Turbine blade temperature measurement system and method of manufacture of turbine blades

Abstract

The invention provides a wind turbine blade comprising a first shell, having a first bonding region, and a second shell having a second bonding region, wherein the second bonding region of the second shell is bonded to the first bonding region of the first shell; and a temperature sensor positioned between the first bonding region and the second bonding region. Having a temperature sensor positioned within the turbine blade, in the region at which the two shells of the turbine blade are bonded together, allows for accurate determination and control of the temperature of the critical bonding regions during blade manufacture. The temperature sensor may be used during the service life of the wind turbine blade to detect delamination of the wind turbine blade.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a wind turbine blade, comprising: providing a first shell and a second shell; applying a heat curable bonding material to the first shell or the second shell, or both the first and second shell; providing an optical temperature sensor, wherein the optical temperature sensor is one or more Fibre Bragg Grating sensors within an optical fibre, and wherein the optical fibre extends around a periphery of the first and second shells in a region in which they are bonded; placing the first shell in contact with the second shell, wherein the bonding material and the optical temperature sensor are sandwiched between the first and second shells and wherein the optical temperature sensor is disposed in the bonding material; and curing the bonding material, wherein the step of curing comprises monitoring the temperature of the bonding material detected by the optical temperature sensor, and controlling the heat applied to the bonding material based on the detected temperature.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes providing a plurality of optical temperature sensors between the first and second shells.

3. A system of manufacturing a wind turbine blade, comprising: an oven, the oven holding first and second blade shells; a bonding material arranged in a region between the blade shells where the first and second blade shells are to be bonded together; at least one optical temperature sensor placed in the region where the first and second blade shells are to be bonded together, wherein the optical temperature sensor is a Fibre Bragg Grating within an optical fibre, and wherein the optical fibre extends around a periphery of the first and second shells in the region in which they are bonded; an opto-electronic processor connected to the optical temperature sensor and operable to determine a temperature at the bonding material, based on signals from the optical temperature sensor; and an oven controller, the oven controller connected to the opto-electronic processor, the oven controller controlling the heat supplied to the oven, based on the temperature of the bonding material, as determined by the opto-electronic processor.

4. A system according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of Fibre Bragg Gratings along the length of the optical fibre.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one optical temperature sensor is a plurality of optical temperature sensors, wherein the region where the first and second blade shells are to be bonded together has a first bonding region on the first blade shell and a second bonding region on the second blade shell, wherein the plurality of optical temperature sensors are positioned between the first bonding region and a second bonding region, each of the plurality of optical temperature sensors one or more Fibre Bragg Gratings.

6. A method of assembling a wind turbine blade, comprising: forming first and second components of the wind turbine blade; applying a heat curable bonding material to one or both of the components; providing an optical temperature sensor, wherein the optical temperature sensor is one or more Fibre Bragg Grating sensors within an optical fibre, and wherein the optical fibre extends around a periphery of the first and second components in a region in which they are bonded; placing the first component in contact with the second component, wherein the bonding material and the optical temperature sensor are sandwiched between the first and second components; and curing the bonding material, wherein the step of curing comprises monitoring the temperature of the bonding material detected by the optical temperature sensor, and controlling the heat applied to the bonding material based on the detected temperature.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the first and second components are a first blade shell and one of a second blade shell, a spar and a web.

8. A method of assembling a wind turbine blade, comprising: forming a first shell and a spar; applying a heat curable bonding material to the first shell or the spar, or both the first shell and the spar; providing an optical temperature sensor in contact with the heat curable bonding material, wherein the optical temperature sensor is one or more Fibre Bragg Grating sensors within an optical fibre, and wherein the optical fibre extends around a periphery of the first shell and spar in a region in which they are bonded; placing the first shell in contact with the spar, wherein the bonding material and the optical temperature sensor are sandwiched between the first shell and the spar; and curing the bonding material, wherein the step of curing comprises monitoring the temperature of the bonding material detected by the optical temperature sensor, and controlling the heat applied to the bonding material based on the detected temperature.

