Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes 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, and a shear web assembly extending between the spar caps along a longitudinal length of the rotor blade. The shear web assembly includes, at least, a first shear web and a second shear web. The first shear web starts at a blade root of the rotor blade and extends to an intermediate span location. The second shear web overlaps the first shear web at the intermediate span location and extends towards a blade tip of the rotor blade so as to provide increase torsional rigidity to the rotor blade.

Abstract: Rotor blades and methods for joining shear clips in wind turbine rotor blades are provided. A method includes positioning the shear clip adjacent a shear web of the rotor blade, the shear clip including a thermoplastic resin, the shear web including a thermoplastic resin. The method further includes welding the thermoplastic resin of the shear clip and the thermoplastic resin of the shear web together. The method further includes positioning the shear clip adjacent a spar cap of the rotor blade, the spar cap including a thermoplastic resin. The method further includes welding the thermoplastic resin of the shear clip and the thermoplastic resin of the spar cap together. The method further includes joining the shear web and the spar cap together.

Abstract: A joint assembly for a wind turbine rotor blade includes a male structural member extending longitudinally through female structural members configured with a plurality of rotor blade segments. The female structural member includes first bore holes on opposing sides thereof that are aligned in a chord-wise direction. The male structural member includes second bore holes on opposing sides thereof that are aligned with the first bore holes. At least one chord-wise extending gap is defined between an outer side surface of the male structural member and an inner side surface of the female structural member. A chord-wise extending pin extends through the first and second bore holes to join the male and female structural members. At least one flanged bushing is arranged in the first and second bore holes such that a flange of the bushing extends within the chord-wise extending gap.

Abstract: Methods for assembling rotor blades are provided. A method includes receiving a first portion of a rotor blade at an erection site. The method further includes receiving a second portion of the rotor blade at the erection site. The method further includes aligning the first portion and the second portion at the erection site, the first portion and the second portion supported on a fixture system when aligned. The method further includes connecting a blade component of the first portion and a blade component of the second portion together at the erection site.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed a method for repairing a rotor blade of a wind turbine. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the rotor blade may be constructed, at least in part, of a thermoplastic material reinforced with at least one fiber material. Thus, the method includes identifying at least one defect on the rotor blade. For example, in certain embodiments, the defect(s) as described herein may include a crack, creep, void, hole, distortion, deformation, scratch, or any other blade defect. The method also includes applying at least one of heat, pressure, and/or one or more chemicals to the defect(s) for a predetermined time period until the defect is repaired.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to pre-cured composites for use in manufacturing rotor blade components of a wind turbine. In one embodiment, the pre-cured composites are pultruded composites having a continuous base portion with a plurality of integral protrusions extending from the continuous base portion, and a fabric layer cured with the continuous base portion. Further, adjacent protrusions are separated by a gap.

Abstract: A rotor blade component for a wind turbine rotor blade may generally include an assembly of pre-formed pultruded products. Each pultruded product may include an interior pultruded portion formed from a first fiber-reinforced composite including a first plurality of fibers surrounded by a thermoset resin material and an exterior pultruded portion encapsulating the interior pultruded portion. The exterior pultruded portion may be formed from a second fiber-reinforced composite including a second plurality of fibers surrounded by a thermoplastic resin material.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed methods for modifying molds of rotor blades of a wind turbine. In certain embodiments, the blade mold is constructed, at least in part, of a thermoplastic material optionally reinforced with a fiber material. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying at least one blade mold addition for the mold of the rotor blade and positioning the blade mold addition at a predetermined location of the mold of the rotor blade. Further, the blade mold addition is constructed, at least in part, of a thermoplastic material. Thus, the method includes applying at least one of heat, pressure, or one or more chemicals at an interface of the blade mold addition and the mold so as to join the blade mold addition to the mold. In further embodiments, the methods described herein are also directed repairing thermoplastic blade molds.

Abstract: A pre-cured laminate plate for use within a component of a wind turbine rotor blade may generally include a plate body extending in a thickness direction between a first side and a second side and in a widthwise direction between a first end and a second end. The plate body may define a plate thickness between the first and second sides. The pre-cured laminate plate may also include a plurality of channels formed in the plate body between the first and second ends. Each channel may extend in the thickness direction between a top end that is open along the first side of the plate body and a bottom end that terminates at a location between the first and second sides of the plate body such that the plate body defines a reduced thickness between the bottom end of each channel and the second side of the plate body.

