Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Components and Methods of Making Same

Abstract

Structural preform layers of multiple rigid unidirectional strength elements or rods are constructed and arranged for use in fabricating load-bearing support structures and reinforcements of wind turbine blades. Individual preform layers include multiple elongate unidirectional strength elements or rods arranged in a single layer along a longitudinal axis of the preform layer. Each preform layer includes one or more fibrous carrier layers to which the multiple strength elements or rods are joined and arranged in the single layer. Each strength element or rod is longitudinally oriented and adjacent to other elements or rods. Individual strength elements or rods include a mass of substantially straight unidirectional structural fibers embedded within a matrix resin such that the elements or rods have a substantially uniform distribution of fibers and high degree of fiber collimation. The relative straightness of the fibers and fiber collimation provide strength elements or rods and the preform layers with high rigidity and significant compression strength.

1 . A spar cap for a wind turbine blade comprising:
 a composite beam constructed as a structural support component to extend along at least a portion of the span of the blade;   the composite beam including one or more preform layers of multiple elongate and rigid unidirectional strength elements or rods arranged in a single layer along a longitudinal axis of the preform layer;   the preform layer including at least one fibrous carrier layer to which the strength elements or rods are joined to retain the strength elements or rods in the single layer;   each preform layer being stacked or layered with at least one of: one or more other preform layers and multiple fibrous layers, wherein   multiple stacked or layered preform layers define wholly or partially a thickness of the composite beam.