9. A method of assembling a wind turbine blade, comprising: forming a first shell and a web; applying a heat curable bonding material to the first shell or the web, or both the first shell and the web; providing an optical temperature sensor, wherein the optical temperature sensor is one or more Fibre Bragg Grating sensors within an optical fibre, and wherein the optical fibre extends around a periphery of the first shell and the web in a region in which they are bonded; placing the first shell in contact with the web, wherein the bonding material and the optical temperature sensor are sandwiched between the first shell and the web; and curing the bonding material, wherein the step of curing comprises monitoring the temperature of the bonding material detected by the optical temperature sensor, and controlling the heat applied to the bonding material based on the detected temperature.

10. A system to manufacture a wind turbine blade, comprising: an oven adapted to hold first and second blade components during a curing process in which a bonding material, arranged in a bonding region between the blade components, is cured; an optical temperature sensor positionable in the bonding material between the blade components in the bonding region, wherein the optical temperature sensor is a Fibre Bragg Grating within an optical fibre, and wherein the optical fibre extends around a periphery of the first and second blade components in a region in which they are bonded; an opto-electronic processor connected to the optical temperature sensor for determining a temperature in the bonding material, based on signals from the optical temperature sensor; and an oven controller communicatively connected to the oven and to the opto-electronic processor, the oven controller controlling the heat supplied to the oven, based on the temperature of the bonding material, as determined by the opto-electronic processor.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the first and second components are a first blade shell and one of a second blade shell, a spar and a web.

12. A system to manufacture a wind turbine blade, comprising: an oven, the oven holding a first blade shell and a spar; a bonding material arranged in a region between the first blade shell and the spar where the first blade shell and the spar are to be bonded together; an optical temperature sensor placed between the first blade shell and the spar in the region where the first blade shell and the spar are to be bonded together, wherein the optical temperature sensor is a Fibre Bragg Grating within an optical fibre, and wherein the optical fibre extends around a periphery of the first blade shell and the spar in a region in which they are bonded; an opto-electronic processor connected to the optical temperature sensor for determining a temperature in the bonding material, based on signals from the optical temperature sensor; and an oven controller, the oven controller connected to the opto-electronic processor, the oven controller controlling the heat supplied to the oven, based on the temperature of the bonding material, as determined by the opto-electronic processor.

13. A system to manufacture a wind turbine blade, comprising: an oven, the oven holding a first blade shell and a web; a bonding material arranged in a region between the first blade shell and the web where the first blade shell and the web are to be bonded together; an optical temperature sensor placed between the first blade shell and the web in the region where the first blade shell and the web are to be bonded together, wherein the optical temperature sensor is a Fibre Bragg Grating within an optical fibre, and wherein the optical fibre extends around a periphery of the first blade shell and the web in a region in which they are bonded; an opto-electronic processor connected to the optical temperature sensor for determining a temperature in the bonding material, based on signals from the optical temperature sensor; and an oven controller, the oven controller connected to the opto-electronic processor, the oven controller controlling the heat supplied to the oven, based on the temperature of the bonding material, as determined by the opto-electronic processor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a known wind turbine;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a wind turbine blade with an optical fibre temperature sensor located in a bonding region between two shells of the wind turbine blade;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section of the two shells of the wind turbine blade of FIG. 2, showing the position of the optical fibre temperature sensor;

(5) FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of forming a wind turbine blade in accordance with the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-section of the two shells of a wind turbine blade, showing the position of a spar bonded to the two shells;

(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the blade of FIG. 5, showing the longitudinal extent of the spar; and

(8) FIG. 7 is schematic cross-section of the two shells of a wind turbine blade, showing the position of a pair of webs bonded to the two shells.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a turbine blade 20 located in an oven 21, during a curing process to bond two shells of the wind turbine blade together. FIG. 3 is an exploded cross sectional view of the wind turbine blade of FIG. 2, more clearly showing the two shells 30, 31 and the position of an optical fibre temperature sensor 22 between the two shells.

(10) The construction of a wind turbine blade in accordance with the present invention is most clearly shown in FIG. 3. The turbine blade comprises an upper shell 30 and a lower shell 31 that are bonded together to form a completed blade 20. Each shell 30, 31 is typically formed of a resin impregnated fibre composite. This type of blade construction for wind turbine blades is well-know in the art.

