摘要：
A system for manufacturing a wind turbine blade 22 near to the final installation site of a wind turbine includes a creel 72 of feeders 74 to apply strengthening elements 62, eg carbon fiber rovings, onto a plurality of shell core sections 26 coupled together end-to-end and fed through the creel 72. The shell core sections 26 have an external surface 56 with external grooves 58 into which the strengthening elements 62 are laid. The system also includes a deposition station (78, fig.5) to apply an outer surface material layer (82) in fluid form to cover the external surface 56 and the strengthening elements 62. A curing station (86, fig.6) heats and consolidates the shell core sections 26, the strengthening elements 62, and the outer surface material layer (82) together into a final consolidated part, with the outer surface material layer (82) defining an external profile of the blade 22 following curing. The shell core sections 26 may be made by additive manufacturing (3D printing), moulding or manual building. The ends 64 of the core sections 26 may have interlocking structures.
权利要求：
What is claimed is:
1. A wind turbine blade (22) configured to be mounted to a hub (20) of a wind turbine (10), comprising:
a plurality of shell core sections (26) coupled together end-to-end to collectively define a span length of the blade (22) between a root end (38) and a tip (42), wherein each of the shell core sections (26) defines a sidewall (50) forming a tubular structure and defining an external surface (56), and the sidewall (50) including a plurality of external grooves (58) recessed into the external surface (56);
a plurality of strengthening elements (62) positioned to extend within the plurality of external grooves (58) and along the span length, the strengthening elements (62) configured to reinforce the blade (22) under bending loads during use of the wind turbine (10); and
an outer surface material layer (82) that covers the external surface (56) and the plurality of strengthening elements (62), the outer surface material layer (82) defining an external profile of the blade (22),
wherein the plurality of strengthening elements (62), and the outer surface material layer (82) are consolidated together by curing of the outer surface material layer (82).
2. The wind turbine blade (22) of claim 1, wherein the outer surface material layer (82) is formed by additive manufacturing, preferably wherein each of the plurality of shell core sections (26) is formed by additive manufacturing.
3. The wind turbine blade (22) of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of shell core sections (26) is formed by moulding.
4. The wind turbine blade (22) of any of claims 1 through 3, wherein each of the shell core sections (26) includes opposing ends having interlocking structures, which are configured to engage with interlocking structures on adjacent shell core sections (26) to maintain adjacent shell core sections (26) in abutting end-to-end contact.
5. The wind turbine blade (22) of any of claims 1 through 4, wherein the plurality of strengthening elements (62) is defined by carbon fiber rovings configured to transfer loads across multiple ones of the plurality of shell core sections (26).
6. The wind turbine blade (22) of any of claims 1 through 5, wherein a size of the external grooves (58) on the shell core sections (26) and a density per area of the strengthening elements (62) varies over different portions of the external surface of the shell core sections (26).
f. The wind turbine blade (22) of claim 6, wherein the blade includes a web (66) extending within the tubular structure of the shell core sections (26) and along the span length to reinforce the blade (22), the blade (22) defines sparcap regions (100) adjacent junctions of the web (66) and the shell core sections (26), and the density per area of the strengthening elements (62) is larger adjacent the sparcap regions (100) than in other portions of the shell core sections (26).
8. The wind turbine blade (22) of any of claims 1 through 6, further comprising:
a web (66) extending within the tubular structure of the shell core sections (26) and along the span length to reinforce the blade (22); and
at least one web flange (68) extending within the tubular structure of the shell core sections (26) and positioned between the web (66) and the shell core sections (26) to strengthen the blade (22) at junctions of the web (66) and the shell core sections (26),
wherein at least one of the web (66) and the at least one web flange (68) is formed from different material than the shell core sections (26).
9. A manufacturing system (24) for assembling a wind turbine blade (22), the system (24) comprising:
a creel (72) of feeders (74) configured to apply strengthening elements (62) onto a plurality of shell core sections (26) coupled together end-to-end and fed through the creel (72), the plurality of shell core sections (26) including a sidewall (50) defining an external surface (56) with a plurality of external
grooves (58) recessed into the external surface (56) such that the strengthening elements (62) are laid into the external grooves (58);
a deposition station (78) positioned to receive the shell core sections (26) and the strengthening elements (62) from the creel (72) of feeders (74), the deposition station (78) configured to apply an outer surface material layer (82) in fluid form to cover the external surface (56) and the plurality of strengthening elements (62); and
a curing station (86) positioned to receive the shell core sections (26), the strengthening elements (62), and the outer surface material layer (82) from the deposition station (78), the curing station (86) configured to heat and consolidate the shell core sections (26), the strengthening elements (62), and the outer surface material layer (82) into a final consolidated part, with the outer surface material layer (82) defining an external profile of the blade (22) following curing.
10. The manufacturing system (24) of claim 9, further comprising:
a tensioner configured to apply tension force to the strengthening elements (62) applied to the plurality of shell core sections (26), the strengthening elements (62) remaining in tension through at least a portion of movement through the deposition station (78) and the curing station (86).
11. The manufacturing system (24) of any of claims 9 and 10, wherein a size of the external grooves (58) on the shell core sections (26) varies over different portions of the external surface of the shell core sections (26), and the creel (72) of feeders (74) is loaded with varying amounts of the strengthening elements (62) such that a density per area of the strengthening elements (62) also varies over different portions of the external surface of the shell core sections (26).
12. The manufacturing system (24) of any of claims 9 through 11, further comprising:
a shell section supply station configured to deliver the shell core sections (26) to the creel (72) of feeders (74) for further assembly into the blade (22).
