Wind turbine blade
AssigneeVestas Wind Systems A/S
InventorJermaine Mortimer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wind turbine blade comprising a blade shell that extends in a spanwise direction from a root end of the blade to a tip end of the blade, the blade shell defining an internal blade volume within which at least one blade feature is located, the blade being provided with an RF position-identification means configured for detection by an RF detection means external to the blade to enable determination of a reference position for the blade and/or the blade feature. Aspects of the invention also relate to a method of detecting a reference position for a wind turbine blade.
Claims10
A method of increasing a weight of at least one of a plurality of wind turbine blades configured to form a rotor of a wind turbine for balancing the rotor, the at least one wind turbine blade comprising a blade shell that extends in a spanwise direction from a root end of the wind turbine blade to a tip end of the wind turbine blade, the blade shell defining an internal blade volume within which a ballast tank is located, the method comprising:
- applying an RF position-identification means to the ballast tank or to the at least one wind turbine blade at a position corresponding to the position of the ballast tank within the at least one wind turbine blade;
- identifying the location of the ballast tank within the internal blade volume by:
- generating, via the RF position-identification means, an RF position signal;
- and
- detecting, at an RF detection means external to the at least one wind turbine blade, the RF position signal;
- and
- determining the ballast tank position based on detection of the RF position signal;
- drilling, forming and/or machining an opening into the blade shell at a location dependent on the identified location of the ballast tank;
- and
- introducing a ballast material through the opening into the ballast tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.