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US 8,317,479 B2Granted
Segmented rotor blade extension portion
AssigneeVestas Wind Systems A/S
InventorsTomas Vronsky, Mark Hancock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wind turbine rotor blade extension portion having a plurality of segments, located adjacent one another in a span-wise sense. An interface between adjacent segments is configured to minimize disruption to fluid passing thereover and to inhibit transmission of longitudinal loads between segments. Each segment has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is spaced from the second surface at a proximal region of the extension portion and the first surface is connected to the second surface at a distal region of the extension portion to thereby generate a fair surface for a rotor blade to which the extension portion is connected, in use.
Claims23
A wind turbine rotor blade, comprising:
- a structurally coherent blade portion, the blade portion comprising:
- a leading portion configured to receive fluid incident on the rotor blade;
- and
- a trailing portion located downstream of the leading portion and configured to smoothly convey fluid passing thereover from the leading portion,
- wherein a root region of the blade portion is configured to be connectable to a hub of a wind turbine and the blade portion is configured to smoothly transfer loads experienced thereby to the root region of the blade portion for transfer to the hub;
- and
- an extension portion appended to an outer surface of the trailing portion, the extension portion comprising a plurality of segments located adjacent one another in a span-wise sense, an interface between adjacent segments being configured to inhibit transmission of loads between the segments, wherein each segment comprises a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being spaced from the second surface at a proximal region of the extension portion and the first surface being connected to the second surface at a distal region of the extension portion.
4 more elements
A wind turbine rotor blade, comprising:
- a structurally coherent blade portion, the blade portion comprising:
- a root portion configured to be connectable to a hub of a wind turbine;
- a tip portion located remotely from the root portion;
- and
- a longitudinal structural member extending between the root portion and the tip portion, wherein the blade portion is configured to provide a continuous load bearing path along a rearmost surface thereof, from tip to root, along which longitudinal loads are transmitted, in use;
- and
- an extension portion appended to the outer, rearmost surface of the root portion, wherein the extension portion is configured to provide a streamlined extension surface to the blade portion whilst inhibiting span-wise transmission of loads therewithin and from the blade portion.
4 more elements
A wind turbine rotor blade, comprising:
- a structurally coherent blade portion, the blade portion comprising:
- a leading portion configured to receive fluid incident on the rotor blade;
- and
- a trailing portion located downstream of the leading portion and configured to smoothly convey fluid passing thereover from the leading portion,
- wherein a root region of the blade portion is configured to be connectable to a hub of a wind turbine and the blade portion is configured to smoothly transfer loads experienced thereby to the root region of the blade portion for transfer to the hub;
- and
- an extension portion comprising a plurality of segments located adjacent one another in a span-wise sense, an interface between adjacent segments being configured to inhibit transmission of loads between the segments, wherein each segment comprises a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being spaced from the second surface at a proximal region of the extension portion and the first surface being connected to the second surface at a distal region of the extension portion, and wherein the first and second surfaces engage an outer surface of the trailing portion at the proximal region of the extension portion.
4 more elements
A wind turbine rotor blade, comprising:
- a structurally coherent blade portion, the blade portion comprising:
- a leading portion configured to receive fluid incident on the rotor blade;
- and
- a trailing portion located downstream of the leading portion and configured to smoothly convey fluid passing thereover from the leading portion,
- wherein a root region of the blade portion is configured to be connectable to a hub of a wind turbine and the blade portion is configured to smoothly transfer loads experienced thereby to the root region of the blade portion for transfer to the hub;
- and
- an extension portion comprising a plurality of segments located adjacent one another in a span-wise sense, an interface between adjacent segments being configured to inhibit transmission of loads between the segments, wherein each segment comprises a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being spaced from the second surface at a proximal region of the extension portion and the first surface being connected to the second surface at a distal region of the extension portion, and wherein an outer surface of the trailing portion underlies the extension portion for a full span-wise length of the extension portion.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.