WIND TURBINE BLADE, WIND TURBINE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A WIND TURBINE BLADE

• US 20100221111A1
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Original Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
• Inventors: Nieuwenhuizen, John Johannes Mathias Hubertus
• Application Number:
  US12/739,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20100221111A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/61
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/04 turbine or like blades from several pieces
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/065 characterised by their construction elements F03D13/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 17/00 Monitoring or testing of wind motors, e.g. diagnostics testing during commissioning of wind motors F03D13/30
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/00 Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/30 Lightning protection
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/007 the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/12 Hybrid wind-PV energy systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49337 Composite blade

Abstract

The invention relates to a wind turbine blade comprising one or more electric powered modules. The modules have power supply means converting an energy source to electrical power for said one or more modules, wherein said energy source is light beams transmitted to the power supply means in the blade structure and/or interior from an external light source. The invention also relates to wind turbine and a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade.

Claims

1. Wind turbine blade comprising:

one or more electric powered modules and power supply means converting an energy source to electrical power for said one or more modules,

wherein said energy source is light beams transmitted to the power supply means in the blade structure and/or interior from an external light source.

2. Wind turbine blade according to claim 1 wherein said electric powered modules are one or more sensor modules e.g. for sensing strain, vibrations, lightning strokes, surface deposits of ice, dirt etc. and/or other types of condition monitoring sensor modules in the blade.

3. Wind turbine blade according to claim 1 wherein said one or more electric powered modules are integrated in the blade structure e.g. EMC protected with a surrounding electrically conductive mesh or casing.

4. Wind turbine blade according to claim 1 wherein said one or more electric powered modules are connected to the hub and/or nacelle via waveguides preferably in form of at least one optical fibre e.g. as part of or in connection with an external optical data communication for said modules.

5. Wind turbine blade according to claim 4 wherein said optical waveguide is at least partly casted in said wind turbine blade.

6. Wind turbine blade according to claim 1 wherein said power supply means of said one or more electric powered modules comprise(s) at least one photovoltaic cell for converting light beams to electrical power and/or storage means for storing said electrical power such as one or more capacitors e.g. very high capacity capacitors.

7. Wind turbine blade according to claim 6 wherein said at least one photovoltaic cell receives light beams from said at least one optical fibre e.g. at least one fibre dedicated to said power supply means or at least one fibre for energy transmission and data communication in combination.

8. Wind turbine blade according to claim 1 wherein said power supply means are combined with further energy sources such as one or more solar cells on the blade surface or integrated in the blade structure beneath a fully or partly transparent cover material and/or kinetic energy sources in the blade.

9. Wind turbine blade according to claim 1 wherein said one or more electric powered modules are positioned in the outer half of the wind turbine blade and preferably in proximity of the tip of the wind turbine blade.

10. Wind turbine blade according to claim 1 wherein said one or more electric powered modules comprise microprocessor means such as ultra low power microprocessor means and/or coupling means for a cascade coupling of energy source/data communication to further electric powered modules.

11. Wind turbine blade according to claim 1 wherein said one or more electric powered modules are integrated in said wind turbine blade.

12. Wind turbine blade according to claim 4 wherein said at least one optical fibre are integrated in said wind turbine blade.

13. Wind turbine comprising at least one wind turbine blade according to claim 1.

15. Wind turbine blade according to claim 7 wherein said at least one optical fibre are integrated in said wind turbine blade.

14. Method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade comprising one or more electric powered modules and power supply means converting an energy source to electrical power for said one or more modules, wherein said energy source is light beams transmitted to the power supply means in the blade structure and/or interior from an external light source, said method comprising the steps of:

partly establishing a wind turbine blade,

integrating one or more electric powered modules with power supply means in the blade structure where the energy source is light beams,

establishing the possibility of light beam transmission in the blade structure and/or in the blade interior from an external light source to the power supply means, and

completing the establishment of the wind turbine blade.