Vestas Wind Systems A/s

Stephen Sandercock

Jonathan Smith

Steve Wardropper

Olav Davis

Toby Collard

Damien Rajasingam

Houriyeh Marashi

Richard Evans

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a wind turbine blade comprising a shell and a shear web connected between a windward inner surface of the shell and a leeward inner surface of the shell. The shear web comprises an elongate web panel and a load-bearing flange extending transversely from a first side of the web panel to connect the shear web to the windward or leeward inner surface of the shell. The blade further comprises at least one non-structural flange extending transversely from a second side of the web panel. The non-structural flange has a substantially planar adhesive-receiving portion arranged in opposed relation to the windward or leeward inner surface of the shell. The load-bearing flange and the non-structural flange are formed of different materials.

Wind turbine blade with improved adhesive joint between shear web and shell

A positioning jig () and a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade comprising moulding a first and a second blade shell portion in respective first and second mould tools; positioning a shear web () in a spanwise direction within a first shell portion () in a said first mould tool (); anchoring said shear web in position in said first shell portion; and closing said second shell portion () over said first shell portion to thereby generate a wind turbine blade shell defining a chordwise extent between a in trailing edge and a leading edge thereof, and a spanwise extent between a root region and a tip thereof and wherein said shear web, bordered by a first () and a second longitudinal edge, extends in a thickness direction of said blade; said method further comprising: providing a positioning jig; and securing said positioning jig to said shear web, prior to its introduction into said first shell portion and guiding said shear web into its predetermined standing position in said first shell portion, with its first longitudinal edge adjacent said first shell portion, by engaging a reference surface () of said positioning jig with a locating surface () at said first mould tool thereby to bring said positioning jig into its guide position with said shear web in its predetermined standing position; and removing said positioning jig from said first mould tool prior to closing said second shell portion over said first shell portion. A shear web, especially an upper edge thereof, may be additionally secured to the blade shell using ligaments () prior to removal of the positioning jig.

Wind turbine blade manufacturing method or apparatus

A method of making a wind turbine blade incorporating a lightning protection system includes providing a blade mold; arranging a protruding element in the mold; arranging an electrically conductive layer over the protruding element; arranging one or more structural layers and/or structural components over the conductive layer; consolidating the layers under vacuum to form a blade shell having the conductive layer proximate an outer surface of the shell; separating the protruding element from the blade shell to define a recess with the conductive layer extending into the recess; providing an electrical component adjacent an inner surface of the shell; and electrically connecting the conductive layer to the component. An end portion of the connecting member is housed in the recess such that a surface of the connecting member abuts the conductive layer inside the recess.

Wind turbine blade having a lightning protection system and method of making the same

A composite component () such as a shear web for a wind turbine blade is described. The component comprises a molded laminate () formed from one or more fibrous layers () integrated by resin and defining a laminate edge (). An edging strip () is located adjacent to the laminate edge () and is integrated with the laminate. In a particular example, the edging () is made from closed-cell foam. Accordingly, resin does not permeate into the bulk of the edging () during the molding process. After the molding process, a portion () of the edging () is removed to reveal an exposed, substantially resin-free surface of the edging which defines a safety edge () of the component.

Composite component having safety edge

Method of making a spar cap includes: providing a plurality of composite strips, each strip being of constant cross section defined by first and second sides and edges, the first and second sides comprising first and second abutment surfaces, the strip being of uniform thickness between the abutment surfaces, a first edge region of the strip comprising a first edge being of relatively reduced thickness, the first side of the strip comprising an edge surface, and the strip having a peel ply layer at least partially covering the first abutment surface and the edge surface; removing the peel ply layers; stacking the strips such that the first abutment surface abuts an abutment surface of an adjacent strip to define an interface region, such that a clearance region is defined; supplying resin to the respective clearance regions and causing the resin to infiltrate into the interface regions; and curing the resin.

Wind turbine blades and method of manufacturing the same

A method of aligning shear webs for the construction of a wind turbine blade is provided. The method comprises providing one or more jigs (), each configured to receive one or more spacer elements () and providing one or more spacer elements (). First and second shear web panels are placed on the one or more jigs () to align them. The first and second shear web panels are restrained relative to each other and are separated by the one or more spacer elements. The first and second shear web panels are then removed together with the one or more spacer elements from the jig. A corresponding apparatus is also provided.

Turbine blade shear web alignment

An apparatus () is provided for forming a trailing edge () of a wind turbine blade having first and second shells (). The first and second shells define a gap therebetween, and the apparatus has a first mold component () that is adapted to form the first or second shell, and an engaging element (). The engaging element is configured to securely support a trailing edge component to be coupled to the first and second shells. The engaging element is coupled to the first mold component. The apparatus may additionally include a second mold component () that is adapted to form the other of the first or second shells and which is coupled to the first mold component. In this embodiment, the first and second mold components have a closed position in which the first and second shells are closed over one another so as to define a generally closed profile of the wind turbine blade.

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Ryde, United Kingdom

Stephen Sandercock