Wind turbine blade multi-component shear web with intermediate connection assembly
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorAaron Yarbrough
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wind turbine blade has upper and lower shell members with a respective spar cap configured on an internal face of the shell members. A shear web extends between the spar caps along a longitudinal length of the blade and includes first and second components extending from a respective spar cap. An intermediate connection assembly is provided between facing transverse ends of the first and second components, and includes bond paste retaining structure configured relative to the transverse ends to achieve a bond between the transverse ends having desired width and thickness dimensions.
Claims7
A wind turbine blade, comprising:
- an upper shell member having a spar cap configured on an internal face thereof;
- a lower shell member having a spar cap configured on an internal face thereof;
- a shear web extending between said spar caps along a longitudinal length of said blade, said shear web further comprising first and second components extending from respective said spar caps;
- an intermediate connection assembly between facing transverse ends of first and second components of said shear web, said intermediate connection assembly further comprising:
- retaining structure configured relative to said transverse ends to achieve a bond between said transverse ends having desired width and thickness dimensions;
- and,
- bond paste confined by said retaining structure;
- and
- said retaining structure comprising a pair of transversely extending flange members affixed to opposite sides of each of said first and second components, wherein opposed said flange members define bond faces that provide a transverse bond having a width greater than a width of said transverse ends of said first and second components.
A wind turbine blade, comprising:
- an upper shell member having a spar cap configured on an internal face thereof;
- a lower shell member having a spar cap configured on an internal face thereof;
- a shear web extending between said spar caps along a longitudinal length of said blade, said shear web further comprising first and second components extending from respective said spar caps;
- an intermediate connection assembly between facing transverse ends of first and second components of said shear web, said intermediate connection assembly further comprising:
- retaining structure configured relative to said transverse ends to achieve a bond between said transverse ends having desired width and thickness dimensions;
- bond paste confined by said retaining structure;
- and
- said retaining structure comprising longitudinally extending walls members that bridge between said transverse ends of said first and second components, said wall members defined by extensions of longitudinal side walls of a respective one of said first or second components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.