into a cavity formed between the coupled mould elements, so that the surplus section overlaps with the second composite fibre layer.
|
||||
|
||||
In another exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention, the adjusting comprises an arranging of the first mould element in such a way that the surplus section is aligned in a
|
||||
10 predetermined position by gravity. Next, the first mould element is brought together with the second mould element, wherein, when the surplus section is in the predetermined position, the surplus section overlaps partially with the sec
|
||||
15 ond composite fibre layer in the second mould element. For example, if the first mould element is turned overhead, the surplus section, which is not fixed to the first mould element, is aligned in a proximately vertical orientation, because of gravity. When bringing together the first mould element and
|
||||
20 the second mould element, the end of the surplus section touches the second composite fibre layer. When moving the first mould element and the second mould element further together, the end of the surplus sections slides along the secand composite fibre layer in the direction to the inner cavity
|
||||
25 formed between the first mould element and the second mould element. Hence, in a final state, when the first mould element and the second mould element are fixed together finally, the surplus section forms the overlap section with the second composite fibre layer.
|
||||
30 According to a further exemplary embodiment, the inflating of the bag comprises a lifting of the surplus section by inflating the bag in such a way that the surplus section overlaps partially with the second composite fibre layer in the
|
||||
35 second mould element. By the present exemplary embodiment, the surplus section may be folded in such a way that the surplus section lies onto the collapsed surface of the bag. The inflating of the bag causes the surplus section to move together with the surfaces of the bag until the bag is inflated to
|
||||
40 its final position. In the final position, the surplus section is pressed on the second composite fibre layer. According to a further exemplary embodiment of the method, a second composite fibre layer is larger than the second mould surface such that the second composite fibre
|
||||
45 layer forms a further surplus section, that extends over an edge of the second mould surface. The coupling of the first mould element to the second mould element further comprises an adjusting of the first mould element to the second mould element in such a way, that the further surplus section
|
||||
50 overlaps partially with the first composite fibre layer in the first mould element.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the method comprises before coupling the first mould element to the second mould element a mounting of a web to the first com55 posite fibre layer or to the second composite fibre layer in such a way that after coupling of the first mould element with the second mould element the web is coupled with the first composite fibre layer and the second composite fibre layer for reinforcing the hollow component to be manufactured.
|
||||
|
||||
60 The web describes a robust and hard element that consists of e.g. wood, metal, composite fibre materials or other hard and inelastic materials. The web is mounted inside the inner cavity of the hollow component to be manufactured and is in contact with the first composite fibre layer and the second
|
||||
65 composite fibre layers, so that a force may be transmitted between the layers. Hence, a reinforcement of the composite fibre component is generated.
|
||||
|
||||
# US 9,422,916 B2
|
||||
|
||||
The web may be fixed to the first composite fibre layer, e.g. by welding or gluing. Moreover, the web may be wrapped into the composite fibre material of the first and/or second composite fibre layer.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the method comprises before coupling the first mould element to the second mould element a mounting of a web to the first composite fibre layer and a mounting of a web to the second composite fibre layer in such a way that after coupling of the first mould element to the second mould element the web and the further web are coupled with each other for reinforcing the hollow component to be manufactured. The web and the further web each comprises for example a first face to which the web and the further web are mounted to the respective composite fibre layer. The web and the further web each may comprise a further face, with which the webs contact each other. Hence, a force may be transmitted between the web and the further web and hence, a force may be transmitted between the composite fibre layers for reinforcing the hollow component to be manufactured.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the inflating of the bag comprises a sucking off air between a) the bag and the first mould surface, and b) the bag and the second mould surface. Hence, the bag presses the first composite fibre layer to the first mould surface and the second composite fibre layer to the second mould surface. The bag may comprise in its inflated state a shape of the profile of the component to be manufactured. Alternatively, the bag may be elastic, so that the bag may comprise an arbitrary shape and the inflated shape of the inflated elastic bag adjusts itself by sucking off air or by blowing-up the bag until the final profile of the component to be manufactured is achieved and the shape of the (elastic) bag adjusts itself to the shape of the first mould surface and the second mould surface.
|
||||
|
||||
The first mould element and/or the second mould element may comprise connections, to which a vacuum pump may be connected for sucking off air from the respective mould surfaces. Hence, e.g. a sucking off ofthe air between the bag and the first mould surface leads to an inflating of the bag. In other words, the inflating of the bag may be achieved by a pressure difference between the inside of the bag and the outside of the bag.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the inflating of the bag comprises a blowing-in pressurized air into the bag, such that the bag presses the first composite fibre layer to this first mould surface and the second composite fibre layer to the second mould surface. Hence, the pressure difference between the inside of the bag and the outside of the bag is achieved by blowing-in pressurized air.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a moulding system for applying the above described method for manufacturing a hollow component made of composite fibre is presented. The moulding system comprises the first mould element, the second mould element and the bag.
|
||||
|
||||
By the present invention, a manufacturing method is presented, wherein a component, e.g. a hollow turbine blade, may be manufactured in one single mould process and wherein a massive dorn inside the hollow component for manufacturing purposes may be obsolete.
|
||||
|
||||
In a first step, composite fibre layers, such as glass fibre layers, that form the blade are laid out into two separate mould elements, wherein each first and second mould element may form approximately a half-profile of the blade. For example, the profile of the wind turbine blade may be divided by the main camber line (main line) that connects the leading edge of the turbine blade to the trailing edge of the turbine blade, so that the first mould element comprise a mould surface that corresponds to the upper half of the turbine blade profile, and the second mould surface of the second mould element corresponds to the lower half of the turbine blade, for example.
|
||||
|
||||
Moreover, a surplus glass fibre material, which extends over a side of one of the mould surfaces, may be provided.
|
||||
|
||||
In a second step of the method, one or more air and resintight bags are laid over substantially the entire mould surface 15 of the composite fibre layer in particular to the first mould element, which e.g. comprises also the surplus section of the glass fibre material.
|
||||
|
||||
The bag covers at least a major part of the first composite fibre layer. In particular, the bag does not cover the surplus 20 section of the first composite fibre layer, so that the surplus section is still movable.
|
||||
|
||||
The bag surface or the sum of the surface of the plurality of bags should have a surface size, which is at least twice the area, which is in contact with the first composite fibre layer, so 25 that after inflating, the bag also covers a corresponding section of the second composite fibre layer.
|
||||
|
||||
In a third step, in particular a vacuum is applied in the space between the first mould surface and the bag. By applying a vacuum (underpressure) in the space, the bag is dragged 30towards the first mould surface and presses the first composite fibre layerto the first mould surface. This in turn holds the first composite fibre layer and the bag fixed in position in the first mould, even if the bag does not completely cover the whole surface area of the first composite fibre layer.
|
||||
|
||||
35 In a fourth step, the first mould element is rotated overhead, e.g. 180 degrees around a longitudinal axis of the first mould element, to an up-side-down position of the first mould element, including the bag, the first composite fibre layer and the, for example. Hereby, the free-movable surplus section
|
||||
40 hangs down from the first mould element in an approximately vertical direction caused by gravity.
|
||||
|
||||
In a fifth step, the first mould element is lowered and positioned with respect to the second mould element. The surplus section is hereby folded into the cavity that is formed 45 between the first mould element and the second mould element and the surplus section is aligned with the inner surface of the second composite fibre material in the second mould.
|
||||
|
||||
In a sixth step, the bag is unfolded and inflated in order to fill the entire inner cavity between the first mould element and 50 the second mould element, respectively between the first composite fibre layer and the second composite fibre layer. Thereby, the bag holds the composite fibre layers to the respective mould surfaces.
|
||||
|
||||
The unfolding of the bag may be performed by either 55 applying an underpressure (vacuum) to the cavity, in particular between the surface of the bag and the first mould surface and the second mould surface. Moreover, the bag may be inflated by pressurized air that is blown inside the bag.
|
||||
|
||||
In order to provide an airtight connection between the first 60mould element and the second mould element and in order to achieve an airtight inner cavity, seals may be interposed between the intersections between the first mould element and the second mould element.
|
||||
|
||||
When the bag is unfolded and inflated, an underpressure 65 (vacuum) may be applied to the space between the first mould surface, the second mould surface and the bag, so that by resin injection, resin is injected to the first composite fibre layer and
|
||||
|
||||
# 7
|
||||
|
||||
# 8
|
||||
|
||||
the second composite fibre layer. Finally, curing and casting of the hollow components may be accomplished and the finished hollow component may be removed easily from the mould elements.
