Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100122442 | TURBINE BLADE FABRICATION - A method includes joining an integral bulkhead and a blade shell to form a blade and separating the blade into two blade segments at a location including the integral bulkhead such that each blade segment comprises a portion of the integral bulkhead and a portion of the blade shell. | 05-20-2010 |
20100132884 | METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING JOINTED WIND TURBINE BLADE - A method of assembling a wind turbine blade comprises providing a first blade segment comprising at least two first spar cap segments; providing a second blade segment comprising at least two second spar cap segments; inserting the second blade segment into the first blade segment wherein a spar cap cavity is formed between each set of corresponding first and second spar cap segments; injecting an adhesive into the spar cap cavities to bond the blade segments together, wherein a scarf joint is formed between each set of corresponding first and second spar cap segments. | 06-03-2010 |
20100140940 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING WIND TURBINE ACTUATION - A wind turbine includes a plurality of wind turbine blades attached to a rotor positioned atop a tower affixed to a tower foundation. At least one blade pitch sensor is configured to measure blade pitch angles for one or more of the wind turbine blades. A rotor/generator speed sensor is configured to measure the rotational speed of the wind turbine rotor, a corresponding wind turbine generator, or both. A wind turbine nacelle yaw sensor is configured to measure the nacelle yaw, while at least two tower-base bending sensors are configured without use of adhesives, cements or bonding agents to provide large-area measurement of tower deflection. A controller is configured to adjust the pitch angle of one or more of the wind turbine blades in response to the measured one or more blade pitch angles, the measured rotational speed, the measured nacelle yaw and measured tower longitudinal deflection. | 06-10-2010 |
20100143148 | TURBINE BLADE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME - A turbine blade includes at least two blade segments. Each blade segment includes first and second shells joined together, a base region, at least one joint region including a mating face. Each of the first and second shells includes an outer skin, a base spar cap attached to an inner surface of the outer skin in the base region, a joint spar cap attached to the inner surface of the outer skin in the joint region and adjacent to at least a portion of the base spar cap. The joint spar cap includes holes in the mating face of the joint region. The turbine blade further includes fasteners within the holes for securing the at least two blade segments together. | 06-10-2010 |
20110142667 | WIND TURBINE ROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY HAVING AN ACCESS WINDOW AND RELATED METHODS - A rotor blade assembly having an access window and methods for assembling a rotor blade are disclosed. The rotor blade assembly may generally include a first shell component and a second shell component. The first shell component may be secured to the second shell component. Additionally, an access region may be defined in the first shell component and/or the second shell component. The access region may generally be configured such that an access window is defined in the rotor blade assembly. The access window may be configured to provide access to the interior of a portion of the rotor blade assembly. | 06-16-2011 |
20120141287 | WIND TURBINE ROTOR BLADE JOINT - A joint for connecting a first blade segment and a second blade segment of a wind turbine rotor blade is disclosed. The joint includes a body, the body including an outer surface and an inner surface. The outer surface has an aerodynamic contour that generally corresponds to an aerodynamic contour of the first blade segment and the second blade segment. The body includes a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. In some embodiments, the joint further includes a channel defined in the outer surface of the body. The channel includes a generally continuous base wall extending between opposing sidewalls. The inner surface includes the base wall. In other embodiments, the joint further includes a channel defined in the body, and a shell extending from the body in a generally span-wise direction. | 06-07-2012 |
20140003940 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT OF A WIND TURBINE | 01-02-2014 |
20140161620 | ATTACHMENT OF COMPOSITE ARTICLE - A composite article including composite component extending heightwise from a component base to a component tip and lengthwise between spaced apart component first and second edges. Component plies having widthwise spaced apart ply first and second sides and ply edges therebetween. Component mounted on a spar which includes a shank extending heightwise into the composite component, tab at upper end of shank and substantially or fully embedded in the composite component, and tab tip. Ply edges of at least a first portion of the plies directly or indirectly contacting or pressing against the tab. Ply edges of at least a second portion of the plies may directly or indirectly contact or press against the tab tip. Ply edges of first portion may press against one or more indented or recessed surfaces in the tab. The composite article may be a composite blade or vane including a composite airfoil. | 06-12-2014 |
20140161621 | ATTACHMENT OF COMPOSITE ARTICLE - A composite article including composite component mounted on a spar including a shank extending heightwise from below component base up into composite component. Tab at an upper end of shank substantially or fully embedded in the composite component and at least one ply surface pattern of the composite component contacting and generally conforming to at least one spar surface pattern on the tab. | 06-12-2014 |
20140186175 | EXTENSION TIP SLEEVE FOR WIND TURBINE BLADE - A wind blade is provided. The wind blade includes a body having an aerodynamic contour extended between a blade root and a blade tip. The wind blade also includes an extension tip sleeve arranged over the blade tip. The extension tip sleeve further includes a first portion having an extension blade and one or more structural ribs arranged on a pressure side of the wind blade. The extension tip sleeve also includes a second portion having a support structure located on a suction side of the wind blade. Furthermore, the wind blade includes a fairing having an airfoil shape for covering the one or more structural ribs, and the support structure of the extension tip sleeve. | 07-03-2014 |
20140241895 | FLUID TURBINE BLADE AND METHOD OF PROVIDING THE SAME - A fluid turbine blade and method of fabrication are provided. The fluid turbine blade includes a centrally disposed longitudinal spar having a substantially circumferential cross section. The fluid turbine blade also includes at least one chord stiffener coupled to the longitudinal spar. The fluid turbine blade further includes a torsionally compliant segmented skin coupled to the at least one chord stiffener. The centrally disposed longitudinal spar and the torsionally compliant segmented skin are functionally decoupled to relieve the torsionally compliant segmented skin of one or more of a flapwise load condition, an edgewise load condition and a torsional load condition. | 08-28-2014 |
20140322482 | COMPOSITE ARTICLE INCLUDING COMPOSITE TO METAL INTERLOCK AND METHOD OF FABRICATION - A composite article including a composite component, a metallic component and one or more interlock components. The composite component including a plurality of composite plies and extending heightwise from a component base to a component tip and lengthwise between spaced apart component first and second edges, the composite. The metallic component including a first surface and a second surface and a plurality of openings formed therein extending from the first surface to the second surface. The metallic component including at least a portion substantially or fully embedded in the composite component. The one or more interlock components is interwoven through one or more of the plurality of openings in the metallic component and extending into and at least partially embedded in the composite component to provide an interlocking system between the composite component and the metallic component. A method of fabrication of a composite article is also provided. | 10-30-2014 |
20140341715 | ROTARY MACHINE INCLUDING A MACHINE ROTOR WITH A COMPOSITE IMPELLER PORTION AND A METAL SHAFT PORTION - A rotary machine includes a machine stator and a machine rotor rotatable relative to the machine stator and having a metal shaft portion, a composite impeller portion, and at least a first metal ring portion securing the composite impeller portion to the metal shaft portion, the metal ring portion having a first interface with the composite impeller portion and a second interface with the metal shaft portion. | 11-20-2014 |