WIND TURBINE BLADE SHEAR WEB CONNECTION ASSEMBLY

• US 20120027612A1
• Filed: 07/19/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Yarbrough, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 8,393,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/226
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/065 characterised by their construction elements F03D13/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0675 of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A wind turbine blade has upper and lower shell members with a respective spar cap configured on an internal face of the shell members. A shear web extends between the spar caps along a longitudinal length of the blade. A connection assembly is configured between the transverse ends of the shear web and the spar caps. The connection assembly includes a spacer member configured on the spar cap. A male/female engagement interface is defined between transverse end of the shear web and the spacer member, and includes an axial extension length to accommodate for variances in shear web length.

Claims

1. A wind turbine blade, comprising:

an upper shell member having a spar cap configured on an internal face thereof;

a lower shell member having a spar cap configured on an internal face thereof;

a shear web extending between said spar caps along a longitudinal length of said blade;

a connection assembly between transverse ends of said shear web and said spar caps, said connection assembly further comprising;

a spacer member configured on said spar cap; and

a male/female engagement interface between said transverse end of said shear web and said spacer member;

wherein said male/female interface comprises an axial extension length to accommodate for shear web length variances.

2. The wind turbine blade of claim 1, further comprising bond paste between in said male/female engagement interface between said transverse end of said spar cap and said spacer member.

3. The wind turbine blade of claim 2, wherein said male/female interface comprises a male member that resides within a female recess, said bond paste extending axially along said male member in said recess.

4. The wind turbine blade of claim 3, wherein said male member is encased in said bond paste within said female recess.

5. The wind turbine blade of claim 3, wherein said male member is defined on said spacer member, and said female recess is defined in said transverse end of said shear web.

6. The wind turbine blade of claim 3, wherein said female recess is defined in said spacer member, and said male member is defined on said transverse end of said shear web.

7. The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein said spacer member has a width at said engagement interface that is greater than a width of said shear web at said engagement interface.

8. The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein said engagement interface comprises an axial engagement section between a male member within a female recess and a transverse width engagement section.

10. The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein said spacer member is separately formed and bonded to said spar cap.

11. The wind turbine blade of claim 1, wherein said spacer member is an integrally formed component of said spar cap.

9. The wind turbine blade of claim 9, wherein said transverse width engagement section extends from opposite sides of said axial engagement section.