|
||||
|
||||
The surplus section may be lifted to its final position to e.g. by inflating and unfolding the bag. The surplus fibre section may as well be formed at both composite fibre layers. If the hollow component is a blade of a wind turbine, the surplus section may be formed, e.g. in the first and/or the second composite fibre layer on e.g. the leading edge of the blade or the trailing edge of the blade to be formed.
|
||||
|
||||
It has to be noted that embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to different subject matters. In particular, some embodiments have been described with reference to apparatus type claims whereas other embodiments have been described with reference to method type claims. However, a person skilled in the art will gather from the above and the following description that, unless other notified, in addition to any combination of features belonging to one type of subject matter also any combination between features relating to different subject matters, in particular between features of the apparatus type claims and features of the method type claims is considered as to be disclosed with this application.
|
||||
|
||||
# BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
|
||||
|
||||
The aspects defined above and further aspects of the present invention are apparent from the examples of embodiment to be described hereinafter and are explained with reference to the examples of embodiment. The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to examples of embodiment but to which the invention is not limited.
|
||||
|
||||
FIG.1 shows the first mould element and the second mould element in a decoupled state according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
|
||||
|
||||
FIG. 2 shows the first mould element, to which the bag is placed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
|
||||
|
||||
FIG. 3 shows the first mould element, which is turned upside-down according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;
|
||||
|
||||
FIG. 4 shows a coupling of the first mould element and the second mould element according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and
|
||||
|
||||
FIG.5 shows a coupled state ofthe first mould element and the second mould element according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
|
||||
|
||||
# DETAILED DESCRIPTION
|
||||
|
||||
The illustrations in the drawings are schematical. It is noted that in different figures, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.
|
||||
|
||||
In FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, a method for forming a profile for manufacturing a hollow component made of composite fibre, in particular a hollow blade for a wind turbine, is shown.
|
||||
|
||||
FIG.1 shows a first mouldelement 110 anda second mould element 120. To a first mould surface of the first mould element 110 a first composite fibre layer 101 is laid out. The first mould surface corresponds to a first profile section of the hollow component to be manufactured. For example, the hollow component is a blade ofa wind turbine, so that the first profile section may form a (upper) half of the blade to be manufactured.
|
||||
|
||||
A second composite fibrelayer 102 may belaid out onto a second mould surface of the second mould element 120, wherein the second mould surface corresponds to a second profile section of the hollow component to be manufactured. The second profile section may form a (lower) half of the blade to be manufactured.
|
||||
|
||||
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, a web 105 may be attached to the first mould element that is adapted for reinforce the hollow component to be manufactured. To the first mould
|
||||
10 element 110 one or a plurality of webs 105 may be attached and to the second mould element 120 one or a plurality of further webs 106 may be attached. The webs 105, 106 may be glued, welded or webbed to the respective composite fibre layers 101, 102. The first and second mould surfaces are
|
||||
15 limited by respective edges 104. As shown in FIG. 1, the first composite fibre layer 101 may comprise surplus sections 103 that run over the edges 104 in a direction to outside of the respective mould surface. The surplus sections 103 are formed, when the first composite fibre layer 101 is made
|
||||
20 larger than the first profile section defined by the first mould surface, respectively.
|
||||
|
||||
FIG. 2 shows the first mould element 110 in a further method step. To the third composite fibre layer 101 a bag 201 is laid out, wherein the bag 201 is in a collapsed state. As 5 shown in FIG. 2, it is also possible to lay a plurality of collapsed bags 201 to the first composite fibre layer 101. The surplus sections 103 are not covered by the bag 201, so that the surplus sections 103 are freely movable. The web 105 may be adapted to be in contact with the surface of the second 0 composite fibre layer 102 or comprises a face that is in contact with a face of the further web 106 mounted to the second composite fibre layer 102. The face of the web 105 or the further web 106 is not covered by a respective bag 201.
|
||||
|
||||
FIG. 3 shows a view of the first mould element 110 that is
|
||||
35 moved upside-down and in an overhead position. The freely movable surplus sections 103 are aligned in general in a vertical position, for example, by gravity. The bags 201 and the first composite fibre layer 101 are fixed to the first mould surface of the first mould element 11o. The fixation may be
|
||||
40generated e.g. by gluing (with resin) the elements together or by applying underpressure between the bag 201 and the first mould surface. Hence, the bag 201, the web 105 and the first composite fibre layer 101 do not fall out of the first mould element 110 by gravity. Moreover a relative movement
|
||||
45betweenthe bag 201, the web 105 and the first composite fibre layer 101 is prevented, so that no readjustment later on is necessary. FIG. 4 illustrates the first mould element 110 and the second mould element 120 in a state before the first mould
|
||||
50 element 110 and the second mould element 120 contact each other. The surplus sections 103 are either folded inwardly by additional devices. Moreover, the end faces of the surplus sections 103 may contact the second composite fibre section 102, so that during movement of the first mould element 110
|
||||
55 to the second mould element 120 the surplus sections 103 moves (slips) self-acting in a direction to the inner cavity formed between the first mould element 110 and the second mould element 120. FIG. 5 illustrates the first mould element 110 and the sec
|
||||
60ond mould element 120 that are in contact with each other.As shown in FIG. 5, the surplus sections 103 of the first composite fibre layer 101 overlap the second composite fibre layer 102. In particular, the surplus sections 103 overlap the second composite fibre layer 102 at a position, where the interface of
|
||||
65 the first mould element 110 and the second mould element 120 is located. In particular, ifthe first mould surface forms an upper half of a blade to be manufactured and the second
|
||||
|
||||
# 9
|
||||
|
||||
# 10
|
||||
|
||||
mould surface forms a second half of the blade to be manufactured, the interface of the first mould element 110 and the second mould element 120 is built in the region of the leading edge and the trailing edge of the blade to be manufactured.
|
||||
|
||||
As shown in FIG. 5, in the coupled state of the first mould element 110 and the second mould element 120, the web 105 and the further web 106 are in contact with each other, so that a force may be transmitted from the first composite fibre layer 101 to the second composite fibre layer 102. Hence, the web 105 and the further web 106 form a reinforcement of the hollow component to be manufactured. The inner cavity that is formed in the space between the first mould surface and the second mould surface, the bags 201 are inflated. Hence, the bags 201 press the first composite fibre layer 101 and the second composite fibre layer 102 to the respective mould surfaces. The inflating of the bag 201 may be achieved for example by injecting pressurized air inside of the respective bags 201. In another preferred embodiment, a vacuum pump may be connected to the mould elements 110, 120, so that air is sucked-off from a space between the surface ofthe bag 201 and the first mould surface and the second mould surface (and the space between the bags 201 and the respective web surfaces). Hence, by the pressure difference between the inner volume of the respective bag 201 and the outer space between the bag 201 and the respective mould surfaces, the bags 201 inflate and pressure the respective composite fibre layers to the mould surfaces. In order to optimize the sucking off of the air, sealing elements 501 may be attached to the interfaces between the first mould element 110 and the second mould element 120 in order to seal the inner cavity formed inside the first mould element 110 and the second mould element 120.
|
||||
|
||||
Additionally, when an underpressure is generated between the bags 201 and the first and second mould surfaces and the webs 105, 106, resin may be injected, so that the composite fibre layers 101, 102 are soaked with resin.
|
||||
|
||||
Hence, after injecting the resin, the composite fibre layers 101, 102 may be cured, so that the final profile and the final robust hollow component, such as the blade, is manufactured. After curing ofthe composite fibre layers 101, 102, the underpressure between the bags 201 and the first and second mould surfaces may be reduced, so that the bags 201 collapse again. In the collapsed state of the bags 201, the bags 201 comprise a reduced and small volume, so that they can be easily removed from the inner cavity of the manufactured component.
|
||||
|
||||
It should be noted that the term “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and “a" or “an" does not exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be 5 construed as limiting the scope of the claims.
