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US 2012/0051898 A1Published application
Wind turbine component having a lightweight structure
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJason Robert Parolini, Junyoung Park
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wind turbine component having a lightweight structure is provided and includes a metallic matrix defining a cavity, metallic foam enclosed within the cavity and a solidification metallurgical bond formed at an entire interface between the metallic matrix and the metallic foam.
Claims20
A wind turbine component configured to have a lightweight structure, the wind turbine component comprising:
- a metallic matrix defining a cavity;
- metallic foam enclosed within the cavity;
- and
- a solidification metallurgical bond formed at an entire interface between the metallic matrix and the metallic foam.
1 more element
A method to form a wind turbine component configured to have a lightweight structure, the method comprising:
- shaping a mold cavity between metallic foam and an exterior mold;
- filling a molten metallic matrix into the mold cavity to enclose the metallic foam;
- and,
- as the molten metallic matrix cools, forming a solidification metallurgical bond at an entire interface between the metallic matrix and the metallic foam.
1 more element
A method to form a wind turbine component configured to have a lightweight structure, the method comprising:
- shaping a mold cavity within a metallic matrix having an opening;
- filling the mold cavity with molten metallic material and a foaming agent;
- closing the opening such that the metallic matrix encloses the mold cavity;
- and,
- as the molten metallic material cools and foams within the mold cavity, forming a solidification metallurgical bond at an entire interface between the metallic matrix and the metallic foam.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.