Rotor blade root assembly for a wind turbine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsChristopher Daniel Caruso, Aaron A. Yarbrough, Daniel Alan Hynum, James Robert Tobin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A root assembly for a rotor blade of a wind turbine includes a blade root section having an inner sidewall surface and an outer sidewall surface separated by a radial gap, a plurality of root inserts spaced circumferentially within the radial gap, and a plurality of spacers configured between one or more of the root inserts. Further, each of the root inserts includes at least one bore hole surrounded by a pre-cured or pre-consolidated composite material. In addition, the pultruded spacers are constructed of a pre-cured or pre-consolidated composite material.
Claims16
A root assembly for a rotor blade of a wind turbine, comprising:
- a blade root section comprising an inner sidewall surface and an outer sidewall surface separated by a radial gap, the blade root section constructed of a first composite material, the first composite material comprising a thermoplastic material;
- a plurality of root inserts spaced circumferentially within the radial gap, each of the root inserts comprising at least one bushing cured within and surrounded by a second composite material formed primarily of a thermoset material, each of the bushings configured to receive a root bolt, the root bolts configured to secure the root assembly to a hub of the wind turbine;
- and,
- a plurality of spacers configured between one or more of the root inserts, each of the spacers being constructed of a pre-consolidated composite material.
A root assembly for a rotor blade of a wind turbine, comprising:
- a blade root section comprising an inner sidewall surface and an outer sidewall surface, the inner and outer sidewall surfaces being separated by a radial gap, the blade root section constructed, at least in part, of a first thermoplastic resin;
- a plurality of root inserts spaced circumferentially within the radial gap, each of the root inserts comprising at least one bushing cured within and surrounded primarily by a second thermoplastic resin, each of the bushings configured to receive a root bolt, the root bolts configured to secure the root assembly to a hub of the wind turbine, the first and second thermoplastic resins being different;
- and,
- a plurality of spacers configured between one or more of the root inserts, each of the spacers being constructed of a pre-consolidated composite material.
A root assembly for a rotor blade of a wind turbine, comprising:
- a blade root section comprising an inner sidewall surface and an outer sidewall surface, the inner and outer sidewall surfaces being separated by a radial gap, the blade root section constructed of a thermoset material;
- a plurality of root inserts spaced circumferentially within the radial gap, each of the root inserts comprising at least one bushing solidified within and surrounded primarily by a thermoplastic material, each of the bushings configured to receive a root bolt, the root bolts configured to secure the root assembly to a hub of the wind turbine;
- and,
- a plurality of spacers configured between one or more of the root inserts, each of the spacers being constructed of a pre-consolidated composite material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.