Aeroshell extender piece for a wind turbine blade
AssigneeLm Wp Patent Holding A/S
InventorsJesper Hasselbalch Garm, Gurli Rask Nielsen, Peter Quiring
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flexible aeroshell extender piece for an inboard part of a wind turbine blade is described, along with an associated method of manufacture. The flexible aeroshell is formed by first assembling a consolidated aeroshell piece, and then making a series of slits at the trailing edge of the aeroshell piece. Such a construction provides an aeroshell having a relatively flexible trailing edge section, which allows for bending or flexing of the aeroshell trailing edge during wind turbine blade operation.
Claims16
A wind turbine blade assembly comprising a wind turbine blade having a tip end and a root end, and a leading edge and a trailing edge with a chord length extending therebetween, the wind turbine blade further being divided into an inboard part having a substantially circular cross-section and an outboard part,
- wherein the wind turbine blade assembly further comprises an aeroshell extender piece attached to the wind turbine blade along a portion of the trailing edge along the inboard part of the wind turbine blade, the aeroshell extender piece forming an extended trailing edge profile of the wind turbine blade assembly along the inboard part of the wind turbine blade,
- wherein the aeroshell extender piece comprises:
- a unitary body for attachment to the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade along the inboard part thereof, the unitary body having a first end for attachment to the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade, and a second trailing edge end to form the extended trailing edge profile,
- wherein the unitary body comprises a plurality of slits extending from said second trailing edge end to a point located towards said first end, said plurality of slits extending less than 100% of a depth of the unitary body, wherein each of the slits includes a circular aperture defining the point located towards said first end, and
- wherein the aeroshell extender piece comprises a pressure-side panel forming a pressure side of the extended trailing edge profile and a suction-side panel forming a suction side of the extended trailing edge profile, wherein the aeroshell extender piece further comprises reinforcing elements located internally of the unitary body, wherein the reinforcing elements each extend entirely between the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade and the second trailing edge end of the unitary body.
A wind turbine blade assembly comprising a wind turbine blade having a tip end and a root end, and a leading edge and a trailing edge with a chord length extending therebetween, the wind turbine blade further being divided into an inboard part and an outboard part,
- wherein the wind turbine blade assembly further comprises an aeroshell extender piece attached to the wind turbine blade along a portion of the trailing edge along the inboard part of the wind turbine blade, the aeroshell extender piece forming an extended trailing edge profile of the wind turbine blade assembly along the inboard part of the wind turbine blade,
- wherein the aeroshell extender piece comprises:
- a unitary body for attachment to the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade along the inboard part thereof, the unitary body having a first end for attachment to the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade, and a second trailing edge end to form an extended airfoil trailing edge profile having a blunt trailing edge for the inboard part of the wind turbine blade,
- wherein the unitary body comprises a plurality of slits extending from said second trailing edge end to a point located towards said first end, said plurality of slits extending less than 100% of a depth of the unitary body, wherein each of the slits includes a circular aperture defining the point located towards said first end, and
- wherein the aeroshell extender piece comprises a pressure-side panel forming a pressure side of the extended trailing edge profile and a suction-side panel forming a suction side of the extended trailing edge profile, wherein the aeroshell extender piece further comprises reinforcing elements located internally of the unitary body, wherein the reinforcing elements each extend entirely between the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade and the second trailing edge end of the unitary body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.