Wind turbine rotor blades with load-transferring exterior panels

Title: Wind turbine rotor blades with load-transferring exterior panels

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Rotor blades for a wind turbines include a structural support member disposed internal the rotor blade that extends for at least a portion of a rotor blade span length and an airfoil structure supported by the structural support member, the airfoil structure comprising a shell portion and at least one load-transferring exterior panel. The shell portion and the at least one load-transferring exterior panel combine to form an aerodynamic profile comprising a leading edge opposite a trailing edge and a pressure side opposite a suction side. Moreover, the shell portion and the at least one load-transferring exterior panel are independently connected to the structural support member.

Inventors:: Caruso, Christopher Daniel; Stewart, Edward McBeth; Yarbrough, Aaron Alpheus

Issue Date:: 2018-06-26

OSTI Identifier:: 1459660

Assignee:: General Electric Company (Schenectady, NY) HQPR

Patent Number(s):: 10,006,436

Application Number:: 14/574,523

Contract Number:: AR0000293

Resource Relation:: Patent File Date: 2014 Dec 18

Research Org:: General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Org:: USDOE

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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