Thermoplastic airflow modifying elements for wind turbine rotor blades

A method for manufacturing a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the method comprising:

• placing an outer skin layer of composite material in a mold of a blade shell to form the outer surface of the rotor blade;
• placing at least one of a fiber material or a core material in the mold atop the outer skin layer;
• placing one or more pre-cured layers of thermoplastic material in the mold of the blade shell so as to define one or more attachment locations;
• infusing the outer skin layer, at least one of the fiber material or the core material, and the one or more pre-cured layers together via at least one of a thermoset material or a thermoplastic material so as to form the rotor blade;
• allowing the rotor blade to cure;
• removing at least a portion of the outer skin layer to reveal the one or more attachment locations;
• and,
• subsequently welding at least one airflow modifying element constructed, at least in part, from a thermoplastic material, to an attachment location of the cured rotor blade.