Blade extension for rotor blade in wind turbine

• US 8,083,488 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Fritz, Peter James
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prager, Jesse
• Application Number:
  US12/861,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20110142635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 415/224, 415/228, 415/235, 415/238, 416/224, 416/228, 416/235, 416/238
• US Class Current: 416/224
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0675 of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/30 Characteristics of rotor blades, i.e. of any element transforming dynamic fluid energy to or from rotational energy and being attached to a rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/32 with roughened surface
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/183 zigzag
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/70 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

A rotor blade assembly is disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade and a blade extension. The rotor blade has a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root. The rotor blade further has an aerodynamic profile. The blade extension is mounted to the rotor blade. The blade extension includes a cutaway mounting portion for mounting the blade extension to the rotor blade such that the blade extension is generally flush with at least one of the pressure side or the suction side of the rotor blade. The cutaway mounting portion defines a notch configured to locate the blade extension relative to the rotor blade.

Claims

1. A wind turbine rotor blade assembly, comprising:

a rotor blade having a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root, the rotor blade further having an aerodynamic profile; and

,

a blade extension mounted to the rotor blade,

wherein the blade extension includes a cutaway mounting portion for mounting the blade extension to one of the pressure side or the suction side of the rotor blade such that the blade extension is generally flush with at least one of the pressure side or the suction side of the rotor blade, the cutaway mounting portion defining a notch configured to locate the blade extension relative to the rotor blade, and

wherein the cutaway mounting portion tapers such that the blade extension generally corresponds with the aerodynamic profile of the other of the pressure side or the suction side of the rotor blade.

2. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, wherein the blade extension is mounted to the rotor blade adjacent the trailing edge.

3. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, wherein the blade extension generally corresponds with the aerodynamic profile of the one of the pressure side or the suction side of the rotor blade.

4. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, the blade extension further defining at least one contouring notch.

5. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, wherein the blade extension is mounted to the rotor blade by an adhesive.

6. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, wherein the blade extension is mounted to the rotor blade by at least one mechanical fastening device.

7. The rotor blade assembly of claim 6, wherein at least one of the rotor blade or the blade extension defines at least one countersink configured to accommodate the at least one mechanical fastening device.

8. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, wherein the blade extension is formed at least partially from a polymer.

9. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, wherein the blade extension is formed at least partially from a vinyl.

10. The rotor blade assembly of claim 1, wherein the blade extension is one of a noise reducer, a lightning receptor, a fairing, a vortex generator panel, or a boundary layer turbulator.

11. A wind turbine comprising:

a plurality of rotor blades, each of the rotor blades having a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root, each of the rotor blades further having an aerodynamic profile; and

,

a blade extension mounted to at least one of the plurality of rotor blades,

wherein the blade extension includes a cutaway mounting portion for mounting the blade extension to one of the pressure side or the suction side of the at least one rotor blade such that the blade extension is generally flush with at least one of the pressure side or the suction side of the at least one rotor blade, the cutaway mounting portion defining a notch configured to locate the blade extension relative to the at least one rotor blade, and

wherein the cutaway mounting portion tapers such that the blade extension generally corresponds with the aerodynamic profile of the other of the pressure side or the suction side of the at least one rotor blade.

12. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the blade extension is mounted to the at least one rotor blade adjacent the trailing edge.

13. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the blade extension generally corresponds with the aerodynamic profile of the one of the pressure side or the suction side of the at least one rotor blade.

14. The wind turbine of claim 11, the blade extension further defining at least one contouring notch.

15. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the blade extension is mounted to the rotor blade by an adhesive.

16. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the blade extension is mounted to the rotor blade by at least one mechanical fastening device.

17. The wind turbine of claim 16, wherein at least one of the rotor blade or the blade extension defines at least one countersink configured to accommodate the at least one mechanical fastening device.

18. The wind turbine of claim 11, wherein the blade extension is formed at least partially from a polymer.