(11) The upper and lower shells 30, 31 are bonded together at their peripheries, herein referred to bonding regions. The bonding regions extend around the edge of each shell and are essentially where the two shells meet when placed together to form a complete blade.

(12) The shells may also be bonded together in an interior region and so the bonding regions may not be limited to the edges of the two shells. For example, large wind turbine blades are typically provided with a spar or webs extending between the two shells within the interior of the blade. The spar or webs provide structural strength. The spar or webs are bonded to each shell at bonding regions using the same type of resin that is used to both the shells directly to one another,

(13) A bonding resin 32 is placed on one or both of the shells in their bonding regions, in order to bond the two shells together. In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, bonding resin is applied to both the upper shell 30 and the lower shell 31. The bonding resin may be any suitable type of heat curable resin, adhesive or glue, known in the art.

(14) In order to form a strong bond, the bonding resin must be heated to a particular curing temperature and then cooled. The rate of heating and cooling of the resin, as well as the absolute temperature reached by the resin, largely determine the physical properties of the resulting bond.

(15) FIG. 2 shows a turbine blade within an oven 21 used to raise the bonding resin to its curing temperature. The heat supplied by the oven 21 is controlled by an oven control system 23. The oven control system 23 is typically an electronic control system, and the oven is typically an electrically powered oven. The oven control system 23 may allow for local control so that different amounts of heat can be supplied to different portions of the oven.

(16) Rather than simply detect the temperature at one position within the oven, or estimate the temperature based on the power or heat applied to the oven, the present invention directly detects the temperature of the resin that is to be cured. The detected temperature can then be continuously supplied to the oven control system 23 during the curing process in a feedback loop. In this way, the temperature of the resin in the curing process can be accurately controlled and made to follow the desired temperature profile, resulting in a strong bond.

(17) In order to accurately and directly detect the temperature of the resin 32, an optical temperature sensor 22 is used. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the optical temperature sensor is an optical fibre 22, including one or more Fibre Bragg Gratings. The optical fibre 22 is placed between the upper and lower shelves 30, 31 in the resin 32. The fibre extends from an opto-electronic processor 24 around the bonding region of the upper and lower shelves 30, 31 and back to the opto-electronic processor 24. The processor 24 is typically located outside the oven 21. One or more Fibre Bragg Gratings within the optical fibre are used to detect the temperature within the bonding region. The use of Fibre Bragg Gratings to detect temperature is well-known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,379,169. Changes in the frequency response of a Fibre Bragg Grating can be used to determine changes in temperature at the position of the Fibre Bragg Grating. A single optical fibre forming a distributed sensor extending around the periphery of the blade may alternatively be used. For example, FIG. 2 illustrates nine Fibre Bragg Gratings 25 arranged on a single optical fibre 22 arranged around the periphery of the turbine blade 21, wherein each of the nine Fibre Bragg Gratings 25 detects a temperature at its location. In other embodiments, more or fewer than nine Fibre Bragg Gratings 25 could be arranged on the optical fibre 22.

(18) The opto-electronic processor 24 generates a signal indicative of the resin temperature at one or more locations within the bonding regions based on output from the sensor or sensors, and passes that signal to the oven control system 23. The oven control system 23 then adjusts the heat or power supplied to the oven 21, or portions of the oven, to maintain the resin at the desired temperature.

(19) FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps carried out in a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade in accordance with the present invention.

(20) In steps 400 and 410 the upper and lower shells of the wind turbine blade are made. The upper and lower shells can be manufactured in accordance with any standard techniques known in the art. In step 420 resin or glue is applied to the upper shell or the lower shell or both the upper and lower shell in their bonding regions. The optical fibre, including the Fibre Bragg Grating, is then placed in the resin on the upper or lower shell in step 430. The upper shell is then place on the lower shell at step 440, sandwiching the curable resin and the optical fibre between them. The blade is placed in an oven in step 450. Alternatively, steps 420 to 440 may be carried out in the oven before it is heated. The blade is then heated in step 460 in order to begin the curing process and bond the two blade shells together.

