Uv-ir combination curing system and method of use for wind blade manufacture and repair

Abstract

A UV-IR combination curing system and method for manufacture and repair of composite parts, such as for use in wind blade manufacture and repair. The system and method utilize UV and IR dual radiation sources to cure glass fiber reinforced laminates containing a photo initiator. The UV and IR dual radiation sources can be configured as discrete stand-alone UV and IR lamps used in a side by side configuration, a plurality of UV lamps with thermal IR radiation, a combined UV/IR lamp, or other forms of light sources providing both UV and IR radiation. To achieve high glass transition and complete curing of thick laminates, the IR radiation source is initially turned on to heat the laminate to close to 40° C-100° C. before the UV radiation source is turned on. The IR radiation source can be turned off after UV radiation source is activated.

1 . A manufacturing or repair system comprising:
 a first radiation source configured to heat a plurality of layers of a composite structure throughout a thickness of the plurality of layers of the composite structure to form a plurality of pre-heated layers of a composite structure; and   a second radiation source configured to cure the plurality of pre-heated layers of the composite structure through a thickness of the composite structure.   
     
     
         2 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 1 , wherein the first radiation source comprises infrared radiation. 
     
     
         3 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 2 , wherein the first radiation source is configured to emit radiation having a wavelength in the range of 700 nm to 1 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 2 , wherein the second radiation source comprises ultraviolet frequency radiation. 
     
     
         5 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 4 , wherein the second radiation source is configured to emit radiation having a wavelength in the range of 100 nm to 400 nm. 
     
     
         6 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 4 , wherein first radiation source and the second radiation source are configured as a combined radiation source. 
     
     
         7 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 4 , wherein first radiation source and the second radiation source are configured as discrete stand-alone radiation sources. 
     
     
         8 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 4 , wherein the first radiation source is configured to heat the plurality of layers of the composite structure to a temperature in a range of 40-100° C. 
     
     
         9 . A manufacturing or repair system comprising:
 a composite structure, comprising:
 a first layer comprising a reinforced resin having a reactive group and a photoinitiator; and 
 a plurality of successive layers comprising the reinforced resin having the reactive group and the photoinitiator, the first layer and the plurality of successive layers configured in a stack; 
   a first radiation source configured to heat the first layer and the plurality of successive layers of the composite structure throughout a thickness of the plurality of layers of the composite structure to form a plurality of pre-heated layers of a composite structure; and   a second radiation source configured to cure the plurality of pre-heated layers of the composite structure through a thickness of the plurality of pre-heated layers of composite structure and form a covalent bond across an interface of the first layer and an adjacent successive layer and a plurality of additional covalent bonds across additional interfaces of the plurality of successive layers.   
     
     
         10 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 9 , wherein the first radiation source comprises infrared radiation. 
     
     
         11 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 10 , wherein the second radiation source comprises ultraviolet frequency radiation. 
     
     
         12 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 11 , wherein the resin having a reactive group comprises unsaturated polyesters, vinyl esters, melamines, urea-formaledehydes, phenolics, methacrylate, acrylates, epoxies, urethanes, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 11 , wherein the photo comprises organic peroxides, azo compounds, quinones, benzophenones, nitroso compounds, acryl halides, hydrazones, mercapto compounds, pyrylium compounds, triacrylimidazoles, bisimidazoles, chloroalkyltriazines, benzoin ethers, benzil ketals, thioxanthones, acetophenones, acylphosphine oxides, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The manufacturing or repair system of  claim 11 , the composite structure further comprising fiber particles comprising glass, silica, fumed silica, alumina, zirconium oxide, nanoparticles, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the composite structure comprises a component of wind turbine. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the composite structure further comprises a wind turbine blade. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein applying the second radiation from the second radiation source to cure the first layer and the successive additional layers comprises curing about 100% of the first layer and the successive additional layers throughout a thickness of the layers. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first radiation source comprises an infrared frequency radiation source configured to emit radiation having a wavelength in the range of 700 nm to 1 μm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the second radiation source comprises an ultraviolet frequency radiation source configured to emit radiation having a wavelength in the range of 100 nm to 400 nm.