A wind turbine blade is described having a de-icing system which is arranged to heat at least a portion of the leading edge of the wind turbine blade, to prevent the formation of ice on the blade, or to remove any existing surface ice. The de-icing system comprises insulated flow channels which are arranged to circulate a heated fluid from a heating element to the tip end of the blade, and to de-ice the blade leading edge starting from the tip end towards the root end of the blade. The de-icing system is arranged to operate in the outboard portion of the blade, where the de-icing effect provides the most benefits to turbine operation. Further features of the de-icing system include an improved mounting arrangement of the de-icing system, an improved tip end configuration of the de-icing system, and providing portions of the de-icing system as double-walled inflatable insulating tubes.

Provided are a rotary device for fluid power generation and a fluid power generation device that are capable of converting the kinetic energy of a fluid to an electric energy. By utilizing a longitudinal vortex as a driving force, a rotary body such as a cylinder as a high-strength and tough wing-shaped member can be rotated, and power can be efficiently generated in a wide range of flow rate without letting the longitudinal vortex disappear even if the flow rate changes in a wide range. This rotary device for power generation includes a rotary body 3; and a wake body 8 that is a distance away from the rotary body 3 toward the downstream side of a flow direction 10 of the fluid, and has at least one crossover section at which the wake body 8 intersects with the rotary body 3.

To enable an increase in a torque amount applied to a blade with simple and low-cost means in a natural energy type power generator. An output reinforcement device of a power generator according to an embodiment is an output reinforcement device of a power generator including a rotor that includes at least one blade driven by renewable energy and a hub attached with the blade, the output reinforcement device including a casing that has a tubular shape and disposed to surround the hub, the casing having a through-hole through which the blade is inserted and being configured to rotate together with the rotor.

A spiral blade unit is disclosed, which generates less blade-sagging, deformation, or vibration, can be made of various material, can be made with light material, and can be installed easily in interconnecting spiral blades. The spiral blade unit includes a rotational axle and spiral blades with root portions attached along an outer circumferential surface of the rotational axle, and the spiral blades are interconnected to one another through a blade connector.

Disclosed is a leading edge protection element for a wind turbine blade, the leading edge protection element extending in a longitudinal direction between a first edge and a second edge and extending in a transverse direction between a third edge and a fourth edge, the leading edge protection element having a first surface and a second surface. The leading edge protection element comprising a film layer having a first film surface and a second film surface, the first film surface forming the first surface of the leading edge protection element, wherein the film layer comprises a metal material. The leading edge protection element comprising a rubber layer of a rubber material having a first rubber surface and a second rubber surface, the second rubber surface forming the second surface of the leading edge protection element, wherein the second film surface and the first rubber surface are bonded to each other.

A modular, electricity generating apparatus comprises an elongate, central member comprising a first end and a second end; at least one foil disposed about the central member in fluid interacting relation thereto; the solar foil comprising an outer surface having photovoltaic properties; the first end and the second end dimensioned and configured to be connected to a connecting node; and, the elongate central member at least partially formed of an electrically conductive material and configured to conduct electricity from at least one of the connecting nodes to the other of the connecting nodes.

Airfoil and hydrofoils systems with structures having a surface texture defined by fractal geometries are described. Raised portions or fractal bumps can be included on the surfaces, forming a surface texture. The surface textures can be defined by two-dimensional fractal shapes, partial two-dimensional fractal shapes, non-contiguous fractal shapes, three-dimensional fractal objects, and partial three-dimensional fractal objects. The surfaces can include indents having fractal geometries. The indents can have varying depths and can be bordered by other indents, or bumps, or smooth portions of the airfoil or hydrofoil structure. The fractal surface textures can reduce vortices inherent from airfoil and hydrofoil structures. The roughness and distribution of the fractal surface textures reduce the vortices, improving laminar flow characteristics and at the same time reducing drag. The systems are passive and do not require applied power.

When cold and in the non-coated state, the aerodynamic profile is substantially identical to a nominal profile determined by the Cartesian coordinates X,Y, Zadim given in Table 1, in which the coordinate Zadim is the quotient D/H where D is the distance of the point under consideration from a first reference plane P0 situated at the base of the nominal profile, and H is the height of said profile measured from the first reference plane to a second reference plane P1. The measurements D and H are taken radially relative to the axis of the turbine, while the X coordinate is measured in the axial direction of the turbine.

The lengths and/or chords and/or pitches of wind turbine or propeller blades are individually established, so that a first blade can have a length/chord/pitch that is different at a given time to the length/chord/pitch of a second blade to optimize performance and/or to equalize stresses on the system.

A hanging windmill has a wind turbine and a generator mounted on an airframe supported by a hanger at the center of gravity of the assembly. A stop is provided for preventing the tipping of the airframe on the hanger beyond a point where the blades of the wind turbine strike the hanger.