Abstract: A method for manufacturing a root section of a wind turbine blade includes assembling a mold having an inner cylinder segment, an outer cylinder segment, and a bottom flange, wherein a radial space is defined between the inner and outer cylinders. Root hub connectors are attached circumferentially around the bottom flange so that the root hub connectors extend axially into the radial space. A first cartridge of pultruded rods is loaded into the space, wherein the first cartridge includes a plurality of first pultruded rods arranged adjacent to the inner cylinder segment. The space is sealed, for example with a lid or top flange, and the space is evacuated. A resin is infused into the space so that the resin migrates through the radial space between the pultruded rods, and is then cured. The root section is then removed from the mold. A wind turbine blade root section formed by the method is encompassed by the invention.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having a body shell with a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending between a root portion and a tip portion. Further, the rotor blade assembly includes a protection system configured to protect the rotor blade from ice accumulation or a lightning strike. The protection system includes at least one organic conductive element configured within the rotor blade. The protection system also includes a conductor source electrically or thermally coupled to the organic conductive element. Thus, the conductor source is configured to heat the organic conductive element so as to prevent ice from accumulating on the rotor blade or to provide a conductive path for the lightning strike.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of manufacturing a rotor blade for a wind turbine. The method includes providing a blade mold of the rotor blade. Another step includes placing an outer skin layer in the blade mold. The method also includes placing one or more structural inserts in the blade mold atop the outer skin layer as a function of a load of the rotor blade. Further, each of the structural inserts includes a plurality of cells arranged in a predetermined pattern. Further, the cells have varying cell sizes. The method also includes placing an inner skin layer atop the one or more structural inserts and securing the outer skin layer, the one or more structural inserts, and the inner skin layer together to form the rotor blade.

Abstract: A method of non-destructive testing includes locating an ultrasonic transducer with respect to a component having a visually-inaccessible structure to collect B-scan data from at least one B-scan of the component and to collect C-scan data from at least one C-scan of the component. The method also includes filtering the B-scan data and the C-scan data to remove random noise and coherent noise based on predetermined geometric information about the visually-inaccessible structure to obtain filtered data. The method further includes performing linear signal processing and nonlinear signal processing to determine a damage index for a plurality of voxels representing the visually-inaccessible structure from the filtered B-scan data and the filtered C-scan data to generate a V-scan image. A method of non-destructive testing of a wind turbine blade and an ultrasound system are also disclosed.

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: The present subject matter is directed to a wind turbine blade alignment method. A sensor provided on the blade at a blade station with a known twist angle is used to measure an installation angle of the blade station. The installation angle is adjusted if the installation angle measured by the sensor is not equal to the known twist angle. A wind turbine with such a sensor for measuring an installation angle used for blade alignment is also provided.

Abstract: A method of making a laminate component and method of removing voids from a pre-preg ply and pre-preg component are provided. The method of making a laminate includes laying up a plurality of pre-preg plies in a desired geometry, the plurality of pre-preg plies having a plurality of fibers and a resin. The method includes creating at least one void-reducing channel in at least one ply of the plurality of pre-preg plies, the void-reducing channel being perpendicular to a fiber orientation in the at least one ply. The void reducing channel locally re-orients the fibers adjacent to the void-reducing channel in the at least one pre-preg ply. The method includes laminating the plurality of pre-preg plies. The resin fills the at least one void-reducing channel and the laminate component has a porosity margin of about 1.5%.

