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US 2010/0143130 A1Published application
Inflatable wind turbine blade and method for forming said rotor blade
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorRonald Ralph Cairo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inflatable rotor blade for a wind turbine includes a flexible skin. The flexible skin assumes, when inflated by means of an inflation medium, the shape of an airfoil which has an inner cavity. When the inner cavity is formed, at least one stiffener unit is arranged in the inner cavity of the rotor blade and maintains the airfoil shape of the flexible skin.
Claims20
An inflatable rotor blade for a wind turbine, said inflatable rotor blade comprising:
- a flexible skin which assumes, when inflated by means of an inflation medium, the shape of an airfoil wherein an inner cavity is formed;
- and
- at least one stiffener unit arranged in the inner cavity of the rotor blade and adapted for maintaining the airfoil shape of the flexible skin.
A wind turbine comprising at least one inflatable rotor blade, said inflatable rotor blade comprising:
- a flexible skin which assumes, when inflated by means of an inflation medium, the shape of an airfoil wherein an inner cavity is formed;
- and
- at least one stiffener unit arranged in the inner cavity of the rotor blade and adapted for maintaining the airfoil shape of the flexible skin.
A method for forming a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
- forming a flexible skin as an outer shell of the rotor blade;
- inflating the flexible skin by means of an inflation medium such that the outer shell assumes the shape of an airfoil;
- and
- stiffening the airfoil shape by means of at least one stiffener unit arranged in the interior of the rotor blade.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.