Method of repairing a wind turbine blade

Abstract

A method of repairing a wind turbine blade while mounted on a tower without removing the blade from the tower. The method includes the steps of removing a damaged portion of the blade and installing a repair portion to the blade where the damaged portion was removed, attaching a curing apparatus to the blade to enclose at least a portion of the repair portion, wherein the curing apparatus has a heating device, and curing the repair portion by heating the exterior surface of the repair portion with the heating device to a temperature of at least 50 degrees Celsius for a period of at least 2 hours.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of repairing a wind turbine blade ( 100 ) while mounted on a tower ( 500 ) without removing the blade ( 100 ) from the tower ( 500 ), comprising:
 removing a damaged portion ( 230 ) of the blade ( 100 );   installing a repair portion ( 240 ) to the blade ( 100 ) where the damaged portion ( 230 ) was removed;   attaching a curing apparatus ( 2000 ) to the blade ( 100 ) to enclose at least a portion of the repair portion ( 240 ), wherein the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) has a heating device ( 2100 ) and a portion of the heating device ( 2100 ) is within 40 mm of the repair portion ( 240 ); and   curing the repair portion ( 240 ) by heating the exterior surface of the repair portion ( 240 ) with the heating device ( 2100 ) to a temperature of at least 50 degrees Celsius for a period of at least 2 hours.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of creating a seal between a portion of the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) and the blade ( 100 ) to shield at least a portion of the repair portion ( 240 ) from the external environment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) creates the seal around majority of the repair portion ( 240 ). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) creates the seal around the entire repair portion ( 240 ). 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the heating device ( 2100 ) does not contact the repair portion ( 240 ). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the curing step further includes heating the exterior surface of the repair portion ( 240 ) with the heating device ( 2100 ) to a temperature of at least 65 degrees Celsius for a period of at least 2 hours. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of monitoring and recording the temperature of the repair portion ( 240 ) during the curing step via a monitoring system ( 2500 ). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating device ( 2100 ) is enclosed within a weather resistant housing ( 2200 ) having a housing retention system ( 2210 ) to secure the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) to the blade ( 100 ). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of securing the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) to at least one of a portion of the tower ( 500 ), a hub ( 300 ), and a nacelle ( 400 ) via a secondary tie-off system ( 2220 ). 
     
     
         10 . A method of repairing a wind turbine blade ( 100 ) while mounted on a tower ( 500 ) without removing the blade ( 100 ) from the tower ( 500 ), comprising:
 removing a damaged portion ( 230 ) of the blade ( 100 );   installing a repair portion ( 240 ) to the blade ( 100 ) where the damaged portion ( 230 ) was removed;   attaching a curing apparatus ( 2000 ) to the blade ( 100 ) to enclose at least a portion of the repair portion ( 240 ), wherein the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) has a heating device ( 2100 ) and at least one square foot of the heating device ( 2100 ) is within 5-40 mm of the repair portion ( 240 );   creating a seal between a portion of the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) and the blade ( 100 ) to shield at least a portion of the repair portion ( 240 ) from the external environment; and   curing the repair portion ( 240 ) by heating the exterior surface of the repair portion ( 240 ) with the heating device ( 2100 ) to a temperature of at least 50 degrees Celsius for a period of at least 2 hours.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) creates the seal around majority of the repair portion ( 240 ). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) creates the seal around the entire repair portion ( 240 ). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the curing step further includes heating the exterior surface of the repair portion ( 240 ) with the heating device ( 2100 ) to a temperature of at least 65 degrees Celsius for a period of at least 3 hours. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further including the step of monitoring and recording the temperature of the repair portion ( 240 ) during the curing step via a monitoring system ( 2500 ). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the heating device ( 2100 ) is enclosed within a weather resistant housing ( 2200 ) having a housing retention system ( 2210 ) to secure the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) to the blade ( 100 ). 
     
     
         16 . A method of repairing a wind turbine blade ( 100 ) while mounted on a tower ( 500 ) without removing the blade ( 100 ) from the tower ( 500 ), comprising:
 removing a damaged portion ( 230 ) of the blade ( 100 );   installing a repair portion ( 240 ) to the blade ( 100 ) where the damaged portion ( 230 ) was removed;   attaching a curing apparatus ( 2000 ) to the blade ( 100 ) to enclose at least a portion of the repair portion ( 240 ), wherein the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) includes a weather resistant housing ( 2200 ) having a housing retention system ( 2210 ) to secure the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) to the blade ( 100 ) and the housing ( 2200 ) encloses a heating device ( 2100 ) that presents at least two square feet of the heating device ( 2100 ) within 5-40 mm of the repair portion ( 240 );   creating a seal between a portion of the housing ( 2200 ) and the blade ( 100 ) to shield majority of the repair portion ( 240 ) from the external environment; and   curing the repair portion ( 240 ) by heating the exterior surface of the repair portion ( 240 ) with the heating device ( 2100 ) to a temperature of at least 65 degrees Celsius for a period of at least 2 hours.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the curing apparatus ( 2000 ) creates the seal around the entire repair portion ( 240 ). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the curing step further includes heating the exterior surface of the repair portion ( 240 ) with the heating device ( 2100 ) to a temperature of at least 65 degrees Celsius for a period of at least 3 hours. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further including the step of monitoring and recording the temperature of the repair portion ( 240 ) during the curing step via a monitoring system ( 2500 ). 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the housing ( 2200 ) projects from the surface of the blade ( 100 ) a projection distance that is less than 16 inches and majority of the external surface area of the housing ( 2200 ) consists of a substantially flat surface area having no radius of curvature less than one inch.