# US 2013/0156593 A1 · System and method for root loss reduction in wind turbine blades > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0156593 A1 - Document ID: US20130156593A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/328,337 - Filed: 2011-12-16 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Inventors: Anurag Gupta; Arathi Kamath Gopinath - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156593A1 ## CPC - F03D 1/0633: {of the blades} - F05B 2240/301: Cross-section characteristics - Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction - F03D: WIND MOTORS - F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A wind turbine blade includes a root region. A first extension (LEX) is attached to the leading edge side of the root region while a trailing edge strake (TES) is attached to the trailing edge side of the root region. The LEX and TES each include an outer profile that becomes more pronounced relative to their respective locations in the root region as the root region of the wind turbine blade morphs from a substantially cylindrical shape to a substantially airfoil shape. The LEX provides both optimal angle of attack and lift generation in the root region, while the TES mitigates airflow separation and enhances airfoil lift in the root region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wind turbine blade comprising: a root section comprising a leading edge side and a trailing edge side; an extension attached to the leading edge side of the root section; and a strake attached to the trailing edge side of the root section, wherein the leading edge side extension (LEX) provides both optimal angle of attack and lift generation in the root section, and further wherein the strake mitigates airflow separation and enhances airfoil lift in the root region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the LEX is attached to the leading edge side of the root section by adhesive material, mechanical devices, frictional force, or any combination of adhesive material, mechanical devices, and frictional force. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the strake is attached to the trailing edge side of the root section by adhesive material, mechanical devices, frictional force, or any combination of adhesive material, mechanical devices, and frictional force. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the LEX comprises a modular structure configured to be both quickly and easily attached and quickly and easily removed from the root region of a wind turbine blade. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the strake comprises a modular structure configured to be both quickly and easily attached and quickly and easily removed from the root region of a wind turbine blade. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the LEX comprises an outer profile that becomes more pronounced relative to the location of the LEX in the root section as the root section of the wind turbine blade morphs from a substantially cylindrical shape to a substantially airfoil shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein the strake comprises an outer profile that becomes more pronounced relative to the location of the strake in the root section as the root section of the wind turbine blade morphs from a substantially cylindrical shape to a substantially airfoil shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure side and a suction side, wherein at least a portion of the strake is retractable, and further wherein the pressure side, the suction side, or both the pressure side and the suction side of the wind turbine blade comprise one or more openings configured to receive at least a portion of the strake as the strake is partially or fully retracted into the one or more openings. ### Claim 9 A wind turbine blade comprising: a root section attached to a rotor disk portion of a wind turbine, the root section comprising a leading edge side and a trailing edge side; a leading edge extension (LEX) attached to the leading edge side of the root section, the extension configured to provide an enhanced lift coefficient and reduced flow separation in the root section; and a trailing edge strake (TES) attached to the trailing edge side of the root section, the TES configured to provide enhanced lift to drag ratio in the root section, reduced flow separation in the root section, or both enhanced lift to drag ratio and reduced flow separation in the root region, wherein the LEX and TES together are configured to reduce radial centrifuging of flow slipping through the rotor disk portion of the wind turbine without extraction of energy. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The wind turbine blade according to claim 9, wherein the LEX is attached to the leading edge side of the root section by adhesive material, mechanical devices, frictional force, or any combination of adhesive material, mechanical devices, and frictional force. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The wind turbine blade according to claim 9, wherein the strake is attached to the trailing edge side of the root section by adhesive material, mechanical devices, frictional force, or any combination of adhesive material, mechanical devices, and frictional force. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The wind turbine blade according to claim 9, wherein the TES comprises a modular structure configured to be both quickly and easily attached and quickly and easily removed from the root region of a wind turbine blade. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The wind turbine blade according to claim 9, wherein the strake comprises a modular structure configured to be both quickly and easily attached and quickly and easily removed from the root section of a wind turbine blade. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The wind turbine blade according to claim 9, wherein the LEX comprises an outer profile that becomes more pronounced relative to the location of the LEX in the root section as the root section of the wind turbine blade morphs from a substantially cylindrical shape to a substantially airfoil shape. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The wind turbine blade according to claim 9, wherein the TES comprises an outer profile that becomes more pronounced relative to the location of the TES in the root section as the root section of the wind turbine blade morphs from a substantially cylindrical shape to a substantially airfoil shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The wind turbine blade according to claim 9, further comprising a pressure side and a suction side, wherein at least a portion of the strake is retractable, and further wherein the pressure side, the suction side, or both the pressure side and the suction side of the wind turbine blade comprise one or more openings configured to receive at least a portion of the strake as the strake is partially or fully retracted into the one or more openings. ### Claim 17 A wind turbine blade comprising: a root region comprising a leading edge side and a trailing edge side; a leading edge extension (LEX) attached to the leading edge side of the root region; and a trailing edge strake (TES) attached to the trailing edge side of the root region, wherein the LEX and TES each comprise an outer profile that becomes more pronounced relative to their respective locations in the root region as the root region of the wind turbine blade morphs from a substantially cylindrical shape to a substantially airfoil shape. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The wind turbine blade according to claim 17, wherein the LEX is configured to provide both optimal angle of attack and lift generation in the root region, and further wherein the strake or TES is configured to mitigate airflow separation in the root region, enhance airfoil lift in the root region, and enhance mix out of wakes and vortices in the root region. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The wind turbine blade according to claim 17, wherein both the LEX and TES are attached to the root region of the wind turbine blade by adhesive material, mechanical devices, frictional force, or any combination of adhesive material, mechanical devices, and frictional force. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The wind turbine blade according to claim 17, wherein the LEX and TES together comprise a modular structure configured to be both quickly and easily attached and quickly and easily removed from the root region of a wind turbine blade. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The wind turbine blade according to claim 17, further comprising a pressure side and a suction side, wherein at least a portion of the strake is retractable, and further wherein the pressure side, the suction side, or both the pressure side and the suction side of the wind turbine blade comprise one or more openings configured to receive at least a portion of the strake as the strake is partially or fully retracted into the one or more openings.