SURFACE TREATMENT VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A WIND TURBINE BLADE

Abstract

A surface treatment vehicle for manufacturing a wind turbine blade is provided, the vehicle including: a transportation unit for locomotion of the vehicle, and a filling unit for applying a filler material on a surface of the blade, wherein the filling unit includes: a dispensing head for dispensing the filler material, the dispensing head being moveably attached to the transportation unit, and a tank for storing the filler material, the tank being attached to the transportation unit and fluidly connected to the dispensing head. Having the surface treatment vehicle with the filling unit allows an easier, faster, safer and more efficient manufacturing of a wind turbine blade.

Claims

1. A surface treatment vehicle for manufacturing a wind turbine blade, comprising: a transportation unit for locomotion of the surface treatment vehicle; and a filling unit for applying a filler material on a surface of the wind turbine blade; wherein the filling unit) comprises: a dispensing head for dispensing the filler material, the dispensing head being moveably attached to the transportation unit; and a tank for storing the filler material, the tank being attached to the transportation unit and fluidly connected to the dispensing head.

2. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the filling unit is configured for mixing a two-component filler material and applying the mixed two-component filler material on the surface of the wind turbine blade.

3. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the dispensing head comprises a mixing unit for mixing the two-component filler material, and the tank comprises at least two separate chambers for the at least two components of the two-component filler material, each chamber being fluidly connected with the mixing unit of the dispensing head.

4. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 1, comprising a sensor unit for obtaining sensor data of the surface of the wind turbine blade.

5. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 1, comprising a smoothing unit for smoothing the surface of the wind turbine blade and/or for filling out surface defects of the wind turbine blade with the applied filler material, wherein the smoothing unit comprises a smoothing tool head moveably attached to the transportation unit.

6. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the smoothing tool head comprises at least one rotating drum, and the at least one rotating drum comprises wiping elements at an outer surface for wiping over the surface of the wind turbine blade.

7. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the smoothing tool head ‘comprises at least one rotating drum’ for rolling over the surface of the wind turbine blade, and the at least one rotating drum comprises a flexible material on an outer surface.

8. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 1, comprising a grinding unit for grinding the surface of the wind turbine blade and/or a cleaning unit for cleaning the surface of the wind turbine blade.

9. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 1, comprising a control unit for controlling: a locomotion of the surface treatment vehicle; the filling unit, a sensor unit, a smoothing unit, a grinding unit and/or a cleaning unit; and/or a movement, with respect to the transportation unit, of the dispensing head, the smoothing tool head, a tool head of the grinding unit and/or a tool head of the cleaning unit.

10. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured for performing the control in an automatic and/or fully automatic manner.

11. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured for controlling the locomotion of the surface treatment vehicle and/or the movement of the dispensing head, the smoothing tool head, the tool head of the grinding unit and/or the tool head of the cleaning unit based on a surface treatment velocity of the filling unit, the sensor unit, the smoothing unit, the grinding unit and/or the cleaning unit.

12. The surface treatment vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured for obtaining the sensor data from the sensor unit, identifying surface defects on the surface of the blade based on the sensor data and controlling the filling unit such that the filling unit is applying the filler material at the identified surface defects.

13. A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade by a surface treatment vehicle, the surface treatment vehicle comprising a transportation unit for locomotion of the surface treatment vehicle, and a filling unit for applying a filler material on a surface of the wind turbine blade, the method comprising: a) moving the surface treatment vehicle with respect to the wind turbine blade by moving a transportation unit of the surface treatment vehicle; b) moving a dispensing head of the filling unit with respect to the transportation unit of the surface treatment vehicle; c) supplying the filler material from a tank attached to the transportation unit to the dispensing head; and d) applying the filler material on the surface of the wind turbine blade.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: identifying surface defects on the surface of the wind turbine blade by a sensor unit of the surface treatment vehicle; applying the filler material at the identified surface defects on the wind turbine blade by the filling unit of the surface treatment vehicle; and smoothing the surface of the wind turbine blade and/or filling out the identified surface defects with the applied filler material by a smoothing unit of the surface treatment vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: grinding the surface of the wind turbine blade by a grinding unit of the surface treatment vehicle; and/or cleaning the surface of the wind turbine blade by a cleaning unit of the surface treatment vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0099] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0100] FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine according to an embodiment;