|
||||
|
||||
# The invention claimed is:
|
||||
|
||||
1. A method for forming a profile for a hollow blade component for a wind turbine, the method comprising:
|
||||
|
||||
a) laying out a first composite fibre layer on a first mould 5 surface ofa first mould element, wherein the first mould surface corresponds to a first profile section of the hollow blade component to be manufactured, wherein the first composite fibre layer is larger than the first mould surface such that the first composite fibre layer forms a 6 surplus section that extends over an edge of the first mould surface;
|
||||
b) laying out a second composite fibre layer in a second mould surface of a second mould element, wherein the second mould surface corresponds to a second profile 6 section of the hollow blade component to be manufactured; c) laying out a bag in a collapsed state onto the first composite fibre layer; d) fixing the bag and the first composite fbre layer to the first mould surface; e) after (a), (b), (c) and (d) coupling the first mould element to the second mould element in such a way, that the first mould surface and the second mould surface correspond tothe profleofthehollowbladecomonenttoemanu factured, whereinthecoupling ofthefrst mould element
|
||||
0 to the second mould element causes the surplus section tomove relative to thefrst mould surfaceresponsiveo gravity so as to become partially overlapped with the second composite fbre layer in the second mould element, and f) after (e) inflating the bag in such a way that the first compositefbre layeris pressed to the first mould surface, the second composite fibre layer is pressed to the second mould surface, and the surplus section is pressed to the second composite fibre layer, so that the frst composite fibre layer and the second composite fibre layer are coupled to form the profle to be manufactured. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fixing comprises sucking offair between the bag and the first mould surface such that the bag and thefirst composite fibre layerare
|
||||
5 fixed to the first mould surface by underpressure. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the adjusting comprises: bringing together the first mould element with the second mould element, wherein, when the surplus section is in
|
||||
0 the predetermined position, the surplus section overlaps partially with the second composite fibre layer in the second mould element. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second composite fibre layer is larger than the second mould surface
|
||||
5 such that the second composite fibre layer forms a further surplus section that extends over an edge of the second mould surface, and wherein the coupling of the frst mould element to the second mould element further comprises adjusting the first mould element to the second mould
|
||||
0 element in such a way that the further surplus section overlaps partially with the first composite fbe layein the first mould element. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein before coupling the first mould element to the second mould element the
|
||||
5 method further comprises mounting a web to the first composite fibre layer or to the second frst composite fibre layer in suchaway that after coupling of the first mould element to the second mould element the web is coupled with the frst composite fibre
|
||||
0 layer and the second composite fibre layer for reinforcing the hollow blade component to be manufactured. 6.Themethod according toclaim1, wherein bforcou pling the first mouldelement to the second mouldelement the method further comprises
|
||||
D mounting a web to the first composite fibre layer, and mounting a further web to the second composite fibre layer in such a way that after coupling of the frst mould element to the second mould element the web and the further web are coupled with each other for reinforcing the hollow blade component to be manufactured. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein th inflating of the bag comprises sucking off air between: the bag and the first mould surface; and the bag and the second mould surface such that the bag presses the first composite fibre layer to the first mould surface and the second composite fibre layer to the second mould surface.
|
||||
|
||||
# 11
|
||||
|
||||
12
|
||||
|
||||
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inflating of the bag comprises blowing pressurized air into the bag such that the bag presses the first composite fibre layer to the first mould surface and the second composite fibre layer to the sec- 5 ond mould surface.
|
||||
|
||||
\* \* \* \*
|
||||
3790
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|
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|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
(51) International Patent Classification: B29D 99/00 (2010.01) F03D 1/06 (2006.01) B29C 70/48 (2006.01) B29C 70/34 (2006.01) B29C 70/44 (2006.01) B29C 33/50 (2006.01) B29C 70/86 (2006.01) B29L 31/08 (2006.01)
|
||||
|
||||
(21) International Application Number:
|
||||
|
||||
# (10)International Publication Number WO 2021/122269A1
|
||||
|
||||
(72) Inventors: OLESEN, Bendt; Julivej 30, 9270 Klarup (DK). TRUONG, Yannick Cao van; Hadsundvej 7, 9000 Aalborg (DK). COLFELT, Christian Nicholas Sebber; Rosengarden 36, 2TH, 9200 Aalborg SV (DK). PEDERSEN, Dan; Stationsvej 9, 9490 Pandrup (DK). THOMSEN, Anders Haslund; Blaesborgvej 61, 9220 Aalborg (DK).
|
||||
|
||||
(74) Agent: ASPACHER, Karl-Georg: Postfach 22 16 34, 80506 Munchen (DE).
|
||||
|
||||
(30) Priority Data: 19218082.6 19 December 2019 (19.12.2019) EP (71) Applicant: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S [DK/DK]; Borupvej 16, 7330 Brande (DK).
|
||||
|
||||
(81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL,AM, AO,AT,AU,AZ,BA,BB,BG,BH,BN,BR,BW,BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, DO, DZ,EC, EE,EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, IT, JO, JP, KE, KG, KH, KN, KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW,
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
(54) Title: METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A WIND TURBINE BLADE
|
||||
(57) Abstract: A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade, comprising the steps of: - arranging an upper mould (8) comprising a pre-casted fibre lay-up $(9")$ on a lower mould (23) comprising a dry fibre lay-up (24) and a mould core (46), - applying vacuum to a space (63) between the upper and lower moulds (8, 23) and the mould core (46), - infusing at least the dry fibre lay-up (24') and a connection region (66, 67) between the dry fibre lay-up (24') and the pre-casted fibre lay-up $(9")$ with a resin (65), and curing the resin (65). By having the pre-casted fibre lay-up in the upper mould, the packing and positioning of dry composite materials on top of themouldcoreis avoided.
|
||||
|
||||
SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, ST, SV, SY,TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, WS, ZA, ZM, ZW.
|
||||
|
||||
(84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE,LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
|
||||
|
||||
# Published:
|
||||
|
||||
with international search report (Art. 21(3)
|
||||
|
||||
Description
|
||||
|
||||
Method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade
|
||||
|
||||
5The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade. One way to produce more power using a wind turbine under given wind conditions is to increase the size of the blades.
|
||||
10 However, the manufacture of wind turbine blades is becoming increasingly difficult with increasing blade sizes. Currently, many wind turbine blades are made by premanufacturing parts of the blade separately, such as a pres
|
||||
15 sure-side shell and a suction-side shell, and gluing the parts to each other. The parts are, for example, premanufactured by infusing composite materials such as glass fibres with a resin and curing the resin. However, the gluing process has many disadvantages. It is, for example, difficult
|
||||
20 to achieve a sufficient strength and robustness of the glueline. Furthermore, the method requires an exact positioning of very large parts within limited time, i.e. before the applied glue hardens.
|
||||
25In another method, disclosed in EP 1 310 351 Al， the blade is manufactured by packing composite materials for the entire blade, or for a lengthwise blade section, on a mandrel and by infusing and curing resin. Thereby, glue joints are avoided. However, packing and positioning of dry composite material on
|
||||
30top of the - usually flexible - mandrel is challenging, in particular for very large blades. Furthermore, with increasing blade sizes, the volume required to be filled with resin by vacuum infusion is also increased, making the resin infusion more difficult.
|
||||
35 It is one object of the present invention to provide an improved method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade.
|
||||
|
||||
Accordingly, a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade is proposed. The method comprises the steps of:
|
||||
|
||||
- arranging an upper mould comprising a pre-casted fibre lay-up on a lower mould comprising a dry fibre lay-up and a mouldcore,
|
||||
|
||||
- applying vacuum to a space between the upper and lower moulds and the mould core,
|
||||
|
||||
- infusing at least the dry fibre lay-up and a connection region between the dry fibre lay-up and the pre-casted fibre lay-up with a resin, and curing the resin.
|
||||
|
||||
By having the pre-casted fibre lay-up in the upper mould, the packing and positioning of dry composite materials on top of the mould core is avoided.
|
||||
|
||||
15 Further, pre-casting the fibre lay-up in the upper mould is preferably done by packing a dry fibre lay-up in the upper mould turned upside down, infusing resin and curing. Since the upper mould is turned upside down, packing the fibre ma
|
||||
20 terial is done also in the upper mould towards a mould with a well-defined geometry instead of towards a flexible mould core. Furthermore, having the pre-casted fibre lay-up in the upper
|
||||
25 mould, the volume the resin has to fill during the vacuum infusion of the dry fibre lay-up in the lower mould and the connection region is smaller for the same blade size compared to the case in which the fibre lay-up for the upper part is not pre-casted. Further, the path the resin has to travel
|
||||
30 during the vacuum infusion is shorter for the same blade size compared to the case in which the fibre lay-up for the upper part is not pre-casted. The resin has, for example, to rise to a lower height above a floor level of a manufacturing site compared to the case in which the fibre lay-up for the upper
|
||||
35 part is not pre-casted. Therefore, it is easier to infuse the fibre lay-up in a resin infusion process with a good quality, even in the case of larger blade sizes.
|
||||
|
||||
An advantage over the method in which blade parts are glued
|
||||
|
||||
together is that here a laminate joint is provided connecting the upper pre-casted fibre lay-up and the dry fibre lay-up in the lower mould, once cured. Compared to a connection using
|
||||
5 an adhesive, the laminate joint formed by resin infusion is a lighter and at the same time stronger joint. It is lighter because in the case of an adhesive, the weight of the adhesive is added in the bond line. Further, the strength of the laminate joint formed by vacuum infusion is comparable to the
|
||||
10 strength of the pristine laminate. In addition, the laminate joint formed by vacuum infusion avoids the problem of glue joints of having a different material in the glue than in the rest of the blade.
