Wind turbine ice protection system

An ice protection system for heating a wind turbine blade, the system comprising:

• a heater disposed in an interior of the wind turbine blade, the heater for heating air;
• a blower disposed in the interior of the wind turbine blade and for moving the air across the heater to generate a heated airflow;
• a duct disposed in the interior of the wind turbine blade, the duct for receiving the heated airflow and releasing the heated airflow into the interior of the wind turbine blade, the duct having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the duct includes a plurality of duct outlets positioned between the proximal end and distal end of the duct;
• and
• an electrical control subsystem disposed in a wind turbine for controlling one or more components of the ice protection system, wherein the electrical control subsystem includes a blade control panel mounted to a blade-side of a bearing plate positioned at the root of the wind turbine blade where the wind turbine blade meets a hub of the wind turbine, the blade control panel controlling one or more of the components of the ice protection system.

An ice protection system for heating a wind turbine blade of a wind turbine, the system comprising:

• a heater disposed in an interior of the wind turbine blade, the heater for heating air;
• a blower disposed in the interior of the wind turbine blade and for moving the air across the heater to generate a heated airflow;
• a duct disposed in the interior of the wind turbine blade, the duct for receiving the heated airflow and releasing the heated airflow into the interior of the wind turbine blade;
• and
• a control system for controlling operation of the ice protection system, the control system including:
• a sensor subsystem including at least one sensor for collecting sensor data;
• a processing unit connected to the sensor subsystem and for generating a control signal based on the sensor data, the control signal for adjusting an operating state of at least one component of the ice protection system, wherein the at least one component includes the blower or the heater;
• and
• an electrical control subsystem disposed in the wind turbine for controlling one or more electrical components of the ice protection system, wherein the electrical control subsystem includes a blade control panel mounted to a blade-side of a bearing plate positioned at the root of the wind turbine blade where the wind turbine blade meets a hub of the wind turbine, the blade control panel controlling one or more of the components of the ice protection system.