Facilitated handling of wind turbine blades

摘要

A device for facilitating handling of a wind turbine blade is provided. The device includes an inflatable member adapted to be arranged at the wind turbine blade such that the inflatable member covers at least a part of the wind turbine blade, wherein, when the inflatable member is arranged at the wind turbine blade and inflated, an aerodynamic drag coefficient of the wind turbine blade with the arranged inflatable member is less than an aerodynamic drag coefficient of the wind turbine blade. Further, there is described a system for handling a wind turbine blade, and a method of facilitating handling of a wind turbine blade.

主权项

1. A device for facilitating handling of a wind turbine blade, the device comprising:
an inflatable member arranged at the wind turbine blade such that the inflatable member covers at least a part of the wind turbine blade, wherein, when the inflatable member is arranged at the wind turbine blade, and inflated, an outer surface of the inflatable member has a rounded shape such that a first aerodynamic drag coefficient of the wind turbine blade with the arranged inflatable member is less than a second aerodynamic drag coefficient of the wind turbine blade without the arranged inflatable member, and wherein a cross section of the inflatable member is variable along its length in order to accommodate a characteristic shape of a wind turbine blade; and wherein the inflatable member comprises a passage defined by the inflatable member and extending through the inflatable member to allow lifting equipment to engage with the wind turbine blade, wherein the inflatable member comprises an inner wall and an outer wall which together form an inflatable volume of the inflatable member, and wherein the inner wall comprises a membrane configured to separate the inflatable volume from the wind turbine blade, and wherein the membrane comprises a friction inducing surface and a lesser degree of resiliency or elasticity relative to the outer wall.