Wind blade joint bonding grid
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJamie T. LIVINGSTON, Howard DRIVER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for assembling large wind turbine blades that includes providing a plurality of wind turbine blade segments. An adhesive distribution arrangement is disposed on a surface of at least one of the plurality of the wind turbine blade segments. The adhesive distribution arrangement includes a bonding grid having a plurality of adhesive distribution openings. The wind turbine blade segments are directed together and sufficient adhesive is provided to the bonding grid to substantially fill an area between the wind turbine segments. The adhesive is then cured to form a bonded joint, the bonding grid being incorporated into the bonded joint. A bonding grid for use with the method and system and a segmented wind turbine blade are also disclosed.
Claims18
A method for assembling large wind turbine blades comprising:
- providing a plurality of wind turbine blade segments;
- disposing an adhesive distribution arrangement on a surface of at least one of the plurality of the wind turbine blade segments, the adhesive distribution arrangement comprising a bonding grid having a plurality of adhesive distribution openings;
- directing the wind turbine blade segments together;
- providing sufficient adhesive to the bonding grid to substantially fill an area between the wind turbine segments;
- and
- curing the adhesive to form a bonded joint, the bonding grid being incorporated into the bonded joint.
An adhesive distribution arrangement for assembling large wind turbine blades comprising:
- a bonding grid having a port for receiving adhesive and a frame, the bonding grid being configured to deliver adhesive to a plurality of adhesive distribution openings, the distribution openings being configured to distribute adhesive onto one or more surfaces of a wind turbine blade segment.
A segmented wind turbine blade comprising:
- a first wind turbine blade segment and a second wind turbine blade segment, the first wind turbine blade segment being joined to the second wind turbine blade segment;
- a bonding grid disposed between adjacent surfaces of the first wind turbine blade segment and the second wind turbine blade segment, the bonding grid including a frame having a plurality of cells disposed therein, the cells being substantially filled cured adhesive;
- and
- wherein the distribution of adhesive is substantially uniform across the adjacent surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.