Shear web for a wind turbine blade and method of making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338787-B2
Application number	US-202218571100-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2022
Priority date	Jun 16, 2021
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A shear web for a wind turbine blade includes a lower flange, an upper flange and a web structure extending between the lower and upper flanges, wherein at least one of the lower flange, upper flange, and the web structure includes an open lattice structure having a plurality of elongate fibrous composite spindles intersecting each other at multiple nodes of the structure. A method of making the shear web using a continuous fiber-reinforced additive manufacturing method is also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shear web for a wind turbine blade, comprising:
a lower flange;
an upper flange; and
a web structure extending between the lower and upper flanges,
wherein at least one of the lower flange, upper flange, and the web structure includes an open lattice structure having a plurality of elongate fibrous composite spindles intersecting each other at multiple nodes of the open lattice structure, the web structure includes a three-dimensional open lattice structure, and wherein the plurality of elongate fibrous composite spindles extends in three dimensions, and
wherein the web structure comprises:
a plurality of first open lattice panels, each of the plurality of first panels including a plurality of spindles extending within a plane defined by each of the plurality of first panels; and
a second plurality of open lattice panels, each of the plurality of second panels including a plurality of spindles extending within a plane defined by each of the plurality of second panels,
wherein the plurality of first panels intersects the plurality of second panels at multiple nodes to define the three-dimensional open lattice structure,
wherein the plurality of first panels and the plurality of second panels are arranged perpendicular to one another, and
wherein the plurality of first panels each extend in a first panel plane in a spanwise direction of the wind turbine blade and the plurality of second panels each extend in a second panel plane in a chordwise direction of the wind turbine blade.

2. The shear web of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first panels defines a first extension direction and includes a plurality of spindles non-perpendicular to the first extension direction.

3. The shear web of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of first panels further includes a plurality of spindles perpendicular to the first extension direction.

4. The shear web of claim 1 , wherein in a first extension direction, a density of spindles in high load regions of the shear web is greater than the density of spindles in low load regions of the shear web.

5. The shear web of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of second panels defines a second extension direction and includes a plurality of spindles non-perpendicular to the second extension direction.

6. The shear web of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of second panels further includes a plurality of spindles perpendicular to the second extension direction.

7. The shear web of claim 5 , wherein a distribution of spindles is uniform in the second extension direction.

8. The shear web of claim 7 , wherein in the second extension direction, a density of spindles is uniform.

9. The shear web of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second panels is non-uniformly distributed in a first extension direction.

10. The shear web of claim 9 , wherein in the first extension direction, a density of second panels in high load regions of the shear web is greater than the density of second panels in low load regions of the shear web.

11. The shear web of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the lower and upper flanges includes an open lattice panel oriented to extend in a first extension direction.

12. The shear web of claim 11 , wherein the open lattice panel forming the at least one of the lower and upper flanges includes a plurality of spindles relative to the first extension direction.

13. The shear web of claim 12 , wherein a distribution of spindles is non-uniform in the first extension direction based on a load condition of the shear web.

14. The shear web of claim 13 , wherein in the first extension direction, a density of spindles in high load regions of the shear web is greater than the spindles in low load regions of the shear web.

15. The shear web of claim 1 , wherein an end of the lower and upper flanges of the shear web which is configured to be located adjacent a root end of the wind turbine blade includes an extension tab.

16. The shear web of claim 15 , wherein the extension tab includes a widened portion configured to increase a bonding surface area of the shear web.

17. The shear web of claim 15 , wherein in a transition region adjacent the end of the lower and upper flanges of the shear web, the spindles extending from the lower and upper flanges have a scalloped configuration.

18. The shear web of claim 1 , wherein the web structure has a laminate composite construction, wherein the lower and upper flanges have a laminate composite construction or pultruded construction, and wherein the open lattice structure is formed on at least one surface of the lower flange, upper flange, and the web structure.

19. The shear web of claim 18 , wherein the web structure includes first and second opposed surfaces, and wherein the open lattice structure is formed on each surface of the web structure.

20. The shear web of claim 18 , wherein each of the lower and upper flanges includes an outer surface, and wherein the open lattice structure is formed on the outer surface of each of the lower and upper flanges.

21. A wind turbine blade comprising:
a shear web, comprising:
a lower flange;
an upper flange; and
a web structure extending between the lower and upper flanges, wherein at least one of the lower flange, upper flange, and the web structure includes an open lattice structure having a plurality of elongate fibrous composite spindles intersecting each other at multiple nodes of the open lattice structure, wherein the web structure includes a three-dimensional open lattice structure, and wherein the plurality of elongate fibrous composite spindles extends in three dimensions, and wherein the web structure further comprises:
a plurality of first open lattice panels, each of the plurality of first panels including a plurality of spindles extending within a plane defined by each of the plurality of first panels; and
a second plurality of open lattice panels, each of the plurality of second panels including a plurality of spindles extending within a plane defined by each of the plurality of second panels,
wherein the plurality of first panels intersects the plurality of second panels at multiple nodes to define the three-dimensional open lattice structure, and
wherein each of the plurality of first panels defines a first extension direction and includes a plurality of spindles non-perpendicular to the first extension direction, and a distribution of spindles is non-uniform in the first extension direction.

22. The wind turbine blade of claim 21 , wherein the blade further comprises a first blade section and a second blade section configured to be joined at a connection interface,
wherein the first and second blade sections include a first shear web portion and a second shear web portion, respectively,
wherein at least the web structure of the first shear web portion and the web structure of the second shear web portion are configured to connect with each other in a nesting relationship when the first and second blade sections are joined together; and
wherein an arrangement of the spindles in the web structure of the first shear web portion and an arrangement of the spindles in the web structure of the second shear web portion are such that spindles of the shear web are aligned across the connection interface.

23. A method of making a shear web for a wind turbine blade, comprising:
providing a lower flange;
providing an upper flange;
providing a web structure configured to e

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Randall Stephen
• Haight Jeremy

Classifications

• F05B2280/6003

  Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced · CPC title

• F05B2240/302

  Segmented or sectional blades · CPC title

• F05B2230/23

  by permanently joining parts together · CPC title

• B29K2105/08

  of continuous length, e.g. cords, rovings, mats, fabrics, strands or yarns · CPC title

• B29D99/0028

  hollow blades · CPC title