Abstract: A spar cap for a rotor blade of a wind turbine may generally include an assembly of pre-cured laminate plates stacked on one top of the other, with the assembly including an outermost pre-cured plate, an innermost pre-cured plate positioned opposite the outermost pre-cured plate and a plurality of intermediate pre-cured plates stacked directly between the outermost and innermost pre-cured plates. The outermost pre-cured plate may be configured to be positioned adjacent to an inner surface of a body shell of the rotor blade. In addition, the outermost pre-cured plate may define a plate thickness that differs from a plate thickness defined by the innermost pre-cured plate by at least 50%.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of assembling a modular rotor blade of a wind turbine. The method includes identifying a main blade structure, constructed at least in part, from at least one of a thermoset or a thermoplastic material. The method also includes identifying at least one blade segment, constructed at least in part, of a thermoplastic material reinforced with at least one of glass fibers or carbon fibers. Thus, the method also includes securing the at least one blade segment to the main blade structure, e.g. via welding.

Abstract: A root assembly for a rotor blade of a wind turbine includes a blade root section having an inner sidewall surface and an outer sidewall surface separated by a radial gap, a plurality of root inserts spaced circumferentially within the radial gap, and a plurality of spacers configured between one or more of the root inserts. Further, each of the root inserts includes at least one bore hole surrounded by a pre-cured or pre-consolidated composite material. In addition, the pultruded spacers are constructed of a pre-cured or pre-consolidated composite material.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a shear web for a rotor blade of a wind turbine and a method of manufacturing and assembling same. The rotor blade generally includes an upper shell member having an upper spar cap configured on an internal surface thereof and a lower shell member having a lower spar cap configured on an internal surface thereof. Further, the shear web extends between the spar caps along a longitudinal length of the blade. In addition, the shear web includes first and second outer pultruded layers at least partially encompassing a core material, wherein end portions of the first and second outer pultruded layers form compressed flanges at opposing ends of the shear web.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods for joining rotor blade components using thermoplastic welding.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed methods for manufacturing spar caps for wind turbine rotor blades. In certain embodiments, the method includes forming an outer frame of the spar cap via at least one of three-dimensional (3D) pultrusion, thermoforming, or 3D printing. As such, the outer frame has a varying cross-section that corresponds to a varying cross-section of the rotor blade along a span thereof. The method also includes arranging a plurality of structural materials (e.g. layers of pultruded plates) within the pultruded outer frame of the spar cap and infusing the structural materials and the outer frame together via a resin material so as to form the spar cap. The resulting spar cap can then be easily incorporated into conventional rotor blade manufacturing processes and/or welded or bonded to an existing rotor blade.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed methods for manufacturing spar caps for wind turbine rotor blades. In certain embodiments, the method includes forming an outer frame or tray of the spar cap via at least one of three-dimensional (3D) pultrusion, thermoforming, or 3D printing. As such, the outer frame has a varying cross-section that corresponds to a varying cross-section of the rotor blade along a span thereof. The method also includes arranging a plurality of structural materials (e.g. layers of pultruded plates) within the pultruded outer frame of the spar cap and infusing the structural materials and the outer frame together via a resin material so as to form the spar cap. The resulting spar cap can then be easily incorporated into conventional rotor blade manufacturing processes and/or welded or bonded to an existing rotor blade.

Abstract: A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine may include a first blade segment having a first joint end and a second blade segment having a second joint end, with the blade segments being coupled together such that the first and second joint ends are located at or adjacent to a joint interface between the blade segments. The blade assembly may also include a pre-loaded beam extending outwardly from the second blade segment across the joint interface such that the pre-loaded beam is received within the first blade segment. The pre-loaded beam may be compressed between the opposed internal structural components of the first blade segment such that a first engagement interface is defined between a first side of the pre-loaded beam and the first internal structural component and a second engagement interface is defined between an opposed second side of the pre-loaded beam and the second internal structural component.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for forming a wind turbine rotor blade. The method includes placing first and second prefabricated skin panels defining a portion of a root section of the wind turbine rotor blade, a pressure side of the wind turbine rotor blade, or a suction side of the wind turbine rotor blade in a mold. The first and second prefabricated skin panels partially overlap to define a connection region. A vacuum bag is placed over the mold. The connection region is infused with a resin.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed methods for modifying molds of rotor blades of a wind turbine. In certain embodiments, the blade mold is constructed, at least in part, of a thermoplastic material optionally reinforced with a fiber material. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying at least one blade mold addition for the mold of the rotor blade and positioning the blade mold addition at a predetermined location of the mold of the rotor blade. Further, the blade mold addition is constructed, at least in part, of a thermoplastic material. Thus, the method includes applying at least one of heat, pressure, or one or more chemicals at an interface of the blade mold addition and the mold so as to join the blade mold addition to the mold. In further embodiments, the methods described herein are also directed repairing thermoplastic blade molds.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a root assembly for a rotor blade of a wind turbine and methods of manufacturing same. The root assembly includes a blade root section having an inner sidewall surface and an outer sidewall surface separated by a radial gap, a plurality of root inserts spaced circumferentially within the radial gap, and a plurality of spacers configured between one or more of the root inserts. Further, each of the root inserts includes at least one bushing surrounded by a pre-cured or pre-consolidated composite material. In addition, the spacers are constructed of a pre-cured or pre-consolidated composite material.