Vestas Wind Systems A/s

Andrew Hedges

Tomas Vronsky

Mark Hancock

Arne Haahr

Anton Bech

Jonathan Smith

Stephen Randall

Steve Wardropper

Peter Bøttcher

Toby Collard

Damien Rajasingam

James Smith

Byungwoo Lee

Rens Christiaan Verhoef

Christopher Boon

Robert Charles Preston

Robert Ernst

Anders Greve Bervang

Sean Keohan

Jens-Jørgen Hansen

Jed Richter

Lars Vinther Kappel

Morten Taulbjerg

Gary Holloway

Dennis Vigsø Jensen

Kim Sylvester Nielsen

Iordanis Masmanidis

Simon Kingsley

A wind turbine blade comprising: a first blade portion having a shell that defines a suction side, a pressure side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge of the blade, the first blade portion further including a first blade portion end surface at one end of the first blade portion; a second blade portion having a shell that defines a suction side, a pressure side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge of the blade, the second blade portion further including a second blade portion end surface at one end of the second blade portion, wherein the first blade portion and the second blade portion are configured to be coupled together at the first and second blade portion end surfaces; and a connection joint for coupling the first and second blade portions together, wherein the connection joint includes: a first insert embedded in the first blade portion; a fitting integral with the first insert and projecting from the first blade portion end surface toward the second blade portion end surface; a second insert embedded in the second blade portion; and a fastener arranged to fasten the second insert to the fitting.

Connection for split wind turbine blade

Improvements relating to wind turbine blade manufactureA method of making a wind turbine blade is described. The method involves providing a blade shell having an inner surface defining a mounting region and positioning a web in the mounting region. One or more web restraining devices are used to secure the position of the web in the mounting region. Each restraining device has a first portion attached to the web and a second portion attached to the inner surface of the blade shell. The 10 restraining devices are configured to prevent movement of the web in a first plane substantially parallel to the mounting region and to permit movement of the web in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the mounting region. The method further comprises moving the web in the second plane away from the mounting region and performing one or more preparatory operations on the mounting region with the webmoved away from the mounting region. The web is then repositioned in the mounting region by moving the web in the second plane back towards the mounting region.

Wind turbine blade manufacture

A method and apparatus () for assembling a reinforcement web () for use with a wind turbine blade () are provided. A pre-formed flange structure () to be integrated with laminate layers () to form the reinforcement web () is clamped into position against a mould end surface () using one or more locating clamps (). The locating clamps () include first and second clamp blocks () that are shaped to provide an external profile that avoids resin collection and bridging during resin injection molding, while allowing for clamping to be applied to the flange structure () with an easily assembled and disassembled removable engagement of the clamp blocks (). The locating clamp () prevents undesirable dislodgment of the flange structure () during the assembly process for the reinforcement web (), and without necessitating the use of complex or expensive molding equipment or processes.

Method and apparatus for assembling a reinforcement web for use in a wind turbine blade

A method of making a wind turbine blade is described. The wind turbine blade comprises first and second half shells joined together and a shear web bonded between inner surfaces of the respective half shells. The blade is made in a one-stage join up process, which involves supporting the half shells in respective mould halves, and arranging one of the half shells on top of the other half shell with the shear web arranged between the two half shells. Adhesive is provided between the shear web and the inner surfaces of the respective half shells. During the join-up process, the shear web is supported by stabilisers. The use of stabilisers avoids the need for a jig to support the shear web. Stabilisers attached to an inboard end of the shear web may remain accessible after the join-up and can be removed.

Relating to wind turbine blade manufacture

A wind turbine blade and associated method of manufacture is described. The blade comprises an outer shell formed of first and second half shells joined together. A shear web is arranged inside the outer shell. The shear web has a web panel disposed between first and second longitudinally-extending mounting flanges. The shear web is bonded to inner surfaces of the respective half shells via a first adhesive bond line between the first mounting flange and the inner surface of the first half shell and a second adhesive bond line between the second mounting flange and the inner surface of the second half shell. One or more bond spacers are provided in the second bond line, and optionally in the first bond line. The bond spacers are compressed between a shear web mounting flange and an inner surface of a half shell and are plastically deformed. The method of making the shear web involves compressing and the one or bond spacers in the bond line(s) such that they undergo plastic deformation. This results in high quality bond lines.

A method and apparatus for assembling a wind turbine blade () including first and second outer shell portions () and an internal web () are provided. An adhesive material () is applied to a top end () of the internal web () as well as the edges () of the first outer shell portion () for connection to the second outer shell portion (). Localized heat energy is applied to pre-cure the adhesive material () at the top end () of the internal web () before applying heat energy to fully cure all of the adhesive material () in the wind turbine blade (). The pre-curing is performed by a removable localized heater device (), and it assures that the integrity of the bond between the internal web () and the second outer shell portion () is maintained during the full curing of the blade (), when temporary thermal deformation of the outer shell () sometimes occurs.

