Abstract:
A rotor blade includes a first blade segment and a second blade segment extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. Each of the first and second blade segments has at least one shell member defining an airfoil surface. The first blade segment includes a beam structure having a receiving end with at least one span-wise extending pin extending therefrom. The second blade segment includes a receiving section that receives the beam structure. The receiving section includes a chord-wise member having a pin joint slot defined therethrough. The pin joint slot receives the span-wise extending pin at the receiving end of the beam structure so as to secure the first and second blade segments together. Moreover, the chord-wise member, the pin joint slot, and/or the span-wise extending pin includes at least one compliant structure formed of a compliant material that allows a deformation thereof to follow a shear deformation of the rotor blade.
Abstract:
A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes first and second blade segments extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. Each of the first and second blade segments has at least one shell member defining an airfoil surface and an internal support structure. The first blade segment includes a beam structure extending lengthwise that structurally connects with the second blade segment at a receiving section. At least one of the internal support structures of the first and second blade segments includes at least one spar cap. The rotor blade also includes one or more pin joints positioned on the spar cap(s) for connecting the blade segments. The spar cap is constructed of varying forms of materials along a span of the rotor blade, including at least two of: one or more infused composite laminates, one or more pre-preg composite laminates, one or more pre-fabricated or pre-cured composite elements, one or more additively-manufactured structures, or one or more non-composite structural solids.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a blade component of rotor blade of a wind turbine includes providing a plurality of pultrusions constructed of one or more fibers or fiber bundles cured together via a resin material. The method also includes placing a protective cap over at least one end of one or more of the plurality of pultrusions. Further, the method includes heat treating a surface of the plurality of pultrusions while the protective cap remains over the at least one end. Moreover, the method includes removing the protective cap from the at least one end. The method further includes arranging the plurality of pultrusions in a mold of the blade component. In addition, the method includes infusing the plurality of pultrusions together so as to form the rotor blade component.
Abstract:
A rotor blade component for a wind turbine includes a first structural component, such as a spar cap, formed from a plurality of stacked pultruded members. A second structural component, such as a shear web, is fixed to the first structural component at a joint interface. One or more webs form the joint interface, wherein each of the webs has a first section bonded between at least two of the pultruded members in the first structural component and a second section extending across the joint interface and bonded onto or into the second structural component.
Abstract:
A system for reducing emissions includes a gas production source that produces nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, hydrogen sulfide, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, formaldehyde, benzene, metal oxides, or volatile organic compound emissions. An exhaust plenum is downstream from the gas production source, and structure for dispersing a solvent is in the exhaust plenum. A collection tank is in fluid communication with the exhaust plenum to receive the solvent from the exhaust plenum, and a heat source is in the exhaust plenum downstream from the structure for dispersing the solvent. A method for reducing emissions from a gas production source includes flowing exhaust gases through an exhaust plenum, dispersing a solvent through a nozzle in the exhaust plenum, collecting the dispersed solvent in a collection tank, and heating the exhaust gases flowing through the exhaust plenum downstream from the nozzle.
Abstract:
Gas turbine firing temperature optimization based on a measured sulfur content of a fuel supply of the gas turbine system is provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a diagnostic system configured to determine a maximum firing temperature for a combustor of a gas turbine system. The diagnostic system may determine the maximum firing temperature based on a predetermined sulfur content to maximum firing temperature correlation and an actual sulfur content of a fuel supplied to the combustor. The diagnostic system may also be configured to provide an indicator for a change in an actual firing temperature in the combustor of the gas turbine system. The diagnostic system may provide the indicator in response to the determined maximum firing temperature differing from the actual firing temperature of the combustor of the gas turbine system.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a blade component of rotor blade of a wind turbine includes providing a plurality of pultrusions constructed of one or more fibers or fiber bundles cured together via a resin material. The method also includes placing a protective cap over at least one end of one or more of the plurality of pultrusions. Further, the method includes heat treating a surface of the plurality of pultrusions while the protective cap remains over the at least one end. Moreover, the method includes removing the protective cap from the at least one end. The method further includes arranging the plurality of pultrusions in a mold of the blade component. In addition, the method includes infusing the plurality of pultrusions together so as to form the rotor blade component.
Abstract:
A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes a first blade segment and a second blade segment extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. The blade segments each have at least one shell member defining an airfoil surface and an internal support structure. The internal support structure of the first blade segment includes a beam structure that structurally connects with the internal support structure of the second blade segment via a receiving section. The rotor blade further includes one or more pin joints positioned on at least one of internal support structures of the blade segments. Further, at least one of internal support structures is constructed, at least in part, of a resin material having a plurality of fibers cured therein. The fibers are arranged with varying fiber orientations along a span of the rotor blade at locations of the pin joint(s).
Abstract:
A rotor blade for a wind turbine including first and second blade segments extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. The first and second blade segments include one or more shell members and internal support structures coupled to an inner surface of the one or more shell members of the first and second blade segments. The internal support structure of the first blade segment includes a beam structure extending between a first end at the chord-wise joint and a second end such that the beam structure is received by a receiving section of the internal support structure of the second blade segment. The rotor blade includes one or more spacer materials arranged within the first blade segment between an exterior surface of the beam structure and the inner surface of the one or more shell members to reduce a bond gap therebetween.
Abstract:
A jointed rotor blade includes a first blade segment and a second blade segment extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. Each of blade segments has at least one shell member defining an airfoil surface and an internal support structure. The internal support structure of the first blade segment includes a beam structure extending lengthwise that structurally connects with the internal support structure of the second blade segment via a receiving section. The rotor blade further includes one or more pin joints positioned on at least one of internal support structures of the first blade segment or the second blade segment. Thus, at least one of internal support structures of the first blade segment or the second blade segment includes varying material combinations along a span of the rotor blade at locations of the one or more pin joints so as to reinforce the one or more pin joints.