WO2024132069A1 - Prolongateur de racine de pale d'éolienne - Google Patents

Prolongateur de racine de pale d'éolienne Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2024132069A1
WO2024132069A1 PCT/DK2023/050321 DK2023050321W WO2024132069A1 WO 2024132069 A1 WO2024132069 A1 WO 2024132069A1 DK 2023050321 W DK2023050321 W DK 2023050321W WO 2024132069 A1 WO2024132069 A1 WO 2024132069A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
pipes
root
blade
mounting structure
rotor assembly
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/DK2023/050321
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jens Bredal Nielsen
Nicolaj Biltoft KRISTENSEN
Karthik KRISHNAN JAMUNA
Payam JAVADIAN
Original Assignee
Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S filed Critical Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Publication of WO2024132069A1 publication Critical patent/WO2024132069A1/fr

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03D—WIND MOTORS
    • F03D1/00—Wind motors with rotation axis substantially parallel to the air flow entering the rotor 
    • F03D1/06—Rotors
    • F03D1/065—Rotors characterised by their construction elements
    • F03D1/0658—Arrangements for fixing wind-engaging parts to a hub
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03D—WIND MOTORS
    • F03D1/00—Wind motors with rotation axis substantially parallel to the air flow entering the rotor 
    • F03D1/06—Rotors
    • F03D1/065—Rotors characterised by their construction elements
    • F03D1/0675—Rotors characterised by their construction elements of the blades
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
    • F05B2260/00—Function
    • F05B2260/30—Retaining components in desired mutual position
    • F05B2260/301—Retaining bolts or nuts
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
    • F05B2280/00—Materials; Properties thereof
    • F05B2280/60—Properties or characteristics given to material by treatment or manufacturing
    • F05B2280/6003—Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
    • F05B2280/00—Materials; Properties thereof
    • F05B2280/60—Properties or characteristics given to material by treatment or manufacturing
    • F05B2280/6013—Fibres

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to wind turbine blades, and more specifically to root extenders for extending the length of an existing wind turbine blade.
  • Modern utility-scale wind turbines typically comprise a rotor mounted at the top of a tower.
  • the rotor comprises one or more blades (typically three) mounted to a hub.
  • the output power of a wind turbine is directly related to the swept area of the rotor, i.e. the area of the circle created by the blade(s) as they sweep through the air. Accordingly, one way of increasing the output power from an existing wind turbine would be to replace the blades with longer blades. Whilst longer blades will increase the swept area, and hence increase the output power of the turbine, this solution is very expensive as the blades are one of the most expensive components of a wind turbine. Furthermore, unless the existing blades can be repurposed, replacing the blades creates significant waste.
  • Root extenders are known in the art, and tend to be made from thick sections of steel or casted from concrete. These existing root extenders are therefore very heavy structures and present a number of other disadvantages. For example, they may be difficult and/or expensive to produce. They may also be difficult to install, and may necessitate modifications to the blades or the hub.
  • the present invention provides a rotor assembly for a wind turbine.
  • the rotor assembly comprises a blade extending in a longitudinal direction from a root end to a tip end; a hub comprising a mounting structure; a root extender positioned between the root end of the blade and the mounting structure, the root extender comprising a plurality of pipes; and a plurality of elongate tension elements connecting the root end of the blade to the mounting structure, each tension element extending through an entire length of a respective pipe of the root extender.
  • the pipes are held in compression between the root end of the blade and the mounting structure.
  • the tension elements are in tension when connecting the blade to the mounting structure. Tensioning the tension elements, for example by applying torque, causes the pipes to be held in compression between the root end of the blade and the mounting structure. As the pipes are held in compression, they will transmit a majority of the loads from the blade to the hub in use, e.g. when the rotor is used in a wind turbine.
  • the pipes are rigid pipes.
  • the pipes can handle the compressive loads without buckling or being forced out of shape such that they cannot transfer the loads
  • the pipes are made from a material having a high compressive strength, preferably a material having a compressive strength of at least 70 MPa, more preferably at least 150 MPa, even more preferably at least 250 MPa, and most preferably around 500 MPa.
  • the pipes preferably have a wall thickness less than 20 mm, preferably less than 10mm. By keeping the wall thickness low, the pipes will have a lower mass and this will thus reduce the loads on the wind turbine.
