Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to spar caps for wind turbine rotor blades and methods of manufacturing same. The spar cap includes a plurality of plies having varying lengths that are arranged in a tapered configuration. Further, the tapered configuration includes at least an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is configured for attachment to at least one of a pressure side or a suction side of the rotor blade. Further, one or more plies of the upper and lower portions tapers towards an intermediate ply configured between the upper and lower portions of the spar cap. In addition, the intermediate ply has a length that is shorter than the plies in the upper and lower portions.

Abstract: A spar cap for a rotor blade of a wind turbine is disclosed. The rotor blade includes a blade root and a blade tip, leading and trailing edges, pressure and suction sides, and at least one spar cap configured on an internal surface of either or both the pressure or suction sides. The spar cap includes one or more layers of a first material and a second conductive material contacting at least one of the layers of the first material. Further, the conductive material is different than the first material. Thus, the conductive material is configured with the first material so as to create an equipotential spar cap.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine that controls pitch bearing load distribution. The assembly includes a rotor blade having a body shell extending between a blade root and tip, a pitch bearing at an interface between the blade root and a hub of the wind turbine, and plurality of blade bolts coupling the blade root to the hub through the pitch bearing. The pitch bearing includes an outer bearing race and an inner bearing race rotatable relative to the outer race. Thus, in one embodiment, the blade bolts couple the blade root to the hub through the inner race of the pitch bearing. Further, each of the blade bolts has a first end and a second end defining a length therebetween and at least two of the blade bolts have varying lengths so as to distribute loads experienced by the pitch bearing.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for manufacturing a thermoset component having a weldable thermoplastic interface. The method includes forming a polymerized thermoplastic component having a removable protective layer on a portion thereof. Another step includes placing a plurality of dry plies and the thermoplastic component into a mold of the thermoset component with the removable protective layer facing an outer surface of the thermoset component mold. Thus, the method further includes co-infusing the dry plies and thermoplastic component with a resin material so as to form the thermoset component having a weldable thermoplastic interface.

Abstract: A rotor blade of a wind turbine having a pultruded spar cap is disclosed. The rotor blade includes a blade root and a blade tip. The blade root includes at least one root insert. The rotor blade also includes at least one spar cap constructed of a plurality of pultruded members grouped together to form one or more layers from the blade tip towards the blade root. Further, the pultruded members separate into one or more pultruded member bundles as the spar cap approaches the blade root. The pultruded member bundles fit within the root insert, along with the blade bolts, such that compression and tension loads of the rotor blade are transferred through the pultruded members.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade has an upper shell member and a lower shell member bonded at a leading and trailing edge of the blade with a bond paste applied between respective forward and rearward edges of the shell members. At least one of the shell members includes a first inspection window defined therein along one of the leading edge or trailing edge at a location corresponding at least to a design minimum bond width of the bond paste applied at the respective leading edge or trailing edge. The inspection window provides a visible access through the shell member such that a visible indication is generated through the inspection window when bond paste is injected and reaches the minimum bond width location in the chord-wise direction.

Abstract: Methods for producing ultrasonic sound emissions from wind turbines, active systems for emitting ultrasonic sounds from wind turbines, and wind turbines are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes operating the wind turbine with an ultrasonic sound emitting device mounted on or within a component of the wind turbine, and receiving in a controller at least one indicator. The method further includes determining if an operating condition exists based on the at least one indicator, and supplying a fluid flow through an outlet of the ultrasonic sound emitting device such that an ultrasonic sound emission is produced by the ultrasonic sound emitting device if the operating condition exists.

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 blade segment for a wind turbine rotor blade may generally include a body shell terminating at a joint end. The body shell may include a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The blade segment may also include a plurality of pressure side tubes extending adjacent to the pressure side of the body shell and a plurality of suction side tubes extending adjacent to the suction side of the body shell, with the plurality of pressure side tubes being spaced apart from the plurality of suction side tubes along a flapwise direction of the rotor blade.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to thermoplastic airflow modifying elements for a rotor blade for a wind turbine and methods of assembling same. The rotor blade may be constructed from at least one of a thermoset material or a thermoplastic material. Further, the rotor blade includes a blade shell defining an outer surface. Moreover, the rotor blade includes one or more layers of thermoplastic material infused to the outer surface of the blade shell so as to define one or more attachment locations. In addition, the rotor blade includes at least one airflow modifying element constructed, at least in part, from a thermoplastic material. Thus, the airflow modifying element(s) is welded to one of the attachment locations on the outer surface of the blade shell.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for manufacturing a blade component for a rotor blade of a wind turbine. The method includes arranging a fiber material in a mold of the blade component. The method also includes placing at least one pre-cured laminate material atop the fiber material. Another step includes infusing the fiber material and the pre-cured laminate material together via a resin material so as to form the blade component. The method also includes allowing the blade component to cure, the pre-cured laminate material forming at least a portion of an outer surface of the blade component.

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: In one aspect, a method for manufacturing a spar cap for a wind turbine rotor blade may generally include stacking a plurality of plates together to form a plate assembly, wherein each of the plates is formed from a fiber-reinforced composite including a plurality of fibers surrounded by a thermoplastic resin material. The method may also include positioning the plate assembly relative to a mold defining a mold surface, wherein the mold surface is shaped so as to correspond to at least one blade parameter of the wind turbine rotor blade. In addition, the method may include applying pressure to the plate assembly via the mold such that at least a portion of the plate assembly conforms to the shape of the mold surface.

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: Rotor blades and methods for joining blade components of rotor blades are provided. A method includes positioning an insert between and in contact with a first blade component and a second blade component. At least one of the first blade component or the second blade component includes a thermoplastic resin. The insert includes a thermoplastic resin and an energy absorptive pigment. The method further includes heating the thermoplastic resin of the at least one of the first blade component or the second blade component and the thermoplastic resin of the insert. The method further includes cooling the thermoplastic resin of the at least one of the first blade component or the second blade component and the thermoplastic resin of the insert. The heating step and the cooling step join the first blade component, the second blade component and the insert together.

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: Systems and methods for joining blade components of a rotor blade are provided. A method includes positioning a first blade component and a second blade component such that a joint location of the first blade component and a joint location of the second blade component are proximate each other. The method further includes applying a force to an outer surface of the second blade component and an opposing force to an inner surface of the second blade component. The force and opposing force maintain an aerodynamic contour of the second blade component. The method further includes connecting the joint location of the first blade component and the joint location of the second blade component together.

Abstract: Methods for joining surface features to wind turbine rotor blades are provided. A method includes providing the surface feature after forming of the rotor blade. The surface feature includes a thermoplastic resin. The formed rotor blade includes a plurality of blade components joined together to form an exterior surface defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending between a tip and a root. The formed rotor blade further includes a thermoplastic resin. The method further includes positioning the surface feature adjacent the exterior surface, and welding the thermoplastic resin of the surface feature and the thermoplastic resin of the formed rotor blade together.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for bonding composite blade components of a rotor blade of a wind turbine. The method includes providing a first blade component being constructed of a first composite material. The method also includes providing a second blade component being constructed of a second composite material. Further, the method includes arranging the first and second blade components together at an interface. Another step includes placing one or more layers of a wetted composite material between the first and second blade components at the interface. The method also includes allowing the one or more layers of the wetted composite material at the interface to cure.