Noise reduction element and a wind turbine blade comprising a noise reduction element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12188451-B2
Application number	US-202117794071-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2021
Priority date	Feb 24, 2020
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A noise reduction element extends between a first end and a second end in a first direction. The noise reduction element extends between a third end and a fourth end in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The noise reduction element includes a base part configured to be attached to a trailing edge of a wind turbine blade. The base part has a first base part surface and a second base part surface. The base part extends between the first end and a first position in the first direction. The noise reduction element includes a first serration part having a serration pressure surface and a serration suction surface and extending in the first direction between the first position and the second end. The first serration part has a thickness in a third direction between the serration pressure surface and the serration suction surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A noise reduction element for a wind turbine blade, the noise reduction element extending between a first end and a second end in a first direction, and the noise reduction element extending between a third end and a fourth end in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the noise reduction element comprising:
a base part configured to be attached to the wind turbine blade, the base part having a first base part surface and a second base part surface and extending between the first end and a first position in the first direction; and
a first serration part extending in the first direction from the first position to the second end and comprising a serration pressure surface and a serration suction surface, the first serration part having a thickness in a third direction between the serration pressure surface and the serration suction surface, wherein the thickness of the first serration part varies along the first direction, the first serration part having a width in the second direction between a first intersection between the serration pressure surface and the serration suction surface and a second intersection between the serration pressure surface and the serration suction surface, and
wherein at least part of the first serration part is electrically conductive and configured to attract and conduct lightning current to ground.

2. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein the first serration part comprises a serration tip part extending in the first direction between a second position and the second end, and the first serration part comprising a serration root part extending in the first direction from the first position to the second position.

3. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein at least part of the first serration part, such as a serration tip part, is formed from an electrically conductive material, such as graphite or metal.

4. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first serration part, such as a serration root part, is hollow.

5. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein the first serration part comprises an internal conductor extending in the first direction and configured to conduct lightning current through at least a portion of the first serration part, such as through a serration root part.

6. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the first serration part decreases from a third position to a fourth position along the first direction.

7. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first serration part decreases from a fifth position to a sixth position along the first direction.

8. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the first serration part is larger than the thickness of the first serration part between the first position and a seventh position.

9. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein the width of the first serration part is the same as the thickness of the first serration part between an eighth position and the second end.

10. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein, at a ninth position along the first direction, a maximum distance along the third direction between the serration pressure surface and a plane between the first intersection and the second intersection is different.

11. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness between the first base part surface and the second base part surface decreases along the first direction towards the first end.

12. The noise reduction element according to claim 1 , wherein the noise reduction element comprises a plurality of serration parts, including the first serration part and a second serration part, wherein the second serration part extends in the first direction between the first position and the second end and comprising a serration pressure surface and a serration suction surface, the second serration part having a thickness in the third direction between the serration pressure surface and the serration suction surface of the second serration part, and the second serration part having a width in the second direction between a first intersection between the serration pressure surface and the serration suction surface of the second serration part and a second intersection between the serration pressure surface and the serration suction surface of the second serration part.

13. A wind turbine blade assembly comprising:
a wind turbine blade extending in a longitudinal direction from a blade tip to a blade root and having a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge and a trailing edge; and
a first noise reduction element extending beyond the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade, the first noise reduction element extending between a first end and a second end in a first direction, and the first noise reduction element extending between a third end and a fourth end in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first noise reduction element comprising:
a base part being attached to the wind turbine blade, the base part having a first base part surface and a second base part surface and extending between the first end and a first position in the first direction; and
a first serration part extending in the first direction from the first position to the second end and comprising a serration pressure surface and a serration suction surface, the first serration part having a thickness in a third direction between the serration pressure surface and the serration suction surface, wherein the thickness of the first serration part varies along the first direction, the first serration part having a width in the second direction between a first intersection between the serration pressure surface and the serration suction surface and a second intersection between the serration pressure surface and the serration suction surface,

wherein at least a part of the first serration part is electrically conductive and configured to attract and conduct lightning current to ground.

14. The wind turbine blade assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the first serration part is connected to a down conductor of the wind turbine blade configured to conduct lightning current to ground.

15. The wind turbine blade assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the base part of the first noise reduction element comprises a conductive path extending along the second direction and being electrically connected to the first serration part, the conductive path being configured to conduct lightning current to ground.

16. The wind turbine blade assembly according to claim 13 , comprising a plurality of noise reduction elements, including the first noise reduction element and a second noise reduction element, the plurality of noise reduction elements being distributed along the trailing edge of the wind turbine blade.

17. The wind turbine blade assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of noise reduction elements are distributed between 20-80% of the length of the trailing edge starting from the tip.

18. A method for lightning protecting a wind turbine blade and reducing noise caused by operation of a wind turbine comprising the wind turbine blade, the method comprising:
providing the wind turbine blade extending in a longitudinal direction from a blade root to a blade tip and having a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge and a trailing edge;
providing a first noise reduction element ext

Assignees

• Lm Wind Power As

Inventors

• Hurault Jeremy
• Sun Dongke
• Wang Guannan
• Madsen Jesper
• Hansen Lars Bo

Classifications

• F03D1/069

  of the trailing edge region · CPC title

• F03D7/0296

  to prevent, counteract or reduce noise emissions · CPC title

• F03D7/0298

  to prevent, counteract or reduce vibrations · CPC title

• F03D1/0675

  of the blades · CPC title

• F05B2260/96

  Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise · CPC title