Methods of fabricating wind turbine blades, leading edge protection surfaces of wind turbine blades and wind turbine protection shields using coreactive additive manufacturing. The blades, surfaces (605), and protection shields can include a single layer or multiple layers of a cured composition applied using coreactive manufacturing such as three-dimensional printing. Methods of repairing leading edge (601) surfaces of wind turbine blades include applying one or more layers of a coreactive composition onto the damaged leading edge surfaces using coreactive additive manufacturing or applying a leading edge protection shield onto a damaged leading edge (601) of a wind turbine blade.

A shear web flange (36) for a shear web (32) of a wind turbine blade (18) is described. The flange (36) extends longitudinally and comprises a bonding surface (50) for bonding to an inner surface of a wind turbine blade (18). One or more protruding features (52a, 52b) protrude from the bonding surface (50). A method of making such a shear web flange (36) is also described as are a shear web (32) for a wind turbine blade (18), a wind turbine blade (18) and a method of making a wind turbine blade (18).

The present disclosure is directed methods for manufacturing spar caps for wind turbine rotor blades. In certain embodiments, the method includes forming an outer frame of the spar cap via at least one of three-dimensional (3D) pultrusion, thermoforming, or 3D printing. As such, the outer frame has a varying cross-section that corresponds to a varying cross-section of the rotor blade along a span thereof. The method also includes arranging a plurality of structural materials (e.g. layers of pultruded plates) within the pultruded outer frame of the spar cap and infusing the structural materials and the outer frame together via a resin material so as to form the spar cap. The resulting spar cap can then be easily incorporated into conventional rotor blade manufacturing processes and/or welded or bonded to an existing rotor blade.

The present disclosure is directed methods for manufacturing spar caps for wind turbine rotor blades. In certain embodiments, the method includes forming an outer frame or tray of the spar cap via at least one of three-dimensional (3D) pultrusion, thermoforming, or 3D printing. As such, the outer frame has a varying cross-section that corresponds to a varying cross-section of the rotor blade along a span thereof. The method also includes arranging a plurality of structural materials (e.g. layers of pultruded plates) within the pultruded outer frame of the spar cap and infusing the structural materials and the outer frame together via a resin material so as to form the spar cap. The resulting spar cap can then be easily incorporated into conventional rotor blade manufacturing processes and/or welded or bonded to an existing rotor blade.

A shear web flange (36) for a shear web (32) of a wind turbine blade (18) is described. The flange (36) extends longitudinally and comprises a bonding surface (50) for bonding to an inner surface of a wind turbine blade (18). One or more protruding features (52a, 52b) protrude from the bonding surface (50). A method of making such a shear web flange (36) is also described as are a shear web (32) for a wind turbine blade (18), a wind turbine blade (18) and a method of making a wind turbine blade (18).

A strip of fiber-reinforced polymeric material for a longitudinal reinforcing structure of a wind turbine blade, the strip having substantially flat upper and lower surfaces and extending longitudinally between first and second transverse edges, wherein an end region of the strip tapers in thickness towards the first transverse edge, and wherein one or more slots are defined in the tapered end region, the or each slot extending longitudinally from the first transverse edge of the strip into the tapered end region.

A wind turbine blade with a leading edge protection system, wherein: the leading edge protection system, includes a shell portion, a surface of the shell portion forms part of an outer surface of the blade, the shell portion includes at least one cavity integrally formed inside a material of the shell portion, and the at least one cavity is a closed cavity filled with a shock absorbing medium and/or the at least one cavity is filled with a shock absorbing material. Having the leading edge protection system including the shell portion with the at least one cavity filled with the shock absorbing material and/or medium provides an improved shock absorption at the leading edge of a wind turbine blade.

The present invention concerns a connecting element for connecting a blade, or airfoil profile, to the hub of an industrial axial fan, a blade system comprising said connecting element, and an industrial axial fan comprising such blade system. The connecting element (1) for connecting a blade (10) to the hub (20) of an industrial axial fan according to the present invention, is realized in a single L-shaped piece comprising a first part (1a) having a substantially straight develop and a second part (1b) having a substantially straight develop, said first (1a) and second (1b) part being connected by a linking part (1c) presenting a curvature radius, said first (1a) and second (1b) parts lying on substantially perpendicular planes. The connecting element according to the present invention allows to achieve several advantages with respect to the prior art, one of said advantages consisting of its extremely simple shape and manufacturing process, which render the connecting element economically advantageous.

The present disclosure is directed methods for manufacturing spar caps for wind turbine rotor blades. In certain embodiments, the method includes forming an outer frame or tray of the spar cap via at least one of three-dimensional (3D) pultrusion, thermoforming, or 3D printing. As such, the outer frame has a varying cross-section that corresponds to a varying cross-section of the rotor blade along a span thereof. The method also includes arranging a plurality of structural materials (e.g. layers of pultruded plates) within the pultruded outer frame of the spar cap and infusing the structural materials and the outer frame together via a resin material so as to form the spar cap. The resulting spar cap can then be easily incorporated into conventional rotor blade manufacturing processes and/or welded or bonded to an existing rotor blade.

The present disclosure is directed methods for manufacturing spar caps for wind turbine rotor blades. In certain embodiments, the method includes forming an outer frame of the spar cap via at least one of three-dimensional (3D) pultrusion, thermoforming, or 3D printing. As such, the outer frame has a varying cross-section that corresponds to a varying cross-section of the rotor blade along a span thereof. The method also includes arranging a plurality of structural materials (e.g. layers of pultruded plates) within the pultruded outer frame of the spar cap and infusing the structural materials and the outer frame together via a resin material so as to form the spar cap. The resulting spar cap can then be easily incorporated into conventional rotor blade manufacturing processes and/or welded or bonded to an existing rotor blade.