Wind turbine rotor blade components and methods of making same

Abstract

Structural preform layers (300a, 300b, 400) of multiple rigid unidirectional strength elements or rods (202, 402) 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 (312) 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.

Description

[0001] Related application [0002] This non-provisional patent application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 295,006 filed on January 14, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical field [0003] The present invention generally relates to wind turbine rotor blades. The invention also relates to structural pre-formed layers of multiple strength elements or rods used to manufacture wind turbine blade components. Background technique [0004] Technological advancements in wind turbines continue to prove that energy from wind provides a commercially available alternative energy source. Design improvements allow the size of wind turbines and rotor blades to be increased in order to achieve an increase in energy output. However, manufacturing cost is a problem for the development of wind energy technology into a competitive alternative energy source. In particular, factors affecting the manufacturing cost and energy effic...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Since there is no inherent structural shape in the fiber fabric, these prior art materials are prone to fiber washout during resin infusion or infusion, which leads to undesirable fabric layer and composite wrinkling in the formed spar caps, Bending, Misalignment and Misdirection

[0013] Also, prior art fiber-reinforced fabric layers and composites are prone to shrinkage during curing of the bonding resin

Bonding resins may shrink considerably during resin curing, such that resin shrinkage may cause undesired creases, kinks and bows in fabric layers and composites during the fabrication of structural components

[0014] Furthermore, the form of the prior art material does not support a tightly controlled manufacturing or molding process, which in turn requires the use of additional materials

Therefore, manufacturing techniques and methods using fiber reinforced or cellulosic materials can affect the overall manufacturing time and cost of turbine blade production

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