Manufacturing of wind turbine blade spar cap

Inventors: Mahdi Baviloliaie (Kolding, DK); Rama Razeghi (Eastleigh, GB); Michael Koefoed (Kolding, DK); Harry Alkemade (DH Heerhugowaard, NL); Manoj Ramdas Kharate (Nelamangala Taluk, IN); Kiran Manikarnika (Kolding, DK)

Assignee: LM Wind Power A/S

B29C70/443 B29C66/721 B29C70/52 B29L2031/085

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12709074
App. No.: 18/720,878
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a fibre-reinforced spar cap ( 45 ) for a wind turbine blade. A plurality of pultruded fibre plates ( 70 ) is arranged in a spar cap mould ( 62 ) to form a stacked arrangement ( 69 ) of pultruded fibre plates ( 70 ). An insert member ( 86 ) is arranged next to a lateral surface ( 67 ) of the stacked arrangement ( 69 ), wherein the first insert member ( 86 ) comprises a connecting surface ( 87 ), and wherein the first insert member ( 86 ) is arranged such that its connecting surface abuts against the first lateral surface ( 67 ) of the stacked arrangement ( 69 ). Resin is infused into the stacked arrangement ( 69 ) and the insert member ( 86 ) to form the fibre-reinforced spar cap ( 45 ) or a preform thereof, which can be trimmed to the required size.

Claims (36)

1 . A method of manufacturing a fibre-reinforced spar cap for a wind turbine blade, the method comprising:

providing a spar cap mould;

arranging a plurality of pultruded fibre plates in the spar cap mould to form a stacked arrangement of pultruded fibre plates, wherein the stacked arrangement comprises a first lateral surface and an opposing second lateral surface;

arranging a first insert member next to the first lateral surface of the stacked arrangement, wherein the first insert member comprises a connecting surface, and wherein the first insert member is arranged such that the connecting surface of the first insert member abuts against the first lateral surface of the stacked arrangement;

optionally arranging a second insert member next to the second lateral surface of the stacked arrangement, wherein the second insert member comprises a connecting surface, and wherein the second insert member is arranged such that the connecting surface of the second insert member abuts against the second lateral surface of the stacked arrangement;

placing a vacuum foil over the stacked arrangement and the first insert member and the optional second insert member;

infusing resin into the stacked arrangement and the first insert member and the optional second insert member;

curing the resin to join the stacked arrangement and the first insert member and the optional second insert member to form the fibre-reinforced spar cap or a preform thereof;

removing the vacuum foil;

demoulding the fibre-reinforced spar cap or the preform thereof from the spar cap mould; and

trimming or grinding at least part of the first insert member and/or at least part of the optional second insert member of the preform to form the fibre-reinforced spar cap after curing the resin.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising infusing the resin such that a resin flow direction is generally from the second lateral surface towards the first lateral surface of the stacked arrangement.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first insert member has the same height as the stacked arrangement of pultruded fibre plates.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first insert member is cuboid shaped.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first insert member or the optional second insert member is substantially wedge-shaped.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein a profile of at least one of the first insert member or the optional second insert member being wedge-shaped tapers from an upper surface of the stacked arrangement towards a bottom surface of the stacked arrangement.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first insert member or the optional second insert member is made of a swellable material.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first insert member or the optional second insert member comprises at least one of balsa wood, a foam material, or honeycomb.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first insert member or the optional second insert member is made of the foam material, the foam material comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foam.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising disposing an interlayer between adjacent pultruded fibre plates in the stacked arrangement of pultruded fibre plates.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a wind turbine shell part with an outer aerodynamic surface and an opposing inner surface;

arranging the fibre-reinforced spar cap on the inner surface of the shell part; and

bonding the fibre-reinforced spar cap to the inner surface of the shell part.

12 . A fibre-reinforced spar cap for a wind turbine blade, the spar cap ( 45 ) comprising;

a plurality of pultruded fibre plates formed into a stacked arrangement of pultruded fibre plates, wherein the stacked arrangement comprises a first lateral surface and an opposing second lateral surface ( 68 );

a first insert member arranged next to the first lateral surface of the stacked arrangement, wherein the first insert member comprises a connecting surface, and wherein the first insert member is arranged such that the connecting surface of the first insert member abuts against the first lateral surface of the stacked arrangement; and

optionally a second insert member arranged next to the second lateral surface of the stacked arrangement, wherein the second insert member comprises a connecting surface, and wherein the second insert member is arranged such that the connecting surface of the second insert member abuts against the second lateral surface of the stacked arrangement;

wherein the first insert member, and optionally the second insert member, are bonded to the stacked arrangement of pultruded fibre plates by a cured resin; and

wherein at least one of the first insert member, or optionally the second insert member, is trimmed or ground after being bonded together by the cured resin to form a trimmed insert member that forms at least a portion of an outer surface of the fibre-reinforced spar cap.

13 . The fibre-reinforced spar cap according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first insert member or the second insert member is a ground or trimmed insert member.

14 . The fibre-reinforced spar cap according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first insert member or the second insert member is substantially wedge-shaped.

15 . The fibre-reinforced spar cap according to claim 12 , wherein a profile of at least one of the first insert member or the second insert member being wedge-shaped tapers from an upper surface of the stacked arrangement towards a bottom surface of the stacked arrangement.

16 . The fibre-reinforced spar cap according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first insert member or the second insert member is made of a swellable material.

17 . The fibre-reinforced spar cap according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first insert member or the second insert member comprises at least one of balsa wood, a foam material, or honeycomb.

18 . The wind turbine blade comprising the fibre-reinforced spar cap according to claim 12 .