System for lifting a wind turbine rotor blade

A system for lifting a wind turbine rotor blade, the system comprising:

• a wind turbine rotor blade;
• a lifting device having a sling;
• said sling being configured to support said wind turbine rotor blade at a longitudinal position where said wind turbine rotor blade has an aerodynamic profile, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a profile chord connecting said leading edge and said trailing edge, wherein said profile chord is arranged horizontally;
• a leading edge protector configured to be arranged between said wind turbine rotor blade and said sling, said leading edge protector having a front portion configured to be placed at said leading edge and a lower leg extending from said front portion and configured to be placed below said wind turbine rotor blade;
• said front portion and said lower leg being formed as a sandwich construction having an inner top layer, an outer top layer, and a core material disposed between said inner top layer and said outer top layer;
• said core material having a thickness measured between said inner top layer and said outer top layer;
• said lower leg having a free end;
• said thickness increasing from said free end of said lower leg toward said front portion to reduce a deformation of said wind turbine rotor blade at said leading edge;
• wherein said wind turbine rotor blade, at the longitudinal position, has a shell structure with a shell thickness;
• and,
• said thickness of said core material of said leading edge protector is selected such that said thickness of said core material at said front portion in combination with said shell thickness adjacent to said thickness of said core material is not less than a maximum thickness of said shell structure in a region covered by said leading edge protector.

A system for lifting a wind turbine rotor blade, the system comprising:

• a wind turbine rotor blade;
• a lifting device having a sling;
• said sling being configured to support said wind turbine rotor blade at a longitudinal position where said wind turbine rotor blade has an aerodynamic profile, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a profile chord connecting said leading edge and said trailing edge, wherein said profile chord is arranged horizontally;
• a leading edge protector configured to be arranged between said wind turbine rotor blade and said sling, said leading edge protector having a front portion configured to be placed at said leading edge and a lower leg extending from said front portion and configured to be placed below said wind turbine rotor blade;
• said front portion and said lower leg being formed as a sandwich construction having an inner top layer, an outer top layer, and a core material disposed between said inner top layer and said outer top layer;
• said core material having a thickness measured between said inner top layer and said outer top layer;
• said lower leg having a free end;
• said thickness increasing from said free end of said lower leg toward said front portion to reduce a deformation of said wind turbine rotor blade at said leading edge;
• and,
• wherein said lower leg extends up to a chord position of said wind turbine rotor blade where said aerodynamic profile has a maximum thickness.