Abstract: A method of making a compacted composite material preform including providing a pre-impregnated preform comprising a plurality of reinforcing fibers and a polymer matrix and positioning the preform on a base plate. The method includes enclosing the preform inside a vacuum bag defining a first cavity and enclosing the preform and vacuum bag inside a substantially rigid cover defining a second cavity. The method includes drawing a vacuum in the first cavity and the second cavity that is substantially equal or greater than the vacuum in the first cavity to remove air and volatiles from the preform. The method includes drawing a greater vacuum in the first cavity relative to the second cavity to urge the vacuum bag into compressive contact with the plurality of reinforcing fibers and the polymer matrix to a compacted arrangement.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge and includes an upper shell member and a lower shell member. The shell members include transversely spaced attachment edge that are spaced rearward of the leading edge. A preformed bond cap having opposite legs with rearward edges is mounted to the attachment edges of the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap is preformed into an aerodynamic parabolic shape and size so as to define the leading edge of said blade and lie essentially flush with the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap defines a primary external bonding bridge between the upper and lower shell members and defines at least a portion of the leading edge of the blade.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge and includes an upper shell member and a lower shell member. The shell members include transversely spaced attachment edge that are spaced rearward of the leading edge. A preformed bond cap having opposite legs with rearward edges is mounted to the attachment edges of the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap is preformed into an aerodynamic parabolic shape and size so as to define the leading edge of said blade and lie essentially flush with the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap defines a primary external bonding bridge between the upper and lower shell members and defines at least a portion of the leading edge of the blade.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge and includes an upper shell member and a lower shell member. The shell members include transversely spaced attachment edge that are spaced rearward of the leading edge. A preformed bond cap having opposite legs with rearward edges is mounted to the attachment edges of the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap is preformed into an aerodynamic parabolic shape and size so as to define the leading edge of said blade and lie essentially flush with the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap defines a primary external bonding bridge between the upper and lower shell members and defines at least a portion of the leading edge of the blade.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge and includes an upper shell member and a lower shell member. The shell members include transversely spaced attachment edge that are spaced rearward of the leading edge. A preformed bond cap having opposite legs with rearward edges is mounted to the attachment edges of the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap is preformed into an aerodynamic parabolic shape and size so as to define the leading edge of said blade and lie essentially flush with the upper and lower shell members. The bond cap defines a primary external bonding bridge between the upper and lower shell members and defines at least a portion of the leading edge of the blade.

Abstract: A spar cap for a wind turbine rotor blade. The spar cap may include multiple preform components. The multiple preform components may be planar sheets having a swept shape with a first end and a second end. The multiple preform components may be joined by mating the first end of a first preform component to the second end of a next preform component, forming the spar cap.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for fabricating elongated wind turbine blades and wind turbine blades formed by the method. The method includes providing a first shell reinforcing fiber structure. At least one shear web reinforcing fiber structure is positioned adjacent to the first shell reinforcing fiber structure. The method includes infusing the first shell reinforcing fiber structure and shear web reinforcing fiber structure with a matrix material and curing the matrix material to form a unitary composite first shell component. Thereafter a composite second shell component is attached to the composite first shell component to form an elongated composite airfoil suitable for use as a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blades formed include unitary components providing reduced number of adhesive joints.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for fabricating elongated wind turbine blades and wind turbine blades formed by the method. The method includes providing a first shell reinforcing fiber structure. At least one shear web reinforcing fiber structure is positioned adjacent to the first shell reinforcing fiber structure. The method includes infusing the first shell reinforcing fiber structure and shear web reinforcing fiber structure with a matrix material and curing the matrix material to form a unitary composite first shell component. Thereafter a composite second shell component is attached to the composite first shell component to form an elongated composite airfoil suitable for use as a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blades formed include unitary components providing reduced number of adhesive joints.

Abstract: A method of assembling a wind turbine blade includes forming a preform pressure surface member and a preform suction surface member. The method also includes forming at least one of a leading edge and a trailing edge. One method of forming the leading edge or the trailing edge includes coupling a preform cap member to one of a portion of the preform pressure surface member and a portion of the preform suction surface member. At least a portion of one of the preform pressure surface member and the preform suction surface member overlap at least a portion of the preform bond cap member. Another method of forming the leading edge or the trailing edge includes coupling the preform pressure surface member to the preform suction surface member wherein at least a portion of the preform pressure surface member overlaps at least a portion of the preform suction surface member.

Abstract: A wind turbine includes a tower supporting a drive train with a rotor, at least one hollow blade extending radially from the rotor; a drain hole arranged in a tip portion of the blade; a baffle, arranged inside the blade and inboard of the drain hole, for impeding a flow of particulate matter to the drain hole; a flexible drain conduit arranged inside the blade for connecting to the drain hole; and a non-flexible drain conduit arranged inside the blade for connecting to the flexible drain conduit, the non-flexible conduit having a plurality of openings for receiving fluid from inside the blade.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method for fabricating elongated wind turbine blades and wind turbine blades formed by the method. The method includes providing a first shell reinforcing fiber structure. At least one shear web reinforcing fiber structure is positioned adjacent to the first shell reinforcing fiber structure. The method includes infusing the first shell reinforcing fiber structure and shear web reinforcing fiber structure with a matrix material and curing the matrix material to form a unitary composite first shell component. Thereafter a composite second shell component is attached to the composite first shell component to form an elongated composite airfoil suitable for use as a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blades formed include unitary components providing reduced number of adhesive joints.

Abstract: A spar cap for a wind turbine rotor blade. The spar cap may include multiple preform components. The multiple preform components may be planar sheets having a swept shape with a first end and a second end. The multiple preform components may be joined by mating the first end of a first preform component to the second end of a next preform component, forming the spar cap.