Rotatable aerodynamic surface features for wind turbine rotor blades
First Claim
1. A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine, the rotor blade assembly comprising:
- a body shell comprising a pressure side surface and a suction side surface extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge;
at least one aerodynamic surface feature disposed adjacent to at least one of the pressure side surface or the suction side surface, the surface feature defining an internal volume; and
,an actuator completely enclosed within the internal volume, the actuator configured to rotate the surface feature relative to the body shell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present subject matter directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine having at least one rotatable aerodynamic surface feature configured thereon. The rotor blade assembly includes a body shell including a pressure side surface and a suction side surface extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The aerodynamic surface feature is disposed adjacent to the pressure side surface, the suction side surface, and/or both. In addition, the surface feature may have a generally airfoil-shaped cross section. As such, an actuator can be configured at least partially within an internal volume of the surface feature, the actuator being configured to rotate the surface feature relative to the body shell.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine, the rotor blade assembly comprising:
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a body shell comprising a pressure side surface and a suction side surface extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge; at least one aerodynamic surface feature disposed adjacent to at least one of the pressure side surface or the suction side surface, the surface feature defining an internal volume; and
,an actuator completely enclosed within the internal volume, the actuator configured to rotate the surface feature relative to the body shell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An aerodynamic surface feature for a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the surface feature comprising:
a body defining a profile of the surface feature, the body comprising; a fixed portion comprising a bottom surface, a top surface, and an internal volume, the bottom surface attachable to at least one of a pressure side surface or a suction side surface of the rotor blade, the internal volume configured to house at least a portion of an actuator therein, and a rotatable portion positioned atop the top surface of the fixed portion, the rotatable portion rotatable relative to the fixed portion when the surface feature is attached to a surface of the rotor blade; and an actuator completely enclosed within the internal volume, the actuator being configured to rotate the rotatable portion relative to a body shell of the rotor blade. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine, the rotor blade assembly comprising:
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a body shell comprising a pressure side surface and a suction side surface extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge; and
,at least one aerodynamic surface feature disposed adjacent to at least one of the pressure side surface or the suction side surface, the surface feature comprising a fixed portion and a rotatable portion, the fixed portion comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and side walls that define a hollow internal volume, the bottom surface attached to at least one of the pressure side surface or the suction side surface of the rotor blade, the rotatable portion positioned atop the top surface of the fixed portion and rotatable relative to the fixed portion, the fixed portion and the rotatable portion each separately defining an airfoil-shaped cross-section, the airfoil-shaped cross-section of the fixed portion substantially matching the airfoil-shaped cross-section of the rotatable portion, wherein the rotatable portion of the surface feature rotates relative to the body shell. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification