The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for manufacturing a composite component. The apparatus includes a mold onto which the composite component is formed. The mold is disposed within a grid defined by a first axis and a second axis. The apparatus further includes a first frame assembly disposed above the mold, and a plurality of machine heads coupled to the first frame assembly within the grid in an adjacent arrangement along the first axis. At least one of the mold or the plurality of machine heads is moveable along the first axis, the second axis, or both. At least one of the machine heads of the plurality of machine heads is moveable independently of one another along a third axis.

The invention is directed to a rotor blade for a wind turbine. The rotor blade has a rotor blade main body which delimits a rotor blade cavity. A rotor blade tip is connected fixedly to the rotor blade main body. The rotor blade tip has a drainage bore which is coupled fluidically to the rotor blade cavity and which is open toward a suction side surface of the rotor blade tip, so that, via the drainage bore, fluid from the rotor blade cavity drains to the outside at the suction side surface of the rotor blade tip. The invention is also directed to a rotor blade tip.

Provided is a rotor blade of a wind turbine including a leading edge section with a leading edge and a trailing edge section with a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge and the trailing edge divide the surface of the rotor blade into a suction side and a pressure side. The rotor blade further includes a blade shell for defining the outer shape of the rotor blade and a heating mat for anti-icing and/or deicing purposes which is arranged upon the blade shell. In the outboard region of the rotor blade, the heating mat is substantially or completely covered by a protective shield made of an electrically insulating polymer material. Use of a protective shield made of electrically insulating polymer material for electrical insulation of a heating mat in particular, against lightning strikes is also provided.

An apparatus for monitoring an ambient environment of a wind turbine is described. The apparatus comprises a cooling system comprising first and second heat exchangers, and a fluid circuit arranged to enable coolant to flow between the first and second heat exchangers. The apparatus further comprises a processor configured to: monitor one or more operational parameters of the cooling system; determine an efficiency of the cooling system based on the monitored one or more operational parameters; and calculate a liquid water content of the ambient environment based on the measured efficiency of the cooling system.

An electric heating module structure, an installation method, a forming method, and a wind turbine are provided. The electric heating module structure is configured for melting ice on a blade, and includes an electric heating module, a positive conductive wire and a negative conductive wire. The positive conductive wire and the negative conductive wire are integrally formed with the electric heating module, to supply power to the electric heating module. The integrally formed electric heating module, the positive conductive wire and the negative conductive wire are laid in an outer layer of the blade.

Provided is a blade for a wind turbine including a structure having: a suction side and a pressure side extending between a leading edge and the trailing edge, a conducting or semi-conducting element. The blade further includes: a thermally conducting electrical insulation, at least partially in contact with the structure.

Power generation systems comprising modular blades and a secondary power source, and methods of manufacturing the same employing additive manufacturing. Various features of the system are described, including a rotor, spoke and support base. A slip gear assembly is described to coordinate the wiring of the secondary power sources.

Wind turbine blades with de-icing and/or anti-icing systems including at least one heating unit disposed along the blade's length and between the blade's chord, wherein each heating unit in turn comprises a plurality of heating elements connected both in series and in parallel in a matrix configuration by overlaps or cross-adjacent junctions between adjacent heating elements order to change the electric heating current flow disposing of any additional terminals cables and further enabling to generate a gradually increasing heat flux from the blade root towards the blade tip and from the trailing edge towards the leading edge through each individual heating unit adapting accurately to heat flux demand and hence reducing energy consumption for de-icing and/or anti-icing.

A method for operating a wind turbine with hinged wind turbine blades is disclosed. The wind turbine comprises an adjustable biasing mechanism arranged to apply an adjustable biasing force to each wind turbine blade which biases the wind turbine blade towards a position defining a minimum pivot angle or towards a position defining maximum pivot angle. A biasing force is selected for each wind turbine blade and the selected biasing force is applied to the respective wind turbine blades. The wind turbine is operated while monitoring rotor unbalance of the wind turbine. In the case that the rotor unbalance exceeds a first threshold value at least one of the wind turbine blades is selected, and the biasing force applied to the selected wind turbine blade(s) is adjusted.

A protective covering can protect a surface of a composite article from lightning strikes, wherein the surface includes at least one grounding connection. The covering includes a conductive sheet formed from electrically conductive material configured to be affixed to the composite article over a portion of the surface adjacent the grounding connection; and a perforated overlaminate sheet comprising a dielectric material configured to be affixed to the composite article over the conductive sheet. The perforated overlaminate sheet distributes electrical current of the lighting strikes over an area of the protective covering.