Composite layers for bonding components of a wind turbine rotor blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10533534-B2
Application number	US-201514848658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2015
Priority date	Sep 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a method for bonding composite blade components of a rotor blade of a wind turbine. The method includes providing a first blade component being constructed of a first composite material. The method also includes providing a second blade component being constructed of a second composite material. Further, the method includes arranging the first and second blade components together at an interface. Another step includes placing one or more layers of a wetted composite material between the first and second blade components at the interface. The method also includes allowing the one or more layers of the wetted composite material at the interface to cure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for bonding composite blade components of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
providing a resin bath that contains a resin that includes one of a thermoset or thermoplastic material;
forming a wetted fiber material by drawing a fiber material through the resin bath, the formed wetted fiber material comprising the fiber material and the resin;
further processing the formed wetted fiber material into strips or roles to form at least one layer of wetted fiber material;
providing a first blade component being constructed of a first composite material;
providing a second blade component being constructed of a second composite material;
arranging the first and second blade components adjacent to each other;
placing the at least one layer of processed, wetted fiber material in a wetted state between the first and second blade components at an interface therebetween; and
curing the at least one layer of the processed, wetted fiber material at the interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the at least one layer of the processed, wetted fiber material at the interface further comprises unrolling the wetted fiber material at the interface.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising layering the processed wetted fiber material at the interface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber material comprises at least one of glass fibers, carbon fibers, metal fibers, polymer fibers, ceramic fibers, nanofibers, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second composite materials comprise prefabricated composite materials, the prefabricated composite materials comprising one or more cured resin materials reinforced with at least one fiber material.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first blade component comprises a shear web of the rotor blade and the second blade component comprises a spar cap of the rotor blade.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first blade component comprises a spar cap of the rotor blade and the second blade component comprises a blade shell of the rotor blade.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first blade component comprises a pressure side of the rotor blade and the second blade component comprises a suction side of the rotor blade.

9. A method for bonding a shear web between opposing spar caps of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the shear web having a first end and a second end, the method comprising:
providing a resin bath that contains a resin that includes one of a thermoset or thermoplastic material;
forming a wetted fiber material by drawing a fiber material through the resin bath, the formed wetted fiber material comprising the fiber material and the resin;
further processing the formed wetted fiber material into strips or roles to form at least one layer of wetted fiber material;
arranging the shear web between the opposing spar caps, wherein the first end of the shear web contacts an upper spar cap at a first interface and the second end of the shear web contacts a lower spar cap at a second interface;
placing the at least one layer of processed, wetted fiber material in a wetted state at the first and second interfaces; and
curing the at least one layer of the processed, wetted fiber material at the first and second interfaces.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein placing the processed wetted fiber material at the first and second interfaces further comprises unrolling the wetted fiber material at the first and second interfaces.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising layering the fiber material at the first and second interfaces.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Yarbrough Aaron A
• Caruso Christopher Daniel

Classifications

• F03D1/0675 Primary

  of the blades · CPC title

• B29C65/5057

  positioned between the surfaces to be joined (B29C65/5035 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C65/02

  by heating, with or without pressure · CPC title

• B29C66/721

  Fibre-reinforced materials (B29C66/729 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C65/4815

  Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives · CPC title