Deicing device for wind turbine blades

• US 6,890,152 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Thisted, Bo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Ninh H.
• Application Number:
  US10/678,246
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 415/17, 415/30, 415/47, 415/118, 416/37, 416/38, 416/39, 416/41, 416/146.R, 416/1, 60/390.93, 244/134.R
• US Class Current: 416/1
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/40 Ice detection; De-icing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

Methods and Apparatuses for deicing a wind turbine blade are described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary process includes detecting an icy condition on a wind turbine blade and causing at least a portion of the wind turbine blade to vibrate, causing the ice built up on the wind turbine blade to break off.

Claims

1. A method for deicing wind turbine blades, the method comprising:

detecting an icy condition on a wind turbine blade; and

causing at least a portion of the wind turbine blade to vibrate to break off ice thereon, in response to the detection of the icy condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein causing a vibration on the wind turbine blade comprises generating an acoustic wave having a magnitude and frequency within the wind turbine blade to cause the wind turbine blade to vibrate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the frequency is ranging approximately from 5 to 500 Hz.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the acoustic wave is generated periodically for a period of time until the icy condition is substantially removed.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the acoustic wave is generated via one or more sonic horns located within the wind turbine blade.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibration of the wind turbine blade occurs periodically for a period of time when the icy condition is detected.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the vibration of the wind turbine occurs for approximately 15 seconds for approximately every 15 minutes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibration of the wind turbine blade is caused on an outer surface of the wind turbine blade by one or more vibrators located within the blade material or located within the blade structure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibration of the wind turbine blade is strong enough to break off the ice built up without causing structural damage of the wind turbine blade.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring one or more operating parameters of the wind turbine, wherein the icy condition is determined based on at least one of the monitored operating parameters.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more operating parameters includes at least one of wind speed, power generated, rotor speed, and temperature.

12. A wind turbine system, comprising:

a plurality of blades having one or more vibrators located therein; and

a controller coupled to the plurality of blades to detect an icy condition on at least one of the plurality of blades and to cause, via the one or more vibrators, the at least one of the plurality of blades to vibrate in response to the detection of the icy condition.

13. The wind turbine system of claim 12, wherein the vibration of each blade is strong enough to break off ice built up on the blade without causing structural damage of the blade.

14. The wind turbine system of claim 12, wherein the one or more vibrators vibrate periodically for a period of time, in response to the detection performed by the controller.

15. The wind turbine system of claim 14, wherein the one or more vibrators vibrate for approximately 15 seconds for approximately every 15 minutes.

16. The wind turbine system of claim 12, wherein the one or more vibrators are made from one or more sonic horns capable of generating an acoustic wave having a frequency to cause the blade to vibrate.

17. The wind turbine system of claim 16, wherein the frequency of the acoustic wave is ranging approximately from 5 to 500 Hz.

18. The wind turbine system of claim 12, wherein the controller monitors one or more operating parameters of the wind turbine system, and wherein the icy condition is determined based on at least one of the operating parameters.

19. The wind turbine system of claim 18, wherein the one or more parameters includes at least one of wind speed, power generated, rotor speed, and temperature.

20. The wind turbine system of claim 12, wherein the one or more vibrators are located at or near a leading edge within the blade.

21. The wind turbine system of claim 12, wherein the one or more vibrators are located within a relatively center region of the blade.

22. A system for deicing wind turbine blades, the system comprising:

means for detecting an icy condition on a wind turbine blade; and

means for causing at least a portion of the wind turbine blade to vibrate to break off ice thereon, in response to the detection of the icy condition.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein means for causing a vibration on the wind turbine blade comprises means for generating an acoustic wave within the wind turbine blade to cause the wind turbine blade to vibrate, the acoustic wave having a predetermined frequency.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the acoustic wave is generated via one or more sonic horns located within the wind turbine blade.

25. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for monitoring one or more operating parameters of the wind turbine, wherein the icy condition is determined based on at least one of wind speed, power generated, rotor speed, and temperature.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the vibration of the wind turbine blade is generated via one or more electromechanical vibrators located within the blade.