Wind turbine blade with a fairing
AssigneesLm Wind Power A/S, Ge Wind Energy GmbH
InventorsMark Hancock, Michael Drachmann Haag, Harald Behmer, Hans Minnee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A prefabricated fairing for a wind turbine blade, the fairing extending along a fairing profile terminating at fairing lips and comprising exterior and interior fairing surfaces and a plurality of layers including fibre-reinforced layers and an exterior erosion-resistant elastomer layer forming a portion of the exterior fairing surface and being configured for defining the leading edge of the wind turbine blade, the fairing further comprises a cured first resin binding the erosion-resistant elastomer layer and the one or more fibre-reinforced layers together.
Claims17
A method of manufacturing a fairing for a wind turbine blade, the method comprising:
- providing an erosion-resistant elastomer layer;
- providing a fairing mould comprising a moulding surface;
- arranging the erosion-resistant elastomer layer on the moulding surface;
- arranging one or more fibre-reinforced layers on top of the erosion-resistant elastomer layer;
- arranging a cover on top of the one or more fibre-reinforced layers;
- applying at least two vacuums including a first vacuumand a second vacuum between the moulding surface and the cover, wherein the first vacuum is applied at a first interface-between a lower surface of the erosion-resistant elastomer layer and the moulding surface, and wherein the second vacuum is applied at a second interface between an upper surface of the one or more fibre-reinforced layers and a lower surface of the cover arranged on top of the one or more fibre-reinforced layers, wherein the lower surface of the erosion-resistant elastomer layer is sealed to the moulding surface by sealers so as to isolate the first interface from the second interface;
- providing a first resin in the fairing mould so as to wet out the one or more fibre-reinforced layers and so as to contact the erosion-resistant elastomer layer;
- and
- curing the first resin so as to form and bind the erosion-resistant elastomer layer and the one or more fibre-reinforced layers as a unitary fairing via the first resin.
A method of manufacturing a fairing for a wind turbine blade, the method comprising:
- providing an erosion-resistant elastomer layer;
- providing a fairing mould comprising a moulding surface;
- arranging the erosion-resistant elastomer layer on the moulding surface;
- arranging one or more fibre-reinforced layers on top of the erosion-resistant elastomer layer;
- providing a first resin in the fairing mould so as to wet out the one or more fibre-reinforced layers and so as to contact the erosion-resistant elastomer layer;
- and
- curing the first resin so as to form and bind the erosion-resistant elastomer layer and the one or more fibre-reinforced layers as a unitary fairing via the first resin,
- the erosion-resistant elastomer layer to a temperature between at least 40° C. and 50° C. before and during providing the first resin so as to enhance molecular bonding between the first resin and the erosion-resistance elastomer layer,
- wherein, subsequent to the heating of the erosion-resistant elastomer layer before and during providing the first resin, the curing of the first resin is performed at a temperature of at least 60° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.