Hybrid pultrusion plates for a conductive spar cap of a wind turbine blade

1 . A lightning protection system ( 102 ) for a wind turbine blade, the lightning protection system comprising:

a lightning conductor ( 104 ) disposed at least partially in the interior of a wind turbine blade; and

one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors ( 106 , 107 , 108 ) disposed on one or more surfaces of the wind turbine blade,

wherein the one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors are electrically connected to a spar cap,

wherein the spar cap comprises a plurality of pultrusion plates ( 64 ), each of the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) comprising a top surface ( 81 ), an opposing bottom surface ( 82 ) and two lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ),

wherein each of the pultrusion plates is formed of a pultrusion fibre material comprising a plurality of tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and a plurality of tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ),

wherein adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along an entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of each of the pultrusion plates,

wherein the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material provided along the entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of each of the pultrusion plates are provided in a continuous path extending from the top surface ( 81 ) to the opposing bottom surface ( 82 ), and

wherein the pultrusion plates are arranged into adjacent stacks of the pultrusion plates, and wherein a continuous path ( 67 ) of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material extends from the top surface of an uppermost one of the pultrusion plates to the bottom surface of a lowermost one of the pultrusion plates of each one of the stacks of the pultrusion plates, wherein the continuous path of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material within each one of the stacks of the pultrusion plates is an electrically conducting path.

2 . A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade shell component ( 38 ), the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of pultrusion plates ( 64 ), wherein each of the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) comprises a top surface ( 81 ), an opposing bottom surface ( 82 ) and two lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 );

arranging the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) on a blade shell material ( 89 ) in a mould ( 77 ) for the wind turbine blade shell component; and

bonding the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) with the blade shell material to form the wind turbine blade shell component,

wherein each of the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) is formed of a pultrusion fibre material comprising a plurality of tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and a plurality of tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ),

wherein adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along an entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of each of the pultrusion plates,

wherein the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material provided along the entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of each of the pultrusion plates are provided in a continuous path extending from the top surface ( 81 ) to the opposing bottom surface ( 82 ), and

wherein the pultrusion plates are arranged into adjacent stacks of the pultrusion plates, and wherein a continuous path ( 67 ) of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material extends from the top surface of an uppermost one of the pultrusion plates to the bottom surface of a lowermost one of the pultrusion plates of each one of the stacks of the pultrusion plates, wherein the continuous path of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material within each one of the stacks of the pultrusion plates is an electrically conducting path.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and the tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ) are arranged in a plurality of rows ( 71 ) of tows as seen in a vertical cross section of the pultrusion plate.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the pultrusion plate comprises at least 10 rows of tows and at least 10 columns of tows.

5 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the lateral surfaces of each of the pultrusion plates are free from glass fibres, the continuous path of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material extending from the top surface to the opposing bottom surface of the pultrusion plate.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the continuous path of adjoining tows of carbon fibre material provides an electrically conducting path throughout a vertical direction of the pultrusion plate.

7 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein all of the tows of carbon fibre material within the pultrusion plate are electrically coupled.

8 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the distance between the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material is less than 50 μm.

9 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of tows of glass fibre material and the plurality of tows of carbon fibre material form a non-random pattern as seen in a vertical cross section of the pultrusion plate.

10 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the pultrusion plates are arranged into adjacent stacks of the pultrusion plates, and wherein a continuous path ( 67 ) of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material extends from the top surface of an uppermost one of the pultrusion plates to the bottom surface of a lowermost one of the pultrusion plates of each of the stacks of pultrusion plates, wherein the continuous path of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material within each of the stacks is an electrically conducting path.

11 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along the top surface ( 81 ) of each of the pultrusion plates, and wherein the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along the bottom surface ( 82 ) of each of the pultrusion plates.

12 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein several adjacent columns of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along the entirety of the lateral surfaces of each of the pultrusion plates.

13 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein a continuous row of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material extends between the lateral surfaces of each of the pultrusion plates, said continuous row being spaced apart from the top surface and from the bottom surface of each of the pultrusion plates.

14 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises a checkerboard pattern of the tows of carbon fibre material and the tows of glass fibre material in a centre region of each of the pultrusion plates, as seen in a vertical cross section of each of the pultrusion plates, or

wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises several rows of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material along the lateral surfaces thereof, as well as a continuous line of the tows of carbon fibre material extending between the lateral edges within each of the pultrusion plates, or

wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises several rows of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material along the lateral surfaces thereof, wherein a checkerboard pattern is provided in a centre region of each of the pultrusion plates.

15 . The lightning protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and the tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ) are arranged in a plurality of rows ( 71 ) of tows as seen in a vertical cross section of the pultrusion plate.

