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EP-4739488-A1 - METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A SHELL SECTION FOR A WIND TURBINE BLADE AND ASSEMBLY RACK FOR MANUFACTURING A SHELL SECTION FOR A WIND TURBINE BLADE

EP4739488A1EP 4739488 A1EP4739488 A1EP 4739488A1EP-4739488-A1

Abstract

Method for manufacturing a shell section (17, 28, 53), particularly a half shell section, having a desired section geometry, wherein the shell section (17, 28, 53) is adapted to constitute a section of a wind turbine blade to be produced, wherein the method comprises the steps: - providing several preform elements (18, 29, 51), each comprising a stack of layers of fiber mats fixated to each other, - providing an assembly rack (1, 27, 50) with several supporting elements (7) which are arranged in a geometry which corresponds to the section geometry, - arranging the preform elements (18, 29, 51) on the supporting elements (7) side-by-side such that the preform elements (18, 29, 51) are relatively positioned to each other in a geometry which corresponds to the section geometry, and - adhering adjacent preform elements (18, 29, 51) with each other to constitute the shell section (17, 28, 53).

Inventors

  • NIELSEN, MOGENS

Assignees

  • Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240805

Claims (15)

  1. 1. Method for manufacturing a shell section (17, 28, 53) , particularly a half shell section, having a desired section geometry, wherein the shell section (17, 28, 53) is adapted to constitute a section of a wind turbine blade to be produced, wherein the method comprises the steps : - providing several preform elements (18, 29, 51) , each comprising a stack of layers of fiber mats fixated to each other, - providing an assembly rack (1, 27, 50) with several supporting elements (7) which are arranged in a geometry which corresponds to the section geometry, - arranging the preform elements (18, 29, 51) on the supporting elements (7) side-by-side such that the preform elements (18, 29, 51) are relatively positioned to each other in a geometry which corresponds to the section geometry, and - adhering adjacent preform elements (18, 29, 51) with each other to constitute the shell section (17, 28, 53) .
  2. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that adjacent preform elements (18, 29, 51) are laterally in contact with each other after being arranged on the supporting elements (7 ) .
  3. 3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that lateral sections (52) of adjacent preform elements (18, 29, 51) overlap each other.
  4. 4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the lateral sections (52) have a tilted, particularly wedge-like, shape .
  5. 5. Method according to one of the claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the fiber mats of each of the preform elements (18, 29, 51) are fixated to each other by means of a heat- activated binding agent, wherein the adjacent preform elements (18, 29, 51) are adhered with each other by at least partially heating their lateral sections (52) to re-activate the binding agent.
  6. 6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, after being arranged on the supporting elements (7) , the preform elements (18, 29, 51) are gripped by gripper elements (14) of the supporting elements (7) to fasten the relative positions between the preform elements (18, 29, 51) .
  7. 7. Assembly rack adapted to be used for a method according to the one of the preceding claims and for manufacturing a shell section (17, 28, 53) which is adapted to constitute a section of a wind turbine blade, wherein the assembly rack (1, 27, 50) comprises several supporting elements (7) which are arranged in a geometry which corresponds to a desired section geometry of the shell section (17, 28, 53) which extends around a part of the circumference of the blade.
  8. 8. Assembly rack according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one of the supporting elements (7) comprises a heating means (16) and/or that at least one heating device (54) , particularly being a heating blanket, is provided which is releasably fixable to the supporting elements (7) or to another component of the assembly rack (1, 27, 50) , wherein the heating means (16) and/or the heating device (54) is adapted to generate heat which is transferrable to the preform elements (18, 29, 51) arranged thereon to activate the binding agent .
  9. 9. Assembly rack according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that at least one of the supporting elements (7) comprises a gripper element (14) for gripping the preform elements (18, 29, 51) arranged thereon, wherein the gripper elements (14) are or comprise particularly needle grippers and/or vacuum grippers and/or Bernoulli grippers and/or vortex grippers.
  10. 10. Assembly rack according to one of the claims 7 to 9, characterized by a frame (2) with several carrier bars (6) on which the supporting elements (7) are attached.
  11. 11. Assembly rack according to one of the claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the relative positions of the supporting elements (7) to each other are adjustable and lockable.
  12. 12. Assembly rack according to claim 10 and 11, characterized in that at least one of the supporting elements (7) is movable along the respective carrier bar (6) being a sliding rail and/or perpendicularly with respect to the respective carrier bar (6) and lockable in the respective positions.
  13. 13. Assembly rack according to claim 12, characterized in that the at least one movable supporting element (7) is connected with a sliding shoe (8) which is guided in the respective sliding rail.
  14. 14. Assembly rack according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the at least one movable supporting element (7) is or comprises a support plate (11) , particularly made of a hard foam, on which the respective preform element (18, 29, 51) is arrangeable, wherein the support plate (11) is height- adjustable with respect to the respective carrier bar (6) .
  15. 15. Assembly rack according to one of the claims 7 to 14, characterized in that it has a concave or convex shape such that it is adapted to be used for manufacturing a shell section (17, 28, 53) which has a concave or convex section geometry .

