Reinforcing structure for a wind turbine blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11041477-B2
Application number	US-201615570491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2016
Priority date	May 1, 2015
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A method of making an elongate reinforcing structure, such as a shear web, for a wind turbine blade is described. The reinforcing structure comprises a longitudinally-extending web and a longitudinally-extending flange. The flange extends along a longitudinal edge of the web and is arranged transversely to the web. The method involves providing a flange structure comprising a flange portion, and a projecting portion that extends along the length of the flange portion and projects transversely from a surface of the flange portion. The projecting portion is bonded between laminate layers of the web. The flange structure is preferably a pultruded component having a T-shaped cross-section. The method allows a simple, inexpensive and reconfigurable mould tool to be used. In preferred embodiments the mould tool has a flat surface without sidewalls.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making an elongate reinforcing structure for a wind turbine blade, the reinforcing structure comprising a longitudinally-extending web and a longitudinally-extending flange, the flange extending along a longitudinal edge of the web and being arranged transversely to the web, and the method comprising:
providing a longitudinally-extending mould tool having a mould surface bound by a first longitudinal edge of the mould tool, the mould surface being shaped to define the web of the reinforcing structure;
providing a pultruded flange structure comprising a flange portion and a projecting portion that extends along the length of the flange portion and projects transversely from a surface of the flange portion;
supporting one or more first laminate layers of the web on the mould surface;
positioning the flange structure adjacent to the first longitudinal edge of the mould tool such that the projecting portion of the flange structure overlies a first longitudinal edge region of the one or more laminate layers and such that the flange portion is transverse to the mould surface;
after positioning the flange structure, arranging one or more second laminate layers on top of the one or more first laminate layers such that the one or more second laminate layers at least partially cover the projecting portion of the flange structure; and
integrating the one or more first laminate layers, the one or more second laminate layers and the projecting portion of the flange structure in the mould tool by means of a matrix material and thereby bonding the projecting portion between the one or more first laminate layers and the one or more second laminate layers.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flange structure has a substantially constant cross section along its length.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flange structure is substantially T-shaped or L-shaped in cross-section.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flange portion is in the form of a substantially flat strip.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flange portion is wedge-shaped.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flange portion has a substantially V-shaped or curved outer surface.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the projecting portion forms an angle of approximately 90 degrees with an inner surface of the flange portion.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flange portion has a substantially flat inner surface from which the projecting portion projects.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
arranging a packing element adjacent to the first longitudinal edge of the mould tool, between the mould tool and the flange portion of the flange structure, the packing element having an upper surface defining an extension of the mould surface;
arranging the one or more first laminate layers, the projecting portion of the flange structure and the one or more second laminate layers such that they at least partially overlie the upper surface of the packing element; and
selecting the dimensions of the packing element according to a required height of the reinforcing structure in a direction transverse to a direction of longitudinal extension of the reinforcing structure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mould tool comprises a depth stop provided at the first longitudinal edge of the mould tool, the depth stop being arranged to extend beyond the mould surface and abut the flange portion of the flange structure to set the extent to which the projecting portion of the flange structure extends between the one or more first laminate layers and the one or more second laminate layers, and thereby to set the height of the reinforcing structure in a direction transverse to a direction of longitudinal extension of the reinforcing structure.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the depth stop is adjustable and the method comprises varying the extent to which the depth stop extend beyond the mould surface thereby to select a required height of the reinforcing structure in a direction transverse to a direction of longitudinal extension of the reinforcing structure.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mould surface is substantially flat.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mould surface comprises a kink resulting in the web portion of the reinforcing structure having a kink.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises positioning a wedge-shaped element on the mould surface to form a kink and arranging the one or more first laminate layers over the wedge-shaped element.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first laminate layers and/or the one or more second laminate layers comprise fibrous material.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises arranging core material between the one or more first laminate layers and the one or more second laminate layers.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the matrix material is resin.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
arranging a vacuum film over the mould tool to form a sealed region encapsulating the laminate layers and the projecting portion of the flange structure;
evacuating the sealed region;
optionally admitting matrix material into the sealed region; and
applying heat to cure the matrix material.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the method comprises arranging the vacuum film over the flange portions of the reinforcing flange structures such that substantially the entire flange structure is encapsulated within the sealed region.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises providing a further flange structure comprising a flange portion and a projecting portion that extends along the length of the flange portion and projects transversely from a surface of the flange portion;
positioning the further flange structure adjacent to a second longitudinal edge of the mould tool such that the projecting portion of the further flange structure overlies a second longitudinal edge region of the one or more first laminate layers and such that the flange portion is transverse to the mould surface;
arranging the one or more second laminate layers on top of the one or more first laminate layers such that the one or more second laminate layers additionally at least partially cover the projecting portion of the further flange structure; and
bonding the projecting portion of the further flange structure between the one or more first laminate layers and the one or more second laminate layers.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the respective flange structures are substantially identical.

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Wardropper Steve
• Smith Jonathan
• Hedges Andrew
• Randall Stephen

Classifications

• F03D1/0675 Primary

  of the blades · CPC title

• B29D99/0003 Primary

  Producing profiled members, e.g. beams · CPC title

• B29L2031/085

  Wind turbine blades · CPC title

• B29D99/0028 Primary

  hollow blades · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title