Method and apparatus for assembling a wind turbine blade having an internal web

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.

Reinforcing structure for a wind turbine blade

A method of fabricating a composite joint from a first cured composite component () and a second cured composite component (), the first and second cured composite components () comprising fiber elements embedded in a thermoset resin matrix; the method comprising the steps of providing an adhesive () on at least one of the first and/or second composite components (); forming a joint region between the first and second composite component by bringing the first and second composite component into contact with each other with the adhesive () therebetween; applying a force to the joint region (); and heating the first composite component in the joint region to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the thermoset resin matrix of the first composite component.

Joining method of composite parts having a thermoset matrix, and wind turbine blade manufactured using this said method

A method of making a wind turbine blade in a blade mould is described. The wind turbine blade comprises a plurality of elongate reinforcing structures each comprising a stack of strips of fibre-reinforced polymeric material, and the method comprises: stacking strips of fibre-reinforced polymeric material to form a plurality of stacks (), each defining a longitudinal axis; aligning the stacks relative to one another in an alignment zone outside the blade mould; supporting the stacks to maintain their relative alignment; transferring the plurality of stacks into the blade mould simultaneously while maintaining the relative alignment of stacks as the stacks are transferred; and integrating the stacks with other blade materials forming the blade in the blade mould. An apparatus for use in the method is also described.

Wind turbine blades

An apparatus for positioning sheets of material in a wind turbine blade mold to form a shell of a wind turbine blade, the mold having a mold surface defining the profile of a portion of the shell, the apparatus comprising: a rail that, in use, is mounted proximate to the mold and follows a path in a direction along the longitudinal length of the mold; and a sheet mounting apparatus coupled to the rail, the mounting apparatus configured to releasably hold a sheet of material and to move along the rail.

Rail apparatus for wind turbine blade construction

A production system for a wind turbine component is described. The system includes an elongate mold assembly extending in a longitudinal direction, the mold assembly comprising a mold surface and having a width that varies in the longitudinal direction. First and second tracks are defined respectively on opposite longitudinal sides of the mold surface. The perpendicular distance between the respective tracks varies along the length of the track. A transport assembly is moveable relative the mold assembly in the longitudinal direction. The transport assembly includes a pair of side supports arranged to move along the respective tracks, and a gantry supported above the mold assembly by the side supports. The gantry extends transverse to the longitudinal direction. The transport assembly is configured such that the side supports move relative to one another in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction in accordance with the varying distance between the tracks as the transport assembly moves in the longitudinal direction.

Improvements relating to the manufacture of wind turbines

The invention relates to a structural mat for reinforcing a wind turbine blade structure. The structural mat comprises two or more groups of bonded fibers, the fibers being bonded by a matrix substantially preventing relative movement of said fibers and wherein said groups are connected to each other by connection means limiting the relative movement of said groups. The invention further relates to a wind turbine blade and a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade.

Structural mat for reinforcing a wind turbine blade structure, a wind turbine blade and a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade

The invention relates to a rotor blade for a wind turbine. The rotor blade comprises a shell and a spar forming a longitudinally extending hollow structure within the shell and comprising: a leading web, a trailing web, and one or more additional webs. Each additional web defines an intermediate portion between a hub end and a tip end. The intermediate portion of each additional web is spaced apart from the leading and trailing webs and at least one of the tip and the hub ends is connected to or integral with the leading or the trailing web. The invention further relates to a wind turbine comprising the rotor blade, and a method for manufacturing the rotor blade.

Rotor blade for a wind turbine and a method for making the same

A method for manufacturing a blade spar for a wind turbine blade includes positioning a first spar segment having a first adhering portion; positioning a second spar segment having a second adhering portion at the first spar segment such that the first adhering portion and the second adhering portion are at least partially overlapping, wherein an adhesive is at least partially provided between the overlapping adhering portions; providing at least one fiber layer impregnated with an uncured resin on the outer surfaces of the first and second spar segments at least in the joint region of the first and second spar segments; and simultaneously curing the adhesive and the resin, thereby fixating the first and the second spar segments to each other.

Method for manufacturing a blade spar for a wind turbine

The invention provides a method of manufacturing a spar for a wind turbine blade. The method includes providing at least two caps, each cap forming an intermediate portion between two end portions, where the end portions each forms a cap joint surface portion along a longitudinal extending edge of the end portion and the intermediate portion forms an outer surface portion of the spar, providing at least two webs, each web being provided with web joint surface portions along opposite and longitudinally extending edges, and connecting the joint surface portions of the caps with the joint surface portions of the webs to form a tubular configuration of the spar. The caps are provided so that the end portions extend transversely to the intermediate portion and the caps are arranged relative to each other so that the end portions of one cap extend from the intermediate portion towards the end portions of another cap.

Growing community of inventors

Southhampton, United Kingdom

Andrew Hedges