Wind turbine rotor blade components and methods of making same

1. A composite beam for a wind turbine blade comprising:

a preform layer, the preform layer including multiple elongate strength rods arranged longitudinally relative to one another in a single layer, each strength rod being disposed adjacent to and spaced from at least one adjacent strength rod;

each strength rod having a rectangular cross section and including multiple, substantially straight collimated structural fibers fixed in a solidified matrix resin;

the preform layer including at least one carrier layer to which the multiple strength rods are joined by an adhesive;

wherein the carrier layer spaces adjacent strength rods a fixed distance apart to facilitate the flow of liquid bonding resin between adjacent strength rods of the preform layer to its joined carrier layer, the carrier layer being of a permeable material suitable to facilitate the flow of liquid bonding resin through the carrier layer.

2. The composite beam of claim 1 , including an absence of material between each strength rod, the absence of material permitting flow of liquid bonding resin between adjacent strength members.

3. The composite beam of claim 1 , wherein the carrier layer includes at least one of: a nonwoven material and a woven material.

4. The composite beam of claim 3 , wherein the at least one of a nonwoven material and a woven material is selected for its wettability and material compatibility.

5. The composite beam of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is an adhesive compatible with the liquid bonding resin.

6. The composite beam of claim 1 , wherein each of the rectangular strength rods include rounded edges.

7. The composite beam of claim 6 , wherein the rounded edges of the strength rods define an edge radius of curvature.

8. The composite beam of claim 7 , wherein the edge radius is less than an upper limit of ¼ of the thickness of the rectangular strength rods.

9. The composite beam of claim 8 , wherein the preform layer is stacked with one or more preform layers and wherein the edge radius is greater than ¼ of the spacing between individual preform layers.

10. The composite beam of claim 1 , wherein the rectangular cross sections of each of the strength rods are substantially the same size.

11. The composite beam of claim 1 , wherein the preform layer is stacked with one or more preform layers.

12. The composite beam of claim 11 , wherein the stacked preform layers are stacked in a brick pattern.

13. The composite beam of claim 11 , wherein the stacked preform layers are stacked in a column pattern.

14. The composite beam of claim 11 , wherein the stacked preform layers are stacked in a random pattern.

15. The composite beam of claim 11 , wherein the composite beam forms one or more of a spar cap, an I-beam, a shear web and other structural blade components of the wind turbine blade.

16. The composite beam of claim 1 , wherein the carrier layer of the perform layer comprises at least one of a nonwoven material and a woven material having one or more of substantially unidirectional: multiple fibers, multiple yarns and multiple rovings disposed at a substantially transverse orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the strength rods.