|
||||
15 The wind turbine blade is part of a rotor of a wind turbine. The wind turbine is an apparatus to convert the wind's kinetic energy into electrical energy. The wind turbine comprises, for example, the rotor having one or more of the blades connected each to a hub, a nacelle including a generator, and a
|
||||
20 tower holding, at its top end, the nacelle. The tower of the wind turbine may be connected via a transition piece to a foundation of the wind turbine, such as a monopile in the seabed.
|
||||
|
||||
25 The pre-casted fibre lay-up in the upper mould becomes, in the manufactured blade, a first shell of the blade. In particular, it becomes a first half shell of the blade.
|
||||
|
||||
The dry fibre lay-up in the lower mould becomes, once infused 30and cured, in the manufactured blade a second shell of the blade. In particular, it becomes a second half shell of the blade.
|
||||
|
||||
The first and second shells are, in particular, fibre35 reinforced resin laminates.
|
||||
|
||||
The first shell may comprise a pressure side (upwind side) of the blade and the second shell may comprise a suction side (downwind side) of the blade or vice versa.
|
||||
|
||||
5The first and the second shells may each comprise the entire length of the blade from a blade root to a blade tip. Alternatively, the wind turbine blade may be split in a lengthwise direction. In this case, each of the first and second shells comprises a fraction of the total length of the blade.
|
||||
10 The wind turbine blade, e.g., its root section, is, for example, fixedly connected to the hub. The wind turbine blade is, for example, directly bolted to the hub.
|
||||
15 Alternatively, the wind turbine blade, e.g., the root section, is rotatably connected to the hub. For example, the wind turbine blade is connected to a pitch bearing of the wind turbine, and the pitch bearing is connected to the hub. The pitch bearing is configured to adjust the angle of attack
|
||||
20 of the blade according to the wind speed to control the rotational speed of the blade. Apart from the (cylindrical) root section connected with the hub, the wind turbine blade is formed aerodynamically. The
|
||||
25 wind turbine blade comprises, for example, the pressure side (upwind side) and the suction side (downwind side). The pressure side and the suction side are connected with each other at a leading edge and a trailing edge. The pressure and suctions sides and the leading and trailing edges define an in
|
||||
30 terior cavity of the wind turbine blade. The mould core (or mandrel) comprises, for example, an inner firm core and an external flexible portion surrounding the inner firm core.
|
||||
35 The mould core may comprise two or more mould core portions. Each of the two or more mould core portions may comprise an inner firm core and a flexible external portion.
|
||||
|
||||
The upper and lower moulds and the mould core define the space in which the vacuum for the vacuum infusion process is applied. Resin is infused into this space and fills it partly So as to infuse at least the dry fibre lay-up and the connection region. Thus, the pre-casted fibre lay-up is infused with resin only in the connection region, while the remaining portion of the pre-casted fibre lay-up is - apart from the pre-casting process itself - not infused with resin.
|
||||
|
||||
10 The dry fibre lay-up and/or the pre-casted fibre lay-up includes, in particular, glass fibres, carbon fibres, aramid fibres and/or natural fibres.
|
||||
15 The pre-casted fibres are, in particular, fibres infused with resin and cured before the step of infusing the dry fibre lay-up in the lower mould and the connection regions with resin. In other words, the pre-casted fibres in the upper mould are pre-casted in a first wet process (first resin in
|
||||
20 fusion process) and cured, and the dry fibre lay-up in the lower mould and the connection regions are infused with resin in a second wet process (second resin infusion process), wherein the first wet process (including curing) and second wet process are spaced apart in time.
|
||||
25 The dry fibre lay-up comprises (only) fibres in dry condition, in particular, fibres without a resin. Fibres in dry condition are more flexible compared to fibres with resin such as fibres casted in resin or pre-impregnated fibres
|
||||
30(prepreg). Packing fibres in dry condition into the lower or upper mould allows to match the shape of the respective mould. The resin includes, for example, thermosets, thermoplastics,
|
||||
35 epoxy, polyurethane, vinyl ester and/or polyester. The resin is, in particular, infused due to the generated
|
||||
|
||||
vacuum in the space between the upper and lower moulds and the mould core. The resin is, for example, cured by applying heat.
|
||||
|
||||
According to an embodiment, the dry fibre lay-up and/or the 5 pre-casted fibre lay-up includes a fibre core material. The fibre core material comprises, for example, wood, balsa, PET foam and/or PVc foam.
|
||||
10When the fibre lay-up including the core material is infused and cured with the resin, a fibre-reinforced resin laminate with a core structure made from the core material is obtained. For example, a sandwich-structured fibre-reinforced resin laminate may be obtained in which a layer of the core
|
||||
15 material is arranged between layers of fibre-reinforced resin. The dry fibre lay-up and/or the pre-casted fibre lay-up includes, for example, an inner laminate and an outer laminate
|
||||
20 and in between the core material. Having the fibre core material allows to reduce the weight of the final fibre-reinforced resin laminate while maintaining a sufficient rigidity and/or strength of the blade.
|
||||
25 According to a further embodiment, the connection region comprises an overlap region in which the pre-casted fibre lay-up and the dry fibre lay-up overlap each other.
|
||||
30Having the overlap region allows to better join the precasted fibre lay-up and the dry fibre lay-up with each other by infusing and curing the resin. The resulting joint can better transfer loads in the blade shell.
|
||||
35 The overlap region may be smaller than the connection region. Alternatively, the connection region may concur with the overlap region.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a further embodiment, the pre-casted fibre layup and/or the dry fibre lay-up comprises the fibre core material in the overlap region.
|
||||
|
||||
5 Having the same structure of the fibre-reinforced resin laminate with core material throughout the overlap and connection region allows to obtain a blade shell with homogenous properties, such as homogenous strength and weight, across the overlap and connection region.
|
||||
10 According to a further embodiment, both the dry fibre lay-up and the pre-casted fibre lay-up comprise at least one tapered edge portion overlapping each other in the overlap region.
|
||||
15 Having the tapered edge portions allows a good overlap of the dry fibre lay-up and the pre-casted fibre lay-up and a smooth transition from one to the other. According to a further embodiment, the pre-casted fibre lay
|
||||
20up and the dry fibre lay-up are in direct contact with each other in the connection region. In particular, a surface of the pre-casted fibre lay-up and a surface of the dry fibre lay-up are in direct contact with
|
||||
25 each other. In the case of tapered edge portions overlapping each other, inclined surfaces of the tapered edge portions may be in direct contact with each other. According to a further embodiment, an auxiliary material is
|
||||
30 disposed between a surface of at least one edge portion of the pre-casted fibre lay-up and a surface of at least one edge portion of the dry fibre lay-up. The auxiliary material is, for example, a non-fibre material.
|
||||
35 The auxiliary material is, for example, a PUR material. Having the auxiliary material allows, in particular, more
|
||||
|
||||
freedom in configuring different blade cross-section profiles to obtain different aerodynamic profiles (airfoils). For example, the auxiliary material may be applied to form a sharp edge of an aerodynamic profile, e.g. at the trailing edge of the air foil.
|
||||
|
||||
5 According to a further embodiment, the dry fibre lay-up in the lower mould has a main portion inside a cavity of the lower mould and at least one extending portion extending from the main portion beyond a side edge of the cavity of the low
|
||||
10 er mould, and wherein the method comprises, before the step of arranging the upper mould on the lower mould, the steps of arranging the mould core on the dry fibre lay-up in the lower mould and folding up the at least one extending portion of the dry fibre lay-up onto the mould core.
|
||||
15 Having the extending portion and folding it up onto the mould core allows to configure the connection region offset from a region where the upper and lower mould edges are coming into Contact with each other. Hence, the pre-casted fibre lay-up can be better arranged and positioned on the dry fibre layup. Further, the connection region can be configured, for example, offset from the leading edge and/or the trailing edge. Hence, the connection region can be configured, for example, offset from the maximum curvature of the airfoil.
|
||||
25 The lower mould comprises, in particular, the mould cavity for forming and casting the dry fibre lay-up. Further, the lower mould comprises horizontal portions extending from the side edges of the mould cavity to the right and left, as seen
|
||||
30 in a cross-sectional view. The mould cavity accommodates, in particular, the main portion of the dry fibre lay-up. The at least one extending portion of the dry fibre lay-up is, for example, laid, before folding it up, on the horizontal portion(s) of the lower mould.
