Wind turbine rotor blade spacer, transportation and storage system for wind turbine rotor blades and related method
AssigneeNordex Energy Spain, S.A.U.
InventorsUnai Arraztoa Magaña, Ander GASTÓN LUJAMBIO, Miguel NÚÑEZ POLO, Enrique DOMÍNGUEZ DOMÍNGUEZ, David MARTÍNEZ RODRÍGUEZ
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a wind turbine rotor blade spacer, a transportation and storage system for wind turbine rotor blades and a related method that prevent the vertical flexion of each one of the blades assemblies, minimizing the stresses and avoiding the contact between vertically and/or horizontally adjacent blades, and in consequence, blade damage. Also, the overall occupied surface by the system once assembled is minimised.
Claims19
A wind turbine rotor blade spacer for the transportation or storage of wind turbine rotor blades having a longitudinal axis and comprising a root end and a tip, and two halves bonded together forming an outer shell, the wind turbine rotor blade spacer comprising:
- a guide adapted to guide a second blade assembly comprising a second blade which in turn comprises a second root end supported on a second root frame and a second tip supported on a second tip frame, with respect to a first blade assembly comprising a first blade which in turn comprises a first root end supported on a first root frame and a first tip supported on a first tip frame, the first blade assembly joined to the second blade assembly with a separation between the first blade assembly and the second blade assembly, wherein each one of the first root frame, the second root frame, the first tip frame and the second tip frame comprises a height;
- and
- a height which is less than 25% of the height of the first root frame or of the height of the second root frame or of the height of first tip frame or of the height of the second tip frame.
A wind turbine rotor blade spacer for the transportation and storage of wind turbine rotor blades having a longitudinal axis and comprising a root end and a tip, and two halves bonded together forming an outer shell, the wind turbine rotor blade spacer comprising:
- a guide adapted to guide a second blade assembly comprising a second blade which in turn comprises a second root end supported on a second root frame and a second tip supported on a second tip frame, with respect to a first blade assembly comprising a first blade which in turn comprises a first root end supported on a first root frame and a first tip supported on a first tip frame, the first blade assembly joined to the second blade assembly with a separation between the first blade assembly and the second blade assembly, wherein each one of the first root frame, the second root frame, the first tip frame and the second tip frame comprises a depth;
- and
- a depth which is greater than the depth of the first root frame or than the depth of the second root frame or the depth of the first tip frame or the depth of the second tip frame, the depth of the spacer, of the first root frame, of the second root frame, of the first tip frame and of the second tip frame being measured in a longitudinal direction defined by a longitudinal axis of the first blade of the first blade assembly.
A wind turbine rotor blade spacer for the transportation and storage of wind turbine rotor blades having a longitudinal axis and comprising a root end and a tip, and two halves bonded together forming an outer shell, the wind turbine rotor blade spacer comprising:
- a guide adapted to guide a second blade assembly comprising a second blade which in turn comprises a second root end supported on a second root frame and a second tip supported on a second tip frame, with respect to a first blade assembly comprising a first blade which in turn comprises a first root end supported on a first root frame and a first tip supported on a first tip frame, the first blade assembly joined to the second blade assembly with a separation between the first blade assembly and the second blade assembly, wherein the guide comprises a U-shaped end.
A transportation and storage system for wind turbine rotor blades having a longitudinal axis and comprising a root end and a tip, and two halves bonded together forming an outer shell, wherein the system comprises:
- a first blade and a second blade;
- at least two root frames including a first root frame and a second root frame, each one of the first root frame and the second root frame configured to support the root end of the first blade and the root end of the second blade respectively;
- at least two tip frames including a first tip frame and a second tip frame, each one of the first tip frame and the second tip frame configured to support the tip of the first blade and the tip of the second blade respectively;
- at least one rotor blade spacer comprising a guide being adapted to guide a second blade assembly comprising the second blade with respect to a first blade assembly comprising the first blade, wherein the at least one rotor blade spacer is configured to be joined to the first root frame and to the second root frame or to be joined to the first tip frame and to the second tip frame such that the first blade assembly comprising at least the first root frame, the first tip frame and the first wind turbine blade is joined to the second blade assembly comprising at least the second root frame, the second tip frame and the second wind turbine blade, and wherein the spacer is configured to join the second blade assembly to the first blade assembly establishing a separation between the first blade assembly and the second blade assembly, wherein each one of the first root frame, the second root frame, the first tip frame, and the second tip frame comprises a height;
- and
- wherein the at least one rotor blade spacer comprises a height which is less than 25% of the height of the first root frame or of the height of the second root frame or the height of the first tip frame or of the height of the second tip frame.
A transportation and storage system for wind turbine rotor blades having a longitudinal axis and comprising a root end and a tip, and two halves bonded together forming an outer shell, wherein the system comprises:
- a first blade and a second blade;
- at least two root frames including a first root frame and a second root frame, each one of the first root frame and the second root frame configured to support the root end of the first blade and the root end of the second blade respectively;
- at least two tip frames including a first tip frame and a second tip frame, each one of the first tip frame and the second tip frame configured to support the tip of the first blade and the tip of the second blade respectively;
- at least one rotor blade spacer comprising a guide being adapted to guide a second blade assembly comprising the second blade with respect to a first blade assembly comprising the first blade, wherein the at least one rotor blade spacer is configured to be joined to the first root frame and to the second root frame or to be joined to the first tip frame and to the second tip frame such that the first blade assembly comprising at least the first root frame, the first tip frame and the first wind turbine blade is joined to the second blade assembly comprising at least the second root frame, the second tip frame and the second wind turbine blade, and wherein the spacer is configured to join the second blade assembly to the first blade assembly establishing a separation between the first blade assembly and the second blade assembly,
- wherein the at least two tip frames comprise an upwardly open cradle-receiving space configured to receive a cradle, wherein the cradle is adapted to support the first blade or the second blade in a position in which a line joining two halves of an outer shell of the first blade or the second blade forms an angle of 20-50° with horizontal.
A transportation and storage system for wind turbine rotor blades having a longitudinal axis and comprising a root end and a tip, and two halves bonded together forming an outer shell, wherein the system comprises:
- a first blade and a second blade;
- at least two root frames including a first root frame and a second root frame, each one of the first root frame and the second root frame configured to support the root end of the first blade and the root end of the second blade respectively;
- at least two tip frames including a first tip frame and a second tip frame, each one of the first tip frame and the second tip frame configured to support the tip of the first blade and the tip of the second blade respectively;
- at least one rotor blade spacer comprising a guide being adapted to guide a second blade assembly comprising the second blade with respect to a first blade assembly comprising the first blade, wherein the at least one rotor blade spacer is configured to be joined to the first root frame and to the second root frame or to be joined to the first tip frame and to the second tip frame such that the first blade assembly comprising at least the first root frame, the first tip frame and the first wind turbine blade is joined to the second blade assembly comprising at least the second root frame, the second tip frame and the second wind turbine blade, and wherein the spacer is configured to join the second blade assembly to the first blade assembly establishing a separation between the first blade assembly and the second blade assembly, a wherein the space further comprises a depth;
- wherein each one of the first root frame, the second root frame, the first tip frame and the second tip frame comprises a depth;
- and
- wherein the depth of the spacer is greater than the depth of the first root frame, or than the depth of the second root frame or than the depth of the first tip frame or than the depth of the second tip frame, of the depth of the spacer, of the first root frame, of the second root frame, of the first tip frame and of the second tip frame being measured in a longitudinal direction defined by a longitudinal axis of the first blade of the first blade assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.