[0101] FIG. 2 shows a surface treatment vehicle for manufacturing a wind turbine blade of the wind turbine of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment;

[0102] FIG. 3 shows a smoothing tool head of the vehicle of FIG. 2 according to a further embodiment;

[0103] FIG. 4 shows a grinding tool head of the vehicle of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment;

[0104] FIG. 5 shows a cleaning tool head of the vehicle of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment; and

[0105] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a blade of the wind turbine of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0106] FIG. 1 shows a wind turbine 1 according to an embodiment. The wind turbine 1 comprises a rotor 2 having one or more blades 3 connected to a hub 4. The hub 4 is connected to a generator (not shown) arranged inside a nacelle 5. During operation of the wind turbine 1, the blades 3 are driven by wind to rotate and the wind's kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by the generator in the nacelle 5. The nacelle 5 is arranged at the upper end of a tower 6 of the wind turbine 1. The tower 6 is erected on a foundation 7 such as a concrete foundation or a monopile driven into the ground or seabed.

[0107] In the following a surface treatment vehicle 8 for manufacturing a wind turbine blade 3 of the wind turbine 1 of FIG. 1 is described.

[0108] While the blade 3 shown in FIG. 1 is a ready blade installed at the wind turbine 1, the portion of the blade 3 shown in FIG. 2 is a blade under manufacture.

[0109] FIG. 2 shows the surface treatment vehicle 8 according to an embodiment. The surface treatment vehicle 8 comprises a transportation unit 9 for locomotion of the surface treatment vehicle 8. The vehicle 8 comprises, for example, wheels 10. In the shown example, there are four wheels 10 rotatably attached to the transportation unit 9 for locomotion of the vehicle 8. In particular, the vehicle 8 can move by its wheels 10 in a horizontal plane (XY plane in FIG. 2). The vehicle 8 is, for example, configured to move on a floor of a manufacturing hall.

[0110] The vehicle 8 further comprises a member and/or arm 11 (in the following shortly: arm) movably attached to the transportation unit 9. The arm 11 is, for example, capable to move in a vertical direction (Z direction in FIG. 2) with respect to the transportation unit 9. The transportation unit 9—for example a columnar structure 12 of the transportation unit 9—comprises, for example, an elongated groove 13. The groove 13 extends, for example, in the vertical direction Z of the vehicle 8. Further, the arm 11 comprises, for example, a sled 14 running in the groove 13 of the transportation unit 9. Due to the sled 14 and the groove 13, the arm 11 can be moved relative to the transportation unit 9 (e.g., relative to the columnar structure 12) in the vertical direction Z (height direction) of the vehicle 8. The surface treatment vehicle 8 may, however, also comprises other means than the sled 14 and grove 14 to move the arm 11 relative to the transportation unit 9.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 2, the surface treatment vehicle 8 further comprises several tool heads 15, 16, 17 moveably attached to the transportation unit 9. In particular, the tool heads 15, 16, 17 shown in FIG. 2 are fixed to the arm 11 via a frame 18. Further, the arm 11 is movably attached to the transportation unit 9.

[0112] The tool head 15 is in particular a dispensing head 15 for dispensing a filler material 19 on a surface 20 of the blade 3. The tool head 15 is part of a filling unit 21 of the surface treatment vehicle 8. The filling unit 21 comprises—apart from the dispensing head 15—a tank 22 for storing the filler material 19′. The tank 22 is attached to the transportation unit 9. Further, the tank 22 is fluidly connected to the dispensing head 15 by one or more hoses 23, 24.

