Nacelle Manufacturing

From Wind wiki

The nacelle in this instance refers the housing that covers the wind turbine assembly although it can refer to entire machine assembly. The nacelle and the hub spinner are usually made of fiberglass. The spinner is the protective cover that encloses the hub.

Fabrication of these components is similar to the blade although they do not require the accuracy or strength of a blade. Their production process is more like the production of a recreational boat. There are typically several sections to a nacelle. A mold is made for each section.

A release agent is added to the mold to make removal of the parts possible. Gel coat is sprayed in the mold which will become the exterior coat. Chopped fiberglass and resin are sprayed into the mold with the chopper gun, or a fiberglass mat is used as the base material. Woven fiberglass material is added to areas that need structural support. Once the resin has set, the part is removed and trimmed. Once the parts are made, they are assembled to insure proper fit. The interior of the nacelle is then painted and additional hardware is added such as lights, hand holds, and electrical wiring for outside instruments. The nacelle is now ready to install on the assembled machine.