|
||||
35 According to a further embodiment, a continuation portion of
|
||||
|
||||
the at least one extending portion has the same layer structure and/or the same thickness as the main portion, the continuation portion being continuous with the main portion.
|
||||
|
||||
Having said continuity in layer structure and/or thickness
|
||||
5from the main portion to the continuation portion of the dry fibre lay-up allows, in particular, to ensure homogenous properties, such as homogenous strength and/or weight, of the main portion and the continuation portion. The continuation portion may cover the leading edge and/or trailing edge of
|
||||
10 the airfoil. In this way, homogenous strength and/or weight of the blade can be ensured, for example, across the leading edge and/or the trailing edge. According to a further embodiment, the method comprises, af
|
||||
15ter the step of folding up the at least one extending portion onto the mould core, the step of fixing the at least one folded-up extending portion at the mould core. With the extending portion fixed at the mould core, the upper
|
||||
20mould can be more easily arranged on the lower mould and the mould core. The extending portion is, for example, fixed at the mould core by applying a tape, e.g., an adhesive tape and/or a
|
||||
25 glass tape. The dry fibre lay-up may comprise two extending portions. Each of the two extending portions may be fixed at the mould core by an adhesive tape. Alternatively, the two extending
|
||||
30 portions may be fixed to each other, e.g., with a tape laid across the mould core. According to a further embodiment, the method comprises, before the step of arranging the upper mould comprising the
|
||||
35 pre-casted fibre lay-up on the lower mould, the step of fixing the pre-casted fibre lay-up to the upper mould.
|
||||
|
||||
The upper mould comprising the fixed pre-casted fibre lay-up can be easier arranged on the lower mould. This is in particular the case as the upper mould is turned around.
|
||||
|
||||
5Fixation of the pre-casted fibre lay-up may be done by attaching a foil to each of the edges of the pre-casted fibre lay-up and the upper mould and applying vacuum to a space covered by the foil. Fixation may also be done by using an elongated element, e.g. a bar and/or (wooden) stick clamped
|
||||
10to the upper mould, e.g., to the horizontal portions of the upper mould. Fixation may also be done by bolting the precasted fibre lay-up to the upper mould. According to a further embodiment, the method comprises, be
|
||||
15fore the step of applying vacuum, the step of covering the mould core with a vacuum bag, and wherein the vacuum is applied to a space between the upper and lower moulds and the vacuum bag.
|
||||
20 Covering the mould core with a vacuum bag may include sealing the vacuum bag. The mould core may also be covered with two or more vacuum bags to increase tightness. In the case, the mould core comprises more than one mould
|
||||
25 core portion, each mould core portion may be covered with one or more vacuum bags. In embodiments, the method may comprise the step of removing the vacuum bag and/or the mould core, after infusing and cur
|
||||
30ing the resin. The mould core and/or the vacuum bag is, for example, removed through the blade root section. In the case the mould core comprises the flexible external portion, this flexible external portion may be compressed before removing the mould core. For example, vacuum may be generated in a space between the vacuum bag and the mould core, thereby compressing the flexible external portion and reducing the size of the mould core.
|
||||
|
||||
According to a further embodiment, the method comprises, before the step of arranging the upper mould on the lower mould, the step of arranging one or more reinforcement beams on the dry fibre lay-up.
|
||||
|
||||
5 Thus, the one or more reinforcement beams can be casted together with the dry fibre lay-up in one wet process, i.e. one infusion and curing process.
|
||||
10The one or more reinforcement beams comprise, for example, a pressure-side beam, a suction-side beam, a leading edge beam and/or a trailing edge beam. A reinforcement beam can be a dry layup, a pre-casted element or a combination of the two.
|
||||
15 A pressure-side beam is, in particular, a beam on the pressure side of the wind turbine blade. A suction-side beam is, in particular, a beam on the suction side of the wind turbine blade. A leading edge beam is, in particular, a beam on the leading edge of the wind turbine blade. A trailing edge beam
|
||||
20is, in particular, a beam on the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade. According to a further embodiment, the method comprises, before the step of arranging the upper mould on the lower
|
||||
25mould, the step of arranging a web, and wherein at least the dry fibre lay-up, the connection region and/or the web is/are infused with resin. One or more webs, e.g., two webs may be arranged. In embodiments, arranging a web includes arranging a pre-casted web.
|
||||
30 Thus, the web can be casted together with the fibres in one wet process. The web provides, for example, strength to the blade.
|
||||
35 According to a further embodiment, the web is configured to transversally connect the pre-casted fibre lay-up and the dry fibre lay-up, once cured, within an interior cavity of the blade.
|
||||
|
||||
The web is, in particular, a shear web. The web connects, in particular, the blade shells of the pressure side and the suction side in the interior cavity of the blade. The web provides shear strength to the blade.
|
||||
|
||||
Arranging the shear web and infusing the dry fibre lay-up, the connection region and the shear web with resin allows to join the shear web and the upper and lower shells in a single
|
||||
10 process step by infusing and curing the resin. The shear web can be a dry layup, a pre-casted element or a combination of the two. Further possible implementations or alternative solutions of
|
||||
15 the invention also encompass combinations - that are not explicitly mentioned herein - of features described above or below with regard to the embodiments. The person skilled in the art may also add individual or isolated aspects and features to the most basic form of the invention.
|
||||
20 Further embodiments, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and dependent claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
|
||||
25 Fig. l shows a wind turbine according to an embodiment; Fig. 2 shows a cross-section view of a pre-casted fibre layup forming a first shell of a blade of the wind turbine of
|
||||
30Fig. 1, the pre-casted fibre lay-up being manufactured in an upper mould turned upside down; Fig. 3 shows a cross-section view of a dry fibre lay-up forming, once casted and cured, a second shell of the blade of
|
||||
35the wind turbine of Fig. 1, the dry fibre lay-up being arranged in a lower mould;
|
||||
|
||||
Fig. 4 shows a view similar as Fig. 3 with a mould core and a web arranged on the dry fibre lay-up in the lower mould;
|
||||
|
||||
Fig. 5 shows a view similar as Fig. 4 with extending portions
|
||||
5of the dry fibre lay-up being folded up onto the mould core; Fig. 6 shows the upper mould with the pre-casted fibre lay-up of Fig. 2 during arrangement on the lower mould with the dry fibre lay-up of Fig. 5;
|
||||
10 Fig. 7 shows a view similar as Fig. 6 with the upper mould being arranged on the lower mould, wherein the pre-casted fibre lay-up is overlapping with the dry fibre lay-up in an overlap region;
|
||||
15 Fig. 8 shows a view similar as Fig. 7 with resin infused; Fig. 9 shows a further embodiment of an overlap of a precasted fibre lay-up and a dry fibre lay-up;
|
||||
20 Fig. 10 shows another embodiment of an overlap of a precasted fibre lay-up and a dry fibre lay-up; and Fig. ll shows a flowchart illustrating a method for manufac
|
||||
25turing the wind turbine blade of the wind turbine of Fig. 1. In the figures, like reference numerals designate like or functionally equivalent elements, unless otherwise indicated.
|
||||
30Fig. 1 shows a wind turbine 1 according to an embodiment. The wind turbine 1 comprises a rotor 2 having one or more blades
|
||||
3 connected to a hub 4. The hub 4 is connected to a generator (not shown) arranged inside a nacelle 5. During operation of the wind turbine l, the blades 3 are driven by wind to rotate
|
||||
35 and the wind's kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by the generator in the nacelle 5. The nacelle 5 is arranged at the upper end of a tower 6 of the wind turbine 1. The tower 6 is erected on a foundation 7 such as a monopile
|
||||
|
||||
or tripile. The foundation 7 is connected to and/or driven into the ground or seabed.
|
||||
|
||||
In the following an improved method for manufacturing a wind 5turbine blade 3 is described with respect to Figs. 2 to 11.