[0113] In the shown example, the filler material 19 applied on the blade surface 20 is a two-component filler material. The two-component filler material is, for example, a two-component epoxy filler, a two-component polyester filler and/or a two-component polyurethane filler.

[0114] Further, the filling unit 21 in the shown example is configured for mixing the two components 25, 26 of the two-component filler material 19′. In particular, the tank 22 of the surface treatment vehicle 8 comprises two separate chambers 27, 28 for storing the two components 25, 26, respectively. The two components 25, 26 are, in particular, in a liquid and/or viscous state when stored in the respective chamber 27, 28. Further, the chambers 27, 28 of the tank 22 are fluidly connected with the dispensing head 15 by the hoses 23, 24.

[0115] Furthermore, the dispensing head 15 comprises a mixing unit 29 for mixing the two components 25, 26 of the filler material 19′. Hence, the two components 25, 26 are mixed with each other immediately prior to applying the mixed two-component filler material 19 on the surface 20 of the blade 3.

[0116] The dispensing head 19 comprises, in particular, a nozzle 30 for applying the filler material 19 on the surface 20 of the blade 3. The filler material 19 is, in particular, applied at defects 31 such as holes on the surface 20 of the blade 3. In FIG. 2, there are two defects 31 shown exemplarily. However, there may more than two defects 31 on the blade surface 20. Further, the defects 31 may have different, in particular smaller, sizes than shown in FIG. 2 for illustration purposes.

[0117] As shown in FIG. 2, the surface treatment vehicle 8 further comprises a sensor unit 32 with a sensor head 16 for obtaining sensor data of the surface 20 of the blade 3. The sensor head 16 is, in particular, moveably attached to the transportation unit 9. The sensor head 16 is, for example, moveably attached to the transportation unit 9 in a similar manner as the dispensing head 15, i.e., by the frame 18 and the arm 11 having, for example, the sled 14 running in the groove 13.

[0118] The sensor unit 32 comprises one or more sensors 47. The one or more sensors 47 may include laser trackers, odometry systems including motion sensors, radar systems (radio detection and ranging), lidar systems (light detection and ranging), optical sensors such as infrared or visual light cameras (e.g., the optical sensors scanning markers on a floor and/or ceiling of a manufacturing hall and/or on a blade), structured light sensors, ultrasonic sensors, encoders, laser pointer, proximity sensors, temperature sensors and/or pressure sensors.

[0119] As shown in FIG. 2, the surface treatment vehicle 8 further comprises a smoothing unit 33 with a smoothing tool head 17 for smoothing the surface 20 of the blade 3 and filling out the surface defects 31 of the blade 3 with the applied filler material 19. The smoothing tool head 17 is, for example, moveably attached to the transportation unit 9 in a similar manner as the dispensing head 15, i.e., by the frame 18 and the arm 11 having, for example, the sled 14 running in the groove 13.

[0120] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the smoothing tool head 17 comprises a rotating drum 34. The rotating drum 34 is rotatable around a rotation axis A1. Further, the rotating drum 34 comprises wiping elements 35 at its outer surface 36 for wiping over the surface 20 of the blade 3 during its rotation.

[0121] The smoothing unit 33 further comprises a drive unit (not shown) for driving a rotation R of the rotating drum 34. The drive unit comprises, for example, a motor.

[0122] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a smoothing tool head 17′ of a smoothing unit 33′ of the surface treatment vehicle 8. In FIG. 3, the smoothing tool head 17′ comprises a rotating drum 34′ for rolling over the surface 20 of the blade 3. The rotating drum 34′ is rotatable around a rotation axis A2. Further, the rotating drum 34′ comprises a flexible material 37 on its outer surface 36′. The rotating drum 34′ shown in FIG. 3 is configured for performing a rolling movement on the surface 20 of the blade 3. The smoothing unit 33′ comprises, for example, means (not shown) for applying pressure through the rotating drum 34′ on the surface 20 of the blade 3.

