US 12,326,135 B2
Jointed wind turbine rotor blade having improved transitions between varying material combinations
Graham Andress Aldinger, Greenville, SC (US); Scott Jacob Huth, Greenville, SC (US); Rohit Agarwal, Simpsonville, SC (US); Amir Riahi, Simpsonville, SC (US); Andrew Mitchell Rodwell, Greenville, SC (US); and Thomas Merzhaeuser, Munich (DE)
Assigned to LM Wind Power A/S, Kolding (DK)
Appl. No. 18/043,183
Filed by LM Wind Power A/S, Kolding (DK)
PCT Filed Aug. 31, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/073992
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 27, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/043575, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 3, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2013647 (GB), filed on Aug. 31, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0323855 A1, Oct. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. F03D 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 1/0675 (2013.01) [F05B 2230/60 (2013.01); F05B 2240/302 (2013.01); F05B 2280/6003 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of joining first and second blade components of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
arranging the first blade component and the second blade component together at an interface, the first and second blade components being formed of different materials having different stiffnesses;
providing at least one gap at the interface of the first and second blade components by removing a portion of material from at least one of the first blade component or the second blade component so as to create the at least one gap at the interface;
securing the first and second blade components together by partially filling the at least one gap at the interface with a first filler material;
further securing the first and second blade components together via an infusion process, wherein, during the infusion process, a second filler material further fills the at least one gap at the interface or covers at least a portion of the first filler material; and
allowing the first and second filler materials to cure, wherein, upon curing, the first and second filler materials are configured to transition a load between the different materials of the first and second blade components, thereby limiting an associated stress at the interface.