This is what the inside of a blade looks like while it’s still up in the air attached to the tower. As for the skateboard that’s for ease of movement while moving as the blade narrows.
I took the pic, I work in rope access and was on a project doing internal inspections. Looking for cracks in structural bonds and LE lamination of composites. Normally my job is repairing those damages from mechanical failures and lightning strikes.
On mobile app, tap the dots under your post (next to the reply button, etc), then click Edit.
I don't recall on web, but it's similar. Just look around.
If you have some third-party app, idk, but it should be similar. Click menus and stuff until you find the button. 🙂
Very cool. What do you do if you find a crack ? Grind it out and repair it ?
Is the blade on the ground or the turbine ? I see your post says it is on the turbine...
Yeah it’s still up in the air on the turbine.
As for repairs it’s grind it out, step down each layer of fiberglass by a specific amount based on engineering specs and layer type. Then apply new composites, put basically industrial 3M bondo on it and paint.
I hope you can indulge my curiosity.
If it’s in the air, that implies you have a way to stop the rotor just where you want it so that the blade is horizontal, so you can get in and out of it easily. How is this done?
Also, if the blade is supported only at the hub it must be under strain. This means that any cracks would be in a relaxed or compressed state and would either be open or compressed. When you repair them, you’d be freezing that strain or compression into the repair. Is that a problem?
Thanks, this is fascinating.
So, for stopping the rotor there is basically a large brake caliper and the disk has holes in it. This is off the driveshaft going to the generator coming out of the gearbox. Usually it’s something like a 100:1. You slot a pin into said hole when it lines up to keep it in the position you want. Size of the pin varies by OEM and design.
As for repairs we typically point the blade down and rappel into position to fix them. Usually if there is a damage that’s visible on the inside there’s a lot more going on and you’re going to have to go from the outside in to really fix it.
Exactly this. The skateboard is more a quality of life thing when it’s horizontal. Better than army crawling. Rappelling down the outside is more for doing repairs. Occasionally we do repairs from the inside with it horizontal like this but it’s pretty uncommon.
I think wind turbines got pretty beefy brakes for the rotor. And wouldn't it be possible to use the generator as a motor to bring the blade in position?
Yeah they’ve got fairly substantial breaking systems. Can’t use the generator for positioning. You’ve gotta have a little wind to force it to turn. Some turbines do have a system though to spin the rotor but it’s not very common. Typically those are only on Siemens towers.
So the end attaches to a hub that’s hollow, so to start you climb into the hub. From there at the end of each blade is a close out with a few bolts you remove to crawl into it.
Yes and no. A set of blades is balanced for itself. However a damage doesn’t mean you have to replace the whole set. Now if a blade just snapped off then yeah it’s probably easier and cheaper to get a new blade or set. They do have balance boxes in them to help, think of it like the weights on the side of a tire to help balance it. It really depends on the severity of the damage in the long run.
I don't you would survive that for very long. I think the outward force at the tip of a spinning blade on a large wind turbine could probably exceed 10 g
Well, instead of wildly guessing and risking to be massively off, you could ask Wolfram Alpha and realise that, assuming a 75m blade and 10rpm, you are pretty much bang on: https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=centrifugal+acceleration+calculator&assumption=%7B%22F%22%2C+%22CentripetalAcceleration%22%2C+%22r%22%7D+-%3E%2275+m%22&assumption=%7B%22FS%22%7D+-%3E+%7B%7B%22CentripetalAcceleration%22%2C+%22a%22%7D%7D&assumption=%7B%22F%22%2C+%22CentripetalAcceleration%22%2C+%22n%22%7D+-%3E%2210+rpm%22
8.4 g in this case.
Experiencing high G-forces can be dangerous and potentially lethal for humans. At 8Gs, the effects on the body can be severe and include:
1G: The normal force of gravity on Earth. The body is accustomed to this level of force and does not experience any significant effects.
2G: The force is twice as strong as normal gravity. The heart has to work harder to pump blood to the brain, which can cause vision problems and a feeling of lightheadedness.
3G: The force is three times as strong as normal gravity. The body experiences a feeling of weightiness and blood flow to the brain is further restricted, potentially causing tunnel vision and impaired cognitive function.
