Manufacture of wind turbine blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10920744-B2
Application number	US-201615777398-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2016
Priority date	Nov 26, 2015
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A web locating device for locating a shear web at a predefined location on an inner surface of a wind turbine blade shell is described. The base comprises a base and a first guide structure. The base is for securing to the inner surface of the blade shell at a predefined position on the inner surface and the first guide structure projects from the base. The first guide structure has a first guide surface arranged to guide a mounting portion of the shear web towards the predefined location on the inner surface of the wind turbine blade shell. The base of the device includes one or more alignment features for aligning with one or more reference features at the predefined position on the inner surface of the blade shell. Also described are a wind turbine blade, and a method of making a wind turbine blade.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wind turbine blade comprising a blade shell having an inner surface, wherein at least one web locating device for locating a shear web at a predefined location on the inner surface is bonded to the inner surface, the device comprising:
a base secured to the inner surface of the blade shell at a predefined position on the inner surface; and
a first guide structure projecting from the base, the first guide structure having a first guide surface arranged to guide a mounting portion of the shear web towards the predefined location on the inner surface of the wind turbine blade shell,
wherein the base of the device includes one or more alignment features comprising one or more apertures aligned with one or more reference features at the predefined position on the inner surface of the blade shell, and
wherein adhesive at least partially covers the base of the at least one web locating device and passes through the one or more apertures in the base to occupy a space defined between the base and the inner surface of the blade shell at the predefined position on the inner surface at which the device is secured.

2. The wind turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the one or more alignment features comprise a plurality of apertures provided in the base.

3. The wind turbine blade of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of apertures comprise two apertures having a different shape and/or size to one another.

4. The wind turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the first guide surface is inclined relative to the base.

5. The wind turbine blade of claim 1 , further comprising a second guide structure projecting from the base, wherein the first and second guide structures are mutually spaced apart by an intermediate portion of the base.

6. The wind turbine blade of claim 5 , wherein the second guide structure comprises a second guide surface arranged to guide the portion of the shear web towards the predefined location on the inner surface of the wind turbine blade shell.

7. The wind turbine blade of claim 5 , wherein the one or more alignment features are provided in the intermediate portion of the base.

8. The wind turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the base is substantially planar and/or flexible.

9. The wind turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the device is formed as a single moulding.

10. The wind turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the first guide structure projects from a first side of the base and the device further comprises adhesive tape on a second side of the base.

11. The wind turbine blade of claim 1 , wherein the base tapers in thickness at a periphery of the one or more apertures.

12. A method of making a wind turbine blade, the method comprising:
providing a blade shell having an inner surface;
providing a web having a mounting portion for bonding to the inner surface of the blade shell;
providing a web locating device having a base and one or more guide structures projecting from the base, the or each guide structure having a guide surface, and the base including one or more alignment features, wherein the one or more alignment features comprise one or more apertures;
providing one or more reference features at a predefined position on the inner surface of the blade shell;
aligning the one or more alignment features of the base of the web locating device with the one or more reference features;
securing the base of the web locating device to the inner surface of the blade shell at the predefined position by applying adhesive to the predefined location on the inner surface of the blade shell such that some of the adhesive at least partially covers the base of the web locating device and passes through the or each aperture in the base to occupy a space defined between the base and the inner surface of the blade shell at the predefined position on the inner surface at which the device is secured; and
guiding the mounting portion of the shear web over the guide surface(s) of the one or more guide structures towards a predefined mounting location defined on the inner surface of the blade shell.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises aligning the one or more each apertures with correspondingly-shaped one or more reference features on the inner surface of the blade shell.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more alignment features comprise at least two apertures having a different shape and/or size to one another, and the method comprises providing at least two reference features at the predefined position on the inner surface of the blade shell, the reference features each corresponding in shape and size to a respective aperture.

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Smith Jonathan
• Corsham Trevor
• Wardropper Steve

Classifications

• F05B2230/604

  using positioning or alignment devices for aligning or centering, e.g. pins · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F03D1/065

  characterised by their construction elements (F03D13/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F05B2240/221

  with horizontal axis · CPC title