|
||||
|
||||
In step Sl of the method, and upper mould 8 is provided for pre-casting a fibre lay-up 9', as shown in Fig. 2. The precasted fibre lay-up 9", once cured and assembled, will become
|
||||
10a first shell 10 of the manufactured blade 3 (Fig. 7)．For step Sl, the upper mould 8 is turned upside down, as shown in Fig. 2. A mould cavity ll of the upper mould 8 is packed with dry fibre lay-up 9'. Since the upper mould 8 is turned upside down, the fibre lay-up 9' can be packed towards a well
|
||||
15 defined geometry, in contrast to the case in which a fibre lay-up is packed onto a flexible mould core. The fibre lay-up 9', 9" in the example of Fig. 2 comprises an outer laminate 12 and an inner laminate 13.Further, the fi
|
||||
20 bre lay-up 9', 9" comprises a core material, e.g., a balsa core, between the outer laminate 12 and the inner laminate 13. Here, it comprises a trailing edge balsa core 14 and a leading edge balsa core 15. The outer laminate 12, the respective balsa core 14, 15, and the inner laminate 13 form a
|
||||
25 sandwich structure. The fibre lay-up 9', 9" has a first tapered portion 17 and a second tapered portion 18 at its left and right edges in Fig. 2. In each of these tapered portions 17, 18, the inner lami
|
||||
30 nate 13, the respective balsa core 14, 15, and the outer laminate 12 is tapered. Hence, the tapered portions 17, 18 each have a continuous inclined surface 19, 20.
|
||||
|
||||
The fibre lay-up 9', 9" in Fig. 2 further comprises a pre35 casted beam 16. The beam 16 is, for example, a suction-side beam or a pressure-side beam of the blade 3.
|
||||
|
||||
The dry fibre lay-up 9' is pre-casted by a known vacuum infusion process, as described in EP 1 310 351 Al. In this vacuum infusion process, the fibre lay-up 9' is covered with a vacuum bag (not shown), and the vacuum bag is sealed (not shown) 5 at horizontal portions 21, 22 of the upper mould 8. Further, a vacuum is generated in a space covered by the vacuum bag, resin (not shown) is infused into the fibre lay-up 9’ and cured, resulting in the pre-casted fibre lay-up 9" shown in Fig.2.
|
||||
10 In step S2 of the method, a lower mould 23 is provided, as shown in Fig. 3. The lower mould 23 is packed with a dry fibre lay-up 24'.
|
||||
15The dry fibre lay-up 24' comprises an outer laminate 25 and an inner laminate 26. Further, the dry fibre lay-up 24' comprises a core material, such as a leading edge balsa core 27 and a trailing edge balsa core 28. Hence, the fibre lay-up 24' has a sandwich structure, wherein a respective balsa core
|
||||
20 27, 28 is sandwiched in between outer and inner laminates 25, 26。 The fibre lay-up 24' further comprises a pre-casted beam 29. The beam 29 is, for example, a pressure-side beam or a suc
|
||||
25 tion-side beam of the blade 3. The lower mould 23 comprises a mould cavity 30 and horizontal portions 31, 32 extending from side edges 33, 34 of the mould cavity 30.
|
||||
30 The dry fibre lay-up 24' is packed into the lower mould 23 by arranging a main portion 35 of the dry fibre lay-up 24' inside the cavity 30. In this example, the main portion 35 comprises a first main portion 36 and a second main portion 37.
|
||||
35 The first main portion 36 is arranged to the left side in Fig. 3 of the beam 29. The second main portion 37 is arranged to the right side in Fig. 3 of the beam 29.
|
||||
|
||||
Further, extending portions 38, 39 of the dry fibre lay-up 24' extend from the main portion 35,i.e. from the first main portion 36 and the second main portion 37, beyond the side edges 33, 34 of the cavity 30, respectively.
|
||||
|
||||
The extending portion 38 comprises a first continuation portion 40 and a first tapered portion 42. The extending portion 39 comprises a second continuation portion 4l and a second tapered portion 43.
|
||||
|
||||
10 In this example, the continuation portion 40 has the same layer structure of the outer laminate 25, the leading edge balsa core 27, and the inner laminate 26 as the first main portion 36 of the fibre lay-up 24'. Further, the continuation
|
||||
15 portion 40 has the same thickness dl as the first main portion 36. Furthermore, the continuation portion 4l has the same layer structure of the outer laminate 25, the trailing edge balsa core 28, and the inner laminate 26 as the second main portion 37 of the fibre lay-up 24'. Further, the contin
|
||||
20 uation portion 41 has the same thickness d2 as the second main portion 37.
|
||||
|
||||
In each of the first and second tapered portions 42, 43, the inner laminate 26, the respective balsa core 27, 28, and the 25 outer laminate 25 are tapered. Hence, the tapered portions 42, 43 each have a continuous inclined surface 44, 45.
|
||||
|
||||
In step S3 of the method, a mould core 46 is arranged on the dry fibre lay-up 24', as shown in Fig. 4. The mould core 46 30 comprises a first mould core portion 47 and a second mould core portion 48. Each of the first and second mould core portions 47， 48 comprises，for example, a firm inner core 49, 50, and a flexible external portion 5l, 52. The flexible external portions 51, 52 comprise, for example, a foam material 35 which Can be compressed.
|
||||
|
||||
Before arranging the mould core portions 47, 48, each of them is covered with a vacuum bag 53, 54, as shown in Fig. 4. The vacuum bags 53, 54 are sealed.
|
||||
|
||||
5In step S4 of the method, a shear web 55 is provided on the dry fibre lay-up 24' and in between the first and second mould core portions 47 and 48. In the example shown in the figures, the web 55 is a dry lay-up. In other examples, the web 55 may also be pre-casted.
|
||||
10 Step S4 may be performed simultaneously with step S3 of arranging the mould core portions 47, 48. In step S5 of the method, the extending portions 38, 39 of
|
||||
15 the dry fibre lay-up 24' are folded up onto the respective first and second mould core portions 47, 48 of the mould core 46, as shown in Fig. 5. In step S6 of the method, the extending portions 38, 39 are
|
||||
20 fixed to the respective first and second mould core portions 47, 48. In detail, the extending portion 38 is fixed to the first mould core portion 47 covered with the vacuum bag 53 by means of a first adhesive tape 56. Further, the extending portion 39 is fixed to the second mould core portion 48 cov
|
||||
25 ered with the vacuum bag 54 by means of a second adhesive tape 57 . In step S7 of the method, the pre-casted fibre lay-up 9", which was pre-casted in the upper mould 8 in step Sl (Fig.
|
||||
30 2), is fixed to the upper mould 8. The pre-casted fibre layup 9" is, for example and as shown in Fig. 6, fixed to the upper mould 8 by means of attaching a first foil 58 and a second foil 59 each to the pre-casted fibre lay-up 9" and the
|
||||
|
||||
upper mould 8. The foils 58, 59 are sealed. Fig. 6 shows as 35 example sealings 6o. A vacuum is generated in a space covered by the foils 58, 59 which holds the pre-casted fibre lay-up 9" in the upper mould 8 while turning it and lowering it onto the lower mould 23 in the next step.
|
||||
|
||||
Step Sl and S7 may be performed before steps S2 to S6, simultaneously with steps S2 to S6, or after steps S2 to S6.
|
||||
|
||||
5In step S8 of the method, the upper mould 8 is arranged on the lower mould 23, as shown in Fig. 6. Arranging the upper mould 8 on the lower mould 23 includes turning the upper mould 8 from the position in Fig. 2 to the position in Fig. 6. Fig. 6 shows a state in which the fibre lay-up 9" is al
|
||||
10 ready fixed to the upper mould 8, and the upper mould 8 is lifted, turned around and is being lowered onto the lower mould 23. Fig. 7 shows a state in which the upper mould 8 has been ar
|
||||
15 ranged on the lower mould 23. The pre-casted fibre lay-up 9" and the dry fibre lay-up 24' overlap each other in both a first and a second overlap region 6l, 62. Fig. 7 shows an insert with an enlarged view of the overlap region 61. In particular, the tapered portion 18 of the pre-casted fibre lay
|
||||
20 up 9" and the tapered portion 42 of the dry fibre lay-up 24' are overlapping each other in the overlap region 6l. Thereby, the inclined surface 20 of the tapered portion 18 and the inclined surface 44 of the tapered portion 42 are in direct contact with each.
|
||||
25 Similar, the tapered portion 17 of the pre-casted fibre layup 9" and the tapered portion 43 of the dry fibre lay-up 24' are overlapping each other in the overlap region 62. Thereby, the inclined surface 19 of the tapered portion 17 and the in
|
||||
30 clined surface 45 of the tapered portion 43 are in direct Contact with each. In this example, as can be seen in the insert of Fig. 7, the layer structure of the pre-casted fibre lay-up 9" including
|
||||
|
||||
35 the outer and inner laminates 12, 13 and the respective core material 14, 15 match the layer structure of the dry fibre lay-up 24' including the outer and inner laminates 25, 26 and the respective core material 27, 28.
|
||||
|
||||
In step S9 of the method, a vacuum is generated in a space 63 defined by the upper and lower moulds 8, 23 and the vacuum bags 53, 54 covering the mould core portions 47, 48, as shown in Fig . 8 .
