Patent Publication Number: US-2012027611-A1

Title: Compression member for wind turbine rotor blades

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present subject matter relates generally to wind turbines and, more particularly, to a compression member for a wind turbine rotor blade configured to provide increased buckling resistance during the performance of handling operations on the blade. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Wind power is considered one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources presently available, and wind turbines have gained increased attention in this regard. A modern wind turbine typically includes a tower, generator, gearbox, nacelle, and one or more rotor blades. The rotor blades capture kinetic energy of wind using known foil principles. The rotor blades transmit the kinetic energy in the form of rotational energy so as to turn a shaft coupling the rotor blades to a gearbox, or if a gearbox is not used, directly to the generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy that may be deployed to a utility grid. 
     Wind turbine rotor blades are typically manufactured at a location remote to a wind turbine site and, thus, must be subsequently transported to the site. Accordingly, numerous handling operations are performed on a rotor blade between its initial manufacture and its final installation onto a wind turbine. For example, upon molding and assembling of the pressure and suction side panels or shells to form the rotor blade body, a rotor blade is typically lifted from the mold using suitable lifting equipment (e.g., cranes or lifting systems) and moved to a storage facility or other temporary location. Additionally, when it is time to transport the rotor blade to the wind turbine site, the rotor blade must be lifted/moved onto a transporting vehicle and subsequently strapped, tied or otherwise secured to the vehicle for safe transport. Moreover, upon arrival at the wind turbine site, the rotor blade must again be lifted to remove the blade from the transporting vehicle and to also raise the blade to a suitable height for assembly onto the wind turbine. 
     Given such numerous handling operations, there is a significant opportunity for damage to occur to a rotor blade prior to final assembly onto a wind turbine. For example, it has been found that the pressure and suction side shells of a rotor blade may be subject to instability and/or deflection during lifting of the blade, which can lead to buckling of the pressure side shell and/or the suction side shell. Specifically, the cables, straps and/or other devices typically coupled to the rotor blade during lifting tend to apply a compressive load on the blade (particularly along the pressure side of the blade at the trailing edge), thereby causing one or both of the shells to deflect inwardly and crack. Moreover, the compression straps or other tie-downs used to secure a rotor blade to a transporting vehicle also tend to apply compressive loads on the blade, further increasing the likelihood of blade failures due to buckling. 
     Accordingly, a compression member that may be installed within a rotor blade to prevent buckling during the performance of handling operations on the blade would be welcomed in the technology. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. 
     In one aspect, the present subject matter discloses a rotor blade for a wind turbine. The rotor blade may include a body having a pressure side shell and a suction side shell extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. A spar member may extend between the pressure and suction side shells. Additionally, a removable compression member may extend between the pressure and suction side shells. The compression member may be formed from a compliant material. 
     In another aspect, the present subject matter discloses a method for providing buckling resistance to a rotor blade during handling of the blade. The method may generally include installing a compression member between a pressure side shell and a suction side shell of the rotor blade prior to performing a handling operation on the rotor blade and removing the compression member from within the rotor blade after the handling operation is completed. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a wind turbine of conventional construction; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a rotor blade in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the rotor blade shown in  FIG. 2  taken along section line  3 - 3 ; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a rotor blade in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     In general, the present subject matter discloses a rotor blade having one or more compression members installed therein in order to prevent the blade&#39;s panels or shells from deflecting inwardly relative to one another. In several embodiments, the compression members may be removably secured within the rotor blade. As such, the compression member(s) may be designed to provide temporary buckling resistance to the rotor blade during the performance of handling operations on the blade (e.g., lifting operations, transporting of the blade and installation of the blade onto a wind turbine hub). 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates perspective view of a wind turbine  10  of conventional construction. The wind turbine  10  includes a tower  12  with a nacelle  14  mounted thereon. A plurality of rotor blades  16  are mounted to a rotor hub  18 , which is, in turn, connected to a main flange that turns a main rotor shaft. The wind turbine power generation and control components are housed within the nacelle  14 . It should be appreciated that the wind turbine  10  of  FIG. 1  is provided for illustrative purposes only to place the present invention in an exemplary field of use. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that the invention is not limited to any particular type of wind turbine configuration. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , one embodiment of a rotor blade  100  having one or more compression members  102  installed therein is illustrated in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter. In particular,  FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the rotor blade  100  and  FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the rotor blade  100  taken along the sectional line  3 - 3 . 
