IP Library Granted Patent US 11,225,942
Granted Patent B2
US 11,225,942 · App. 15/641,567 · Granted Jan 18, 2022

Enhanced through-thickness resin infusion for a wind turbine composite laminate

Inventors: Amir Riahi (Simpsonville, SC); Swapnil Dhumal (Bangalore, IN); Xu Chen (Simpsonville, SC); Thomas Merzhaeuser (Munich, DE)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F03D1/0675B29C70/547B29D99/0025B32B5/024B32B5/026B32B5/028B32B5/18B32B37/14B29L2031/08B32B2266/06B32B2603/00F05B2230/23F05B2280/6002F05B2280/6003
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,225,942
App. No.
15/641,567
Granted
Jan 18, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wind turbine composite laminate component and method for producing it is disclosed as initially assembling a laminated structure having at least two reinforced layers and a plurality of interleaf layers positioned adjacent to one of the at least two reinforced layers. Then placing the laminated structure into a mold where resin is sequentially and independently transferred into each of the plurality of interleaf layers. Then curing the transferred resin in the laminated structure to form a composite laminate component having the at least two reinforced layers, the plurality of interleaf layers, and cured resin.

Claims (18)

1. A method for producing a composite laminate component for a wind turbine, comprising;

assembling a laminated structure comprising at least two reinforced layers and a plurality of interleaf layers positioned adjacent to one of the at least two reinforced layers, wherein the plurality of interleaf layers have a higher intrinsic permeability with respect to a resin than the at least two reinforced layers, the at least two reinforced layers and the plurality of interleaf layers defining a through-thickness of the laminated structure;

placing the laminated structure into a mold;

triggering a first resin feed line attached to a first interleaf layer of the plurality of interleaf layers so as to establish a resin flow front within the first interleaf layer;

following a time delay, independently triggering a second resin feed line attached to a second interleaf layer of the plurality of interleaf layers so as to establish a resin flow front within the second interleaf layer, wherein:

the second interleaf layer is vertically disposed between the first interleaf layer and mold,

transferring the resin into each layer of the plurality of interleaf layers establishes a pressure gradient in a resin flow across the through-thickness of the laminated structure, the resin flow comprising the resin flow front in each of the plurality of interleaf layers,

sequentially triggering the first resin feed line and the second resin feed line resets the pressure gradient to a maximum value resulting in a fill time reduction for the laminated structure relative to a baseline fill time, and

each of the resin flow fronts is in a different vertical plane, the resin flow infusing the through-thickness of the laminated structure; and

curing the transferred resin in the laminated structure to form a composite laminate component comprising the at least two reinforced layers, the plurality of interleaf layers, and cured resin.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of interleaf layers comprises a continuous fiber mat having an intrinsic permeability in the range of about 1×10 −9 to about 1×10 −7 squared meters.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein assembling the laminated structure further comprises placing a non-porous peel ply section adjacent a bottom of an entrance portion of at least one of the plurality of interleaf layers.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein assembling the laminated structure further comprises alternately placing each of the at least two reinforced layer adjacent the plurality of interleaf layers.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein assembling the laminated structure further comprises placing each of the at least two reinforced layers adjacent to each other.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, supplying the resin to a resin infusion manifold comprising independently controlled outlets to the plurality of interleaf layers.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, providing a predetermined time delay between resin flow initiation each of the plurality of interleaf layers.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining the predetermined time delay by measuring a time period required for at least one of the plurality of interleaf layers resin flow front to wet an adjacent reinforced layer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interleaf layers comprises at least one of a woven structure, a knitted structure, an open-cell foam structure, a sponge structure, a mesh structure, a filter structure, or combinations thereof.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2024
From: LM WIND POWER US TECHNOLOGY APS
To: GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 066869/0770 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: LM WIND POWER US TECHNOLOGY APS
Reel/Frame 065531/0160 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2017
From: RIAHI, AMIR; DHUMAL, SWAPNIL; CHEN, XU; MERZHAEUSER, THOMAS
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 042902/0521 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190010918A1 · Jan 10, 2019