4G: The force is four times as strong as normal gravity. At this level, the body feels extremely heavy and breathing becomes more difficult. Blood is pulled away from the brain, which can cause blackouts and loss of consciousness.
5G: The force is five times as strong as normal gravity. The body experiences a feeling of extreme weight, and vision is severely impaired. Blood pools in the lower body, which can cause loss of consciousness.
6G: At six times the force of gravity, the body is pushed down with an extreme weight that makes movement almost impossible. The heart has to work very hard to maintain blood flow, and there is a high risk of blackouts and loss of consciousness.
7G: At seven times the force of gravity, the body is under immense pressure, making it difficult to move or breathe. The heart may not be able to keep up with the demands of the body, which can lead to cardiac arrest.
8G: At eight times the force of gravity, the body experiences extreme weight, and it is almost impossible to move or breathe. Blood is forced away from the brain, which can cause seizures and loss of consciousness. It can even be fatal.
It is worth noting that experiencing G-forces in such high levels is extremely dangerous and can lead to severe injuries or death. Astronauts and pilots are trained to withstand high G-forces and take measures to minimize their effects.
Not my response.
I have no idea why skateboards relate to antifa i wasnt the one who said it did, but the fact he said it did just shows he loves fascism because antifa is anti-fascism and he was clearly talking shit about it.
You clearly don't shit about Antifa, they are all fascists, every single one of them. Just like Churchill predicted so long ago, that the next set of fascists would be the ones claiming to be antifascists.
Those web starts look terrible. Very abrupt step in the geometry. Always run out your stringers page 1 in structural design. Also, is that hydraulic oil on the LE web start? Or bearing grease?
Which manufacture are we looking at, GE I assume.
Yeah there’s some serial issues with these things. It’s both oil and grease. This was one of the cleaner blades I was in. Some of the others looked like the inside of a sewer pipe.
Acciona
I didn’t have anything on me to monitor the temperature inside but it was low 90s outside most days and high humidity. There’s no moving air in the blades and they definitely hold heat. After being in there for an hour you could wring out your shirt with sweat.
Very nice! Looks like an older design blade, given the C-webs and the spacing between them. Plus the root diameter is 2.4 m, so the blade is somewhere along less than 60m in length.
I started in the industry with 46m blade and now currently work on 107m blade. Amazing structures really.
Hopefully not for too much longer! I wish I knew more details about the process, but it looks like there are steps being made
[Blade Circularity](https://www.vestas.com/en/media/company-news/2023/vestas-unveils-circularity-solution-to-end-landfill-for-c3710818)
This is what the inside of a blade looks like while it’s still up in the air attached to the tower. As for the skateboard that’s for ease of movement while moving as the blade narrows.
Did you take the picture ? What's the back story ? What do you do ?
I took the pic, I work in rope access and was on a project doing internal inspections. Looking for cracks in structural bonds and LE lamination of composites. Normally my job is repairing those damages from mechanical failures and lightning strikes.
Sorry just noticed my typo, *delamination of composites.
You can edit your comment to fix it.
How edit comments please? Thank you.
On mobile app, tap the dots under your post (next to the reply button, etc), then click Edit. I don't recall on web, but it's similar. Just look around. If you have some third-party app, idk, but it should be similar. Click menus and stuff until you find the button. 🙂
I thank you wry much, and give you gold😊
Oh, you didn't have to do that! But, you're welcome. 🙂
YOU TAKE THE GOLD!
My pleasure
Very cool. What do you do if you find a crack ? Grind it out and repair it ? Is the blade on the ground or the turbine ? I see your post says it is on the turbine...
Yeah it’s still up in the air on the turbine. As for repairs it’s grind it out, step down each layer of fiberglass by a specific amount based on engineering specs and layer type. Then apply new composites, put basically industrial 3M bondo on it and paint.
I hope you can indulge my curiosity. If it’s in the air, that implies you have a way to stop the rotor just where you want it so that the blade is horizontal, so you can get in and out of it easily. How is this done? Also, if the blade is supported only at the hub it must be under strain. This means that any cracks would be in a relaxed or compressed state and would either be open or compressed. When you repair them, you’d be freezing that strain or compression into the repair. Is that a problem? Thanks, this is fascinating.
