Access arrangement for a wind turbine blade

Abstract

The present invention relates to an access arrangement (90) of a wind turbine blade for accessing a hollow space within the blade. The access arrangement (90) comprises an access opening (180) provided in the blade shell member, a cover panel (92) for covering the access opening (180), a sealing member (96) arranged between the cover panel (92) and the blade shell member, and one or more fasteners (98) for releasably fastening the cover panel (92) to the blade shell member. The present invention also relates to a wind turbine blade comprising the access arrangement (90).

1 . An access arrangement ( 90 ) of a wind turbine blade for accessing a hollow space within the blade, the hollow space being at least in part defined by a blade shell member ( 168 ), the access arrangement ( 90 ) comprising:
 an access opening ( 180 ) provided in the blade shell member ( 168 );   a cover panel ( 92 ) for covering the access opening ( 180 );   a sealing member ( 96 ) arranged between the cover panel ( 92 ) and the blade shell member ( 168 ); and   one or more fasteners ( 98 ) for releasably fastening the cover panel ( 92 ) to the blade shell member ( 168 ), wherein the cover panel ( 92 ), the sealing member ( 96 ), the one or more fasteners ( 98 ) and the blade shell member ( 168 ) are adapted for releasably fastening the cover panel ( 92 ) to the blade shell member ( 168 ) in a single spatial orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The access arrangement ( 90 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a retaining member connecting the cover panel ( 92 ) and the blade shell member independently of the one or more fasteners ( 98 ). 
     
     
         3 . The access arrangement ( 90 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more fasteners ( 98 ) are single-sided fasteners ( 98 ). 
     
     
         4 . The access arrangement ( 90 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more fasteners ( 98 ) comprise a dielectric material. 
     
     
         5 . The access arrangement ( 90 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the blade shell member ( 168 ) has an outer surface, the outer surface of the blade shell member ( 168 ) comprising an annular indentation ( 86 ) surrounding the access opening ( 180 ) for receiving the sealing member ( 96 ). 
     
     
         6 . The access arrangement ( 90 ) according to  claim 5 , wherein each of the one or more fasteners ( 98 ) is releasably inserted in aligned respective holes ( 88 ) provided in the cover panel ( 92 ), the sealing member ( 96 ) and the blade shell member ( 168 ), wherein the holes ( 88 ) provided in the cover panel ( 92 ) are arranged annularly along an outer circumference of the cover panel ( 92 ), and wherein the aligned respective holes ( 88 ) provided in the cover panel ( 92 ), the sealing member ( 96 ) and the blade shell member are arranged for the releasable fastening of the cover panel ( 92 ) to the blade shell member ( 168 ) in the single spatial orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The access arrangement ( 90 ) according to  claim 6 , wherein the holes ( 88 ) provided in the blade shell member are arranged annularly along the annular indentation ( 86 ) of the outer surface of the blade shell member, the holes ( 88 ) surrounding the access opening ( 180 ). 
     
     
         8 . The access arrangement ( 90 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing member ( 96 ) is an annular gasket. 
     
     
         9 . The access arrangement ( 90 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the access opening ( 180 ) covers an area of not more than 0.25 m 2 . 
     
     
         10 . A wind turbine blade having a profiled contour including a pressure side and a suction side, and a leading edge and a trailing edge with a chord having a chord length extending therebetween, the wind turbine blade extending in a spanwise direction between a root end and a tip end, wherein the wind turbine blade comprises:
 a shell body with at least one pressure side shell member and at least one suction side shell member,   wherein one of the pressure side shell member and the suction side shell member comprises:   an access opening ( 180 ) provided in the one of the pressure side shell member and the suction side shell member;   a cover panel ( 92 ) for covering the access opening ( 180 );   a sealing member ( 96 ) arranged between the cover panel ( 92 ) and the one of the pressure side shell member and the suction side shell member; and   one or more fasteners ( 98 ) for releasably fastening the cover panel ( 92 ) to the one of the pressure side shell member and the suction side shell member, wherein the cover panel ( 92 ), the sealing member ( 96 ), the one or more fasteners ( 98 ) and the one of the pressure side shell member and the suction side shell member are adapted for releasably fastening the cover panel ( 92 ) to the one of the pressure side shell member and the suction side shell member in a single spatial orientation.   
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing an access arrangement ( 90 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 arranging an implant in a mould for moulding the blade shell member ( 168 );   arranging a fibre material on said mould and the implant;   infusing the fibre material and implant with a resin;   curing the resin to produce the hardened blade shell member ( 168 );   removing the implant from the hardened blade shell member ( 168 ) to expose an indentation ( 86 ) on the surface of the blade shell member ( 168 ) at a location of the implant; and   drilling or cutting a hole through the blade shell member ( 168 ) at the location of the indentation ( 86 ) to produce the access opening ( 180 ).   
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade having a profiled contour including a pressure side and a suction side, and a leading edge and a trailing edge with a chord having a chord length extending therebetween, the wind turbine blade extending in a spanwise direction between a root end and a tip end, the method comprising the steps of:
 a1) manufacturing a pressure side shell half and a suction side shell half over substantially an entire length of the wind turbine blade;   b1) arranging a spar structure ( 62 ) within one of the pressure side and suction side shell halves, the spar structure ( 62 ) comprising a first part ( 64 ) and a second part ( 66 ), the first and second parts ( 64 ,  66 ) being releasably coupled to each other;   c1) closing and joining the pressure side and suction side shell halves for obtaining a closed shell;   d1) cutting the closed shell along a cutting plane ( 69 ) substantially normal to the spanwise direction of the closed shell to obtain a first and a second blade segment ( 68 ,  70 ), each of the first and second blade segments ( 68 ,  70 ) comprising part of the pressure side shell half and part of the suction side shell half, wherein the spar structure ( 62 ) extends across the cutting plane ( 69 );   e1) uncoupling the first and the second parts ( 64 ,  66 ) of the spar structure ( 62 );   f1) separating the first blade segment ( 68 ) from the second blade segment ( 70 );   g1) joining and sealing the first blade segment ( 68 ) to the second blade segment ( 70 ) for obtaining the wind turbine blade,   wherein the spar structure ( 62 ) comprises at least one locking pin ( 74 ) for releasably coupling the first part ( 64 ) to the second part ( 66 ) of the spar structure ( 62 ) through aligned respective locking apertures in each of the first and second parts ( 64 ,  66 ) of the spar structure ( 62 ), and wherein the wind turbine blade comprises an access arrangement ( 90 ) according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein step e1) comprises withdrawing the at least one locking pin ( 74 ) from the aligned respective apertures in each of the first and second parts ( 64 ,  66 ) of the spar structure ( 62 ) via the access arrangement ( 90 ). 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises the step of re-inserting the at least one locking pin ( 74 ) into the aligned respective apertures in each of the first and second parts ( 64 ,  66 ) of the spar structure ( 62 ) via the access arrangement ( 90 ). 
     
     
         15 . A wind turbine blade manufactured according to the method of  claim 12 .