A wind turbine is disclosed which comprises a control system configured to execute at least one ice removal routine which comprises a heating stage of at least one of the blades (3), and a mechanical removal ice stage. A wind turbine removing ice method is also disclosed which comprises a stage wherein the presence of ice is detected on at least one of the blades and, once said presence of ice is detected, comprises a stage wherein at least one ice removal routine is activated which comprises, in turn, a heating stage of at least one of the blades and a mechanical removing ice stage on at least said blade.

Anti-icing stacks for protecting an aerodynamic surface are described. In some embodiments, an anti-icing stack includes an anti-icing layer, an elastomeric erosion protection layer, and an additional layer. The erosion protection layer is disposed between the anti-icing layer and the additional layer. The additional layer has a thickness greater than the thickness of the erosion protection layer and a tensile modulus of no more than the tensile modulus of the erosion protection layer. The additional layer may be a foam adhesive layer.

A multilayer protective covering can protect a surface from lightning strikes. The covering includes a bottom conductive layer affixed to the surface and having a first opening that is aligned with a grounding connection so that the grounding connection is exposed through first opening and not in contact with the bottom conductive layer. The covering also includes a dielectric layer affixed to the bottom conductive layer and having second opening aligned with the grounding connection so that the grounding connection is exposed through second opening and not in contact with the dielectric layer. The covering additionally includes a top conductive layer affixed to the dielectric layer and covering the grounding connection. The top conductive layer directs electrical current from a lightning strike on the surface to the grounding connection.

The invention provides a method for computational fluid dynamics and apparatuses making enable an efficient implementation and use of an enhanced jet-effect, either the Coanda-jet-effect, the hydrophobic jet-effect, or the waving-jet-effect, triggered by specifically shaped corpuses and tunnels. The method is based on the approaches of the kinetic theory of matter providing generalized equations of fluid motion and is generalized and translated into terms of electromagnetism. The method is applicable for slow-flowing as well as fast-flowing real compressible-extendable generalized fluids and enables optimal design of convergent-divergent nozzles, providing for the most efficient jet-thrust. The method can be applied to airfoil shape optimization for bodies flying separately and in a multi-stage cascaded sequence. The method enables apparatuses for electricity harvesting from the fluid heat-energy, providing a positive net-efficiency. The method enables generators for practical-expedient power harvesting using constructive interference of waves due to the waving jet-effect.

The present invention relates to a reinforcing structure, such as a reinforcing structure for reinforcing a wind turbine blade, comprising: a first composite element layer comprising at least two carbon fibre reinforced composite elements; a second composite element layer comprising one or more carbon fibre reinforced composite elements; an interlayer sandwiched at least partly between the first and the second composite element layer, the interlayer comprising an electrically conductive portion and a non-conductive portion surrounding the conductive portion, the conductive portion abutting exactly two of the carbon fibre reinforced composite elements comprised in the first composite element layer. A method for manufacturing such a structure is also provided.

A rotor blade for a rotor, in particular of a wind power installation, having a rotor-blade length constituted between a root region and a rotor-blade tip, a rotor-blade depth constituted between a leading edge and a blunt trailing edge, a rotor-blade thickness constituted between a pressure side and a suction side, a suction-side trailing-edge region extending on the suction side and/or a pressure-side trailing-edge region extending on the pressure side, the suction-side trailing-edge region and/or the pressure-side trailing-edge region extending from the blunt trailing edge in the direction of the leading edge with an extent of less than 30%, in particular less than 20%, of the chord, and the suction-side trailing-edge region and/or the pressure-side trailing-edge region having at least one eddy generator.

A method of preparing a wind turbine blade, comprising: removing at least a portion of a layer of material covering a region of a metallic part of the wind turbine blade from the wind turbine blade, applying a metal salt to the metallic part, the metal salt being arranged to oxidise a metal of the metallic part, such that the metal salt and the metal of the metallic part react and a new compound is formed on the metallic part.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a wind turbine blade having a split blade configuration, comprising a first blade module defining an aerofoil profile and a second blade module defining an aerofoil profile; a damping module intermediate the first blade module and the second blade module; wherein the damping module comprises a first blade interface for joining to the first blade module and a second blade interface for joining to the second blade module. The damping module comprises a vibration damping unit.

Beneficially, the invention provides a useful way in which to integrate motion damping functionality into a modular wind turbine blade.

A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade is provided, including the steps of: a) arranging a fiber lay-up on a mandrel tool, the mandrel tool including a frame and, as seen in cross-section, at least two mandrel portions connected to the frame, and wherein at least a portion of the fiber lay-up is supported by an outer surface of the at least two mandrel portions, b) reducing a cross-section size of the mandrel tool by retracting at least one of the mandrel portions towards the frame, c) arranging the mandrel tool inside adjacent blade sections, d) increasing the cross-section size of the mandrel tool by extending at least one of the mandrel portions away from the frame, and e) infusing at least a portion of the fiber lay-up with a resin and curing the resin to obtain a cured joining portion joining the blade sections inside.

A horizontal axis wind turbine comprises a turbine unit, a turbine unit supporting frame, a generator configured for generating electrical energy, and a yaw bearing mechanism. The turbine unit is supported on one or more bearings by the turbine unit supporting frame. The turbine unit is rotatable about a horizontal rotation axis to drive the generator in a direction of rotation.