  • the wall thickness may be measured in an intermediate portion of the pipe, between end portions of the pipe. For example, the wall thickness may be measured at a mid-point of the pipes. The wall thickness should still be chosen such that the pipes do not buckle when put under the required compressive stress.
  • the cross-sectional area of the pipe wall in the intermediate portion of the pipe may be less than the cross-sectional area of the pipe wall at one or both ends of the pipe.
  • the tension elements are relatively long in comparison to the tension elements that are conventionally used to connect a blade to a mounting structure.
  • the tension elements Preferably have a length of more than two metres.
  • the mounting structure may be a flange of the hub or a pitch bearing.
  • the mounting structure may include a plurality of through holes.
  • the plurality of through holes may be arranged in a circle when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
  • the first end of each respective tension element may extend through a respective through hole in the mounting structure.
  • the root end of the blade may comprise a plurality of connection elements.
  • the connection elements may be arranged in a circle when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
  • the second end of each respective tension element may engage a respective connection element in the blade root.
  • the connection elements may be embedded within the root end of the blade.
  • the connection elements are preferably threaded bushings.
  • the second ends of the tension elements are preferably threaded ends and are received within the threaded bushings in mating engagement.
  • the connection elements may be studs that project longitudinally from the root end of the blade, or T-bolt connectors.
  • the root extender preferably comprises a body.
  • the body is a separate component to that of the pipes.
  • the pipes are connected directly, or indirectly to the body.
  • the body is preferably tubular in shape.
  • the body is preferably of substantially circular cross section along its entire length.
  • the body may be made of a fibre-reinforced composite material, preferably glass-fibre reinforced plastic.
  • a fibre-reinforced composite material preferably glass-fibre reinforced plastic.
  • suitable fibres can be used, for example carbon fibres, aramid fibres, natural fibres etc.
  • Glass fibres are preferred as they are relatively low cost, readily available and relatively lightweight.
  • the body may serve to secure the plurality of pipes in a desired formation, e.g. in a ring as previously mentioned.
  • the body may have an external appearance resembling the external appearance of the wind turbine blade.
  • a sealant may be provided at the interface between the blade root and the body of the root extender to prevent moisture ingress.
  • the body may have an aerodynamically optimal outer profile, for example a smooth outer profile.
  • the body may include other aerodynamic feature such as one or more flaps, vortex generators etc, which may be integrally formed with the body or attached separately.
  • the plurality of pipes may be embedded in the body.
  • the pipes may be embedded in a tubular wall of the body.
  • the body preferably comprises fibres that are wound around the plurality of pipes.
  • the body is not held in compression and does not transfer significant loads between the blade and the hub.
  • the body may transfer less than 10% of loads between the blade and the hub, preferably less than 5% of loads between the blade and the hub.
  • the loads are those that occur during operation of the wind turbine. There may be a small percentage of the load (e.g. less than 10%, less than 5%) which is transferred from the pipes to the body if the body is in direct contact with the pipes. Therefore, the body can be made relatively lightweight and at relatively low cost.
  • the body may include one or more through-bores that do not contain a pipe.
  • the one or more through-bores may extend longitudinally through an entire length of the body.
  • a respective tension element may extend through the or each through-bore.
  • pipe as used herein is intended to encompass pipes that have a fully closed circumference or a partially closed circumference.
  • the pipes may include a longitudinal slit along their length.
  • the pipes function as sleeves, and the term “pipe” should be understood as synonymous with “sleeve”.
  • the present invention also provides a wind turbine blade root extender for extending the length of a wind turbine blade.
  • the root extender is configured to be positioned between a root end of a wind turbine blade and a mounting structure of a hub.
  • the root extender comprises a plurality of pipes extending in a longitudinal direction. The pipes are arranged in a ring when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
  • the present invention also provides a method of increasing the swept area of a wind turbine rotor.
