Wind turbine with multi-panel blade

1. A wind turbine blade transversely divided in an inboard module ( 13 ) and an outboard module ( 33 ) provided on their end sections with connecting means, comprising, respectively,

an inboard spar ( 15 ), an inboard upper shell ( 17 ), and an inboard lower shell ( 19 );

an outboard spar ( 35 ), an outboard upper shell ( 37 ), and an outboard lower shell ( 39 );

and arranged so that the aerodynamic profile of said inboard and outboard modules ( 13 , 33 ) is defined by said inboard and outboard upper and lower shells ( 17 , 19 ; 37 , 39 ); wherein:

the inboard spar ( 15 ) is composed of two cap prefabricated panels ( 21 , 23 ) and two web prefabricated panels ( 25 , 27 ); and

the outboard spar ( 35 ) is composed of first and second prefabricated panels ( 41 , 43 ) which integrate upper and lower caps ( 45 , 47 ) and two webs ( 49 , 51 );

wherein said two cap prefabricated panels ( 21 , 23 ) are composed of main cap parts ( 21 ′, 23 ′) and root joint parts ( 21 ″, 23 ″), the root joint parts ( 21 ″, 23 ″) extending longitudinally from a root to the beginning of the web prefabricated panels ( 25 , 27 ), the main cap parts ( 21 ′, 23 ′) having an initial section ( 22 ′, 24 ′) coincident with a sector of the root joint parts ( 21 ″, 23 ″) so that both the main cap parts and the root joint parts ( 21 ′, 21 ″; 23 ′, 23 ″) can be joined in said sector; and

wherein the material of said main cap parts ( 21 ′, 23 ′) of said inboard spar ( 15 ) comprise one of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and glass fiber reinforced plastic and further comprise one of balsa wood and PVC foam cores.

2. A wind turbine blade according to claim 1 , wherein the outboard spar ( 35 ) is composed of the first prefabricated panel ( 41 ) which integrates the upper cap ( 45 ) and the two webs ( 49 , 51 ) and is also composed of the lower cap ( 47 ) as the second prefabricated panel ( 43 ).

3. A wind turbine blade according to claim 1 , wherein the outboard spar ( 35 ) is composed of the first prefabricated panel ( 41 ) integrating the upper cap ( 45 ) and one of the two webs ( 49 ) which is a leading edge web ( 49 ) and the second prefabricated panel ( 43 ) integrating the lower cap ( 47 ) and the other of the two webs ( 51 ) which is a trailing edge web ( 51 ).

4. A wind turbine blade according to claim 1 , wherein said two cap prefabricated panels and said first and second prefabricated panels ( 21 , 23 , 25 , 27 , 41 , 43 ) each comprise joint flanges ( 61 , 63 ) for assembling the inboard and outboard spars ( 15 , 35 ) that are arranged for conforming joining areas ( 65 ) of said two cap prefabricated panels and said first and second prefabricated panels ( 21 , 23 , 25 , 27 , 41 , 43 ) on outer edges of the inboard and outboard spars ( 15 , 35 ).

5. A wind turbine blade according to claim 4 , wherein said joint flanges ( 61 , 63 ) are arranged as parallel flanges by means of, respectively, longitudinal and angular planar extensions of the caps ( 21 , 23 , 45 , 47 ) and webs ( 25 , 27 , 49 , 51 ) of said prefabricated panels.

6. A wind turbine blade according to claim 1 , wherein the root joint parts ( 21 ″, 23 ″) of the two cap prefabricated panels ( 21 , 23 ) comprise carbon fiber reinforced plastic material or glass fiber reinforced plastic material.

7. A wind turbine blade according to claim 1 , wherein the two web prefabricated panels ( 25 , 27 ) of the inboard spar ( 15 ) comprise glass fiber reinforced plastic material and PVC foam cores material.

8. A wind turbine blade according to claim 1 , wherein the outboard spar first prefabricated panel ( 41 ) comprises one of carbon fiber reinforced plastic material and glass fiber reinforced plastic material and further comprise one of balsa wood material and PVC foam cores material.

9. A wind turbine blade according to claim 1 , wherein the outboard spar second prefabricated panel ( 43 ) comprises one of carbon fiber reinforced plastic material and glass fiber reinforced plastic material and further comprises one of balsa wood material and PVC foam cores material.

10. A method of fabricating a wind turbine blade according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

fabricating separately main cap parts ( 21 ′, 23 ′), root joint parts ( 21 ″, 23 ″), said two web prefabricated panels ( 25 , 27 ), said first and second prefabricated panels ( 41 , 43 ), said inboard upper and lower shells ( 17 , 19 ), and said outboard upper and lower shells ( 37 , 39 );

assembling said two cap prefabricated panels ( 21 , 23 ), co-curing said main cap parts ( 21 ′, 23 ′) and said root joint parts ( 21 ″, 23 ″);

assembling said inboard spar ( 15 ), bonding joint flanges ( 61 , 63 ) of said two cap prefabricated panels ( 21 , 23 ) and said two web prefabricated panels ( 25 , 27 ) by means of an adhesive;

assembling said outboard spar ( 35 ), bonding the joint flanges ( 61 , 63 ) of said first and second prefabricated panels ( 41 , 43 ) by means of an adhesive;

assembling said inboard and outboard modules ( 13 , 33 ), bonding said shells ( 17 , 19 ; 37 , 39 ) to said inboard and outboard spars ( 15 , 35 ) by means of an adhesive; and

connecting said inboard and outboard modules ( 13 , 33 ).