A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade shell part is described. Fibre mats and a root end insert are laid up in a mould part in a layup procedure by use of an automated layup system. The fibre mats are laid up by use of a buffer so that the fibre mats may continuously be laid up on the mould surface, also during a cutting procedure. The root end insert is prepared in advance and mounted on a mounting plate. The root end insert is lowered onto the mould by use of the mounting plate and a lowering mechanism. After the wind turbine blade shell has been moulded, the mounting plate is removed.

The present invention relates to a method and a mould system (66) for manufacturing at least two preforms for moulding a wind turbine blade. The preforms include at least one preform of a first shape and at least one preform of a second shape. The preform mould structure (68) has a moulding surface (70) of variable shape such that the shape of the moulding surface (70) can be varied at least between a first and a second configuration by using actuators.

An insert (105) for a wind turbine blade root. The insert (105) has a bushing (40) and an outer surface with circumferential annular grooves (68). A transition layer 5 (102) is built up around the bushing (40). The transition layer (102) has fibrous material sheet layers and filamentary material windings (80) in the grooves which alternate with fibrous plies (98) covering the grooves (68). Each fibrous ply (98) is anchored into the grooves (68) by the windings (80). Fibrous battens (148) are fitted around the transition layer (102) to form an insert body (108). Each batten (148) 10 has a deltoid cross-section so that the battens give the insert a quadrilateral or trapezoidal cross-section.

An airfoil member having a root end, a tip end, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, the airfoil member including an upper skin; a lower skin; and a support network having a plurality of interconnected support members in a lattice arrangement and/or a reticulated arrangement, the support network being configured to provide tailored characteristics of the airfoil member. Also provided are methods and systems for repairing an airfoil member.

A tower portion, a tower, and a wind turbine generator assembly are provided. The tower portion includes: a main tower portion, and a longitudinal flange pair. The main tower portion is divided into at least two sections by means a longitudinal seam formed in a longitudinal direction thereof. The longitudinal flange pair is provided in the longitudinal seam along the longitudinal direction of the main tower portion. The longitudinal flange pair protrudes from an inner surface and an outer surface of the main tower portion in a radial direction thereof, and is welded to a corresponding section of the main tower portion. The tower portion reduces welding difficulty, reduces heat produced during the welding process, and improves the quality of the weld. The application further discloses a method for manufacturing the tower portion.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a panel of a wind turbine nacelle, which method includes the steps of providing a mold for the panel; arranging at least one divider in the mold to spatially divide the mold into at least a first mold region and a second mold region; arranging composite material in the mold; curing the composite material; and separating the cured panel into at least a first panel portion and a second panel portion along a line defined by a divider. Also provided is a method of constructing a wind turbine nacelle, and a wind turbine including such a nacelle.

In a first aspect, there is a method of making a rotor blade, including designing at least one of an upper skin, a lower skin, a support network, and components therefor; and forming at least one of the upper skin, the lower skin, a support network, and components therefor using an additive manufacturing process. In a second aspect, there is an airfoil member having a root end, a tip end, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, the airfoil member including an upper skin; a lower skin; and a support network having a plurality of interconnected support members in a lattice arrangement and/or a reticulated arrangement, the support network being configured to provide tailored characteristics of the airfoil member. Also provided are methods and systems for repairing an airfoil member.

A separation assembly comprises a housing, a jet that expels a fluid within the housing, and a turbine positioned within the housing. The fluid causes the turbine to rotate about a center rotational axis within the housing. The turbine comprises a first axial end, a second axial end, and a plurality of vanes extending axially relative to the center rotational axis from the first axial end to the second axial end. The plurality of vanes defines axially-extending channels between each of the plurality of vanes. The first axial end comprises a radially-extending structure that axially blocks the flow of the fluid through the first axial end. The second axial end does not comprise any structure that axially blocks the flow of the fluid through the second axial end.

Provided is a rotor blade of a wind turbine, wherein the rotor blade includes a trailing edge section with a trailing edge and a leading-edge section with a leading-edge, a root section with a root and a tip section with a tip, a shell which defines the outer shape of the rotor blade and a cavity which is confined by the shell, and a lightning protection system with an internal down conductor extending from the root section of the rotor blade to the tip section of the rotor blade, wherein the internal down conductor is connectable at the root section to a grounding system of the remainder of the wind turbine and at the tip section to at least one tip lightning receptor which is positioned at the surface of the rotor blade. In addition, the rotor blade comprises an electrically insulating tip part.

A wind turbine blade includes a lengthwise portion that extends between a root region and a tip region of the wind turbine blade. The lengthwise portion includes a cross section in which a first region surrounds a second region. The densities of the first and second regions vary with the first density being greater than the second density. The lengthwise portion includes a surface layer that bounds the first region, forms an exterior surface, and is configured to resist environmental degradation. At least one structural element extends longitudinally through the first region and is configured to reinforce the blade during use of the wind turbine. The lengthwise portion of a wind turbine blade may be made through an additive manufacturing process by depositing a main body in a plurality of layers. Each layer may be deposited in a plane generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the lengthwise portion.