13. The manufacturing system (24) of claim 12, wherein the shell section supply station further comprises a shell section manufacturing station, wherein the shell section manufacturing station further comprises:
at least one mould configured to form the shell core sections (26) in the shape of corresponding wind turbine blade sections, and with the plurality of external grooves (58) on the external surface thereof.
14. The manufacturing system (24) of claim 13, wherein the shell section manufacturing station further comprises:
a 3D printer configured to form by additive manufacturing the shell core sections (26) in the shape of corresponding wind turbine blade sections, and with the plurality of external grooves (58) on the external surface thereof.
15. The manufacturing system (24) of any of claims 13 through 14, wherein the shell section manufacturing station is further configured to produce:
a web (66) extending within a tubular structure defined by the sidewall of each of the shell core sections (26); and
at least one web flange (68) extending within the tubular structure and positioned between the web (66) and the sidewall (50), wherein at least one of the web (66) and the at least one web flange (68) is formed from different material than the shell core sections (26).
16. The manufacturing system of any of claims 9 through 15, said system (24) being proximate to a site of installation for a wind turbine (10) using the blade (22), wherein the creel (72) of feeders (74), the deposition station (78), and the curing station (86) are each located proximate to the site of installation for the wind turbine (10).
17. A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade (22), the method comprising:
connecting a plurality of shell core sections (26) together in abutting end- to-end arrangement, wherein each of the shell core sections (26) is configured to define a portion of a span length of the wind turbine blade (22), and wherein each of the shell core sections (26) defines a sidewall (50) with an external
surface (56) and a plurality of external grooves (58) recessed into the external surface (56);
applying a plurality of strengthening elements (62) within the external grooves (58) and extending along the span length of the blade (22);
depositing an outer surface material layer (82) in fluid form to cover the external surface (56) and the plurality of strengthening elements (62), such that the outer surface material layer (82) defines an external profile of the blade (22); and
curing the shell core sections (26), the plurality of strengthening elements (62), and the outer surface material layer (82) to produce a final consolidated part defining the blade (22).
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
applying tension to the plurality of strengthening elements (62) positioned within the external grooves (58) and maintaining the tension through at least a portion of the steps of depositing the outer surface material layer (82) and curing.
19. The method of any of claim 17 or 18, wherein the step of applying the plurality of strengthening elements (62) further comprises:
applying differing density per area of the strengthening elements (62) on different portions of the external surface of the shell core sections (26).
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the blade (22) includes a web (66) extending within a tubular structure defined by the sidewall (50) of the shell core sections (26) and extending along the span length to reinforce the blade (22), and the step of applying the plurality of strengthening elements (62) further comprises:
applying a higher density per area of the strengthening elements (66) in sparcap regions (100) located adjacent junctions of the web (66) and the shell core sections (26) than in other portions of the shell core sections (26).
21. The method of any of claims 17 through 20, further comprising:
manufacturing the shell core sections (26) from raw material prior to connecting the plurality of shell core sections (26) together.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein manufacturing the shell core sections (26) further comprises:
moulding the shell core sections (26) in at least one mould in the shape of corresponding wind turbine blade sections, and such that the shell core sections (26) include the plurality of external grooves (58) on the external surface thereof.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein manufacturing the shell core sections further comprises:
forming the shell core sections (26) by additive manufacturing to have the shape of corresponding wind turbine blade sections, and such that the shell core sections (26) include the plurality of external grooves (58) on the external surface thereof.
24. The method of any of claims 17 through 23, wherein connecting the plurality of shell core sections (26) together further comprises:
coupling interlocking structures located on opposing ends of abutting ones of the shell core sections (26), to thereby maintain adjacent shell core sections (26) in abutting end-to-end contact.
25. The method of any of claims 17 through 24, further comprising:
positioning a web (66) within a tubular structure defined by the sidewall (50) of the shell core sections (66) and along the span length to reinforce the blade: and
positioning at least one web flange (66) to extend within the tubular structure of the shell core sections (26) and between the web (66) and the shell core sections (26) to strengthen the blade (22) at junctions of the web (66) and the shell core sections (26),
wherein at least one of the web (66) and the at least one web flange (68) is formed from different material than the shell core sections (26).
26. The method of any of claims 17 through 25, further comprising:
supplying shell core sections to a creel (72) of feeders (74) configured to apply said strengthening elements (62) onto said plurality of shell core sections (26).
27. The method of any of claims 17 through 26, further comprising forming the outer surface material layer (82) by additive manufacturing.
28. The method of any of claims 17 through 27, further comprising consolidating together the plurality of strengthening elements (62), and the outer surface material layer (82) by curing of the outer surface material layer (82).
29. The method of any of claims 17 through 28, for manufacturing a wind turbine blade (22) proximate to a site of installation for a wind turbine (10) using the blade (22), wherein the steps of connecting the plurality of shell core sections (26) together, applying the plurality of strengthening elements (62), depositing the outer surface material layer (82), and curing are each performed proximate to the site of installation for the wind turbine (10).
30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:
manufacturing the shell core sections (26) at a manufacturing station proximate to the site of installation for the wind turbine, and prior to connecting the plurality of shell core sections (26) together.
31. The method of any claim 29, further comprising:
manufacturing the shell core sections (26) from raw material at a separate site, and transporting said shell core sections 926) to said site proximate to the site of installation for the wind turbine, prior to connecting the plurality of shell core sections (26) together.