US 11,719,222 B2
Method of joining wind turbine rotor blade segments via structural members
Peter Anthony Broome, Park Ridge, IL (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Aug. 3, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/54,355.
Prior Publication US 2020/0040868 A1, Feb. 6, 2020
Int. Cl. F03D 1/06 (2006.01); F03D 13/10 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 1/0675 (2013.01) [F03D 13/10 (2016.05); F05B 2230/60 (2013.01); F05B 2240/302 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for joining rotor blade segments of a rotor blade, the method comprising:
forming a female structural member having a receipt portion, a structural portion, and a divider bulkhead, the receipt portion defining a cavity having a taper and comprising one or more spar caps of the cavity, the divider bulkhead being positioned between the receipt portion and the structural portion, the structural portion comprising one or more spar caps, and the one or more spar caps of the cavity and the one or more spar caps of the structural portion aligned in a span-wise direction and forming one or more continuous spar caps;
securing the female structural member within a first blade segment;
forming a male structural member having a protrusion portion and a structural portion, the protrusion portion comprising one or more spar caps;
securing the structural portion of the male structural member within a second blade segment;
inserting the protrusion portion of the male structural member into the cavity of the female structural member, wherein, when inserted, an interface of the protrusion portion of the male structural member and the cavity of the female structural member forms a plurality of internal channels, and wherein, when inserted, the one or more continuous spar caps of the female structural member and the one or more spar caps of the protrusion portion of the male structural member align in a span-wise direction;
injecting adhesive from an exterior location of the rotor blade through the divider bulkhead of the female structural member and into the plurality of internal channels at the interface of the protrusion portion of the male structural member and the cavity of the female structural member;
and allowing the adhesive to cure within the plurality of internal channels so as to secure the first and second blade segments together;
wherein the cross-sectional shapes of the cavity and the protrusion portion tapers from a first end to a second end, respectively; and
wherein the female structural portion having one or more spar caps extends directly from an outer surface of the taper of the cavity.