  • the method comprises: providing a wind turbine rotor having a hub and a rotor blade connected to the hub, the rotor blade extending in a longitudinal direction from a root end to a tip end, and the root end being connected to a mounting structure of the hub; disconnecting the rotor blade from the mounting structure; positioning a root extender between the root end of the rotor blade and the mounting structure, the root extender comprising a plurality of pipes that extend continuously from the mounting structure to the blade root; providing a plurality of elongate tension elements and arranging a respective tension element inside each pipe such that the tension elements extend through an entire length of a respective pipe of the root extender; connecting a first end of each tension element with the mounting structure of the hub; connecting a second end of each tension element with the root end of the blade; tensioning the tension elements such that the pipes become held in compression between the mounting structure and the root end of the blade.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic view of a wind turbine having a rotor comprising a plurality of blades fitted with root extenders in accordance with an example of the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a schematic and partially transparent perspective view of a root extender according to an example of the present invention
  • Figure 3 shows a variant of the root extender shown in Figure 2 according to an example of the present invention
  • Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a root extender positioned between a blade root and a pitch bearing according to an example of the present invention
  • Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pipe suitable for use in the root extender.
  • FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine 10 comprising a rotor 12 mounted at the top of a tower 14.
  • the rotor 12 comprises a plurality of wind turbine blades 16, three in this example, connected to a central hub 18.
  • Each blade 16 extends lengthwise in a longitudinal direction L from a root end 20 to a tip end 22.
  • the blades 16 in this example are variable pitch blades and may be turned about a pitch axis P.
  • a root extender 24 is positioned between the root end 20 of each blade 16 and a respective mounting structure 26 of the hub 18.
  • the mounting structures 26 in this example are pitch bearings (shown schematically in Figure 4).
  • the mounting structure 26 could be a hub flange, for example in the case of fixed pitch blades.
  • the rotor 12 rotates about a generally horizontal axis, extending through the hub 18, substantially perpendicular to the plane of Figure 1.
  • the tips 22 of the blades 16 describe a circle 28 as the rotor turns.
  • the area of this circle 28 is the swept area of the rotor 12.
  • the root extenders 24 extend the effective length of the blades 16, and therefore increase the diameter of the circle 28 described by the blade tips 22. Accordingly, the root extenders 24 increase the swept area of the rotor 12. This results in increased energy capture from the wind, and increased power output from the wind turbine 10 in comparison to a rotor with the same length blades 16 without the root extenders 24.
  • a root extender 24 according to an example of the present invention is illustrated schematically in Figure 2.
  • the root extender 24 comprises a plurality of pipes 30.
  • the pipes 30 extend lengthwise in the longitudinal direction.
  • the pipes 30 in this example extend continuously along an entire length of the root extender.
  • the pipes may be formed by a plurality of pipe sections arranged end to end.
  • the pipes 30 may have a length of approximately 2 metres, but longer or shorter pipes may be used according to the required length of the root extender 24.
  • the pipes 30 may have a length of between 1 to 6 metres.
  • the pipes 30 are arranged in a ring when seen in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L.
  • the ring is substantially circular in this example.
  • the cross-section of the root extender 24 is substantially uniform along its entire length.
  • the pipes 30 may be spaced apart from each other. For example, there may be spaces between adjacent pipes 30 around the circumference of the ring.
  • the pipes 30 in this example are made from steel.
  • the pipes 30 may be made from a different metal or other suitable material, such as concrete or fibre-reinforced plastic, for example glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) or carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP).
  • GFRP glass fibre reinforced plastic
  • CFRP carbon fibre reinforced plastic
  • Steel is preferred since it is relatively inexpensive and has high compressive strength.
  • the material of the pipes and their geometry should be selected so that they do not buckle when put under the required compressive stress.
  • the steel used to form the pipes 30 in this example preferably has a compressive strength of around 500 MPa.
  • the pipes preferably have a wall thickness less than 20 mm.
  • the root extender 24 in this example further comprises a body 32, which is represented by the dashed lines in Figure 2.
  • the body 32 in this example is tubular.
  • the tubular body 32 in this example has a substantially circular cross section. In this example, the crosssection is substantially uniform along the entire length of the body 32.
  • the body 32 in this example is made from glass-fibre reinforced plastic.
  • the body 32 may be formed in a winding process, whereby fibres are wound around the ring of pipes 30.
  • Filler material may be provided in any spaces between pipes 30.
  • the filler material may include fibres, such as fibre rovings or fabric, or it may include a lightweight core material such as structural foam or balsa wood.
  • the filler material may be positioned between adjacent pipes 30 prior to the winding process.