16 . The lightning protection system according to claim 15 , wherein the pultrusion plate comprises at least 10 rows of tows and at least 10 columns of tows.

17 . The lightning protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral surfaces of each of the pultrusion plates are free from glass fibres, the continuous path of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material extending from the top surface to the opposing bottom surface of the pultrusion plate.

18 . The lightning protection system according to claim 17 , wherein the continuous path of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material provides an electrically conducting path throughout a vertical direction of the pultrusion plate.

19 . The lightning protection system according to claim 1 , wherein all of the tows of carbon fibre material within the pultrusion plate are electrically coupled.

20 . The lightning protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the distance between the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material is less than 50 μm.

21 . The lightning protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tows of glass fibre material and the plurality of tows of carbon fibre material form a non-random pattern as seen in a vertical cross section of the pultrusion plate.

22 . The lightning protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along the top surface ( 81 ) of each of the pultrusion plates, and wherein the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along the bottom surface ( 82 ) of each of the pultrusion plates.

23 . The lightning protection system according to claim 1 , wherein several adjacent columns of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along the entirety of the lateral surfaces of each of the pultrusion plates.

24 . The lightning protection system according to claim 1 , wherein a continuous row of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material extends between the lateral surfaces of each of the pultrusion plates, said continuous row being spaced apart from the top surface and from the bottom surface of each of the pultrusion plates.

25 . The lightning protection system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises a checkerboard pattern of the tows of carbon fibre material and the tows of glass fibre material in a centre region of each of the pultrusion plates, as seen in a vertical cross section of each of the pultrusion plates, or

wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises several rows of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material along the lateral surfaces thereof, as well as a continuous line of the tows of carbon fibre material extending between the lateral edges within each of the pultrusion plates, or

wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises several rows of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material along the lateral surfaces thereof, wherein a checkerboard pattern is provided in a centre region of each of the pultrusion plates.

26 . A lightning protection system ( 102 ) for a wind turbine blade, the lightning protection system comprising:

a lightning conductor ( 104 ) disposed at least partially in the interior of a wind turbine blade; and

one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors ( 106 , 107 , 108 ) disposed on one or more surfaces of the wind turbine blade,

wherein the one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors are electrically connected to a spar cap,

wherein the spar cap comprises a plurality of pultrusion plates ( 64 ), each of the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) comprising a top surface ( 81 ), an opposing bottom surface ( 82 ) and two lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ),

wherein each of the pultrusion plates is formed of a pultrusion fibre material comprising a plurality of tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and a plurality of tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ),

wherein adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along an entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of the pultrusion plate,

wherein the pultrusion plates are arranged into adjacent stacks of the pultrusion plates, and

wherein a continuous path ( 67 ) of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material extends from the top surface of an uppermost one of the pultrusion plates to the bottom surface of a lowermost one of the pultrusion plates of each one of the stacks of the pultrusion plates, wherein the continuous path of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material within each one of the stacks of the pultrusion plates is an electrically conducting path.

27 . A lightning protection system ( 102 ) for a wind turbine blade, the lightning protection system comprising:

a lightning conductor ( 104 ) disposed at least partially in the interior of a wind turbine blade; and

one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors ( 106 , 107 , 108 ) disposed on one or more surfaces of the wind turbine blade,

wherein the one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors are electrically connected to a spar cap,

wherein the spar cap comprises a plurality of pultrusion plates ( 64 ), each of the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) comprising a top surface ( 81 ), an opposing bottom surface ( 82 ) and two lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ),

wherein each of the pultrusion plates is formed of a pultrusion fibre material comprising a plurality of tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and a plurality of tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ),

wherein adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along an entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of the pultrusion plate, and

wherein several adjacent columns of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along the entirety of the lateral surfaces of each of the pultrusion plates.

28 . A lightning protection system ( 102 ) for a wind turbine blade, the lightning protection system comprising:

a lightning conductor ( 104 ) disposed at least partially in the interior of a wind turbine blade; and

one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors ( 106 , 107 , 108 ) disposed on one or more surfaces of the wind turbine blade,

wherein the one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors are electrically connected to a spar cap,

wherein the spar cap comprises a plurality of pultrusion plates ( 64 ), each of the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) comprising a top surface ( 81 ), an opposing bottom surface ( 82 ) and two lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ),

wherein each of the pultrusion plates is formed of a pultrusion fibre material comprising a plurality of tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and a plurality of tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ),

wherein adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along an entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of the pultrusion plate, and

wherein a continuous row of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material extends between the lateral surfaces of each of the pultrusion plates, said continuous row being spaced apart from the top surface and from the bottom surface of each of the pultrusion plates.