     As shown, the rotor blade  100  generally includes a blade root  104  configured to be mounted or otherwise secured to the hub  18  ( FIG. 1 ) of a wind turbine  10  and a blade tip  106  disposed opposite the blade root  104 . A body shell  108  of the rotor blade  100  generally extends between the blade root  104  and the blade tip  106 . The body shell  108  may generally serve as the outer casing/covering of the rotor blade  100 . Additionally, the body shell  108  may define a pressure side  110  and a suction side  112  extending between leading and trailing edges  114 ,  116  of the rotor blade  100 . Further, the rotor blade  100  may have a span  118  defining the total length between the blade root  104  and the blade tip  106  and a chord  120  defining the total length between the leading edge  114  and the trailing edge  116 . As is generally understood, the chord  120  may generally vary in length with respect to the span  118  as the rotor blade  100  extends from the blade root  104  to the blade tip  106 . 
     The body shell  108  may generally be configured to define an aerodynamic profile. Thus, in several embodiments, the body shell  108  may define an airfoil shaped cross-section. For example, the body shell  108  may be configured as a symmetrical airfoil or a cambered airfoil. Further, the body shell  108  may also be aeroelastically tailored. 
     Additionally, in several embodiments, the body shell  108  of the rotor blade  100  may be formed as a single, unitary component. Alternatively, the body shell  108  may be formed from a plurality of shell components. For example, the body shell  106  may be manufactured from a first shell half  122  ( FIG. 3 ) generally defining the pressure side  110  of the rotor blade  100  (hereinafter referred to as the pressure side shell  122 ) and a second shell half  124  ( FIG. 3 ) generally defining the suction side  112  of the rotor blade  100  (hereinafter referred to as the suction side shell  124 ), with such shells  122 ,  124  being secured to one another at the leading and trailing edges  114 ,  116  of the blade  100 . 
     It should be appreciated that the body shell  108  may generally be formed from any suitable material. For instance, in one embodiment, the body shell  108  may be formed from a laminate composite material, such as a carbon fiber reinforced laminate composite or a glass fiber reinforced laminate composite. 
     Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the rotor blade  100  may also include at least one substantially rigid spar member  126  configured to provide increased stiffness and rigidity to the rotor blade  100 . In general, the spar member  124  may include a pair of longitudinally extending spar caps  128 ,  130  configured to be engaged against opposing inner surfaces  132 ,  134  of the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124 , respectively. The spar member  126  may also include one or more shear webs  136  configured to extend between the spar caps  128 ,  1230 . 
     As is generally understood, the spar member  126  may be formed from a substantially rigid material in order to control the bending stresses and/or other loads acting on the rotor blade  100  in the generally spanwise direction (a direction parallel to the span  118  of the rotor blade  100 ) during operation of a wind turbine  10 . For example, in several embodiments, the spar member  126  may be formed from the same material as the body shell  108 , such as a laminate composite material (e.g., a carbon fiber reinforced laminate composite or a glass fiber reinforced laminate composite). 
     Referring still to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the rotor blade  100  may also include one or more compression members  102  installed between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  in order to limit the inward deflection of the shells  122 ,  124  relative to one another. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the rotor blade  100  includes two compression members  102  installed within the rotor blade  100 . However, in alternative embodiments, the rotor blade  100  may include any other suitable number of compression members  102  installed therein, such as by including a single compression member  102  or by including three or more compression members  102 . 
     As described above, the pressure and/or suction side shells  122 ,  124  of the rotor blade  100  may be subjected to compressive loading during handling operations that cause the shells  122 ,  124  to deflect inwardly, which can lead to buckling failures of one or both of the shells  122 ,  124 . For example, the cables, straps and/or other devices utilized to couple the rotor blade  100  to suitable lifting equipment and/or to secure the rotor blade  100  to a suitable transporting vehicle tend to apply compressive loads on the blade  100 , thereby causing one or both of the shells  122 ,  124  to deflect inwardly. Thus is particularly true for the pressure side shell  122  in the area of the trailing edge  116 . However, by installing the disclosed compression members  102  between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  during handling of the rotor blade  100 , the compression members  102  may provide sufficient buckling resistance to the blade  100  in order to prevent cracking and/or any other failures that may otherwise occur due to deflection of the shells  122 ,  124 . 
     In general, the disclosed compression members  102  may be formed from any suitable compliant material  138  that is configured to limit the inward deflection of the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  when the compression members  102  are installed with the rotor blade  100 . As used herein, the term “compliant material” generally refers to any material that is less rigid than the structural material used to form the spar member  126 . For example, in several embodiments, the Young&#39;s Modulus of the compliant material  138  may be less than about 50% of the Young&#39;s Modulus of any suitable carbon fiber or glass fiber reinforced laminate composite that may be used to manufacture the spar member  126 , such as less than about 25% of the Young&#39;s Modulus of any suitable carbon fiber or glass fiber reinforced laminate composite or less than about 10% of the Young&#39;s Modulus of any suitable carbon fiber or glass fiber reinforced laminate composite and all other subranges therebetween. 
