Described is a system for monitoring deflection of turbine blades of a wind turbine comprising a tower. The system comprises a position detecting apparatus mounted to the wind turbine, the position detection apparatus comprising position detection components each detecting a presence or absence of a corresponding one of the segments of the turbine blades; and a deflection controller configured to receive the presence or absence detection and to use the presence or absence detection to determine a distance of each of the segments of the turbine blades relative to the tower, whereby the distance of each of the segments of the turbine blades relative to the tower is representative of the deflection of the turbine blades.

A structure adapted to traverse a fluid environment includes an elongate body having a root, a wingtip, a leading edge and a trailing edge; and a rigid winglet associated with the wingtip and having a winglet body extending substantially normal to one of a suction side and a pressure side of the elongate body to a termination point that is rearward of the trailing edge. In an embodiment, the structure is a rotor blade that may be incorporated into a wind turbine.

Disclosed is an energy converting apparatus for converting mechanical energy obtained by a fluid flow into electric energy. The energy converting apparatus comprises: a blade; a measuring device for measuring reaction of the blade when the fluid flow exerts an external force on the blade, and generating a measurement value corresponding to a measurement result; a memory for storing control values; a controller for reading a first control value among the control values from the memory in response to the measurement value output from the measuring device, and generating a control signal by using the first control value; and an actuator for changing a three-dimensional shape of the blade in response to the control signal output from the controller.

A wind turbine arrangement including a first rotatable blade arrangement and a second rotatable blade arrangement. The first blade arrangement forms part of a first wind turbine, and the second blade arrangement forms part of a second wind turbine. The second wind turbine can produce a rotative force to the first wind turbine. At wind speeds below that required to operate the first turbine, the second turbine may be operable and provide power to rotate the first turbine.

Systems, methods, and kits for reducing structural vibrations on wind turbine blades are provided. The actual dynamic structural conditions of a wind turbine blade can be used as a feedback mechanism. A flow control device and a sensor can be installed on a wind turbine blade, and a closed loop control system in operable communication with the flow control device and the sensor can be used to provide closed loop control.

A rotor blade of a wind turbine including at least one vortex generator is provided. The vortex generator is attached to the surface of the rotor blade and is located at least partially within the boundary layer of the airflow flowing across the rotor blade. The vortex generator is exposed to a stagnation pressure, which is caused by the fraction of the airflow passing over the vortex generator and of which the magnitude depends on the velocity of the fraction of the airflow passing over the vortex generator. The vortex generator is arranged and prepared to change its configuration depending on the magnitude of the stagnation pressure acting on the vortex generator. Furthermore, an aspect relates to a wind turbine for generating electricity with at least one such rotor blade.

A friction limiting turbine gyroscope is a compact and efficient means to convert the energy of a moving fluid into electrical energy. The gyroscope's flywheel rotates when a fluid passes through its spokes while magnets located along the perimeter act upon proximate movable field coils to produce electricity. The spokes of the flywheel are optimized for the flow and density of the fluid with the ability to trans mutate using shaped memory alloys as well as rotate about their center of pressure allowing the flywheel to capture more of the energy from the fluid passing over their surfaces in all conditions. Mechanical energy losses are reduced because of the inherent stabilizing effects created by the gyroscope. Because of the stabilization, a magnetic bearing field effectively supports the gyroscope eliminating mechanical interference in rotation.

A wind turbine blade comprises a flexible external skin and an internal support structure, together defining an aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade. At least a portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to thereby vary the aerodynamic profile.

A rotor blade of a wind turbine, comprising a first rotor-blade portion and a second rotor-blade portion. In this case, the first and the second rotor-blade portion constitute a total length of the rotor blade and, upon a rotation of the rotor blade, the first rotor-blade portion and the second rotor-blade portion can be moved relative to each other, along a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade, as a result of a centrifugal force acting upon the rotor blade, in such a way that the total length of the rotor blade can be altered.

Wind turbine blades comprising one or more deformable trailing edge sections, each deformable trailing edge section comprising a first and a second actuator, wherein the second actuator is arranged substantially downstream from the first actuator, and wherein the first actuator is of a first type and wherein the second actuator is of a second type, the second type being different from the first type. The application further relates to wind turbines comprising such blades and methods of operating a wind turbine comprising one or more of such blades.