  • Resin may be supplied to the wound structure, for example in a vacuum-infusion process. The resin is subsequently hardened during a curing process as will be understood by persons skilled in the art.
  • the body 32 functions to hold the plurality of pipes 30 together as a single unit.
  • the body 32 may have an external appearance resembling the external appearance of the wind turbine blade 16.
  • the body 32 may be painted the same colour to match the external appearance of the wind turbine blade 16 and provide visual continuity.
  • a sealant may be provided at the interface between the blade root 20 and the body 32 of the root extender 24 to prevent moisture ingress.
  • the body 32 in this example has a substantially cylindrical outer surface, it may have a different external shape in other examples.
  • the body 32 may include aerodynamic feature such as one or more flaps, vortex generators etc, which may be integrally formed with the body 32 or attached separately.
  • Figure 3 shows a variant of the root extender 24 shown in Figure 2. Parts in common with Figure 2 will not be repeated and only the differences will now be discussed.
  • the ring of pipes 30 shown in Figure 3 comprises fewer pipes 30.
  • a number of pipes 30 have been omitted from the ring of pipes 30.
  • every fourth pipe 30 is omitted.
  • a through-bore 34 is provided in the body 32 of the root extender 24.
  • the through-bores 34 extend longitudinally through an entire length of the body 32.
  • the through-bores 34 may be created by drilling through the body 32.
  • the through-bores 34 may be created simply by removing a pipe 30 from the ring after the resin in the body 32 has cured. Eliminating some of the pipes 30 from the ring serves to reduce the overall weight and cost of the root extender 24. However, the remaining pipes 30 must be capable of handling the necessary loads, and therefore the number of pipes 30 that can be omitted (if any) will depend upon structural calculations for a given scenario.
  • FIG 4 shows a cross-section through a root extender 24 positioned between a pitch bearing 26 and a blade root 20 in a rotor assembly 36 according to an example of the present invention.
  • the root extender 24 may be the root extender 24 shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3 or another variant within the scope of the present invention. Only the pipes 30 of the root extender 24 are shown in Figure 4, with the body 32 (shown in Figures 2 and 3) being omitted for ease of illustration.
  • the pitch bearing 26 in this example comprises an inner bearing ring 38 and an outer bearing ring 40.
  • a plurality of bearing elements 42 in this case ball bearings, are provided between the inner and outer bearings 38, 40.
  • the inner bearing ring 38 includes a plurality of through holes 44. The through holes 44 are arranged in a circle when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the plane of Figure 4.
  • the root end 20 of the wind turbine blade 16 includes a plurality of connecting elements 46.
  • the connecting elements 46 are arranged in a circle when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the plane of Figure 4.
  • the connecting elements 46 are embedded within the composite structure of the blade root 20.
  • the connecting elements 46 are bushings, e.g. steel bushings.
  • the bushings 46 are provided with an internal screw thread.
  • a plurality of elongate tension elements 48 are shown in Figure 4.
  • the tension elements 48 connect the root end 20 of the blade 16 to the inner ring 38 of the pitch bearing 26 in this example.
  • the tension elements 48 extend longitudinally from a first end 50 to a second end 52.
  • the tension elements 48 are steel bolts having a head at the first end 50 and a threaded portion at least at the second end 52.
  • Other suitable tension elements such as studs or the like may be used in other examples.
  • Each tension element 48 extends through a respective through hole 44 in the inner ring 38 of the pitch bearing 26. Thereafter, the tension elements 48 each extend through an entire length of a respective pipe 30 in the root extender 24. The second end 52 of each tension element 48 engages with a connecting element 46 in the root end 20 of the blade 16. Specifically, in this example, the threaded portions of the tension elements 48 mate with the internal screw threads of the bushings 46.
  • each pipe 30 in the ring of pipes 30 (and each through-bore 34, if any pipes 30 are omitted) is coaxial with a corresponding through hole 44 in the bearing 26 and coaxial with a corresponding connection element 46 in the blade root 20.
  • the tension elements 48 are longer than the root extender 24 such that they extend through an entire length of the root extender 24 and still have sufficient length to engage with the pitch bearing 26 at the first end 50 and to engage with the connecting elements 46 of the blade root 20 at the second end 52.
  • the tension elements 48 are longer than the pipes 30.
