The present disclosure is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine that controls pitch bearing load distribution. The assembly includes a rotor blade having a body shell extending between a blade root and tip, a pitch bearing at an interface between the blade root and a hub of the wind turbine, and plurality of blade bolts coupling the blade root to the hub through the pitch bearing. The pitch bearing includes an outer bearing race and an inner bearing race rotatable relative to the outer race. Thus, in one embodiment, the blade bolts couple the blade root to the hub through the inner race of the pitch bearing. Further, each of the blade bolts has a first end and a second end defining a length therebetween and at least two of the blade bolts have varying lengths so as to distribute loads experienced by the pitch bearing.

The invention relates to a three-propeller counter-rotating wind turbine that needs a smaller installation area compared to conventional wind turbines that are currently in use for the generation of electrical energy by benefitting from wind power in windy environments, and that nevertheless has higher production capacity, as well as increased productivity, and that does not employ gears, and that has a direct drive mechanism.

A power generation apparatus comprises a rotor rotatably mounted to a support and a plurality of vanes extending radially out from the rotor and positioned to be engaged by a moving fluid stream. Each vane includes a wing-shaped main blade having leading and trailing edges, and a co-extensive conditioner blade having leading and trailing edges. The conditioner blade is spaced parallel to the main blade so as to define therebetween a slot having an entrance and an exit. A lift-varying device boarders the slot to vary the lift produced by that vane inversely to the speed of the moving fluid stream so that the rotor turns at a relatively constant rate. The rotor, driven by wind or water, may be coupled to the armature of an induction motor/generator to produce electric power.

A power generation apparatus comprises a rotor rotatably mounted to a support and a plurality of vanes extending radially out from the rotor and positioned to be engaged by a moving fluid stream. Each vane includes a wing-shaped main blade having leading and trailing edges, and a co-extensive conditioner blade having leading and trailing edges. The conditioner blade is spaced parallel to the main blade so as to define therebetween a slot having an entrance and an exit. A lift-varying device boarders the slot to vary the lift produced by that vane inversely to the speed of the moving fluid stream so that the rotor turns at a relatively constant rate. The rotor, driven by wind or water, may be coupled to the armature of an induction motor/generator to produce electric power.

A wind turbine rotor blade is for mounting on a rotor hub covered by a spinner having a rotor blade opening and includes a wind turbine rotor blade body having a fastening section and a longitudinal section. The fastening section is configured for fastening the rotor blade body on the rotor hub. The longitudinal section is arranged inside the rotor blade opening when the wind turbine rotor blade is mounted on the rotor hub. The longitudinal section and the rotor blade opening conjointly define an annular gap therebetween when the wind turbine rotor blade is mounted on the rotor hub. A cover profile is fastened on the wind turbine rotor blade and covers the annular gap. The cover profile has a circular ring-shaped outer edge and a circular ring-shaped inner edge. The inner edge is disposed at a radial distance from the wind turbine rotor blade. An annular-shaped cover element is fastened on the wind turbine rotor blade and bridges the radial distance.

The invention concerns a rotor blade of a wind power installation, comprising a rotor blade root (4) for attachment of the rotor blade to a rotor hub and a rotor blade tip arranged at a side remote from the rotor blade root, as well as a wind power installation having such rotor blades. In that arrangement a relative profile thickness which is defined as the ratio of profile thickness to profile depth has a local maximum in a central region between rotor blade root and rotor blade tip.

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.

Wind turbine pitch actuator mounting structure A mounting structure is described for attaching a pitch actuator to a hub of a wind turbine. The mounting structure has one or more legs each having a proximal end and a distal end, and a flexible intermediate portion between the proximal and distal ends. The mounting structure further comprises an actuator attachment portion for attaching to a wind turbine blade pitch actuator. The actuator attachment portion is arranged at the distal end(s) of the one or more legs. The proximal end(s) of the one or more legs are configured for attachment to a wind turbine hub. The flexible intermediate portion(s) of the one or more legs are configured to flex in use to absorb loads acting on the pitch actuator. The mounting structure therefore allows the pitch actuator to pivot in a first plane by virtue of the flexible legs. The pitch actuator may be attached to the mounting structure via pivot bearings arranged to allow the pitch actuator to pivot in a second plane, substantially perpendicular to the first plane.

A wind turbine (10) includes a main shaft (34) including a front end (34a), the front end (34a) including a first connecting structure (36). A rotor hub (22) includes a second connecting structure (40), wherein the second connecting structure (40) of the rotor hub (22) is fixed to the first connecting structure (36) of the main shaft (34). A plurality of blades (24) is coupled to the rotor hub (22). A rotor locking disc (32) is carried on the main shaft (34), the rotor locking disc (32) having an outer circumference (32a) and a plurality of recesses (50) on the outer circumference (32a), the recesses (50) having openings (50a) intersecting with the outer circumference (32a). At least one rotor locking pin (30) is movable between a disengaged position relative to at least one of the recesses (50) and an engaged position wherein the pin is located at least partially in one of the recesses (50) for locking the rotor hub (22) against rotation.

A wind turbine comprising a frame on a floating pontoon, wherein the frame is constructed as a lattice rig upright on the pontoon forming a plurality of rectangular or square openings in the rig for receiving respective interchangeable wind turbine generators with associated drive propellers driven by incoming wind, and each wind turbine generator being arranged to travel up the rear of the rig and through the openings towards the front of the rig. The wind power plant is characterized in that each turbine generator comprises one or more pairs of propeller blades forming a propeller set having a blade diameter defining the turbine rotational plane, each propeller set is arranged at a distance from the front side of the rig to be rotated by the incoming wind towards the rig. There is also described a method for mounting turbines with associated propeller sets and openings in the rig, respectively.