Adaptable spoiler for a wind turbine rotor blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022010771-A1
Application number	US-201917298657-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Dec 13, 2018
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a spoiler, in particular adaptable spoiler, for a wind turbine blade including: a main body including an airfoil shaped surface to be exposed to air flow; at least one stiffening element distinct from the main body and supporting the airfoil surface, wherein the stiffening element is in particular configured to enforce the shape of the airfoil surface during loading by wind during operation of the wind turbine.

First claim

1 . A spoiler for a wind turbine blade, comprising:
a main body comprising an airfoil shaped surface to be exposed to air flow at least one stiffening element distinct from the main body and supporting the airfoil shaped surface,
wherein the stiffening element is configured to enforce the shape of the airfoil surface.

2 . The spoiler according to claim 1 , wherein the
stiffening element is not exposed to an air flow the rotor blade is subjected to, wherein the stiffening element has decreasing thickness from upstream to downstream in an air flow direction.

3 . The spoiler according to claim 1 , wherein the stiffening element is elastic and/or prebent and/or has a shape of a plane or a curved shape different from a plane.

4 . The spoiler according to claim 1 ,
wherein the stiffening element is installed in the main body below the airfoil shaped surface, and/or the stiffening element is installed buried in the main body.

5 . The spoiler according to claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises a single piece or several pieces comprising plastic and/or thermoplastic material and/or thermoset material.

6 . The spoiler according claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises plural stiffening element contact portions contacting and/or holding the stiffening element by force-fit and/or form-fit.

7 . The spoiler according to claim 1 , wherein the contact portions comprise a first, a second and a third contact portion, the third contact portion separated from the first and second contact portion to be downstream in an air flow direction,
wherein the contact portions are along a longitudinal direction of the spoiler.

8 . The spoiler according to claim 1 , wherein
the first and the second contact portion fixedly clamp an upstream portion of the stiffening element, wherein a downstream contact portion of the stiffening element presses to the third contact portion in a direction against a force exerted on the airfoil shaped surface by an expandable device.

9 . The spoiler according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second contact portions are each part of a respective slit in the main body into which a respective upstream end edge of the stiffening element is at least partially inserted, thereby holding the stiffening element partly by form-fit, and/or
wherein the third contact portion is arranged to allow sliding of the downstream contact portion of the stiffening element relative to the third contact portion of the main body upon inflating or deflating the expandable device.

10 . The spoiler according to claim 1 , wherein the stiffening element is located:
in a central region of the airfoil surface away from the rear end and the front end of the spoiler, or in at least a half or a rear end portion of the spoiler.

11 . The spoiler according to claim 1 , wherein the stiffening element comprises a composite and/or laminate comprising:
a fibre material and thermoplastic and/or thermosetting material.

12 . The spoiler according to claim 1 , further comprising an expandable device, inflatable with air and arranged to change shape and/or tilt of the spoiler airfoil surface, thereby providing an adaptable spoiler.

13 . The spoiler according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a further stiffening element arranged to change position and/or orientation and/or tilt when hose or bag is inflated or deflated.

14 . A rotor blade of a wind turbine comprising:
a blade airfoil surface; and at least one adaptable spoiler according to claim 1 installed at the blade airfoil surface, wherein the spoiler sections are installed along the longitudinal direction of the blade airfoil surface.

15 . The rotor blade according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a flow regulating device, installed at the blade airfoil surface downstream the spoiler, wherein depending on a state of the adaptable spoiler, the effect of the flow regulating device on the air flow is changed.

Assignees

• Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy As

Inventors

• Enevoldsen Peder Bay
• Fiedel Moritz
• Girschig Florian
• Gonzalez Alejandro Gomez
• Kristensen Krister Just
• Kristensen Mikkel Aggersbjerg
• Michelsen Anders
• Neuschäfer Larsen Henrik

Classifications

• F03D7/0232 Primary

  with flaps or slats (with aerodynamic drag devices on the blades for braking F03D7/0252) · CPC title

• F05B2240/3052

  adjustable · CPC title

• F03D1/0641 Primary

  of the section profile of the blades, i.e. aerofoil profile · CPC title

• F03D1/0658

  Arrangements for fixing wind-engaging parts to a hub · CPC title

• F05B2280/6013

  Fibres · CPC title