[0123] The surface treatment vehicle 8 shown in FIG. 2 comprises three different tool heads, namely the dispensing head 15, the sensor head 16 and the smoothing tool head 17. The surface treatment vehicle 8 can, therefore, perform several surface treatment processes on the blade surface 20. The surface treatment vehicle 8 performs these surface treatment processes, for example, in an automized and/or fully automized manner.

[0124] In addition to the surface treatment units 21, 32, 33, 33′ shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the surface treatment vehicle 8 may also comprise further surface treatment units.

[0125] As shown in FIG. 4, the surface treatment vehicle 8 may also comprise a grinding unit 38 for grinding the blade surface 20. The grinding unit 38 comprises a grinding tool head 39. The grinding tool head 39 comprises, for example, a rotatable drum 40 with grinding protrusions 41 protruding in a radial direction from a surface 42 of the drum 40. The drum 40 is rotatable around the axis A3. With the grinding unit 38, the outer surface 20 of the blade 3 can be roughened, e.g., for pre-processing the blade surface 20 to prepare it for later manufacturing steps such as application of paint and/or coatings.

[0126] As shown in FIG. 5, the surface treatment vehicle 8 may also comprise a cleaning unit 43 with a cleaning tool head 44 for cleaning the blade surface 20. The cleaning tool head 44 comprises, for example, suction means 45 (e.g., a suction nozzle 45) for cleaning the blade surface 20.

[0127] The surface treatment vehicle 8 further comprises a control unit 46 (FIG. 2) for controlling the surface treatment vehicle 8 and its several surface treatment units 21, 32, 33, 33′, 38, 43. The control unit 46 may be realized as a hardware device as shown in FIG. 2. In other examples, the control unit 46 may also be implemented in software.

[0128] The control unit 46 is, for example, configured to control the locomotion of the surface treatment vehicle 8 moving on its wheels 10 (FIG. 2). The control unit 46 is, for example, configured to control the filling unit 21, the sensor unit 32, the smoothing unit 33, 33′, the grinding unit 38 and/or the cleaning unit 43. In particular, the control unit 46 is, for example, configured to control the up-and-down movement (Z direction in FIG. 2) of the arm 11 with respect to the transportation unit 9. By controlling the up-and-down movement of the arm 11, an up-and-down movement of the respective tool head 15, 16, 17, 17′, 39, 44 with respect to the blade 3 can be controlled.

[0129] Although not shown, the vehicle 8 may in addition comprise means to move the respective tool head 15, 16, 17, 17′, 39, 44 in a further translation degree of freedom with respect to the transportation unit 9. The vehicle 8 may, for example, comprise means to move the respective tool head 15, 16, 17, 17′, 39, 44 in three translation degrees of freedom (X, Y and Z in FIG. 2), i.e., along three translational directions being arranged perpendicular to each other. Hence, the respective tool head 15, 16, 17, 17′, 39, 44 may be capable to follow an outer shape of the blade 3.

[0130] In the following a method for manufacturing the wind turbine blade 3 is described with respect to FIG. 6.

[0131] During the method steps, the blade 3 is, in particular, arranged in a horizontal position, e.g., in a manufacturing hall. Before step S1, the blade is, for example, in a state of just being casted (e.g., from fiber-reinforced resin). In this state, the blade 3 may have surface defects 31 such as holes but may have apart from such defects a very smooth surface 20 (i.e., small surface roughness).

[0132] In a first step S1 of the method, the vehicle 8 is moved on its wheels 10 with respect to the wind turbine blade 3 during manufacture. The movement of the vehicle 8 on its wheels 10 is controlled by the control unit 46. The vehicle 8 may be moved in the horizontal direction (XY direction in FIG. 2), e.g., parallel to a floor of a manufacturing hall.

