Method of supporting shear webs of a wind turbine blade
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade ( 10 ). The method comprises arranging one or more shear webs ( 50, 55, 70 ) within a first shell half, adhesively joining the one or more shear webs to the first shell half, and adhesively joining the second shell half to the first shell half and to the one or more shear webs. The step of arranging the one or more shear webs within the first shell half comprises arranging at least one telescopic support member ( 80 ) between the inside surface ( 38 b ) of the first shell half ( 38 ) and the lateral surface ( 62 ) of at least one of the shear webs ( 70 ), wherein the telescopic support member ( 80 ) comprises an actuator ( 82 ) for adjusting the length of the telescopic support member.
1. A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade ( 10 ), the blade having a profiled contour including a pressure side ( 36 ) and a suction side ( 38 ), and a leading edge ( 18 ) and a trailing edge ( 20 ) with a chord having a chord length extending therebetween, the wind turbine blade ( 10 ) extending in a spanwise direction between a root end ( 16 ) and a tip end ( 14 ), the method comprising the steps of:
forming a first shell half ( 38 ) and a second shell half ( 36 ), each of the first and second shell halves ( 38 , 36 ) comprising an aerodynamic outside surface ( 38 a , 36 a ) and an opposing inside surface ( 38 b , 36 b );
arranging one or more shear webs ( 50 , 55 , 70 ) within the first shell half, wherein the one or more shear webs comprises two opposing lateral surfaces ( 62 , 64 ) extending in a spanwise direction;
adhesively joining the one or more shear webs to the first shell half; and
adhesively joining the second shell half to the first shell half and to the one or more shear webs,
wherein the step of arranging the one or more shear webs ( 50 , 55 , 70 ) within the first shell half comprises arranging at least one support member ( 80 ) between the inside surface ( 38 b ) of the first shell half ( 38 ) and the lateral surface ( 62 ) of the one or more shear webs ( 50 , 55 , 70 ), wherein the at least one support member ( 80 ) comprises an actuator ( 82 ) for adjusting the length (L) of the at least one support member ( 80 ), wherein the actuator ( 82 ) comprises a piston rod having a free end received in a fixation point on one of the lateral surfaces of the one or more shear webs,
wherein the at least one support member ( 80 ) is arranged at the one or more shear webs, and
wherein mounting flanges ( 73 , 75 ) of the one or more shear webs are angled such that, when viewed in a chordwise direction, lines defining angles of the mounting flanges ( 73 , 75 ) converge towards the trailing edge ( 20 ) of the wind turbine blade ( 10 ), such that a vertical or flapwise distance between the mounting flanges ( 73 , 75 ) decreases in the chordwise direction towards the trailing edge.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member ( 80 ) is a telescopic support member ( 80 ) and the actuator ( 82 ) is a fluid-driven actuator.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator ( 82 ) is a pneumatic cylinder.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of adhesively joining the second shell half to the first shell half and to the one or more shear webs comprises biasing the one or more shear webs ( 70 ) towards the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade using the actuator of the at least one support member.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of adhesively joining the second shell half to the first shell half and to the one or more shear webs comprises increasing the length (L) of the at least one support member ( 80 ) for applying a force (F) on the lateral surface of the one or more shear webs.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said force (F) pushes the one or more shear webs ( 50 , 55 , 70 ) in the chordwise direction towards the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more shear webs comprise a plurality of shear webs ( 50 , 55 , 70 ) arranged within the first shell half, and wherein the at least one support member ( 80 ) extends between the inside surface ( 38 b ) of the first shell half and the lateral surface ( 71 ) of the one of the shear webs which is closest to the trailing edge ( 20 ) of the wind turbine blade among said plurality of shear webs.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one support member ( 80 ) is arranged in contact with the inside surface ( 38 b ) of the first shell half ( 38 ) at a location spaced in the chordwise direction from said one of the shear webs which is closest to the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade, such that said location is closer to the leading edge than said one of the shear webs.
9. The method according to claim 1 , the method further comprising removing the at least one support member ( 80 ) from the one or more shear webs after adhesively joining the second shell half to the first shell half and to the one or more shear webs.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more anchoring points are provided on the inside surface ( 38 b ) of the first shell half, the one or more anchoring points comprising a polymer anchor glued to the inside surface of the first shell half, the polymer anchor comprising a loop for receiving a mating pin of the at least one support member.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member ( 80 ) is arranged only on one of the two opposing lateral surfaces ( 62 , 64 ) of the one or more shear webs.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one support member ( 80 ) is arranged only on the lateral surface ( 62 ) of the one or more shear webs that faces towards the leading edge ( 18 ) of the wind turbine blade.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a point of contact between the at least one support member and the lateral surface of the one or more shear webs is at a center of gravity of the one or more shear webs or higher, as seen in the vertical or flapwise direction.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member further comprises a regulator for associating the length of the at least one support member with an angle of the one or more shear webs with a horizontal plane.
15. A wind turbine blade ( 10 ) comprising:
a first shell half ( 38 ) and a second shell half ( 36 ) joined together and defining an internal cavity therebetween, each of the first and second shell halves ( 38 , 36 ) comprising an aerodynamic outside surface ( 38 a , 36 a ) and an opposing inside surface ( 38 b , 36 b );
one or more shear webs ( 50 , 55 , 70 ) arranged in the internal cavity, wherein each of the one or more shear webs comprises two opposing lateral surfaces ( 62 , 64 ) extending in a spanwise direction; and
at least one removable support member ( 80 ) arranged between the inside surface of the first shell half and the lateral surface of the one or more shear webs, wherein the at least one removable support member ( 80 ) comprises an actuator ( 82 ) for adjusting a length of the at least one removable support member ( 80 ), wherein the actuator ( 82 ) comprises a piston rod having a free end received in a fixation point on one of the lateral surfaces of the one or more shear webs,
wherein the at least one removable support member ( 80 ) is arranged at the one or more shear webs, and
wherein mounting flanges ( 73 , 75 ) of the one or more shear webs are angled such that, when viewed in a chordwise direction, lines defining angles of the mounting flanges ( 73 , 75 ) converge towards the trailing edge ( 20 ) of the wind turbine blade ( 10 ), such that a vertical or flapwise distance between the mounting flanges ( 73 , 75 ) decreases in the chordwise direction towards the trailing edge.
16. The wind turbine blade ( 10 ) according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one removable support member is attached to an inboard portion of the one or more shear webs that is accessible from a root end of the wind turbine blade.