General Electric Company

Ge Infrastructure Technology, LLC

Ge Vernova Infrastructure Technology LLC

Lm Wind Power A/s

Lm Wind Power US Technology Aps

General Electric Renovables Espana, S.l.

Collin McKee Sheppard

James Robert Tobin

Ryan Eric Vogel

Lauren Laurer Watts

Norman Arnold Turnquist

Biao Fang

Pascal Meyer

Xiaopeng Li

Christopher James Kenny

Fulton Jose Lopez

Darren John Danielsen

Gregory Edward Cooper

Pranav Agarwal

Samuel Bryan Shartzer

Bernard P Landa

Raed Zuhair Hasan

Juan Pablo Cilia

Andrew McCalip

Boobalan Ayyasamy

Dhanushkodi Durai Mariappan

Nikolina Kourteva Kristeva

Hongyi Zhou

Huijuan Dai

Bernard Landa

Nikolina Kristeva

A system and method are provided for manufacturing a tower structure. Accordingly, a first printed layer of a wall element is deposited with a printhead assembly, and an actual midline perimeter length of the first printed layer is determined. A horizontal reinforcement assembly is then formed based, at least in part, on the actual midline perimeter length. The formed horizontal reinforcement assembly is positioned in a horizontal orientation on the first printed layer and in axial alignment with the vertical axis of the tower structure. With the horizontal reinforcement assembly positioned on the first printed layer, a second printed layer of the wall element is deposited via the printhead assembly on the horizontal reinforcement layer.

System and method for manufacturing a tower structure

A system for manufacturing a panel includes a support frame, a first caul plate arranged atop the support frame, a second caul plate arranged atop the first caul plate, and a heating assembly having a housing defining an inlet and an outlet. The housing includes one or more heaters. The heater(s) is configured to generate heat and the housing is configured to generate a first pressurized gas film. Thus, one or more layers of material to be consolidated may be placed between the first and second caul plates and drawn through the heating assembly as the heating assembly applies pressure to the one or more layers of material to be consolidated via the first pressurized gas film in combination with applying the heat via the one or more heaters, thereby consolidating the panel.

System and method for manufacturing panels for use in wind turbine rotor blade components

A method for manufacturing a tower structure, the method including printing and depositing, with at least one variable-width deposition nozzle of a printhead assembly, one or more layers of at least one wall element of the tower structure, the at least one wall element having an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface. The method also including forming, with the at least one variable-width deposition nozzle, at least one void into the at least one wall element. The method also including placing at least one reinforcement member within the at least one void so as to position the at least one reinforcement member closer to a neutral axis of the at least one wall element than at least one of the outer circumferential surface or the inner circumferential surface.

A method of joining first and second blade components of a rotor blade of a wind turbine includes providing corresponding first and second positioning elements at an interface of the first and second blade components. The method also includes aligning and securing the first positioning element of the first blade component with the second positioning element of the second blade component so as to temporarily secure the first and second blade components together. Further, the corresponding first and second positioning elements maintain a desired spacing between the first and second blade components. Moreover, the method includes permanently securing the first and second blade components together such that the desired spacing is maintained between the first and second blade components.

Methods of joining blade components of wind turbine rotor blades using positioning elements

The present application presents novel systems and methods for tracking reinforcement member placement in an additively manufactured structure that are simple, accurate, non-labor-intensive, and cost-effective. The present application also presents a novel method of manufacturing a tower structure comprising: depositing, via an additive printing system, a first printed layer of a wall with a printhead assembly, the wall at least partially circumscribing a vertical axis of the tower structure; positioning a first reinforcement member on the first printed layer; depositing, via the additive printing system, a second printed layer of the wall with the printhead assembly on the first reinforcement member, the second printed layer configured to hold a second reinforcement member thereon; and determining, via an optical sensor of the additive printing system, a position for placing the second reinforcement member based on the first reinforcement member positioning.

System and method for tracking reinforcement member placement in an additively manufactured structure

A gear system includes a carrier having a first portion and a separate, second portion and a plurality of pin shafts extending from the first portion of the carrier. Each of the plurality of pin shafts includes a first end and a second end. As such, the first ends are integrally formed with the first portion of the carrier. The first and second portions are arranged on opposing sides of the plurality of pin shafts and are spaced apart such that the first and second portions do not contact each other. Further, the second portion of the carrier defines an end plate that is secured to the second ends of the plurality of pin shafts. The gear system also includes a plurality of gears mounted to the plurality of pin shafts, with each of the plurality of gears arranged so as to rotate around one of the plurality of pin shafts.

Wind turbine gearbox carrier with integrated pin shafts and method of manufacturing same

A method for controlling loads of a wind turbine includes receiving sensor signals from one or more sensors being indicative of a movement of a nacelle of the wind turbine from a reference point. More particularly, the movement corresponds, at least, to a tilt and/or a displacement of the wind turbine tower and/or nacelle. The method also includes generating a deflection profile of the tower along its overall length from a bottom end to a top end thereof based on the sensor signals. Further, the method includes determining at least one of a thrust or a tower load of the wind turbine from the deflection profile. In addition, the method includes implementing a control action for the wind turbine based on the thrust and/or the tower load.

System and method for controlling thrust and/or tower loads of a wind turbine

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Greenville, SC, United States of America

Collin McKee Sheppard