     As such, it should be appreciated that the compliant material  138  may comprise numerous different semi-rigid, compressible and/or deformable materials. For example, in several embodiments, suitable compliant materials  138  may include various foam materials including, but not limited to, polystyrene foams (e.g., expanded polystyrene foams), polyurethane foams, foam rubber/resin-based foams and various other open cell and closed cell foams. Additionally, suitable compliant materials  138  may include core materials, such as balsa wood, cork and the like. Moreover, suitable compliant materials  138  may include various other semi-rigid, compressible and/or deformable materials, such as a compressible volume of one or more materials (e.g., a hay bale). It should also be appreciated that, by utilizing one or more lightweight compliant materials  138  to form the compression members  102  (e.g., a foam material or a core material), an increased buckling resistance may be provided to the rotor blade  100  without substantially increasing the overall weight of the blade  100 . 
     As shown in the illustrated embodiment, each compression member  102  may generally be dimensioned so as to define a cross-sectional area that is less than the local cross-sectional area defined by the body shell  108  (i.e., the cross-sectional area defined between the inner surfaces  132 ,  134  of the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  at the particular cross-sectional location along the span  118  at which the compression member  102  is installed). For example, in several embodiments, the cross-sectional area of each compression member  102  may be equal to less than about 50% of the local cross-sectional area defined by the body shell  108 , such as less than about 40% of the local cross-sectional area or less than about 30% of the local cross-sectional area or less than about 20% of the local cross-sectional area or less than about 10% of the local cross-sectional area and all other subranges therebetween. It should be appreciated that, by dimensioning each compression member  102  so that it only occupies a portion of the local cross-sectional area, the compression members  102  may provide localized buckling resistance to specific areas of the rotor blade  100 . 
     Moreover, each compression member  102  may generally be installed between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  at any suitable location along the chord  120  of the rotor blade  100 . For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the compression members  102  are installed within the rotor blade  100  so as to extend between the inner surfaces  132 ,  134  of the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  at a location generally adjacent to the trailing edge  116  of the body shell  108 . As such, the compression members  102  may prevent localized inward deflection of the shells  122 ,  124  at the trailing edge  116 . However, as will be discussed below, the compression members  102  may also be configured to extend between the inner surfaces  132 ,  134  of the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  at any other suitable location along the length of the chord  120 , such as at a location generally adjacent to the leading edge  114  of the body shell  108  and/or at a location generally adjacent to the spar member  126 . 
     It should be appreciated that the shape of each compression member  102  may generally vary depending on the location at which the compression member  102  is installed between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124 . For example, in several embodiments, the shape of each compression member  102  may generally conform to the shape of the area within the rotor blade  100  occupied by the compression member  102 . Thus, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the compression member  102  may generally have a shape corresponding to the internal shape of the rotor blade  100  at and/or adjacent to the trailing edge  116 , such as by configuring a height  144  of the compression member  102  to taper in the direction of the trailing edge  116 . 
     Further, the compression members  102  may be configured to extend longitudinally along any portion of the span  118  of the rotor blade  100 . For instance, in one embodiment, each compression member  102  installed within the rotor blade  100  may extend longitudinally along the entire span  118  of the blade  100 , such as from generally adjacent the blade root  104  to generally adjacent the blade tip  106 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 2 , each compression member  102  may be configured to extend longitudinally along only a portion of the blade&#39;s span  120 . 
     In several embodiments, the compression members  102  may be configured to extend longitudinally within the rotor blade  100  at or adjacent to a lifting point  140 ,  142  on the blade  100 . As used herein, the term “lifting point” generally refers to a point along the span  118  of a rotor blade  100  at which the blade  100  may be coupled to lifting equipment during the performance of a handling operation. For example, when a rotor blade  100  is to be placed onto a transporting vehicle or is to be installed onto a wind turbine hub  18  ( FIG. 1 ), one or more cables, straps and/or other devices are typically coupled to the blade  100  at its center of gravity. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, a compression member  102  may be disposed within the rotor blade  100  so as to extend forward and aft of a first lifting point  140  generally defined at the center of gravity of the blade  100 . It should be appreciated that the center of gravity of the rotor blade  100  may generally be defined at a location ranging from about 20% to about 40% of the span  118  of the blade  100  (referenced from the blade root  104 ), such as from about 20% to about 35% of the span  118  or from about 25% to about 40% of the span  118  and all other subranges therebetween. However, in alternative embodiments, it is foreseeable that the center of gravity of the rotor blade  100  may be defined at a location less than about 20% of the span  118  or at a location greater than about 40% of the span  118 . 
