General Electric Company
Aero-elastically tailored wind blade tip joint

Abstract:

A wind turbine blade includes a first blade segment and a second blade segment extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. The first blade segment includes a beam structure extending lengthways that structurally connects with the second blade segment at a receiving section, wherein the beam structure forms a portion of an internal support structure and includes a shear web connected with a suction side spar cap and a pressure side spar cap. The present technology also includes a joint rod located at a first end of the beam structure for connecting with the receiving section of the second blade segment to form a coupling joint about a joint axis. The coupling joint is coupled to an adjustable elastic support. The receiving section may further include a torque coupling positioned offset from the joint axis, such that a bending motion of the beam structure automatically induces a twist motion. A method of assembling the wind turbine blade is additionally disclosed.