EXTENSION TIP SLEEVE FOR WIND TURBINE BLADE

• US 20140186175A1
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Baehmann, Peggy Lynn, Loganathan, Jaikumar, Hayashi, Steven Robert, Sengupta, Anindya, Balaramudu, Vasanth Kumar
• Granted Patent: US 9,399,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/147 Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0675 of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A wind blade is provided. The wind blade includes a body having an aerodynamic contour extended between a blade root and a blade tip. The wind blade also includes an extension tip sleeve arranged over the blade tip. The extension tip sleeve further includes a first portion having an extension blade and one or more structural ribs arranged on a pressure side of the wind blade. The extension tip sleeve also includes a second portion having a support structure located on a suction side of the wind blade. Furthermore, the wind blade includes a fairing having an airfoil shape for covering the one or more structural ribs, and the support structure of the extension tip sleeve.

Claims

1. A wind blade comprising:

a body having an aerodynamic contour extended between a blade root and a blade tip;

an extension tip sleeve arranged over the blade tip, said extension tip sleeve comprising;

a first portion comprising a blade extension and one or more structural ribs or a thick skin layer arranged on a pressure side of the wind blade; and

a second portion comprising a support structure located on a suction side of the wind blade; and

a fairing having an airfoil shape for covering the one or more structural ribs or the thick skin layer, and the support structure of the extension tip sleeve.

2. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the extension tip sleeve is configured to slip-fit over a bent portion of the blade tip of the wind blade.

3. The wind blade of claim 2, wherein the one or more structural ribs are arranged at the bent portion of the blade tip on the pressure side of the wind blade.

4. The wind blade of claim 2, wherein the support structure is arranged at the bent portion of the blade tip on the suction side of the wind blade.

5. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the wind blade comprises a winglet having an aerodynamic profiled contour arranged over a straight blade tip of the wind blade;

wherein the winglet comprises the extension tip sleeve.

6. The wind blade of claim 5, wherein the one or more structural ribs are arranged at a bent portion of the winglet on the pressure side of the wind blade and the structural support is arranged at the bent portion of the winglet on the suction side of the wind blade.

7. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the wind blade comprises a winglet having an aerodynamic profiled contour arranged over a bent blade tip.

8. The wind blade of claim 7, wherein the winglet comprises the extension tip sleeve.

9. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the fairing having the airfoil shape comprises a first section located on the pressure side and a second section located on the suction side of the wind blade.

10. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the fairing is a lightweight composite material configured to be slideable from a trailing edge side or a leading edge side of the wind blade.

11. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein a material of the one or more structural ribs is chosen from a group of lightweight composite, glass or carbon or lightweight metal.

12. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the thick skin layer is located on the pressure side of the wind blade underneath the fairing.

13. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the fairing comprises a portion of the thick skin layer of the extension tip sleeve.

14. The wind blade of claim 13, wherein a material of the thick skin layer is chosen from a group of lightweight composite, glass or carbon.

15. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the blade extension of the extension tip sleeve comprises an ultraviolet cured fabric located over a structural frame.

16. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the blade extension of the extension tip sleeve comprises a fabric in a tensioned state over a structural frame.

17. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the extension sleeve and the fairing are bonded to the blade tip of the wind blade by an adhesive.

18. The wind blade of claim 1, wherein the extension tip sleeve and the fairing are attached to the blade tip of the wind blade with a hook and loop mechanism or with mechanical fasteners or a clamp or a band.

19. A method of providing a structural support for a wind blade extension, the method comprising:

assembling a first portion of an extension tip sleeve over a blade tip of the wind blade, wherein the first portion comprises an extension blade and one or more structural ribs arranged on a pressure side of the wind blade and a fairing having an airfoil shape arranged for covering the one or more structural ribs, and the support structure of the extension tip sleeve; and

disposing a second portion of the extension tip sleeve on a suction side of the wind blade, wherein the second portion comprises a support structure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the assembling the first portion of the extension tip sleeve over the blade tip comprises slip-fitting the first portion over a bent portion of the blade tip of the wind blade or over a bent portion of a winglet mounted on a straight blade tip of the wind blade.

21. A wind turbine comprising:

a plurality of wind blades, wherein each of the blade comprises;

a body having an aerodynamic contour extended between a blade root and a blade tip;

an extension tip sleeve arranged over the blade tip, said extension tip sleeve comprising;

a first portion comprising an extension blade and one or more structural ribs arranged on a pressure side of the wind blade; and

a second portion comprising a support structure located on a suction side of the wind blade; and

a fairing having an airfoil shape for covering the one or more structural ribs, and the support structure of the extension tip sleeve.