Wind turbine blade manufacture

Abstract

A method of making a prefabricated root section (26) for a wind turbine blade (10) is described. The method comprises: providing a male mould (28) extending longitudinally in a spanwise direction between an inboard end (30) and an outboard end (32) and extending transversely in a chordwise direction between a leading edge (34) and a trailing edge (36), the male mould (28) defining a male mould surface (38) of convex curvature in the chordwise direction; providing a root plate (48) having one or more root inserts (50) projecting therefrom, the or each root insert (50) being arranged along an arcuate path; arranging one or more inner fibrous layers (40) on the male mould surface (38); arranging the root plate (48) at the inboard end (30), of the male mould (28) such that the or each root insert (50) overlays an inner fibrous layer at the root end of the mould (28). The method further comprises arranging one or more outer fibrous layers on top of the inner fibrous layers (40) and on top of the or each root insert (50), providing resin to the fibrous layers (40) and to the or each root insert (50) and curing the resin to form a prefabricated root section (26) for subsequent use in the manufacture of a wind turbine blade (10). Curing the resin to form the prefabricated root section (26) is conducted before removing the prefabricated root section (26) from the male mould (28).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.