MODULAR WIND TURBINE BLADES WITH RESISTANCE HEATED BONDS

• US 20090148300A1
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Livingston, Jamie T., Lin, Wendy W., Driver, Howard D.
• Application Number:
  US11/953,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20090148300A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/223.R
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3412 comprising fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3416 comprising discontinuous fibre-reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/342 comprising at least a single wire, e.g. in the form of a winding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/344 being a woven or non-woven fabric or being a mesh
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3444 being a ribbon, band or strip
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3468 characterised by the means for supplying heat to said heated elements which remain in the join, e.g. special electrical connectors of windings B29C65/3668 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3476 being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3484 being non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3492 being carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3612 comprising fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3616 comprising discontinuous fibre-reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/362 comprising at least a single wire, e.g. in the form of a winding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/364 being a woven or non-woven fabric or being a mesh
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3644 being a ribbon, band or strip
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3676 being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/368 with a polymer coating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3684 being non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/481 Non-reactive adhesives, e.g. physically hardening adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4815 Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/483 Reactive adhesives, e.g. chemically curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4835 : Heat curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4855 : characterised by their physical properties, e.g. being electrically-conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4865 : containing additives C09J11/00 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4875 : being spherical, e.g. particles or powders
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/488 : being longitudinal, e.g. fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4885 : characterised by their composition being non-plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/489 : being metals
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5057 : positioned between the surfaces to be joined B29C65/5035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 : Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1222 : comprising at least a lapped joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1224 : comprising at least a butt joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 : Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 : Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 : characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72141 : Fibres of continuous length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 : characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7394 : characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoset
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/10 : Thermosetting resins
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 : Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2305/00 : Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, as reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/082 : Blades, e.g. for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/085 : Wind turbine blades
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/065 : characterised by their construction elements F03D13/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2280/4007 : Thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2280/6002 : Woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2280/6013 : Fibres
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2225/08 : Thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2253/025 : woven
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2253/16 : Fibres
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 : Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A blade for a wind turbine includes a first structural component; a second structural component; and at least one conductive bond for joining the first and second structural components.

Claims

1. A blade for a wind turbine, comprising:

a first structural component;

a second structural component; and

at least one conductive bond for joining the first and second structural components.

2. The blade recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one conductive bond comprises a conductive material and a material selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic material and a thermosetting resin.

3. The blade recited in claim 2 wherein the conductive material is embedded in the thermosetting resin.

4. The blade recited in claim 2 wherein the conductive material comprises a at least one wire.

5. The blade recited in claim 4 wherein the at least one wire comprises a plurality of metallic wires that are woven together.

6. The blade recited in claim 2 wherein the conductive material is laid over the thermosetting resin.

7. The blade recited in claim 6 wherein the conductive material comprises at least one of wires.

8. The blade recited in claim 7 wherein the at least one wire comprises a plurality of metallic wires that are woven together.

9. The blade recited in claim 1 wherein the first structural component comprises a thermoplastic skin and the second structural component comprises thermosetting substructure for supporting the skin.

10. The blade recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one bond further comprises a strip of thermoplastic material secured to the thermosetting substructure.

11. A wind generator, comprising:

a tower for supporting a drive train with a rotor;

a gearbox, connected to the rotor, for driving an electrical generator;

at least one blade, connected to the rotor, for driving the gearbox;

wherein the blade comprises;

a first structural component;

a second structural component; and

at least one conductive bond for joining the first and second structural components.

12. The wind generator recited in claim 11 wherein the at least one conductive bond comprises a conductive material and a material selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic material and a thermosetting resin.

13. The wind generator recited in claim 12 wherein the conductive material is embedded in the thermosetting resin.

14. The wind generator recited in claim 12 wherein the conductive material comprises at least one wire.

15. The wind generator recited in claim 14 wherein the at least one wire comprises plurality of metallic wires that are woven together.

16. The wind generator recited in claim 12 wherein the conductive material is laid over the thermosetting resin.

17. The wind generator recited in claim 16 wherein the conductive material comprises at least one wire.

18. The wind generator recited in claim 17 wherein the at least one wire comprises a plurality of metallic wires that are woven together.

19. The wind generator recited in claim 11 wherein the first structural components comprises a thermoplastic skin and the second structural component comprises thermosetting substructure for supporting the skin.

20. The wind turbine blade recited in claim 19, wherein the at least one bond further comprises a strip of thermoplastic material secured to the thermosetting substructure.