     In addition to lifting the rotor blade  100  at its center of gravity, one or more cables, straps and/or other devices are typically coupled to the blade  100  at a more outboard location. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a compression member  102  may also be located within the rotor blade  100  so as to extend forward and aft of a second lifting point  142  defined at a location radially outboard from the first lifting point  140 . In several embodiments, the second lifting point  142  may generally be defined at a location ranging from about 60% to about 95% of the span  118  of the blade  100  (referenced from the blade root  104 ), such as from about 70% to about 90% of the span  118  or from about 75% to about 85% of the span  118  and all other subranges therebetween. However, in alternative embodiments, it is foreseeable that the second lifting point  142  may be defined at a location less than about 60% of the span  118  or greater than about 95% of the span  118 . 
     It should be appreciated that the rotor blade  100  may generally include any number of lifting points and, thus, need not be limited to the two lifting points  140 ,  142  illustrated herein. For instance, in one embodiment, three or more lifting points may be defined along the span  118  of the rotor blade  100 . Additionally, it should be appreciated that the rotor blade  100  need not include a separate compression member  102  disposed at or adjacent to each lifting point  140 ,  142  as shown in the illustrated embodiment. For example, in an alternative embodiment, a single compression member  102  may be configured to extend longitudinally within the rotor blade  100  so as to be disposed at or adjacent to each lifting point  140 ,  142  defined on the blade  100 . 
     Moreover, in several embodiments of the present subject matter, the compression members  102  may be removably secured between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124 . For example, in one embodiment, the compression members  102  may be configured to be installed within the rotor blade  100  by being pressed between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124 . In particular, the height  144  of each compression member  102  may be chosen to be larger than the distance (not shown) defined between the inner surfaces  132 ,  134  of the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  at the location at which the compression member  102  is to be installed within the blade  100 . As such, when each compression member  102  is installed within the rotor blade  100 , the compressive and/or reactive forces generated by pressing the compression member  102  between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  may be sufficient to secure the compression member  102  in place between the shells  122 ,  124 . Alternatively, the compression members  102  may be removably secured between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  using any other suitable attachment means known in the art. For example, the compression members  102  may be secured between the shells  122 ,  124  by using mechanical fasteners (e.g., bolts, screws, pins, brackets and the like) or by using non-permanent adhesives (e.g., thermoplastic adhesives that may be heated to remove any bonding between the compression members  102  and the shells  122 ,  124 ). 
     As indicated above, the compression members  102  may generally be configured to provide buckling resistance during the performance of handling operations on the rotor blade  100 . Thus, by removably securing the compression members  102  between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124 , the compression members  102  may serve as temporary support members for the rotor blade  100  that can be quickly and easily removed after any and/or all handling operations have been completed. For example, in one embodiment, it may be desirable to install the compression members  102  within the rotor blade  100  during manufacturing of the blade  100  (e.g., during molding of the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  or after the body shell  108  has been formed) and then subsequently remove the compression members  102  after the rotor blade  100  has been delivered to the field (e.g., before installation of the rotor blade  100  onto the wind turbine hub  18 ). Alternatively, it may be desirable to leave the compression members  102  within the rotor blade  100  to provide additional buckling resistance to the blade  100  during operation of the wind turbine  10 . 
     It should be appreciated that the compression members  102  may be removed from the rotor blade  100  after the performance of any and/or all handling operations using any suitable removal means and/or method known in the art. For example, in several embodiments, the rotor blade  100  may be formed from multiple blade segments (not shown), such as by configuring the rotor blade as a two-piece or three-piece construction. In such embodiments, the compression members  102  may be removed before or after assembly of the blade segments used to form the rotor blade  100 . For instance, prior to assembly of the blade segments, physical access (e.g., by a service worker, tool, cable and/or any other suitable object) may be gained within the blade segments at the joint end(s) of each segment to remove any compression members  102  installed therein. Additionally, after assembly of the blade segments or in the event that the rotor blade  100  is formed from single pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124  extending along the entire span  118  of the blade  100 , physical access may be gained within the rotor blade  100  at the blade root  104  or through an access window (not shown) defined through the pressure side shell  122  and/or the suction side shell  124  to facilitate removal of any compression members  102  installed within the blade  100 . 
