Wind turbine blade with a passive porous medium for flow separation control

A combination of a wind turbine blade and a passive flow separation control device, comprising:

• the wind turbine blade, having:
• a body with an upper surface and a lower surface that extend from a leading edge to a trailing edge, the upper surface is on an opposing side of the body than the lower surface;
• and
• the flow separation control device, having:
• a plurality of openings on the upper surface of the body;
• an inlet tube in fluid communication with an airstream passing over the lower surface of the body, the inlet tube extending from the lower surface to the plurality of openings on the upper surface of the body;
• a sensor disposed within the body and configured to sense flow separation near the trailing edge of the body;
• a pump disposed within the body and configured to direct air from the airstream passing over the lower surface to the airstream passing over the upper surface via the inlet tube and plurality of openings;
• and
• a flow regulator in gaseous communication with the pump, the flow regulator is configured to a flow of the air from the inlet tube to the plurality of openings;
• wherein a portion of the airstream passing over the upper surface of the body is affected by the plurality of openings;
• and
• wherein the plurality of openings reduces a flow separation in the portion of the airstream passing over the upper surface of the body.