Apparatus and Method for Repurposed Wind Turbine Blades
OwnerJordan Farnsworth Smithinventor
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Abstract
Decommissioned wind turbine rotor blades are repurposed in alternative aerodynamic configurations with reduced or differentiated mechanical stress and cost-of-operation modalities. In one exemplary configuration, repurposed blades are affixed on a differentiated axial and gravitational orientation. In another exemplary configuration, the repurposed blades are longitudinally segmented. In yet another configuration, the blades are multiplied in a configuration designed for slower rotation. Additional alternative stress-differentiated and cost-of-operation configurations are disclosed herein. In a method of manufacture, repurposed wind turbine blades are provided in conjunction with blade configurations adapted to differentiated stress profiles.
Claims20
A wind turbine comprising a support base, an axial drive rotatably attached to the base, and a plurality of elongate repurposed fiber-reinforced polymer rotor blades mounted to the drive.
A method of constructing a wind turbine comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a plurality of obsolete wind turbine blades mounted on one or more HAWTs having a configuration;
- (b) removing the obsolete wind turbine blades from the one or more HAWTs;
- (c) assessing a stress profile of the obsolete wind turbine blades;
- (d) selecting a wind turbine configuration alternative to the HAWTs of step (a), such that blade stress profile is different;
- and, (e) constructing the alternative wind turbine of step (d) using the plurality of obsolete wind turbine blades.
A wind turbine comprising a support base, a vertical axial drive rotatably attached to the base, a hub and a plurality of elongate repurposed fiber-reinforced polymer rotor blades mounted to the hub at an angle within a 30-70 degree range relative to the axial drive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.