Vortex generator for wind turbine blade, wind turbine blade, and wind power generating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12037977-B2
Application number	US-202118035204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2021
Priority date	Nov 27, 2020
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

A vortex generator for wind turbine blade includes: a platform; and at least one fin disposed projecting from an upper surface of the platform, and including a leading edge and a trailing edge. A rear end surface of the at least one fin, including the trailing edge, has a shape inclined backward as a distance from a bottom surface of the platform increases in a height direction of the fin.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vortex generator for wind turbine blade, comprising:
a platform; and
least one fin disposed projecting from an upper surface of the platform, and including a leading edge and a trailing edge,
wherein a rear end surface of the at least one fin, including the trailing edge, has a shape inclined backward as a distance from a bottom surface of the platform increases in a height direction of the fin, and
wherein the fin has a first airfoil shape at a first position in the height direction, and a second airfoil shape at a second position where the distance from the bottom surface of the platform is smaller than at the first position in the height direction, the second airfoil shape including a leading edge region which coincides with a figure of the first airfoil shape having a same shape as the first airfoil shape and a larger size than the first airfoil shape, and a trailing edge region with a shape of the figure a part of which is missing.

2. A vortex generator for wind turbine blade, comprising:
a platform; and
least one fin disposed projecting from an upper surface of the platform, and including a leading edge and a trailing edge,
wherein a rear end surface of the at least one fin, including the trailing edge, has a shape inclined backward as a distance from a bottom surface of the platform increases in a height direction of the fin, and
wherein, in the fin, a first blade thickness ratio, which is a ratio of a maximum blade thickness to a chord length at a first position in the height direction, is less than a second blade thickness ratio, which is a ratio of a maximum blade thickness to a chord length at a second position where the distance from the bottom surface of the platform is smaller than at the first position in the height direction.

3. A vortex generator for wind turbine blade, comprising:
a platform; and
least one fin disposed projecting from an upper surface of the platform, and including a leading edge and a trailing edge,
wherein a rear end surface of the at least one fin, including the trailing edge, has a shape inclined backward as a distance from a bottom surface of the platform increases in a height direction of the fin, and
wherein a width of the rear end surface of the fin decreases as the distance from the bottom surface of the platform increases in the height direction.

4. The vortex generator for wind turbine blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein a rear end portion of the fin projects outward from an outer edge of the platform, as viewed from the height direction.

5. The vortex generator for wind turbine blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein an inclination angle of the rear end surface with respect to the bottom surface of the platform is not less than 55 degrees and not greater than 65 degrees, in a cross section including a chord of the fin and the height direction.

6. The vortex generator for wind turbine blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the leading edge of the fin is inclined backward as the distance from the bottom surface of the platform increases in the height direction of the fin, in at least a part of a region in the height direction, and
wherein an inclination angle of the rear end surface with respect to the bottom surface of the platform is greater than an inclination angle of the leading edge with respect to the bottom surface of the platform, in a cross section including a chord of the fin and the height direction.

7. The vortex generator for wind turbine blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fin includes a leading edge portion having a curved contour in a cross section orthogonal to the height direction of the fin, and has a shape symmetrical about a chord of the fin.

8. The vortex generator for wind turbine blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein a blade thickness ratio of the fin, which is a ratio of a maximum blade thickness to a chord length at a position in the height direction, is at least 10% and at most 20%.

9. The vortex generator for wind turbine blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the leading edge of the fin is inclined backward as the distance from the bottom surface of the platform increases in the height direction of the fin, in at least a part of a region in the height direction, and
wherein an inclination angle of the leading edge with respect to the bottom surface of the platform is not less than 10 degrees and not greater than 20 degrees, in a cross section including a chord of the fin and the height direction.

10. The vortex generator for wind turbine blade according to claim 9 ,
wherein the leading edge of the fin is inclined backward to a maximum height position of the fin as the distance from the bottom surface of the platform increases in the height direction.

11. The vortex generator for wind turbine blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the platform has a circular shape as viewed from the height direction of the fin.

12. The vortex generator for wind turbine blade according to claim 1 ,
wherein the platform and the fin are formed of a resin.

13. A wind turbine blade, comprising:
a blade body; and
the vortex generator according to claim 1 attached to a surface of the blade body.

14. A wind power generating apparatus, comprising:
a wind turbine rotor including the wind turbine blade according to claim 13 ; and
a generator configured to be driven by the wind turbine rotor.

15. A wind turbine blade comprising:
a blade body, and
the vortex generator according to claim 2 attached to a surface of the blade body.

16. A wind turbine blade comprising:
a blade body, and
the vortex generator according to claim 3 attached to a surface of the blade body.

17. A wind power generating apparatus, comprising
a wind turbine rotor including the wind turbine blade according to claim 15 , and
a generator configured to be driven by the wind turbine rotor.

18. A wind power generating apparatus, comprising
a wind turbine rotor including the wind turbine blade according to claim 16 , and
a generator configured to be driven by the wind turbine rotor.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Harada Motoshi
• Karikomi Kai
• Ariki Wakako
• Shiraishi Yasuaki

Classifications

• F05B2240/303

  Details of the leading edge · CPC title

• F05B2240/3062

  Vortex generators · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F03D1/06495 Primary

  Aerodynamic elements attached to or formed with the blade, e.g. flaps, vortex generators or noise reducers · CPC title