The present invention relates to a method of molding a shell part of a wind turbine blade comprising the steps of providing a mold (64) comprising a mold cavity (66) with a root end (68) and an opposing tip end (70), arranging one or more preformed sheets (72a, 72b, 72c) in the mold cavity (66), wherein each preformed sheet comprises a mixture of fibre rovings (82) and a binding agent, wherein the fibre rovings are at least partially joined together by means of the binding agent, and injecting the one or more preformed sheets (72a, 72b, 72c) with a resin to mold the shell part. The present invention also relates to a shell part of a wind turbine blade obtainable by said method, to a preformed sheet for use in said method and to a method of manufacturing said preformed sheet.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 (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) has a deltoid cross-section so that the battens give the insert a quadrilateral or trapezoidal cross-section.

A method of designing a wind turbine rotor blade. The method includes selecting a gravity load safety factor associated with wind turbine rotor blade fatigue loading due to gravity, that is selected to be less than a defined wind load safety factor associated with wind turbine rotor blade fatigue loading that is not due to gravity. The method includes determining a gravity-corrected design load for wind turbine rotor blade deflection, that is determined based on the selected gravity load safety factor and the defined wind load safety factor. The method includes designing a gravity-corrected wind turbine rotor blade in accordance with the determined gravity-corrected design load.

The present disclosure is directed to spar caps for wind turbine rotor blades and methods of manufacturing same. The spar cap includes a plurality of plies having varying lengths that are arranged in a tapered configuration. Further, the tapered configuration includes at least an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is configured for attachment to at least one of a pressure side or a suction side of the rotor blade. Further, one or more plies of the upper and lower portions tapers towards an intermediate ply configured between the upper and lower portions of the spar cap. In addition, the intermediate ply has a length that is shorter than the plies in the upper and lower portions.

A propulsor for a gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a case including a duct disposed along an axis to define a flow path. A rotor includes a row of propulsor blades extending in a generally radial direction outwardly from a hub, the hub rotatable about the axis such that the propulsor blades deliver airflow into the flow path. A row of guide vanes are situated in the flow path. At least two of the guide vanes extend in the generally radial direction between inner and outer surfaces of the duct, extends in a chordwise direction between a first leading edge and a first trailing edge to define a vane chord dimension (VCD) at a first span position of the corresponding guide vane, and defines a vane circumferential pitch (VCP) at the first span position of the corresponding guide vane and an adjacent one of the guide vanes. The row of guide vanes has a vane solidity (VR) defined as VCD/VCP, the vane solidity (VR) being equal to or less than 1.43.

A main shaft assembly of a wind turbine and method for manufacturing the same are provided. Accordingly, the main shaft assembly includes a structural/shaft body defining a cavity therein. The shaft body is configured to transmit a load of the wind turbine developed in response to the wind. An inner body is located within the cavity. The inner body is non-loadbearing with respect to the load. At least one sensor is coupled to the inner body and positioned within the cavity for detecting a deflection of the shaft body in response to the load.