System and method for joining turbine blades
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsPeter Michael Finnigan, Christophe Lanaud, Govindarajan Rengarajan, Gang Qian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A blade assembly including an outboard blade segment is provided. The outboard blade segment includes an outboard blade shell, first and second outboard bulkheads situated within the outboard blade shell, and an outer box supported by and aligned by the outboard bulkheads. The blade assembly also includes an inboard blade segment including an inboard blade shell, first and second inboard bulkheads situated within the inboard blade shell, and an inner box supported by and aligned by the inboard bulkheads. Further, the inner and the outer boxes are tapered to facilitate insertion of the inner box into the outer box and coupling of the inner and outer boxes.
Claims20
A blade assembly comprising:
- an outboard blade segment comprising an outboard blade shell, first and second outboard bulkheads situated within the outboard blade shell, and an outer box supported by and aligned by the first and second outboard bulkheads;
- an inboard blade segment comprising an inboard blade shell, first and second inboard bulkheads situated within the inboard blade shell, and an inner box supported by and aligned by the first and second inboard bulkheads,
- wherein the inner and outer boxes are tapered to facilitate insertion of the inner box into the outer box and coupling of the inner and outer boxes.
A wind turbine blade joint assembly comprising:
- an outboard wind turbine blade segment comprising an outboard blade shell, first and second outboard bulkheads situated within the outboard blade shell, and an outer box supported by and aligned by the first and second outboard bulkheads;
- an inboard wind turbine blade segment comprising an inboard blade shell, first and second inboard bulkheads situated within the inboard blade shell, and an inner box supported by and aligned by the first and second inboard bulkheads,
- wherein the inner and the outer boxes are tapered to facilitate insertion of the inner box into the outer box and coupling of the inner and the outer boxes.
A method of blade manufacture comprising:
- obtaining an outboard blade segment comprising an outboard blade shell, first and second outboard bulkheads situated within the outboard blade shell, and an outer box supported by and aligned by the first and second outboard bulkheads;
- obtaining an inboard blade segment comprising an inboard blade shell, first and second inboard bulkheads situated within the inboard blade shell, and an inner box supported by and aligned by the first and second inboard bulkheads,
- wherein the inner and outer boxes are tapered to facilitate insertion of the inner box into the outer box and coupling of the inner and outer boxes;
- and
- inserting a portion of the inner box into the second outer box.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.