Flexible flap arrangement for a wind turbine rotor blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9945357-B2
Application number	US-201313763786-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2013
Priority date	Apr 4, 2012
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A flap arrangement for a wind turbine rotor blade, which includes a leading edge, a trailing edge and a chord line between the leading edge and the trailing edge, is described. The flap arrangement includes a support portion and a flap portion which is passively moveable with respect to an angle between a surface normal of a surface of the flap portion and the chord line. The support portion and the flap portion are positioned relatively to each other such that the support portion provides a limit to the movement of the flap portion. Also described are a wind turbine rotor blade including the flap arrangement and a method of enhancing the aerodynamic performance of a blade.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flap arrangement for a wind turbine rotor blade, comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge and a chord line between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the flap arrangement comprising:
a support portion adapted to prolong a suction side of the wind turbine rotor blade; and
a flap portion adapted to prolong a pressure side of the wind turbine rotor blade and passively moveable with respect to an angle between a surface normal of a surface of the flap portion and the chord line,
wherein the support portion and the flap portion are positioned relative to each other such that the support portion provides a limit to the movement of the flap portion.

2. The flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the support portion comprises a pressure side surface and a suction side surface, and the suction side surface of the support portion prolongs the suction side of the wind turbine rotor blade, and wherein the flap portion comprises a suction side surface and a pressure side surface, and the pressure side surface of the flap portion prolongs the pressure side of the wind turbine rotor blade.

3. The flap arrangement as claimed in claim 2 ,
wherein the suction side surface of the flap portion and the pressure side surface of the support portion faces towards each other.

4. The flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1 ,
the support portion and/or the flap portion is connectable to a wind turbine rotor blade at the trailing edge of the blade or at a portion of the blade close to the trailing edge, and/or at a position between the tip of the blade and one half of the span length of the blade measured from the tip.

5. The flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1 ,
the flap portion comprises a flexible or hinged flap connection for connecting the flap portion to a wind turbine rotor blade.

6. The flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the flap portion comprises a flexible sheet.

7. The flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1 ,
the flap portion and/or the support portion comprises a serrated trailing edge.

8. The flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1 ,
the flap portion and the support portion are made as one piece or several pieces.

9. The flap arrangement as claimed in any claim 1 ,
the support portion comprises a vortex generator.

10. The flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1
the support portion has a bend shape.

11. A wind turbine rotor blade comprising a flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1 .

12. The wind turbine rotor blade as claimed in claim 11
wherein the support portion comprises a vortex generator.

13. The wind turbine rotor blade as claimed in claim 11 ,
a plurality of flap arrangements are mounted next to one another along the trailing edge of the blade.

14. The wind turbine rotor blade as claimed in claim 11 ,
support portion is an integral part of the blade.

15. A wind turbine comprising a wind turbine rotor blade as claimed in claim 11 .

16. A method for enhancing the aerodynamic performance of a wind turbine rotor blade comprising a trailing edge, comprising:
connecting a flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1 along the trailing edge of the blade.

17. A flap arrangement for a wind turbine rotor blade, comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge and a chord line between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the flap arrangement comprising:
a support portion adapted to prolong a suction side of the blade; and
a flap portion adapted to prolong a pressures side of the blade and passively moveable with respect to the support portion and with respect to an angle between a surface normal of a surface of the flap portion and the chord line,
wherein the support portion and the flap portion are positioned relative to each other such that the support portion provides a limit to the movement of the flap portion, and wherein in a first state the flap portion is in contact with the support portion and in a second state a gap occurs between the flap portion.

18. The flap arrangement as claimed in claim 17 ,
wherein the support portion comprises a pressure side surface and a suction side surface, and the suction side surface of the support portion prolongs the suction side of the wind turbine rotor blade, and wherein the flap portion comprises a suction side surface and a pressure side surface, and the pressure side surface of the flap portion prolongs a pressure side of a wind turbine rotor blade.

19. The flap arrangement as claimed in claim 18 ,
wherein the gap in the second state occurs between the pressure side surface of the support portion and the suction side surface of the flap portion.

20. A wind turbine rotor blade comprising a flap arrangement as claimed in claim 19 .

Assignees

• Enevoldsen Peder Bay
• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Enevoldsen Peder Bay

Classifications

• F03D1/065

  characterised by their construction elements (F03D13/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02E10/721

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F03D7/0232 Primary

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

• F03D7/0204

  for orientation in relation to wind direction · CPC title

• F05B2240/122

  Vortex generators, turbulators, or the like, for mixing · CPC title