System and methods for reducing wind turbine noise
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsLorenz Edwin Drack, Benoit Philippe Petitjean, Jorge Alejandro Carretero Benignos, Akil Abbas Rangwalla, Pratish Patil
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Abstract
A method for reducing noise generated by a wind turbine includes measuring a reference temperature of the wind turbine. The method also includes regulating a trailing edge surface temperature of a trailing edge portion of a rotor blade attached to the wind turbine. In addition, the method includes measuring the trailing edge surface temperature. Further, the method includes regulating the trailing edge surface temperature to maintain a predetermined temperature differential between the reference temperature and the trailing edge surface temperature.
Claims20
A method for reducing noise generated by a wind turbine, said method comprising:
- measuring a reference temperature of the wind turbine, the wind turbine having a rotor blade;
- regulating a trailing edge surface temperature of a trailing edge portion of the rotor blade;
- measuring the trailing edge surface temperature;
- and
- regulating the trailing edge surface temperature to maintain a predetermined temperature differential between the reference temperature and the trailing edge surface temperature.
A method for assembling a wind turbine, the wind turbine including at least one rotor blade having a trailing edge, a leading edge, a root, and a tip located at a spanwise distance from the root, the wind turbine further including a trailing edge portion defined adjacent the trailing edge of the rotor blade, said method comprising:
- coupling a heating element to the trailing edge portion of the rotor blade;
- electrically coupling a power supply to the heating element;
- coupling a first temperature sensor to the wind turbine, wherein the first temperature sensor is configured to measure an ambient air temperature of an airflow over the rotor blade;
- coupling a second temperature sensor to the trailing edge portion of the rotor blade, wherein the second temperature sensor is configured to measure a surface temperature of the trailing edge portion of the rotor blade;
- and
- coupling a controller to the wind turbine, wherein the controller is configured to maintain a predetermined temperature differential between the ambient air temperature of the airflow and the surface temperature of the trailing edge portion of the rotor blade.
A wind turbine system comprising:
- a rotor comprising a hub and at least one rotor blade coupled to said hub, said at least one rotor blade comprising:
- a body comprising a pressure side surface, a suction side surface, a leading edge, and a trailing edge, said body further comprising a trailing edge portion defined adjacent said trailing edge;
- and
- a heating element coupled to said trailing edge portion;
- a first temperature sensor configured to measure a first surface temperature of said at least one rotor blade proximate said leading edge;
- a second temperature sensor configured to measure a second surface temperature of said at least one rotor blade proximate said trailing edge portion;
- a power supply electrically coupled to said heating element;
- and
- a control system coupled to said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor, said control system configured to operate said heating element by receiving a first measured surface temperature signal from said first temperature sensor, receiving a second measured surface temperature signal from said second temperature sensor, and actuating said power supply to achieve a predetermined temperature differential between the first surface temperature and the second surface temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.