Wind turbine blade and method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade with vortex generators

A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade having at least one vortex generator, the method comprising:

• inserting a first removable insert member with a first vortex generator cavity into a recessed cavity of a mold main body;
• disposing a first layer of structural material over the mold main body and the first removable insert member, the first layer of structural material configured to define substantially an entirety of an outer surface of an outer shell which defines a partial portion of the wind turbine blade;
• pushing a shaped plug into the first vortex generator cavity of the first removable insert member to push the first layer of structural material into the first vortex generator cavity;
• disposing a second layer of structural material over the mold main body, the first removable insert member, and the shaped plug to form the outer shell of the wind turbine blade with an integral vortex generator, with the vortex generator including an outer first component defined by a portion of the first layer of structural material and an inner second component defined by the shaped plug which defines the shape of the vortex generator while being at least partially surrounded by the outer first component;
• demolding the outer shell of the wind turbine blade and the integral vortex generator from the mold main body and the first removable insert;
• and
• coupling the outer shell to one or more outer shells to assemble the wind turbine blade.

A wind turbine including a plurality of wind turbine blades including at least one integral vortex generator, wherein each of the wind turbine blades is formed by the process comprising:

• inserting a first removable insert member with a first vortex generator cavity into a recessed cavity of a mold main body;
• disposing a first layer of structural material over the mold main body and the first removable insert member, the first layer of structural material configured to define substantially an entirety of an outer surface of an outer shell which defines a partial portion of the wind turbine blade;
• pushing a shaped plug into the first vortex generator cavity of the first removable insert member to push the first layer of structural material into the first vortex generator cavity;
• disposing a second layer of structural material over the mold main body, the first removable insert member, and the shaped plug to form the outer shell of the wind turbine blade with an integral vortex generator, with the vortex generator including an outer first component defined by a portion of the first layer of structural material and an inner second component defined by the shaped plug which defines the shape of the vortex generator while being at least partially surrounded by the outer first component;
• demolding the outer shell of the wind turbine blade and the integral vortex generator from the mold main body and the first removable insert;
• and
• coupling the outer shell to one or more outer shells to assemble the wind turbine blade.