|
||||
|
||||
In step S10, resin 65 is introduced in the space 63. In particular, the resin 65 is introduced in that part of the space 63 comprising the dry fibre lay-up 24', the connection re
|
||||
10 gions 66, 67, and the web 55. The resin 65 is, for example, introduced by a vacuum infusion process such as Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Moulding (VARTM). For further details of the generation of the vacuum, the infusion and curing of the resin 65, it is referred to EP 1 310 351 Al.
|
||||
15 The example illustrated in the figures shows a case where the web 55 is a dry lay-up. In this case, the web 55 is entirely infused with the resin 65, as shown.
|
||||
20 In other examples, a pre-casted web instead of the web 55 may be used. Then, the resin 65 would only be infused in an upper and lower connection portion of such a web (i.e. in a region where such a web would be connected with the beam 16 and in a region where such a web would be connected with the beam
|
||||
25 29) but not in a vertical portion of such a web. Fig. 8 shows exemplary inlet channels 64 through which the resin 65 is infused. With the drawn-in resin 65, the dry fibre lay-up 24', the connection regions 66, 67 (between the
|
||||
30dry fibre lay-up 24' and the pre-casted fibre lay-up 9"), and the web 55 are casted in a single process step. Each of the connection regions 66, 67 includes, in particularly, the respective overlap region 6l, 62. In this example,
|
||||
35 the connection regions 66, 67 are larger than the overlap regions 61, 62, respectively. In another embodiment, the connection regions 66, 67 and overlap regions 61, 62 may be the same, respectively.
|
||||
|
||||
As the fibre lay-up 9" in the upper mould 8 is pre-casted, the resin 65 has to only fill the dry fibre lay-up 24', the connection regions 66, 67 and the web 55 but not the remaining portion of the pre-casted fibre lay-up 9" during the vacuum infusion process in step S9. Thus, the resin 65 has to travel a shorter path and fill a smaller volume compared to the case in which a fibre lay-up in the upper mould 8 is in a dry condition, i.e. without resin.
|
||||
|
||||
10 In step Sll, the infused resin 65 is cured by a known process to obtain a cured and assembled blade shell. As shown in Fig. 8, the pre-casted fibre lay-up 9" in the upper mould 8 beComes in the manufactured blade 3 the first half shell 10.
|
||||
15Further, the fibre lay-up 24" in the lower mould 23 becomes, once infused and cured, in the manufactured blade 3 a second half shell 68. The web 55, once cured, transversally connects the first half shell 10 and the second half shell 68 within an interior cavity 7l of the blade 3.
|
||||
20 In this example, the resulting fibre-reinforced resin laminate of the shells 10, 68 has the same structure comprising the inner laminates 13, 26, the core materials 14, 15, 27, 28, and the outer laminates 12, 25 throughout the overlap re
|
||||
25 gions 61, 62 and the connection regions 66, 67. Therefore, a blade 3 having a shell with homogenous properties, such as homogenous strength and weight, across the overlap and connection regions 61, 62, 66, 67 is obtained.
|
||||
30In step S12 (not shown), the mould core portions 47, 48 and the vacuum bags 53, 54 are removed from the blade 3, e.g., through a root section of the blade 3. With this method, a blade is manufactured in which the first
|
||||
35 and second shells 10, 68 are connected with each other by a laminate joint which is a light and at the same time strong joint.
|
||||
|
||||
In a further embodiment, as shown in Fig.9, an overlap region 16l of a pre-casted fibre lay-up 109" in an upper mould 108 and a dry fibre lay-up 124' in a lower mould 123 does not contain a core material 115, 127. Thus, in the overlap region 5 161, the outer and inner laminates 112, 1l3 of the pre-casted lay-up 109" overlap with the outer and inner laminates 125, 126 of the fibre lay-up 124', 124" in the lower mould 123. However, the core material 1l5 of the pre-casted fibre lay-up 109" does not overlap with the core material 127 of the fibre O lay-up 124', 124" in the lower mould 123.
|
||||
|
||||
In a further embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1o, an auxiliary material 69 is disposed in an overlap region 262 of a precasted fibre lay-up 209" in an upper mould 208 and a fibre 15 lay-up 224', 224" in a lower mould 223. The auxiliary material 69 is, for example, a PUR material. It is applied in the example of Fig. 10 to form a sharp edge 70 of an aerodynamic profile of the blade 3, e.g. at a trailing edge of the airfoil.
|
||||
|
||||
ZU The auxiliary material 69 is arranged in the example of Fig. 10 between an inclined surface 219 of a tapered edge portion 217 of the pre-casted fibre lay-up 209" and an inclined surface 245 of a tapered edge portion 243 of the fibre lay-up
|
||||
25 224', 224" in the lower mould 223. Furthermore, a mini-web 229 is arranged connecting the pre-casted fibre lay-up 209", the auxiliary material 69 and the fibre lay-up 224', 224".
|
||||
|
||||
Although the present invention has been described in accord30 ance with preferred embodiments, it is obvious for the person skilled in the art that modifications are possible in all embodiments.
|
||||
|
||||
Patent claims
|
||||
|
||||
1. A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade (3), comprising the steps of: 5 - arranging (S8) an upper mould (8) comprising a precasted fibre lay-up (9") on a lower mould (23) comprising a dry fibre lay-up (24') and a mould core (46), - applying vacuum (S9) to a space (63) between the upper and lower moulds (8, 23) and the mould core (46),
|
||||
10 - infusing (S10) at least the dry fibre lay-up (24') and a connection region (66, 67） between the dry fibre lay-up (24') and the pre-casted fibre lay-up (9") with a resin (65), and curing (S1l) the resin (65).
|
||||
152.The method according to claim 1, wherein the dry fibre lay-up (24') and/or the pre-casted fibre lay-up (9") includes a core material (14, 15, 27, 28). 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the connec
|
||||
20tion region (66, 67） comprises an overlap region (61,62）in which the pre-casted fibre lay-up (9") and the dry fibre layup (24') overlap each other. 4. The method according to claim 2 and 3, wherein the pre
|
||||
25casted fibre lay-up (9") and/or the dry fibre lay-up (24') Comprises the core material (14, 15, 27, 28) in the overlap region (61， 62). 5．The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein both the
|
||||
30dry fibre lay-up (24') and the pre-casted fibre lay-up (9") comprise at least one tapered edge portion (17, 18, 42, 43) overlapping each other in the overlap region (61, 62). 6. The method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the
|
||||
35pre-casted fibre lay-up (9") and the dry fibre lay-up (24') are in direct contact with each other in the connection region (66, 67).
|
||||
|
||||
7． The method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an auxiliary material (69) is disposed between a surface (219) of at least one edge portion (2i7) of the pre-casted fibre lay-up (9") and a surface (245) of at least one edge portion ;(243） of the dry fibre lay-up (24').
|
||||
|
||||
8． The method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the dry fibre lay-up (24') in the lower mould (23) has a main portion (35) inside a cavity (30) of the lower mould (23) and
|
||||
10at least one extending portion (38, 39) extending from the main portion (35) beyond a side edge (33, 34) of the cavity (30) of the lower mould (23), and wherein the method comprises, before the step of arranging (S8) the upper mould (8) on the lower mould (23), the steps of arranging (S3) the mould
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15 Core (46) on the dry fibre lay-up (24'） in the lower mould (23) and folding up (s5) the at least one extending portion (38, 39) of the dry fibre lay-up (24') onto the mould core (46) 。
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20 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a continuation portion (40, 4l） of the at least one extending portion (38, 39) has the same layer structure and/or the same thickness (dl, d2) as the main portion (35), the continuation portion (40, 4l) being continuous with the main portion (35).
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25 10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, comprising, after the step of folding up (S5) the at least one extending portion (38, 39) onto the mould core (46)， the step of fixing (S6) the at least one folded-up extending portion (38, 39) at
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30 the mould core (46). 11. The method according to one of claims 1 to 1o, comprising, before the step of arranging (S8) the upper mould (8) comprising the pre-casted fibre lay-up (9") on the lower
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35mould (23), the step of fixing (S7) the pre-casted fibre layup (9") to the upper mould (8).
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12. The method according to one of claims 1 to 1l, comprising, before the step of applying vacuum (S9), the step of covering the mould core (46) with a vacuum bag (53, 54), and wherein the vacuum is applied to a space (63) between the up5 per and lower moulds (8, 23) and the vacuum bag (53, 54).
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13. The method according to one of claims 1 to 12, comprising, before the step of arranging (S8) the upper mould (8) on the lower mould (23), the step of arranging one or more rein10 forcement beams (29) on the dry fibre lay-up (24').
