Vestas Wind Systems A/s

Vestas Wind Svstems A/s

Anton Bech

Mark Hancock

Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer

Frank A Hoelgaard Hahn

Jesper Lykkegaard Andersen

Peter Frans Thomsen

Gunnar K Storgaard Pedersen

Andrew Hedges

Christian Skov Frederiksen

Rens Christiaan Verhoef

Jens Demtrôder

Gerner Larsen

Tomas Vronsky

Steve Wardropper

Ivar J B K Jensen

Lasse Lykkegaard

Jens Demtröder

Michael Lundgaard Bitsch

Karl Gregory

Paul Hibbard

Aksel Petersen

Jens Demtroder

Christopher Boon

Anders Greve Bervang

Klaus Lynge Petersen

Raul Garcia Tapia

Adrian Gill

Keld Lyager Jensen

Gerry Madden

Poul Valsgaard

Henrik Aarup

Michael Heuer

Sönke Harders

Birger Keseler

Knud Stenbæk Nielsen

Jesper-Lykkegaard Andersen

A wind turbine blade assembly comprising: a first wind turbine blade portion having a first attachment portion and a first metallic plate, a second wind turbine blade portion having a second attachment portion and a second metallic plate, and at least one tension member for coupling to the first and second attachment portions to join the first wind turbine blade portion to the second wind turbine blade portion, wherein the first and second metallic plates are configured to abut in compression due to tension in the tension member when the first wind turbine blade portion is joined to the second wind turbine blade portion with the at least one tension member. Also, a method of joining blade portions to construct a blade.

Wind turbine blade assembly

There is disclosed a method of balancing a set of first and second modular blade sections for a set of blades of a rotor of a wind turbine. The method comprises determining a mass moment of the first and second blade sections, the mass moment being determined about an axis equivalent to an axis of rotation of a hub of the turbine when the blade section is assembled onto the hub. A plurality of blade section groupsare defined, each comprising a first blade section of the set and at least one second blade section of the set, each blade section group having a blade section group mass moment about the axis. The first blade section and the at least one second blade section in each group are selected so as to satisfy a minimised total ballast condition, to minimise balancing ballast to be added to the set as a whole, or a minimisedballasting difference condition, to minimise the difference in balancing ballast added to different blades, or both.

Method of balancing turbine blades

A method of installing a rotor on a nacelle () on a wind turbine generally includes providing a rotor hub counterweight assembly (') which are rotated and lifted from a downtower location to an uptower location at which wind turbine blades () are progressively attached and the counterweights (), (&#x2032;) are progressively removed. The rotor hub and counterweight assembly (&#x2032;) for use when installing a rotor on a wind turbine () generally includes a rotor hub () having first, second and third flanges (), a first counterweight (&#x2032;), a second counterweight (&#x2032;), and a lifting apparatus connecting member (&#x2032;). A lifting apparatus connecting member () is configured with at least two connection points () being configured for allowing at least two of three operations including installation, rotating and lifting the rotor hub (), and removal of the lifting apparatus connecting member (&#x2032;).

Method of installing a rotor on a wind turbine, a rotor hub and counterweight assembly, and a lifting apparatus connecting member

A method of handling a wind turbine component for assembly or maintenance, comprising moving one or more unmanned air vehicles to respective positions proximal to a wind turbine component so that the wind turbine component can be supported by the one or more unmanned air vehicles; and controlling the one or more unmanned air vehicles to lift the wind turbine component and manoeuvre said component with respect to a wind turbine. The invention extends to a system for handling a component of a wind turbine, comprising a plurality of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs); a UAV ground station computer system; and one or more lifting harnesses for carrying by the plurality of unmanned air vehicles.

System and method for handling wind turbine components for assembly thereof

A connecting joint for attaching a wind turbine blade to a rotor hub includes an insert configured to be coupled to the wind turbine blade. The insert includes a main body having an outer surface configured to interface with the blade, a first tubular extension extending from the main body and having inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade, and a second tubular extension extending away from the main body and having inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade. A wind turbine blade having such a connecting joint is also disclosed. Additionally, a method of making a wind turbine blade including the connecting joint is disclosed.

Joint for connecting a wind turbine rotor blade to a rotor hub and associated method

A wind turbine rotor blade includes an elongate body having a root end configured to be coupled to a rotor hub of a wind turbine. The rotor blade further includes a connection joint at the root end for connecting the rotor blade to the rotor hub. The connection joint includes a plurality of connecting elements integrated into the root end of the rotor blade and including an eye that defines a bore through the root end of the rotor blade. The connecting elements may be formed from folded fiber rovings wherein the fold forms the eye. A method of making a rotor blade having the connecting element integrated therein, and a method of making the connecting elements are also disclosed.

