# US 10,371,121 B1 · Wind turbine blade with a passive porous medium for flow separation control

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- Number: US 10,371,121 B1
- Document ID: US10371121B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/437,965
- Filed: 2017-02-21
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-02-21
- Applicants: Khaled Abdullah Alhussan
- Inventors: Khaled Abdullah Alhussan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371121B1

## CPC

- F03D 1/0675: {of the blades}
- F03D 7/022: {Adjusting aerodynamic properties of the blades}
- F05B 2240/221: with horizontal axis
- F05B 2260/60: Fluid transfer
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A combination of a wind turbine blade with a flow separation control. The wind turbine blade includes a body with an upper surface and a lower surface that extend from a leading edge to a trailing edge. The flow separation control device includes a plurality of openings on the upper surface of the body.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The combination of claim 1, wherein the flow separation device extends the longitudinal length of the wind turbine blade.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The combination of claim 2, wherein the plurality of openings extend from a ⅓ chord length to a ⅔ chord length of the wind turbine blade.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The combination of claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings having a circular shaped dimension.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The combination of claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings extend from a ⅓ chord length to a ⅔ chord length of the wind turbine blade.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The combination of claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings are in gaseous communication with a capillary tube extending through a thickness of the body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The combination of claim 6, wherein gas is channeled through the capillary tube and passes through the opening into the airstream.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The combination of claim 7, wherein the capillary tube is oriented at an angle relative to the upper surface of the body.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The combination of claim 8, wherein the gas exits at an angle relative to the upper surface of the body.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The combination of claim 1, further comprising:
a common air chamber in gaseous communication with a plurality of capillary tubes extending through the thickness of the body and in gaseous communication with the pump, the common air chamber is disposed within the body.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The combination of claim 10, wherein the plurality of capillary tubes extend from a ⅓ chord length to a ⅔ chord length of the wind turbine blade.