Wind turbine rotor blade components and methods of making same

• US 9,945,355 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Senvion GmbH (Senvion SE)
• Original Assignee: Senvion GmbH (Senvion SE)
• Inventors: Gruhn, Joel D., Franklin, Ethan, Narasimhan, Kameshwaran
• Primary Examiner(s): Kraft, Logan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beebe, Joshua R
• Application Number:
  US15/055,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20160177921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 779 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/04 turbine or like blades from several pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/16 comprising fillers or reinforcement non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/023 with reinforcing inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/083 Combinations of continuous fibres or fibrous profiled structures oriented in one direction and reinforcements forming a two dimensional structure, e.g. mats B29D24/00, B29D99/001 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0028 hollow blades
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/085 Wind turbine blades
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0675 of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/00 Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/30 in turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2230/20 essentially without removing material
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/2211 of the multibladed, low speed, e.g. "American farm" type
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2280/6003 Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/74 Wind turbines with rotation axis perpendicular to the wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49337 Composite blade
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49632 Metal reinforcement member for nonmetallic, e.g., concrete, structural element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49787 Obtaining plural composite product pieces from preassembled workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4979 : Breaking through weakened portion

Abstract

A composite beam for a wind turbine blade includes a preform layer, the preform layer including multiple elongate strength rods arranged longitudinally relative to one another in a single layer, each strength rod being disposed adjacent to and spaced from at least one adjacent strength rod. Each strength rod has a rectangular cross section and includes multiple, substantially straight collimated structural fibers fixed in a solidified matrix resin. The preform layer includes at least one carrier layer to which the multiple strength rods are joined by an adhesive. The carrier layer spaces adjacent strength rods a fixed distance apart to facilitate the flow of liquid bonding resin between adjacent strength rods of the preform layer to its joined carrier layer, the carrier layer being of a permeable material suitable to facilitate the flow of liquid bonding resin through the carrier layer.

Claims

1. A composite beam for a wind turbine blade comprising:

a preform layer, the preform layer including multiple elongate strength rods arranged longitudinally relative to one another in a single layer, each strength rod being disposed adjacent to and spaced from at least one adjacent strength rod;

each strength rod having a rectangular cross section and including multiple, substantially straight collimated structural fibers fixed in a solidified matrix resin;

the preform layer including at least one carrier layer to which the multiple strength rods are joined by an adhesive;

wherein the carrier layer spaces adjacent strength rods a fixed distance apart to facilitate the flow of liquid bonding resin between adjacent strength rods of the preform layer to its joined carrier layer, the carrier layer being of a permeable material suitable to facilitate the flow of liquid bonding resin through the carrier layer.

2. The composite beam of claim 1, including an absence of material between each strength rod, the absence of material permitting flow of liquid bonding resin between adjacent strength members.

3. The composite beam of claim 1, wherein the carrier layer includes at least one of:

a nonwoven material and a woven material.

4. The composite beam of claim 3, wherein the at least one of a nonwoven material and a woven material is selected for its wettability and material compatibility.

5. The composite beam of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is an adhesive compatible with the liquid bonding resin.

6. The composite beam of claim 1, wherein each of the rectangular strength rods include rounded edges.

7. The composite beam of claim 6, wherein the rounded edges of the strength rods define an edge radius of curvature.

8. The composite beam of claim 7, wherein the edge radius is less than an upper limit of ¼

of the thickness of the rectangular strength rods.

9. The composite beam of claim 8, wherein the preform layer is stacked with one or more preform layers and wherein the edge radius is greater than ¼

of the spacing between individual preform layers.

10. The composite beam of claim 1, wherein the rectangular cross sections of each of the strength rods are substantially the same size.

11. The composite beam of claim 1, wherein the preform layer is stacked with one or more preform layers.

12. The composite beam of claim 11, wherein the stacked preform layers are stacked in a brick pattern.

13. The composite beam of claim 11, wherein the stacked preform layers are stacked in a column pattern.

14. The composite beam of claim 11, wherein the stacked preform layers are stacked in a random pattern.

15. The composite beam of claim 11, wherein the composite beam forms one or more of a spar cap, an I-beam, a shear web and other structural blade components of the wind turbine blade.

16. The composite beam of claim 1, wherein the carrier layer of the perform layer comprises at least one of a nonwoven material and a woven material having one or more of substantially unidirectional:

multiple fibers, multiple yarns and multiple rovings disposed at a substantially transverse orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the strength rods.