Joint for connecting a wind turbine rotor blade to a rotor hub and associated methods

A wind turbine blade includes a first blade section and a second blade section configured to be coupled together at a joint interface. The blade further includes a connection joint for coupling the first and second blade sections together. The connection joint includes a plurality of connecting elements integrated into the first and second blade sections at the first and second blade interfaces. The connection joint further includes cross pins and fasteners for making the connection. A method of making a wind turbine blade section and a wind turbine blade made from such sections are also disclosed.

Connection joint for a sectional wind turbine rotor blade and associated methods

A connecting joint for attaching a wind turbine rotor blade to a rotor hub includes a bolt having a blade end configured to be coupled to the rotor blade and a hub end configured to be coupled to the rotor hub. The bolt includes a neck region adjacent the blade end, wherein the neck region has a cross dimension less than a cross dimension of the blade end of the bolt. A wind turbine blade having such a connecting joint is also disclosed. Additionally, a method of making the connecting joint is disclosed.

A method of making a wind turbine blade is described. The blade comprises an outer shell having a laminate structure. The method comprises providing a blade mould () defining a shape of at least part of the outer shell of the blade. The mould extends in a spanwise direction between a root end () and a tip end (), and extends in a chordwise direction between a leading edge () and a trailing edge (). The method further includes providing a plurality of dry plies () comprising dry structural fibrous material and a plurality of prepreg () plies comprising structural fibrous material impregnated with resin. The plurality of dry plies and the plurality of prepreg plies are arranged in the mould to form a plurality of layers of the laminate structure of the outer shell of the blade. The plies are arranged in the mould such that the dry plies are interleaved with the prepreg plies to form a hybrid shell structure in which the plies are arranged in a staggered relationship such that corresponding edges of the dry plies are offset from one another in the spanwise and/or chordwise direction of the mould and/or corresponding edges of the prepreg plies are offset from one another in the spanwise and/or chordwise direction of the mould.

Manufacture of wind turbine blades

A shear web for a wind turbine blade is described. The shear web comprises a panel and a web head. A longitudinal edge of the panel is received within a slot defined in the web head. A plurality of discrete spring features are attached to the longitudinal edge of the panel. The spring features are mutually spaced apart at intervals along the length of the longitudinal edge. The spring features compress against a base of the slot when the longitudinal edge region of the panel is inserted into the slot.

Wind turbine blades

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade or a part of a wind turbine blade. The method comprises arranging at least one of layer of uncured resin pre-impregnated fibres, called prepregs, and at least one layer of cured fibre reinforced resin in an at least partly overlaying relationship, and curing the resin of the at least one layer comprising uncured resin. The at least one layer of cured fibre reinforced resin is assembled with at least one layer of uncured resin-preimpregnated fibres prior to being placed on a moulding surface. The method may e.g. be used to manufacture a wind turbine blade shell member or a wind turbine blade spar member. The invention further relates to a wind turbine blade shell member or a wind turbine blade spar member manufactured by such a method. The invention further relates to a pre-form for use in a wind turbine blade, the pre-form comprising at least one of layer of uncured resin pre-impregnated fibres and at least one layer of cured fibre reinforced resin in an at least partly overlaying relationship.

Method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade by embedding a layer of pre-cured fibre reinforced resin

Apparatus for manipulating a wind turbine blade and method of blade handling An apparatus for manipulating a wind turbine blade having fixed lifting points () on the blade has a blade turner base (), a frame like support structure () carried on the base and connecting structures such as brackets () which engage in the lifting points () on the blade extending into openings in the blade, the support structure () having a part-circular portion or periphery at which it connects to the base, being movably supported on the base so as to rotate relative thereto about a substantially horizontal axis in order to vary the orientation of a blade supported thereon.

Apparatus for manipulating a wind turbine blade and method of blade handling

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.

A wind turbine blade comprising a lightning protection system is provided. The lightning protection system comprises a lightning conductor located along a longitudinal portion of the wind turbine blade and is coupled to an electrical ground. A lightning receptor module is arranged on an external surface of the wind turbine blade and electrically coupled to the lightning conductor. An elongate receptor band is installed on the external surface of the wind turbine blade, over the lightning receptor module, and the receptor band is arranged to receive a stroke of lightning and transfer electrical current from the lightning stroke to the lightning conductor through the lightning receptor module. Further, the elongate receptor band comprises a crease in a longitudinal cross-sectional profile of the elongate receptor band. A method of installing a lightning protection system on a wind turbine blade is further provided.

Wind turbine blade and method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade

A system for a wind turbine rotor blade, the system includes a pitch system that has a pitch bearing and a wind turbine hub, the bearing being attached to the hub and being attachable to a wind turbine rotor blade, and also including a pitch gear coupled to the pitch system. The pitch gear includes a first discrete segment and one or more other discrete segments, each segment having a plurality of teeth for engaging with and actuator such as a pinion. At least the first segment is held in place by releasable fasteners and extends along the pitch gear by a predetermined amount. The predetermined amount that the first segment extends along the pitch gear is determined based on anticipated wear of the pitch gear.

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Ringkøbing, Denmark

Anton Bech