Wind turbine blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10428790-B2
Application number	US-201415107386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A method of making an elongate wind turbine blade is described. The wind turbine blade extends longitudinally between a root end and a tip end in a spanwise direction, and the method comprises: (a) providing an elongate mould tool ( 20 ) extending longitudinally in a spanwise direction; (b) arranging an elongate spar structure ( 40 ) in the mould tool, the spar structure ( 40 ) N extending longitudinally in the spanwise direction; (c) arranging core material ( 24 ) adjacent to the spar structure ( 40 ); (d) providing resin-permeable material ( 114 ) between the spar structure ( 40 ) and the core material ( 24 ); and (e) administering resin into the mould during a resin infusion process. The resin-permeable material ( 114 ) restricts the flow of resin between the spar structure ( 40 ) and the core material ( 24 ) in the spanwise direction and thereby substantially prevents lock-offs from forming during the infusion process.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making an elongate wind turbine blade extending longitudinally between a root end and a tip end in a spanwise direction, the method comprising:
a. providing an elongate mould tool extending longitudinally in a spanwise direction;
b. arranging an elongate spar structure in the mould tool, the spar structure extending longitudinally in the spanwise direction;
c. arranging core material adjacent to the spar structure;
d. providing resin-permeable material between the spar structure and the core material and securing the resin-permeable material to the core material and/or the spar structure; and
e. administering resin into the mould during a resin infusion process, wherein the resin-permeable material restricts the flow of resin between the spar structure and the core material in the spanwise direction,
wherein securing the resin-permeable material to the spar structure and/or to the core material is performed prior to arranging the blade components in the mould.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the resin-permeable material is breather fabric.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising bonding the resin-permeable material to the core material prior to arranging the core material in the mould.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (e) comprises administering resin into the mould in a direction transverse to the spanwise direction.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein step (e) comprises administering resin into the mould substantially in a chordwise direction.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a resin inlet channel extending longitudinally in the spanwise direction through which the resin is administered into the mould during the resin infusion process, wherein the elongate spar structure is positioned between the resin-permeable material and the resin inlet channel.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the mould is a blade shell mould.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spar structure is a pre-cured component.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spar structure is made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spar structure comprises a stack of strips of reinforcing material.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the strips are pultrusions.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the core material is foam or balsa.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the core material comprises one or more panels.

14. A wind turbine blade made in accordance with the method of claim 1 .

15. A wind turbine having the wind turbine blade of claim 14 .

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Smith Jonathan

Classifications

• F05B2230/30

  with deposition of material · CPC title

• B29K2105/06

  containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts · CPC title

• F05B2220/30

  in turbines · CPC title

• F05B2280/6015

  Resin · CPC title

• F05B2280/6001

  Fabrics · CPC title