[0133] In a second step S2 of the method, the arm 11 (FIG. 2) is moved relative to the transportation unit 9 of the vehicle 8. The arm 11 comprises, for example, the sensor head 16 of the sensor unit 32, the dispensing head 15 of the filling unit 21 and the smoothing tool head 17 of the smoothing unit 33, as shown in FIG. 2. The arm 11 may also comprises, for example, the grinding tool head 39 of the grinding unit 38 (FIG. 4) and/or the cleaning tool head 44 of the cleaning unit 43 (FIG. 5).

[0134] The arm 11 is, for example, moved relative to the transportation unit 9 by the sled 14 and the groove 13 (FIG. 2). The movement of the arm 11 relative to the transportation unit 9 is controlled by the control unit 46.

[0135] In a third step S3 of the method, the surface 20 of the blade 3 is grinded by the grinding unit 38 and its grinding tool head 39. Thereby, the blade surface 20 is, for example, roughened and activated for a later (after step S9) application of paint and or a coating.

[0136] In a fourth step S4 of the method, the surface 20 of the blade 3 is cleaned by the cleaning unit 43 and its cleaning tool head 44. The surface 20 is, for example, vacuum cleaned by suction means 45.

[0137] In a fifth step S5 of the method, the surface 20 of the blade 3 is scanned by the sensor unit 32 and its sensor head 16. The sensor unit 32 is, for example, obtaining sensor data of the blade surface 20 and transmits the sensor data to the control unit 46.

[0138] In a sixth step S6 of the method, surface defects 31 are identified on the surface 20 of the blade 3 by the control unit 46 based on the sensor data from the sensor unit 32.

[0139] In a seventh step S7 of the method, the filler material 19′ is supplied from the tank 22 of the vehicle 8 to the dispensing head 15 of the filling unit 21.

[0140] In an eighth step S8 of the method, the filler material 19 is applied by the dispensing head 15 at the identified surface defects 31 on the surface 20 of the blade 3.

[0141] In a ninth step S9 of the method, the surface 20 of the blade 3 is smoothed by the smoothing unit 33, 33′ and its smoothing tool head 17, 17′. In particular, the filler material 19 applied in step S8 on the blade surface 20 is smoothened such that it fills out the defects 31 and has a predefined thickness.

[0142] After step S9, the blade surface 20 may, for example, be painted and/or coated.

[0143] Steps S1 and/or S2 may be repeatedly and/or continuously carried out throughout one, some or all of steps S3 to S9. In particular, steps S1 and/or S2 may carried out simultaneously with any of steps S3 to S9.

[0144] For example, during scanning of the blade surface 20 in step S5, the vehicle 8 may be moved repeatedly and/or continuously with respect to the blade 3. Further during scanning of the blade surface 20 in step S5, the arm 11 may be moved repeatedly and/or continuously with respect to the transportation unit 9. The same applies in an analog manner to steps S3, S4 and S6 to S9.

[0145] Further, some or all of steps S3 to S9 may also be carried out simultaneously with each other.

[0146] Further, after any step, for example step S9, step S5 may be repeated for a quality check of the result of the respective surface treatment. Thus, for example the quality of the repaired defects 31 can be checked.

[0147] The data obtained in step S5 can be also used for production analysis in the long run. For example, data can be collected during the manufacture of many different blades and analyzed (for example by statistical methods) to streamline the blade production in the future. The kind of data collected may include data on the raw blade surface prior to S1, data on the mold quality (mold used to cast the blade 3 before S1), defects 31 repaired by grinding, defects 31 repaired by filler material 19, amount of material 19 used, material quality, grinding quality and sandpaper exchange etc.

[0148] For example, the filler material 19 may be applied (S8) at the same time as the surface 20 is smoothed (S9). For example, the dispensing head 15 may be arranged below or above the smoothing tool head 17, 17′ with respect to the height direction of the vehicle 8 (Z direction in FIG. 2). Further, the dispensing head 15 and the smoothing tool head 17, 17′ may treat the surface 20 simultaneously at two different regions of the surface, the tow different regions being arranged, for example, close or adjacent to each other.

[0149] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0150] For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements.