The polyurethane material is prepared from a polyol, butanediol, and an isocyanate. The protective cover is adapted to be attached along at least a part of a longitudinal edge of the wind turbine blade by adhesion of an inside of the protective cover to a surface of the longitudinal edge of the wind turbine blade. The protective cover is elongated in a longitudinal direction and has an at least substantially U-formed cross-section. The protective cover includes a central cover section extending in the longitudinal direction and two peripheral cover sections extending in the longitudinal direction at either side of the central cover section, respectively. The central cover section has a minimum thickness of at least 1 millimetre, and each peripheral cover section has a thickness decreasing from a maximum thickness of at least 1 millimetre to a minimum thickness of less than ½ millimetre.

The polyurethane material is prepared from a polyol, butanediol, and an isocyanate. The protective cover is adapted to be attached along at least a part of a longitudinal edge of the wind turbine blade by adhesion of an inside of the protective cover to a surface of the longitudinal edge of the wind turbine blade. The protective cover is elongated in a longitudinal direction and has an at least substantially U-formed cross-section. The protective cover includes a central cover section extending in the longitudinal direction and two peripheral cover sections extending in the longitudinal direction at either side of the central cover section, respectively. The central cover section has a minimum thickness of at least 1 millimetre, and each peripheral cover section has a thickness decreasing from a maximum thickness of at least 1 millimetre to a minimum thickness of less than 1/2 millimetre.

A fluid dynamic body having a trailing edge with a pattern formed thereon, the pattern can include a plurality of smoothly surfaced adjacent members with respective interstices therebetween, wherein at least one of the interstices completely contains a porous barrier. In some embodiments, the porous barrier can obstruct fluid flow through the respective interstice between a first surface of the fluid dynamic body on a first side of the trailing edge and a second surface of the fluid dynamic body on a second side of the trailing edge. This helps to reduce noise produced at the trailing edge. In some embodiments, the fluid dynamic body is a wind turbine blade or an air-engine blade.

The invention relates to a substrate coated with a coating composition, wherein the coating composition has a volume solids content of greater than 30%, said composition comprising (i) at least one polycarbonate polyol; (ii) at least one hydroxyl containing polymer selected from the group consisting of an acrylic polyol, a polyester polyol and a mixture thereof; and (iii) at least one polyisocyanate curing agent; wherein the weight ratio of (i):(ii) is 9:1 to 1:9 and wherein, if present, said polyester polyol is different to said polycarbonate polyol; and wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of aircraft wings, wind turbine blades, rotor blades, propellers, randomes, antenaae, fan blade nose cones and high speed vehicles.

A vertical axis wind turbine is supported by a durable and lightweight composite mast comprising a foam material and a support material, wherein the foam material is either (i) layered within or (ii) distributed among the support material. The foam material may be selected from polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene, ethafoam, polyester, polyether, ether-like-ester, expanded polystyrene, and/or polyurethane. The support material may be selected from steel, metal, carbon nanotubes, and/or plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polystyrene, polylactic acid, polycarbonate, acrylic, acetal and/or nylon. A mixture ratio between the foam material and the support material may be at least 15:1. The mast may comprise a central core layer of foam and a peripheral layer of the support material. In an embodiment, adjacent layers of the central core layer and the peripheral layers alternate between the core and support materials.

Proposed is a recyclable epoxy compound containing an α,β-unsaturated ketone group and/or a hydroxy ketone group bonded through an aldol reaction between a ketone group and an aldehyde group containing a hydroxyl group among non-toxic natural materials, without using a bisphenol A type epoxy, a toxic material. In addition, proposed are a method of preparing the same compound, an epoxy composite material containing the same compound, and a method of degrading the same composite material.

A fluid dynamic body having a trailing edge with a pattern formed thereon, the pattern can include a plurality of smoothly surfaced adjacent members with respective interstices therebetween, wherein at least one of the interstices completely contains a porous barrier. In some embodiments, the porous barrier can obstruct fluid flow through the respective interstice between a first surface of the fluid dynamic body on a first side of the trailing edge and a second surface of the fluid dynamic body on a second side of the trailing edge. This helps to reduce noise produced at the trailing edge. In some embodiments, the fluid dynamic body is a wind turbine blade or an air-engine blade.

The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having a body shell with a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending between a root portion and a tip portion. Further, the rotor blade assembly includes a protection system configured to protect the rotor blade from ice accumulation or a lightning strike. The protection system includes at least one organic conductive element configured within the rotor blade. The protection system also includes a conductor source electrically or thermally coupled to the organic conductive element. Thus, the conductor source is configured to heat the organic conductive element so as to prevent ice from accumulating on the rotor blade or to provide a conductive path for the lightning strike.

A wind blade finishing system is provided that is robust, cost effective, and has low volatile organic compounds while reducing overall process time. The wind blade finishing system combines a gel coat, putty, and top coat and has weather resistant properties, and takes the place of processes for producing turbine wind blades covered by gel coat, contouring putty, pore filler, top coat, and leading-edge coating. The finishing system significantly reduces the need for sanding before applying the top coat, and in turn up to 11 hours of time associated with the sanding process, as well as preventing pin holes from showing through the surface of the wind blade without the need of a secondary product/operation thus eliminating pore filler, associated surface preparation and rework. The finishing system reduces overall system cure time, currently averaging 12 hours, and also reduces the number of products/steps needed to a minimum number.

A pump housing made of plastic sections is provided. The housing includes a first casing that has a first side facing the region in which a pumped medium will flow, and a second casing that has a second side facing the environment. The pump housing's first casing and second casing are both dimensionally stable, with a space between the first casing and the second casing. A filler material such as a self-expanding foam may be provided in the space. The pump casings may be standardized components, and multiple casings may be assembled to form pump housings to suit a particular application.