  • the tension elements 48 may have a length of approximately 2.5 metres, whereas the pipes 30 may have a length of approximately 2 metres.
  • the pipes 30 may have any suitable length according to the required extension of the blade length. The length of the tension elements 48 may then be selected to be suitably longer than the length selected for the pipes 30.
  • the tension elements 48 have a diameter that is smaller than an internal diameter of the pipes 30. This allows the tension elements 48 to move freely with respect to the pipes 30 when the tension elements 48 are initially inserted through the pipes 30 and when the tension elements 48 are subsequently tensioned.
  • the pipes 30 preferably have a smooth non-threaded internal surface. Accordingly, there is no mating engagement between the tension elements 48 and the pipes 30. It will be appreciated that the pipes 30 act as bushings for the tension elements 48.
  • the pipes 30 may have a diameter of 45-50 mm and the tension elements 48 may have a diameter of approximately 30 mm (e.g. M30 or M33 bolts).
  • the tension elements 48 in this example are tensioned by applying torque to the heads 50 of the tension elements 48. This causes the tension elements 48 to turn within the assembly, and the threaded second ends 52 of the tension elements 48 to turn within the threaded bushings 46 in the blade root 20. This causes the blade 16 to be pulled axially towards the pitch bearing 26. Consequently, the pipes 30 become pre-loaded in compression between the blade root 20 and the pitch bearing 26. Accordingly, the tension elements 48 are held in tension, and the pipes 30 of the root extender 24 are held in compression. As the pipes 30 are held in compression, they will transmit a majority of the loads from the blade 16 to the hub 18 in use, e.g. when the rotor 12 is used in a wind turbine 10.
  • the body 32 of the root extender 24 is not in compression and does not transmit appreciable loads between the blade 16 and the hub 18. This is a significant difference to some prior art root extenders, such as those having a concrete body, where the body is held in compression and must handle the main loads between the blade and the hub.
  • an optional first plate such as a ring plate
  • An optional second plate (also not shown), such as a ring plate, may be provided between the pipes 30 and the mounting structure 26 (the pitch bearing in this example).
  • the or each optional plate would advantageously help to distribute loads evenly around the perimeter of the blade root 20 or mounting structure 26 and minimise load concentrations.
  • Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a pipe 30 suitable for use in the root extender 24.
  • the pipe 30 includes first and second end portions 54, 56 and an intermediate portion 58 extending between the first and second end portions 54, 56.
  • the intermediate portion 58 has a smaller wall thickness 60 than the wall thickness 62 of the end portions 54, 56.
  • This configuration minimises the mass of the pipe 30 whilst at the same time ensuring that the pipe 30 has a sufficiently large cross-sectional wall area at its ends to create a strong frictional interface with an adjacent component, e.g. the blade 16, the mounting structure 26, or an optional intermediate plate.
  • the intermediate portion 58 of the pipe 30 can be made thinner than one or both end portions 54, 56 and its thickness is selected to be sufficient to support the loads in the root extender 24 without buckling.
  • the cross-sectional wall area of the pipe 30 is calculated using the formula:
  • D is the outer diameter of the pipe 30 and d is the inner diameter of the pipe 30.
  • the intermediate portion 58 of the pipe 30 has a smaller cross-sectional wall area than the outer end portions 54, 56 of the pipe 30.
  • the intermediate portion 58 of the pipe 30 has a smaller outer diameter Dj than the outer diameter D e of the first and second end portions 54, 56. Accordingly, the intermediate portion 58 defines a waist portion of the pipe 30.
  • the pipe 30 may therefore be referred to as a waisted pipe.
  • the inner diameter dj of the intermediate portion 58 is the same as the inner diameter d e of the end portions 54, 56 in this example.
  • the pipe 30 includes transition portions 64 between the intermediate portion 58 and the first and second end portions 54, 56.
  • the wall thickness 66 in the transition portions 64 gradually changes to form a smooth tapering transition between the intermediate portion 58 and the end portions 54, 56.
  • the outer diameter D t of the pipe 30 in the transition portions 64 gradually increases moving from the intermediate portion 58 towards the end portions 54, 56.
  • the pipe 30 in this example has the same wall thickness in both end portions 54, 56
  • the wall thickness at the first end 54 may be different to the wall thickness at the second end 56.