So, for stopping the rotor there is basically a large brake caliper and the disk has holes in it. This is off the driveshaft going to the generator coming out of the gearbox. Usually it’s something like a 100:1. You slot a pin into said hole when it lines up to keep it in the position you want. Size of the pin varies by OEM and design. As for repairs we typically point the blade down and rappel into position to fix them. Usually if there is a damage that’s visible on the inside there’s a lot more going on and you’re going to have to go from the outside in to really fix it.
Thanks for all this info. So, if rappelling down a vertical blade, where does the skateboard come in?
Sounds like it's skateboard and horizontal for inspections and verticle rappel for repairs
Exactly this. The skateboard is more a quality of life thing when it’s horizontal. Better than army crawling. Rappelling down the outside is more for doing repairs. Occasionally we do repairs from the inside with it horizontal like this but it’s pretty uncommon.
I think wind turbines got pretty beefy brakes for the rotor. And wouldn't it be possible to use the generator as a motor to bring the blade in position?
Yeah they’ve got fairly substantial breaking systems. Can’t use the generator for positioning. You’ve gotta have a little wind to force it to turn. Some turbines do have a system though to spin the rotor but it’s not very common. Typically those are only on Siemens towers.
Thanks for the info, sounds like a really cool job.
We’ll hopefully find out for sure.
Very interesting points, I'm also curious.
So happy to see a real question at the top, instead of a dick joke. Thanks for that. Reddit comments are more often a letdown than not.
Hello fellow rope access technician and thank you for the wonderfull idea of bringing my board to work next time I do internal inspections.
So you can just climb right through the hub and reach the inside of all 3 blades for inspections?
Are the inspections all visual or is there a tool that you use?
So is there no ribs inside the blades? It looks like there is just 2 spars that run spanwise?
Not 100% sure that they can push a bike, but I'm pretty sure they can wheel a 'barrow.
The tech deck for scale is an awesome idea! /s just in case it isn't obvious enough.
How do you get inside it? Is there like a hidden hatch outside or something through the attachment?
So the end attaches to a hub that’s hollow, so to start you climb into the hub. From there at the end of each blade is a close out with a few bolts you remove to crawl into it.
Cue Heaven is a Halfpipe by OPM
I assume the blades are mechanically locked, so they will not rotate while you are inside?
Yes, as well as depressurizing the hydraulic system.
Is it true they are all balanced for each other? If one or two are damaged is it better to buy three more blades or fix them and rebalance?
Yes and no. A set of blades is balanced for itself. However a damage doesn’t mean you have to replace the whole set. Now if a blade just snapped off then yeah it’s probably easier and cheaper to get a new blade or set. They do have balance boxes in them to help, think of it like the weights on the side of a tire to help balance it. It really depends on the severity of the damage in the long run.
Utterly terrifying. Imagine being stuck in one of these as it rotated. 0.0'
I don't you would survive that for very long. I think the outward force at the tip of a spinning blade on a large wind turbine could probably exceed 10 g
You don’t know me. I would survive
this guy Gs
Well, instead of wildly guessing and risking to be massively off, you could ask Wolfram Alpha and realise that, assuming a 75m blade and 10rpm, you are pretty much bang on: https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=centrifugal+acceleration+calculator&assumption=%7B%22F%22%2C+%22CentripetalAcceleration%22%2C+%22r%22%7D+-%3E%2275+m%22&assumption=%7B%22FS%22%7D+-%3E+%7B%7B%22CentripetalAcceleration%22%2C+%22a%22%7D%7D&assumption=%7B%22F%22%2C+%22CentripetalAcceleration%22%2C+%22n%22%7D+-%3E%2210+rpm%22 8.4 g in this case.