(21) In step 470 the temperature of the resin is detected using the optical temperature sensor and, as described with reference to FIG. 1, the amount of heat applied to the blade is controlled dependent on the detected temperature. This feedback control is illustrated by a dotted line between steps 470 and 460 in FIG. 4. Once the desired temperature is reached, the oven may maintain the resin at that temperature for a while to allow the resin to completely cure.

(22) In step 480 the blade is cooled. If the rate of cooling of the resin is important, the temperature of the resin can continue to be monitored during the cooling step 480, and the rate of cooling accordingly controlled. This feedback control is illustrated by a dotted line between steps 480 and 470 in FIG. 4.

(23) Once the blade is cooled back to ambient temperature, the manufacturing process is complete. This is illustrated by step 490.

(24) Although the present invention has been described with the resin being cured by placing the wind turbine blade in an oven, it is possible to apply heat to the resin by other means, for example by directly applying heating elements to the surface of the blade.

(25) More than one optical fibre may be provided between the upper and lower shells in accordance with the present invention. Having more than one optical fibre provides redundancy. It may also be more cost effective to use multiple single grating fibres than a multiple grating fibre or a fibre with an elongated grating. It may also allow blade delamination to be detected at an earlier stage, as described below.

(26) As already described, it is possible to provide an optical temperature sensor in any bond in a wind turbine blade. FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-section of a wind turbine blade including a spar 50 bonded to the upper and lower shells 30, 31. FIG. 6 illustrates the spar extending from near the root of the blade 20 to near to the tip of the blade. The spar is bonded to both the upper and lower shells using a heat curable resin in bonding regions 51, 52, in the same manner as the two shells are bonded to each other. One or more optical fibres 53 may be provided in each bonding region between the spar and the respective blade shell and can be used to monitor the temperature of the bonding resin during the assembly process.

(27) FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-section showing the use of reinforcing webs 70, 71 instead of the box spar 50 shown in FIG. 5. The webs 70, 71 and the blade shells 30, 31 are bonded together using a heat curable resin at bonding regions 72, 73, 74 and 75. One or more optical fibres 76 may be provided in each bonding region between a web and a blade shell and can be used to monitor the temperature of the bonding resin during the assembly process.

(28) There is a particular additional advantage in including an optical temperature sensor, and in particular a Fibre Bragg Grating or Long Periond Grating (LPG), at the trailing edge of a wind turbine blade between the upper and lower shells. One common problem with wind turbine blades is separation of the upper and lower shells during service. This is called blade delamination, and most frequently occurs at the trailing edge of the blade. The optical temperature sensor used in the manufacturing process of the present invention may subsequently be used during use and servicing of the wind turbine blade as a means of detecting blade delamination. A step change in the optical response of the optical temperature sensor, or simply failure of the optical temperature sensor, during use of the wind turbine blade, is indicative of blade delamination. Fibre Bragg Gratings can be used to directly measure strain at their location. A sudden change in the strain experienced by a Fibre Bragg Grating located between the upper and lower shells is indicative of blade delamination, particularly if uncorrelated to strain measurement taken elsewhere on the blade.

(29) Accordingly, a wind turbine blade in accordance with the present invention has advantages both in the manufacture of the wind turbine blade and in detection of blade delamination during use of the wind turbine blade.

(30) Given that the temperature sensor remains within the blade when it is mounted on a wind turbine, it is desirable that the optical temperature sensor does not include any metallic, or highly electrically conductive elements, which would significantly increase the risk of lightning strikes. For this reason, optical temperature sensors are most desirable, and Fibre Bragg Grating offer a particularly advantageous solution.

(31) Although Fibre Bragg Gratings are a preferred form of temperature sensor, other types of temperature sensor may alternatively or additionally be employed. For example, Long Period Gratings (LPGs) may be used. LPGs may be used not only to detect temperature but also bending of the blade during its use. This allows for detection of general structural damage to the blade as well as delamination. Distributed optical fibre sensors based on Raman or Brillouin scattering may also be used.

(32) The invention has been described with reference to example implementations, purely for the sake of illustration. The invention is not limited by these, as many modifications and variations would occur to the skilled person. The invention is to be understood from the claims that follow.