29 . A lightning protection system ( 102 ) for a wind turbine blade, the lightning protection system comprising:

a lightning conductor ( 104 ) disposed at least partially in the interior of a wind turbine blade; and

one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors ( 106 , 107 , 108 ) disposed on one or more surfaces of the wind turbine blade,

wherein the one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors are electrically connected to a spar cap,

wherein the spar cap comprises a plurality of pultrusion plates ( 64 ), each of the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) comprising a top surface ( 81 ), an opposing bottom surface ( 82 ) and two lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ),

wherein each of the pultrusion plates is formed of a pultrusion fibre material comprising a plurality of tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and a plurality of tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ),

wherein adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along an entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of the pultrusion plate,

wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises a checkerboard pattern of the tows of carbon fibre material and the tows of glass fibre material in a centre region of each of the pultrusion plates, as seen in a vertical cross section of each of the pultrusion plates, or

wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises several rows of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material along the lateral surfaces thereof, as well as a continuous line of the tows of carbon fibre material extending between the lateral edges within each of the pultrusion plates, or

wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises several rows of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material along the lateral surfaces thereof, wherein a checkerboard pattern is provided in a centre region of each of the pultrusion plates.

30 . A lightning protection system ( 102 ) for a wind turbine blade, the lightning protection system comprising:

a lightning conductor ( 104 ) disposed at least partially in the interior of a wind turbine blade; and

one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors ( 106 , 107 , 108 ) disposed on one or more surfaces of the wind turbine blade,

wherein the one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors are electrically connected to a spar cap,

wherein the spar cap comprises a plurality of pultrusion plates ( 64 ), each of the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) comprising a top surface ( 81 ), an opposing bottom surface ( 82 ) and two lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ),

wherein each of the pultrusion plates is formed of a pultrusion fibre material comprising a plurality of tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and a plurality of tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ),

wherein adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along an entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of each of the pultrusion plates,

wherein the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material provided along the entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of each of the pultrusion plates are provided in a continuous path extending from the top surface ( 81 ) to the opposing bottom surface ( 82 ), and

wherein several adjacent columns of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along the entirety of the lateral surfaces of each of the pultrusion plates.

31 . A lightning protection system ( 102 ) for a wind turbine blade, the lightning protection system comprising:

a lightning conductor ( 104 ) disposed at least partially in the interior of a wind turbine blade; and

one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors ( 106 , 107 , 108 ) disposed on one or more surfaces of the wind turbine blade,

wherein the one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors are electrically connected to a spar cap,

wherein the spar cap comprises a plurality of pultrusion plates ( 64 ), each of the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) comprising a top surface ( 81 ), an opposing bottom surface ( 82 ) and two lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ),

wherein each of the pultrusion plates is formed of a pultrusion fibre material comprising a plurality of tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and a plurality of tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ),

wherein adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along an entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of each of the pultrusion plates,

wherein the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material provided along the entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of each of the pultrusion plates are provided in a continuous path extending from the top surface ( 81 ) to the opposing bottom surface ( 82 ), and

wherein a continuous row of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material extends between the lateral surfaces of each of the pultrusion plates, said continuous row being spaced apart from the top surface and from the bottom surface of each of the pultrusion plates.

32 . A lightning protection system ( 102 ) for a wind turbine blade, the lightning protection system comprising:

a lightning conductor ( 104 ) disposed at least partially in the interior of a wind turbine blade; and

one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors ( 106 , 107 , 108 ) disposed on one or more surfaces of the wind turbine blade,

wherein the one or more electrically conducting lightning receptors are electrically connected to a spar cap,

wherein the spar cap comprises a plurality of pultrusion plates ( 64 ), each of the pultrusion plates ( 64 ) comprising a top surface ( 81 ), an opposing bottom surface ( 82 ) and two lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ),

wherein each of the pultrusion plates is formed of a pultrusion fibre material comprising a plurality of tows of glass fibre material ( 70 ) and a plurality of tows of carbon fibre material ( 68 ),

wherein adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material are provided along an entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of each of the pultrusion plates,

wherein the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material provided along the entirety of the lateral surfaces ( 83 , 84 ) of each of the pultrusion plates are provided in a continuous path extending from the top surface ( 81 ) to the opposing bottom surface ( 82 ),

wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises a checkerboard pattern of the tows of carbon fibre material and the tows of glass fibre material in a centre region of each of the pultrusion plates, as seen in a vertical cross section of each of the pultrusion plates, or

wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises several rows of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material along the lateral surfaces thereof, as well as a continuous line of the tows of carbon fibre material extending between the lateral edges within each of the pultrusion plates, or

wherein each of the pultrusion plates comprises several rows of the adjoining ones of the tows of carbon fibre material along the lateral surfaces thereof, wherein a checkerboard pattern is provided in a centre region of each of the pultrusion plates.