Vestas Wind Systems A/s

Lm Wind Power A/s

Blade Dynamics Limited

Christopher Boon

Anton Bech

Andrew Hedges

Olav Davis

Anders Greve Bervang

Kristen Hanrahan

John Pedersen

Jasper Knoblock

Tanner Knoblock

A method of making shear webs () for a wind turbine blade () is described. The method comprises providing an elongate male mould tool () having a longitudinally-extending upper mould surface () and a longitudinally-extending first side wall (). A shim () is provided adjacent and attached to the first side wall () of the mould tool (). The shim () has an inner surface () facing towards the first side wall (), an outer surface () facing away from the first side wall (), and an upper surface () defining an extension of the upper mould surface (). A flange structure () is provided that comprises a flange portion and a projecting portion (). The projecting portion () extends along the length of the flange portion and projects transversely from a surface of the flange portion. Fibrous reinforcing material is arranged on the upper mould surface (). The flange structure () is arranged with respect to the mould tool () such that the projecting portion () at least partially overlies the upper surface () of the shim () and the flange portion at least partially overlies the outer surface () of the shim (). The fibrous reinforcing material is integrated with the projecting portion () of the flange structure () by means of a matrix material to form the shear web (). The shear web () is removed from the mould tool () with the shim () remaining attached to the mould tool ().

Method and apparatus for making a shear web

A method of making a wind turbine blade having at least one pultruded strip of fibrous reinforcing material integrated with a shell of the blade is described. The method comprises the steps of: providing at a first location a feed apparatus for dispensing a pultruded strip of fibrous reinforcing material; supporting a coiled pultruded strip of fibrous reinforcing material for rotation in the feed apparatus; causing the coiled strip to rotate in the feed apparatus at the first location; and feeding a free end of the strip from the feed apparatus in a feed direction towards a second location remote from the first location. An associated feed apparatus for use in the method is also described.

Wind turbine blades

A method of making a longitudinal reinforcing structure for a wind turbine blade. The method comprises a) providing an elongate master strip () of reinforcing material having substantially flat first and second surfaces, the distance between the first and second surfaces defining the thickness of the master strip; and b) dividing the master strip transversely to form a first strip and a shorter master strip, the respective strips being arranged end to end such that a trailing end of the first strip is located adjacent a new leading end of the master strip. The step of dividing the master strip comprises removing material from a dividing region extending through the entire thickness of the master strip, wherein the dividing region is shaped such that a chamfer () at the trailing end () of the first strip is created and a chamfer () at the new leading end () of the master strip is created when the master strip is divided.

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.

Growing community of inventors

Cowes, United Kingdom

Christopher Boon