Aerodynamic structure
AssigneeSiemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S
InventorStefan Oerlemans
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is an aerodynamic structure for mounting to a surface of a wind turbine rotor blade, which aerodynamic structure includes a number of comb elements, a comb element including comb teeth arranged in a comb plane, wherein the comb plane of a mounted comb element is essentially perpendicular to the trailing edge of the rotor blade and to the airfoil surface of the rotor blade. A wind turbine rotor blade including at least one such aerodynamic structure, and a method of equipping a wind turbine rotor blade with such an aerodynamic structure, is also provided.
Claims15
An aerodynamic structure for mounting to a surface of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, comprising:
- a plurality of comb elements, each comb element of the plurality of comb elements comprising a set of comb teeth extending from an inner mounting line to an outer terminating line, wherein inner ends of the comb teeth are disposed along the inner mounting line and outer ends of the comb teeth are disposed along the outer terminating line;
- wherein the set of comb teeth are stacked in a comb plane defined by the inner mounting line and the outer terminating line, each layer of comb teeth aligned with a neighboring layer of comb teeth;
- wherein the inner mounting line extends in a direction that is perpendicular to a trailing edge of the rotor blade and the outer terminating line extends in a direction that is perpendicular to an airfoil surface of the rotor blade.
A wind turbine rotor blade comprising:
- at least one aerodynamic structure comprising:
- a plurality of comb elements, each comb element of the plurality of comb elements comprising a set of comb teeth extending from an inner mounting line to an outer terminating line, wherein inner ends of the comb teeth are disposed along the inner mounting line and outer ends of the comb teeth are disposed along the outer terminating line;
- wherein the set of comb teeth are stacked in a comb plane defined by the inner mounting line and the outer terminating line, each layer of comb teeth aligned with a neighboring layer of comb teeth;
- wherein the inner mounting line extends in a direction that is perpendicular to a trailing edge of the rotor blade and the outer terminating line extends in a direction that is perpendicular to an airfoil surface of the rotor blade.
A method of equipping a rotor blade of a wind turbine with an aerodynamic structure, the method comprising:
- forming a comb element comprising a set of comb teeth extending from an inner mounting line to an outer terminating line, wherein inner ends of the comb teeth are disposed along the inner mounting line and outer ends of the comb teeth are disposed along the outer terminating line;
- wherein the set of comb teeth are stacked in a comb plane defined by the inner mounting line and the outer terminating line, each layer of comb teeth aligned with a neighboring layer of comb teeth;
- arranging the comb element on an airfoil surface of the rotor blade such that the comb plane is perpendicular to a trailing edge of the rotor blade and to the airfoil surface of the rotor blade.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.