     It should also be appreciated that, in other embodiments of the present subject matter, the compression members  102  may be configured to be non-removably secured between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124 . For instance, in one embodiment, a permanent adhesive may be utilized to secure the compression members  102  between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 3 , in several embodiments, each compression member  102  may also include an outer covering  146  designed to at least partially encase the compliant material  138 . In one embodiment, the outer covering  146  may comprise a coating applied to the outer surface of the compliant material  138 . For example, the outer covering  146  may comprise a coating formed from a rubber material (e.g., vinyl rubber), a polymer material or any other material that may be applied to the outer surface of the compliant material  138  in order to fully or partially encase such material. Alternatively, the outer covering  146  may comprise an enclosed wrapping or other suitable container configured to encase the compliant material  146 . For instance, in one embodiment, the compliant material  146  may be wrapped in a thin plastic film or any other suitable flexible material capable of being wrapped around the compliant material  138 . In another embodiment, the compliant material  138  may be encased by a pre-manufactured contained designed to receive and/or surround the compliant material  138 . 
     The outer covering  146  may generally provide a means for containing the compliant material  138  in the event of its failure and/or destruction. Specifically, since the compression member  102  need not be designed to provide permanent, structural support to the rotor blade  100 , the compliant material  138  may be configured to fail or otherwise be destroyed during operation of the wind turbine  10 . For instance, in embodiments in which the compression members  102  are not removed from the rotor blade  100  prior to its assembly onto the wind turbine  10 , the compliant material  138  may be chosen such that it cracks, crushes and/or disintegrates when subjected to the normal operating loads of the turbine  10 . Thus, by encasing the compliant material  138  within the outer covering  146 , the compliant material  138  may be prevented from being scattered within the rotor blade  100  upon its failure and/or destruction. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is illustrated a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a rotor blade  200  having compression members  202 ,  204 ,  206  installed therein in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter. Specifically,  FIG. 4  illustrates examples of various locations at which the compression members  202 ,  204 ,  206  may be installed along the chord  220  of the rotor blade  200 . It should be appreciated that the rotor blade  200  and compression members  202 ,  204 ,  206  shown in  FIG. 4  may generally be configured the same as or similar to the rotor blade  100  and compression members  102  described above with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     As indicated above, each compression member  202 ,  204 ,  206  may generally be configured to extend between the pressure and suction side shells  222 ,  224  at any suitable location along the length of the chord  220  of the rotor blade  200 . Thus, in addition to having one or more compression members  202  installed at a location generally adjacent to the trailing edge  216  of the blade  200  or as an alternative thereto, the rotor blade  200  may include one or more compression members  204  installed between the pressure and suction side shells  222 ,  224  at a location generally adjacent to the leading edge  214  of the blade  200 . Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the compression member(s)  204  may be configured to extend between the inner surfaces  232 ,  234  of the pressure and suction side shells  222 ,  224  in order to provide localized buckling resistance at the leading edge  214 . 
     Moreover, in addition to having one or more compression members  202 ,  204  installed at the leading and/or trailing edges  214 ,  216  of the blade  200 , the rotor blade  200  may include one or more compression members  206  extending between the pressure and suction side shells  222 ,  224  at a location generally adjacent to the spar member  226 . For instance, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the compression member(s)  206  may be installed within the rotor blade  200  so as to extend between the pressure and suction side shells  222 ,  224  at a location on the trailing edge side of the spar member  226 . However, in another embodiment, the compression member(s)  206  may be installed within the blade  200  at a location on the leading edge side of the spar member  226 . 
     It should be appreciated that the present subject matter is also directed to a method for providing buckling resistance to a rotor blade  100 ,  200  during handling of the blade  100 ,  200 . In several embodiments, the method may include installing a compression member  102 ,  202 ,  204 ,  206  between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124 ,  222 ,  224  prior to performing a handling operation on the rotor blade  100 ,  200  and removing the compression member  102 ,  202 ,  204 ,  206  from within the rotor blade  100 ,  200  after the handling operation is completed. For instance, in one embodiment, the compression member  102 ,  202 ,  204 ,  206  may be removably secured between the pressure and suction side shells  122 ,  124 ,  222 ,  224  prior to performing a handling operation on the rotor blade  100 ,  200  and then removed prior to the rotor blade  100 ,  200  being installed onto a wind turbine  10 . 
     It should be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments of the present subject matter, the compression members  102  need not be removed prior to installation of the rotor blade  100  onto the wind turbine  10 . For instance, by maintaining the compression members  102  within the rotor blade  100  during operation of the wind turbine  10 , the compression members  102  may provide additional support to the rotor blade  100  without a significant increase in the overall weight of the blade  100 . 
     This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.