Turbine blades and systems with forward blowing slots
AssigneeKohana Technologies Inc.
InventorsMichael D. Zuteck, Leigh Zalusky, Paul Lees
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A blade for use in a wind turbine comprises a pressure side and suction side meeting at a trailing edge and leading edge. The pressure side and suction side provide lift to the turbine blade upon the flow of air from the leading edge to the trailing edge and over the pressure side and suction side. The blade includes one or more openings at the suction side, in some cases between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The one or more openings are configured to provide a pressurized fluid towards the leading edge of the blade, in some cases at an angle between about 0° and 70° with respect to an axis oriented from a centerline of the blade toward the leading edge.
Claims20
A blade for use in a wind turbine, comprising:
- a pressure side and suction side meeting at a trailing edge and leading edge, the pressure side having a pressure side surface and the suction side having a suction side surface, the pressure side surface and suction side surface for providing lift to the blade upon a flow of air from the leading edge to the trailing edge and over the pressure side surface and the suction side surface;
- one or more openings at the suction side, the one or more openings configured to provide a pressurized fluid towards the leading edge of the blade;
- and
- a backflow control valve positioned within at least a first opening of the one or more openings thereby regulating entry of a backflow of air from a region external to the blade into an interior cavity of the blade through the first opening.
A blade for use in a wind turbine, comprising:
- a pressure side and suction side meeting at a trailing edge and leading edge, the pressure side having a pressure side surface and the suction side having a suction side surface, the pressure side surface and suction side surface for providing lift to the blade upon a flow of air from the leading edge to the trailing edge and over the pressure side surface and the suction side surface;
- one or more openings at the suction side, the one or more openings configured to provide a pressurized fluid towards the leading edge of the blade;
- and
- one or more cavities in the blade in fluid communication with the one or more openings;
- one or more flow control valves positioned to regulate an inflow of a fluid into the one or more cavities;
- and
- a backflow control valve positioned within at least a first opening of the one or more openings, thereby regulating entry of a backflow of air from a region external to the blade into an interior cavity of the blade through the first opening.
A wind turbine, comprising:
- a power generator;
- a rotor coupled to the power generator, the power generator to generate electricity upon rotation of the rotor;
- and
- a blade coupled to the rotor such that a movement of the blade drives rotation of the rotor, wherein the blade includes:
- a pressure side and suction side meeting at a trailing edge and leading edge, the pressure side having a pressure side surface and the suction side having a suction side surface, the pressure side surface and suction side surface for providing lift to the blade upon a flow of air from the leading edge to the trailing edge and over the pressure side surface and the suction side surface,
- one or more openings at the suction side, the one or more openings configured to provide a pressurized fluid towards the leading edge of the blade, and
- a backflow control valve positioned within at least a first opening of the one or more openings, thereby regulating entry of a backflow of air from a region external to the blade into an interior cavity of the blade through the first opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.