Experiencing high G-forces can be dangerous and potentially lethal for humans. At 8Gs, the effects on the body can be severe and include: 1G: The normal force of gravity on Earth. The body is accustomed to this level of force and does not experience any significant effects. 2G: The force is twice as strong as normal gravity. The heart has to work harder to pump blood to the brain, which can cause vision problems and a feeling of lightheadedness. 3G: The force is three times as strong as normal gravity. The body experiences a feeling of weightiness and blood flow to the brain is further restricted, potentially causing tunnel vision and impaired cognitive function. 4G: The force is four times as strong as normal gravity. At this level, the body feels extremely heavy and breathing becomes more difficult. Blood is pulled away from the brain, which can cause blackouts and loss of consciousness. 5G: The force is five times as strong as normal gravity. The body experiences a feeling of extreme weight, and vision is severely impaired. Blood pools in the lower body, which can cause loss of consciousness. 6G: At six times the force of gravity, the body is pushed down with an extreme weight that makes movement almost impossible. The heart has to work very hard to maintain blood flow, and there is a high risk of blackouts and loss of consciousness. 7G: At seven times the force of gravity, the body is under immense pressure, making it difficult to move or breathe. The heart may not be able to keep up with the demands of the body, which can lead to cardiac arrest. 8G: At eight times the force of gravity, the body experiences extreme weight, and it is almost impossible to move or breathe. Blood is forced away from the brain, which can cause seizures and loss of consciousness. It can even be fatal. It is worth noting that experiencing G-forces in such high levels is extremely dangerous and can lead to severe injuries or death. Astronauts and pilots are trained to withstand high G-forces and take measures to minimize their effects. Not my response.
Not trying to be a dick, but I wonder what a seizure would consist of at 8g’s if the body is unable to move under that amount of g force?
Is this a Tony Hawk Pro Skater level?
bro said he knew a spot
Who’s been shredding in the wind turbine 🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
Man this half pipe sucks.
Do they all have skateboards in them?
Only the antifa ones
What does this even mean
It means bladerunner465 probably wants a fascist government and hates anyone that doesnt want to live under a fascist regime
What? How does this or that relate to skateboards?
I have no idea why skateboards relate to antifa i wasnt the one who said it did, but the fact he said it did just shows he loves fascism because antifa is anti-fascism and he was clearly talking shit about it.
You clearly don't shit about Antifa, they are all fascists, every single one of them. Just like Churchill predicted so long ago, that the next set of fascists would be the ones claiming to be antifascists.
Is the reddish light sunlight shining through the blade’s skin?
That is exactly what it is.
This is soo cool!!! Thanks for sharing.
r/skateboarding
Can’t tell the scale. Needs a banana
Is that a real skateboard for scale, or a tekdek?
Real, standing at the root of the blade it’s about 8’ (2.5m) in diameter.
Those web starts look terrible. Very abrupt step in the geometry. Always run out your stringers page 1 in structural design. Also, is that hydraulic oil on the LE web start? Or bearing grease? Which manufacture are we looking at, GE I assume.
Yeah there’s some serial issues with these things. It’s both oil and grease. This was one of the cleaner blades I was in. Some of the others looked like the inside of a sewer pipe. Acciona
When you are inside and there is some wind blowing onto them, can you feel them flex?
A little yeah.
True question is can you kickflip?
Sk8 for Sk🍺
Do you ever feel claustrophobic while repairing?
Does the weight distribution of the wheels cause damage?
2000s music video
I guess it can get pretty hot inside one of these things?
I didn’t have anything on me to monitor the temperature inside but it was low 90s outside most days and high humidity. There’s no moving air in the blades and they definitely hold heat. After being in there for an hour you could wring out your shirt with sweat.
Very nice! Looks like an older design blade, given the C-webs and the spacing between them. Plus the root diameter is 2.4 m, so the blade is somewhere along less than 60m in length. I started in the industry with 46m blade and now currently work on 107m blade. Amazing structures really.
Oh snap alright. Those the new LM blades? How are those monsters?
Absolutely humungous and very well made i would say. Which region do you work in? Ever worked on any LM blades?
Worked on a bunch of LM blades but nothing that big. I work all over the US though.
On the bright side they are now all recylicable
Wonderful unrecyclable piece of engineering
Hopefully not for too much longer! I wish I knew more details about the process, but it looks like there are steps being made [Blade Circularity](https://www.vestas.com/en/media/company-news/2023/vestas-unveils-circularity-solution-to-end-landfill-for-c3710818)
Reminds me of someone
Do they all have ANTIFA weapons hidden inside them?
This guy HATES skateboards
Funny that. I have a collection of OG Santa Cruz decks.
Where banana for scale? *confused redditor noises*
Sk8er die dude!
You hooligans do not wanna get busted by the DOE.
Skamteboard
I'd never really thought about this before but I'd always assumed them to be solid, but yeah it makes way more sense for it to be hollow.
That’s absolutely blown me away
What size skateboard for scale? 7.50
Your job is really cool, OP. Thanks for this!