×

Wind turbine blades with aerodynamic vortex elements

  • US 8,047,801 B2
  • Filed: 06/23/2010
  • Issued: 11/01/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A wind turbine blade, said blade comprising:

  • a suction side surface and a pressure side surface;

    a plurality of vortex elements configured on at least one of said suction side or said pressure side surfaces; and

    ,said vortex elements having an upwardly inclined wind face and a downwardly inclined slip face, said wind face and said slip face meeting at a generally open-ended U-shaped ridge that defines side horns, said side horns decreasing in height from a forward most portion of said ridge to said suction side surface or said pressure side surface, said side horns further having a cross-sectional profile that decreases in width from said forward most portion of said ridge to said suction side surface or said pressure side surface, said vortex elements have a semi-hemispherical crescent shape with a convex wind face and a concave slip face, said U-shaped ridge comprising a continuously curved arc shape.

View all claims
  • 2 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×