A tapered roller bearing (31a) has a plurality of retainer segments (11a, 11d) each having a pocket to house a tapered roller (34a), and arranged so as to be continuously lined with each other in a circumferential direction between an outer ring (32a) and an inner ring (33a). The retainer segment (11a, 11d) is formed of a resin containing a filler material to lower a thermal linear expansion coefficient. In addition, a clearance (39a) is provided between the first retainer segment (11a) and the last retainer segment (11d) after the plurality of retainer segments (11a, 11d) have been arranged in the circumferential direction without providing any clearance. Here a circumferential range (R) of the clearance (39a) is larger than 0.075% of a circumference of a circle passing through a center of the retainer segment (11a, 11d) and smaller than 0.12% thereof at room temperature.

A wind turbine blade of a wind turbine, the wind turbine blade including a shell and a spar having at least one spar cap is provided. At least one of the at least one spar cap includes at least two longitudinal support structure elements, whereby at least two of the at least two longitudinal support structure elements are arranged adjacent to one another in a longitudinal direction of the wind turbine blade and at least one longitudinal support structure includes carbon fiber-reinforced plastic and at least one other longitudinal support structure includes at least one fiber-reinforced plastic different from carbon fiber-reinforced plastic.

A system (24) and method are described herein for manufacturing a wind turbine blade (22) proximate to the final installation site of a wind turbine (10). The system (24) includes a creel (72) of feeders (74) configured to apply strengthening elements (62) onto a plurality of shell core sections (26) coupled together and fed through the creel (72). The shell core sections (26) include an external surface (56) with a plurality of external grooves (58) recessed into the external surface (56) such that the strengthening elements (62) are laid into the external grooves (58). The system (24) also includes a deposition station (78) configured to apply an outer surface material layer (82) in fluid form to cover the external surface (56) and the plurality of strengthening elements (62). A curing station (86) heats and consolidates the shell core sections (26), the strengthening elements (62), and the outer surface material layer (82) together into a final consolidated part, with the outer surface material layer (82) defining an external profile of the blade (22) following curing.

The present disclosure is directed to a method for forming a wind turbine rotor blade. The method includes placing first and second prefabricated skin panels defining a portion of a root section of the wind turbine rotor blade, a pressure side of the wind turbine rotor blade, or a suction side of the wind turbine rotor blade in a mold. The first and second prefabricated skin panels partially overlap to define a connection region. A vacuum bag is placed over the mold. The connection region is infused with a resin.

Provided are an electroosmotic pump, including: a membrane; a first electrode which is provided on one surface of the membrane, including a porous support including an insulator and an electrochemical reaction material formed on the porous support; and a second electrode which is provided on the other surface of the membrane, including a porous support including an insulator and an electrochemical reaction material formed on the porous support, and a fluid-pumping system including the electroosmotic pump.

Provided are an electroosmotic pump, including: a membrane; a first electrode which is provided on one surface of the membrane, including a porous support including an insulator and an electrochemical reaction material formed on the porous support; and a second electrode which is provided on the other surface of the membrane, including a porous support including an insulator and an electrochemical reaction material formed on the porous support, and a fluid-pumping system including the electroosmotic pump.

A method of manufacturing a blade component of rotor blade of a wind turbine includes providing a plurality of pultrusions constructed of one or more fibers or fiber bundles cured together via a resin material. The method also includes placing a protective cap over at least one end of one or more of the plurality of pultrusions. Further, the method includes heat treating a surface of the plurality of pultrusions while the protective cap remains over the at least one end. Moreover, the method includes removing the protective cap from the at least one end. The method further includes arranging the plurality of pultrusions in a mold of the blade component. In addition, the method includes infusing the plurality of pultrusions together so as to form the rotor blade component.

Provided is a windmill blade, comprising a core material formed of an acrylic resin expanded article and an outer skin covering the core material, in winch the outer skin is formed of a fiber-reinforced resin material including a carbon fiber and a resin, and the acrylic resin expanded article has a specified bending modulus.

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.

A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade with integrated lightning strike protection is provided. The method includes forming a plurality of fiber reinforced plies having carbonized textile-grade PAN fibers. The fiber reinforced plies are then stacked on a surface of a mold, wetted with a resin, and cured to form at least part of a wind turbine blade. Because the textile-grade PAN fibers are electrically conductive, the resultant structure provides both electrical conductivity and structural integrity. Laboratory testing of carbon fiber structures against simulated lightning strikes demonstrated high resilience due to their high electrical conductivity both in-plane and in through-thickness directions, with no significant damages, e.g., fiber breakage, resin evaporation, or delamination. High-temperature epoxy helped to improve the performance of the CFRP against the lightning strikes.