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14. The method according to one of claims 1 to 13, comprising, before the step of arranging (S8) the upper mould (8) on the lower mould (23)， the step of arranging (S4) a web (55),
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15 and wherein at least the dry fibre lay-up (24'), the connection region (66,67) and the web (55) is infused (S10) with resin (65) . 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the web (55) is
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20 configured to transversally connect the pre-casted fibre layup (9") and the dry fibre lay-up (24', 24"), once cured, within an interior cavity (7l) of the blade (3).
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# 1/11
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<html><body><table><tr><td colspan="4">InternationalapplicationNo PCT/EP2020/085438</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">A.CLASSIFICATIONOFSUBJECTMATTER INV. B29D99/00 B29C70/48 B29C70/44 B29C70/86 F03D1/06 B29C70/34 B29C33/50 ADD. B29L31/08</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">AccordingtoInternationalPatentClassification(IPC)ortobothnationalclassificationandIPC B.FIELDS SEARCHED Minimumdocumentationsearched(classificationsystemfollowedbyclassificationsymbols)</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">B29LB29DB29CF03D Documentationsearchedotherthanminimumdocumentationtotheextentthatsuchdocumentsareincludedinthefieldssearched</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">Electronicdatabaseconsulted duringtheintermational search(nameof databaseand,wherepracticable,searchterms used)</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">EPO-Internal, wPI Data</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">C.DOCUMENTSCONSIDEREDTOBERELEVANT Citationofdocument,withindication,whereappropriate,of therelevantpassages</td></tr><tr><td>Category* Y A Y</td><td>CN 102 672 976 A (KUNSHAN HUAFENG WIND POWER GENERATION AND TECHNOLOGY CO LTD) 19 September 2012 (2012-09-19) paragraphs [0029],. [0036] - [0042], [0045]; figures 2,3</td><td colspan="2">Relevant to claim No. 1-9, 11-15 10 7,14,15 12 13</td></tr><tr><td>US 7 980 840 B2(SIEMENS AG [DE]) 19 July 2011 (2011-07-19) A column 6, 1ines 10-12,16-32,40-51 V 29 June 2011 (2011-06-29) [0063]; figures 8,9</td><td colspan="3">column 7, 1ines 4-10; figures 5-9 EP 2 338 668 A1(LM GLASFIBER AS [DK]) paragraphs [0057],. [0060], [0062],</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">X Further documentsarelisted in thecontinuationofBox C. X Special categoriesof cited documents: "A"document defining the general state of the art which is not considered tobeofparticularrelevance</td><td colspan="2">See patent family annex. T"later documentpublishedaftertheinternationalfiling date orpriority dateandnotinconflictwiththeapplicationbutcitedtounderstand theprincipleortheoryunderlying theinvention "X"document of particularrelevance;the claimed invention cannot be considerednovelorcannotbeconsideredtoinvolveaninventive stepwhenthedocument istakenalone</td></tr><tr><td colspan="4">"E"earlier application orpatent but published on orafter theinternational filingdate "L"documentwhichmaythrowdoubtsonpriorityclaim(s)orwhichis citedtoestablishthepublicationdateofanothercitationorother "Y"document of particularrelevance;theclaimed invention cannot be special reason (as specified) consideredtoinvolveaninventivestepwhenthedocumentis "O”document referring to an oral disclosure,use, exhibition orother combinedwithoneormoreothersuchdocuments,suchcombination means being obvioustoaperson skilled inthe art "P"document published priorto theintermational filing datebutlaterthan the priority date claimed "&"document member of the same patent family</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Dateoftheactualcompletionoftheinternationalsearch 16 March 2021</td><td colspan="3">Date of mailing of the international search report 24/03/2021</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">Name andmailing address of the ISA/ EuropeanPatent Office,P.B.5818Patentlaan2 NL-2280HVRijswijk Tel.(+31-70)340-2040, Fax:(+31-70) 340-3016</td><td colspan="2">Authorized officer Bibollet-Ruche，D</td></tr></table></body></html>
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C(Continuation).DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT
|
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<html><body><table><tr><td>Category*</td><td>Citationofdocument,withindication,where appropriate,of therelevantpassages</td><td>RelevanttoclaimNo.</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>EP 2 123 431 A1 (SIEMENS AG [DE]) 25 November 2009 (2009-11-25) paragraphs [0031], [0033], [0034], [0036], [0037]; figures GB 2 497 578 A (VESTAS WIND SYS AS [DK]) 19 June 2013 (2013-06-19) figure 9c</td><td>1-4,6,8, 9,11,12 5</td></tr></table></body></html>
|
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<html><body><table><tr><td colspan="5"></td><td colspan="2">PCT/EP2020/085438</td></tr><tr><td>Patent document cited in search report</td><td>Publication date</td><td></td><td></td><td>Patent family member(s)</td><td></td><td>Publication date</td></tr><tr><td>CN 102672976 US7980840</td><td>A B2</td><td>19-09-2012 19-07-2011</td><td>NONE CN DK EP</td><td>101549562 A 2106900 T3 2106900 A1</td><td></td><td>07-10-2009 09-07-2012 07-10-2009 18-10-2012</td></tr><tr><td>EP 2338668</td><td>A1</td><td>29-06-2011</td><td>ES US US CN DK EP EP</td><td>2388756 T3 2009250847 A1 2011210464 A1 102834247 A 2516140 T3 2338668 A1 2516140 A1</td><td></td><td>08-10-2009 01-09-2011 19-12-2012 06-03-2017 29-06-2011 31-10-2012</td></tr><tr><td>EP 2123431</td><td>A1</td><td>25-11-2009</td><td>ES PL US WO AT CA CN DK EP</td><td>2616704 T3 2516140 T3 2012257984 4A1 2011076857 A1 500050 T 2725031 A1 101909863 A 2123431 T3 2123431 A1</td><td></td><td>14-06-2017 31-05-2017 11-10-2012 30-06-2011 15-03-2011 26-11-2009 08-12-2010 02-05-2011 25-11-2009 25-05-2011</td></tr><tr><td>GB 2497578</td><td>A</td><td>19-06-2013</td><td>ES JP JP NZ US WO BR CA CN DK EP EP ES GB JP</td><td>2359655 T3 5027309 B2 2011507739 A 586733A 2011049770 A1 2009141235 A2 112014014708 A2 2858397 A1 104114856 A 2791500 T3 2791500 A1 3505751 .A1 2497578 A 6105619 B2 A</td><td>2719302 T3</td><td>19-09-2012 10-03-2011 26-10-2012 03-03-2011 26-11-2009 13-06-2017 20-06-2013 22-10-2014 23-04-2019 22-10-2014 03-07-2019 09-07-2019 19-06-2013 29-03-2017</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>JP KR US US WO</td><td>2015500942 20140110951 A 2014301859 A1 2020049128 A1 2013087078 A1</td><td></td><td>08-01-2015 17-09-2014 09-10-2014 13-02-2020 20-06-2013</td></tr></table></body></html>
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叶片制造装置/WO2021122269A1/auto/WO2021122269A1_origin.pdf
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@ -18,4 +18,11 @@ f）叶片的打磨、涂层涂覆等处理设备的结构改进。
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|
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叶片的制造工艺，对于叶片产品有重要影响，也是应该进行关注的布局点；相较之下，叶片的制造设备、测试方法、测试装置和叶片材料的重视程度可适当调低，可根据自身的研发节奏和市场策略进行布局决策。
|
||||
|
||||
在进行叶片工艺和叶片测试技术方面的专利申请时，均可优先进行设备类型（制造设备和测试装置）的专利申请，利用设备类专利易于取证的优势，起到较好的保护效果；但需注意，如果与制造设备相配套的制造工艺、与测试装置相配套的测试方法上同样取得了创新成果，制造设备与配套制造工艺、测试装置与配套测试方法应同日进行专利申请，以免在先的专利申请影响在后专利申请的授权前景。
|
||||
在进行叶片工艺和叶片测试技术方面的专利申请时，均可优先进行设备类型（制造设备和测试装置）的专利申请，利用设备类专利易于取证的优势，起到较好的保护效果；但需注意，如果与制造设备相配套的制造工艺、与测试装置相配套的测试方法上同样取得了创新成果，制造设备与配套制造工艺、测试装置与配套测试方法应同日进行专利申请，以免在先的专利申请影响在后专利申请的授权前景。
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
叶片一体成型加工工艺---适用于腹板不多
|
||||
|
||||
叶片整个脱模、成型、固化
|
||||
里面的真空袋、密封胶条导流网都不用了吗
|
||||
玻纤布怎么铺层
|
||||
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