Wind turbine systems and methods are disclosed herein. A representative system includes a wind turbine blade having an inner region that has an internal load-bearing truss structure, and an outer region that has an internal, non-truss, load-bearing structure. In particular embodiments, the truss structure can include a triangular arrangement of spars, and/or can include truss attachment members that connect components of the truss without the use of holes in the spars. Spars can be produced from a plurality of pultruded composite members laminated together in longitudinally extending portions. The longitudinally extending portions can be connected at joints that interleave projections and recesses of each of the spar portions. The blades can include fan-shaped transitions at a hub attachment portion, formed by laminated layers and/or a combination of laminated layers and transition plates.

Efficient wind turbine blades, wind turbine blade structures, and associated systems and methods of manufacture, assembly and use

Structural preform layers of multiple rigid unidirectional strength elements or rods are constructed and arranged for use in fabricating load-bearing support structures and reinforcements of wind turbine blades. Individual preform layers include multiple elongate unidirectional strength elements or rods arranged in a single layer along a longitudinal axis of the preform layer. Each preform layer includes one or more fibrous carrier layers to which the multiple strength elements or rods are joined and arranged in the single layer. Each strength element or rod is longitudinally oriented and adjacent to other elements or rods. Individual strength elements or rods include a mass of substantially straight unidirectional structural fibers embedded within a matrix resin such that the elements or rods have a substantially uniform distribution of fibers and high degree of fiber collimation. The relative straightness of the fibers and fiber collimation provide strength elements or rods and the preform layers with high rigidity and significant compression strength.

Wind turbine rotor blade components and methods of making same

A protected turbine blade includes a first turbine blade shell and a second turbine blade shell, being fiber-reinforced, are connected by a cured resin and provided with a protective cover at a leading edge. The protective cover is a composite comprising a layer of UV-resistant thermoplastic material and a layer of cured epoxy resin, the UV-resistant thermoplastic material having the following properties a surface free energy of less than 35 mJ/m2, and a erosion resistance of the thermoplastic material larger than the erosion resistance of the cured resin connecting the turbine blade shells. The layer of cured epoxy-resin covers the cured resin over at least part of the length of the distal half of the turbine blade, and is bonded to said turbine blade. A method of manufacturing such a turbine blade, and to a turbine having such turbine blades is also provided.

Protected wind turbine blade, a method of manufacturing it and a wind turbine

A wind-turbine blade that prevents foreign matter from entering the inside thereof during transportation and that can be efficiently assembled in good condition is provided. A wind-turbine blade includes a skin that forms a long and hollow shape, and a main spar that extends in the longitudinal direction and reinforces the skin from the inside thereof. The main spar is divided into a blade-root-side main spar and a blade-tip-side main spar in the longitudinal direction; the blade-root-side main spar and the blade-tip-side main spar have connection sections that are connected to each other; the skin is divided into a connection-section skin, located at a position corresponding to the connection sections, a blade-root-side skin, and a blade-tip-side skin; and openings formed in the blade-root-side skin and the blade-tip-side skin are blocked off by blanking plates.

Wind turbine blade

A sectional blade for a wind turbine comprising a first and a second blade section extending in opposite directions from a blade joint, and each blade section comprising a spar section forming a structural member of the blade. The blade sections are structurally connected by a spar bridge extending into the first and second blade sections to facilitate joining of the blade sections. The spar bridge comprises a stiffening member protruding from the spar bridge in a chord wise direction of the blade for increasing the edgewise stiffness of the blade, and wherein a part of the surface of the stiffening member is shaped to follow an inner surface contour of the blade. A method of manufacturing such a sectional blade is also disclosed.

Wind Turbine Blade

A spar ( 30 ) for a wind turbine blade. The spar comprises a plurality (typically three or more) beams ( 33 ) arranged side-by-side. Each beam has a longitudinal web ( 32 ), a flange ( 31 ) at either longitudinal edge. The spar may be made up of a number of modules connected to one another primarily via overlapping shear webs.

Paul Rudling

Papers

Wind turbine blade