  • the wall thickness at one end 54 or 56 may be the same as the wall thickness in the intermediate portion 58, such that the pipe 30 may be enlarged only at one end.
  • the outer diameter Dj of the intermediate portion 58 may be the same as the outer diameter D e of one or both end portions 54, 56, and the inner diameter dj of the intermediate portion 58 may be less than the inner diameter d e of one or both end portions 54, 56, such that the reduced wall thickness is only evident on the inside of the pipe 30.
  • the pipe 30 may therefore have an external waist (as shown in Figure 5), or an internal waist according to a variant.
  • the root extender 24 described herein may comprise one or more pipes 30 as described with reference to Figure 5, or variants of this pipe as discussed above.
  • all of the pipes of the root extender may have a reduced-mass configuration, thereby minimising the overall mass of the root extender 24.
  • a root extender 24 for extending the length of a wind turbine blade 16 has been described.
  • the root extender 24 is positioned between the root end 20 of a blade 16 and a mounting structure 26 of a hub, such as a pitch bearing or hub flange.
  • the root extender 24 comprises a plurality of pipes 30.
  • Elongate tension elements 48 extend through the respective pipes 30 to connect the blade 16 to the mounting structure 26.
  • the pipes 30 are held in compression between the root end 20 of the blade 16 and the mounting structure 26.
  • the present invention presents numerous advantages. Instead of replacing one blade with a longer blade to achiever a greater swept area, the root extender 24 will increase production whilst still using the existing blades.
  • the root extenders of the present invention therefore reduce scrap, transport and material, and will increase the useful lifetime of current turbines.
  • the root extenders 24 of the present invention are advantageously lightweight in comparison to prior art root extenders made from thick steel sections or concrete. As the body 32 of the root extender 24 is not required to handle significant loads, it can be made relatively lightweight and at relatively low cost. Furthermore, as the pipes 30 are hollow, a significant proportion of the volume of the root extender 24 is empty space, which also reduces the overall weight of the root extender 24.
  • the root extender 24 can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.
  • the pipes 30 can be standard pipes 30 that are readily available on the market and can be easily cut to the required length.
  • a standard fibre winding machine can be used to form the body 32 of the root extender 24.
  • the root extender 24 can be installed without any modifications being required to the existing blades 16 or mounting structure 26.
  • the existing tension elements connecting an existing blade 16 to a mounting structure 26 are removed.
  • the root extender 24 is arranged in place between the mounting structure 26 and the existing blade 16.
  • Longer tension elements 48 are then fitted to hold the assembly together.
  • the longer tension elements 48 may be substantially identical to the existing tension elements in every aspect other than being substantially longer, such that they can pass through the root extender 24. Accordingly, it is not necessary to create any new joints; only the length of the bolts 48 needs to be increased.
  • the pipes 30 shown in the figures have a fully closed circumference
  • the pipes may have a partially closed circumference, for example they may include a longitudinal slit or wider space extending along their length.
  • the root extender could also be made in a plurality of segments that form a ring or tube when arranged together.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Wind Motors (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un prolongateur de racine (24) permettant d'étendre la longueur d'une pale d'éolienne (16). Le prolongateur de racine (24) est positionné entre une extrémité de racine (20) de la pale (16) et une structure de montage (26) d'un moyeu (18), tel qu'un palier de pas ou une bride de moyeu. Le prolongateur de racine (24) comprend une pluralité de tuyaux (30). Des éléments de tension allongés (48) s'étendent à travers les tuyaux respectifs (30) pour relier la pale à la structure de montage (26). Les tuyaux (30) sont maintenus en compression entre l'extrémité de racine (20) de la pale (16) et la structure de montage (26).
PCT/DK2023/050321 2022-12-22 2023-12-20 Prolongateur de racine de pale d'éolienne WO2024132069A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IN202211074456 2022-12-22
IN202211074456 2022-12-22
DKPA202370067 2023-02-03
DKPA202370067 2023-02-03

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2024132069A1 true WO2024132069A1 (fr) 2024-06-27

Family

ID=89619275

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/DK2023/050321 WO2024132069A1 (fr) 2022-12-22 2023-12-20 Prolongateur de racine de pale d'éolienne

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2024132069A1 (fr)

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