Description

Description Method for manufacturing a shell section for a wind turbine blade and as sembly rack for manufacturing a shell section for a wind turbine blade The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shell section , particularly a half shell section , having a desired section geometry, wherein the shell section is adapted to constitute a section of a wind turbine blade to be produced . Furthermore , the present invention relates to an as sembly rack adapted to be used for manufacturing a shell section which is adapted to constitute a section of a wind turbine blade . For manufacturing blades for wind turbine s , typically premanufactured preform elements are used . Preform elements of ten contain thermoset or thermoplastic binder on reinforcement fabrics . Typically, the binder is activatable by heat , and, when cooling back to room temperature , the reinforcement fabrics are adhered to each other by the binder . Hence , preform elements are typically stacks containing several layers of reinforcement fabrics being in a desired shape . For manufacturing the final blade or half shell of a blade , the preform elements are typically arranged laterally on the mold surface of a blade mold . Regarding this step , there is the problem that adj acent preform element s , particularly if they comprise an angled lateral surface , often slide off from their des ignated position because of their own weight , which leads to an unwanted lateral overlap of the preform element s . Additionally, locating the preform elements in the blade mold as precise as it i s de sired is often cumbersome . S ince preform elements typically comprise a large size of several meters and since the respective tolerance regarding the position of the preform elements in the blade mold is quite low such that only small deviations between the actual and the required position are allowed, it is a time-consuming and difficult process to position these elements as precisely as desired. Apart from this, it is typically required to inspect whether the preform elements are correctly positioned in the blade mold after they have been arranged there. It is also difficult and cumbersome to perform this inspection. It is an object of the present invention to provide an enhanced concept with respect to the manufacturing process of a wind turbine blade, particularly regarding the process of placing preform elements in a blade mold. This object is achieved by a method as described initially, wherein the method comprises the following steps: - providing several preform elements, each comprising a stack of layers of fiber mats fixated to each other, - providing an assembly rack with several supporting elements which are arranged in a geometry which corresponds to the section geometry, - arranging the preform elements on the supporting elements side-by-side such that the preform elements are relatively positioned to each other in a geometry which corresponds to the section geometry, and - adhering adjacent preform elements with each other to constitute the shell section. The present invention concerns the manufacturing process of a shell section which is adapted to be connected with further shell sections to constitute the final wind turbine blade or the final half shell of the wind turbine blade to be produced. The shell section can be a section which spans around a certain part along the circumference of the final blade. This means that several, particularly between two and ten, shell sections can be required to constitute the complete circumference of the final blade. Preferably, the shell section is a half shell section, i.e. , a section which provides one half of the circumference of the final blade. That means that two respective half sections are required to realize the complete circumference of blade. The half shell section can be part of a half shell realizing the pre s sure side of the blade or a part of a half shell realizing the suction side of the blade . The shell section can be a third shell section such that three re spective sections are required to realize the complete circumference of blade . The shell section can be a quarter shell section such that four re spective sections are required to realize the complete circumference of blade etc . The circumference of the f inal blade can be between 5 and 30 meters , particularly between 10 and 20 meters . Regarding the longitudinal extension of the blade , the shell section typically realize s only a part of the complete longitudinal extens ion . Particularly, more than three , particularly more than five , shell sections being arranged longitudinally to each other can be required to realize the complete blade . While the blade can have a total length of several tens of meters or even more than a hundred of meters , the length of the shell section can be between 1 and 30 meters , particularly between 12 and 16 meters , wherein the width of the shell section can be between 1 and 10