LUMINOUS ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR ILLUMINATING A COMPONENT OF A WIND ENERGY INSTALLATION, AND COMPONENTS FOR A WIND ENERGY INSTALLATION AND WIND ENERGY INSTALLATION

Abstract

A lighting element for illuminating a component of a wind power installation, in particular a rotor blade and/or a rotor and/or a tower and/or a nacelle. A component for a wind power installation, in particular a rotor blade and/or a rotor and/or a nacelle and/or a tower for a wind power installation. A wind power installation and a method for illuminating a component of a wind power installation. The lighting element comprises a lighting portion and a connection portion, wherein the connection portion is embodied and arranged to be connected in an interior of the component and the lighting portion is arranged and embodied to protrude from an opening of the component and the lighting portion is arranged and embodied to irradiate the component from which it protrudes.

Claims

1. A lighting element for illuminating a component of a wind power installation, the lighting element comprising: a lighting portion and a connection portion, wherein the connection portion is arranged and configured to be connected in an interior of the component, wherein the lighting portion is arranged and configured to protrude from an opening of the component, and wherein the lighting portion is arranged and configured to irradiate the component.

2. The lighting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting portion is configured to irradiate electromagnetic radiation in a range that includes at least one radiation range chosen from: visible light and infrared radiation.

3. The lighting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting portion has at least one of: a light-emitting diode, and an aerodynamic external form that is shaped as a droplet.

4. The lighting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting element is a bar-type lamp or plate-type lamp.

5. The lighting element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that wherein the lighting portion has a rounded or inclined emission surface.

6. The lighting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting element is configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation in a range that includes at least one radiation range chose from: visible light and infrared radiation.

7. The lighting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting element has a reflection surface.

8. A component for a wind power installation, the component comprising: an opening, configured to receive a hoist when assembling a rotor blade on the wind power installation, and the lighting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting portion protrudes from the opening.

9. The component as claimed in claim 8, comprising: a plurality of openings and a plurality of lighting elements, wherein the plurality of openings are arranged in a region of the component that is accessible internally by service staff.

10. A wind power installation, comprising the component as claimed in claim 8.

11. A method for illuminating a component of a wind power installation, the method comprising: providing the lighting element as claimed in claim 1; guiding the lighting portion out of an opening in the component of the wind power installation; and irradiating the component by the lighting portion.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, comprising: assembling a rotor blade on a wind power installation using an assembly opening in the rotor blade; and wherein the guiding comprises guiding the lighting portion out of the assembly opening.

13. A method of using the lighting element as claimed in claim 1, the method comprising illuminating the component of the wind power installation by the lighting portion.

14. A method for extending a functionality of a rotor blade of a wind power installation, the method comprising: assembling the rotor blade on a wind power installation using an assembly opening in the rotor blade, the assembly opening being configured for receiving hoist; and attaching a functional element in the assembly opening.

15. A method of using an assembly opening of a rotor blade, which serves for receiving a hoist when assembling the rotor blade on a wind power installation, as an opening for receiving a lighting element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting element is configured for illuminating a component of a wind power installation and for receiving a functional element during an operation of the wind power installation.

16. The component as claimed in claim 8, wherein the component is a rotor blade, an aerodynamic rotor, a tower, or a nacelle.

17. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting portion has an external form that produces vortices and reduces a stall in an airflow.

18. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting element has a sealing portion between the lighting portion and the connection portion, the sealing portion being configured and arranged to close off the opening of the component from which the lighting element protrudes in sealing fashion.

19. The component as claimed in claim 1, wherein an emission surface of the lighting portion protrudes from the component by a predetermined distance.

20. The component as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a lighting protection apparatus or a heating apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] In respect of the advantages, embodiment variants and configuration details of the respective aspects of the invention and the possible developments thereof, reference is made to the description relating to the corresponding features of the respective other aspects. Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in exemplary fashion on the basis of the attached figures. In detail:

[0069] FIG. 1 shows a schematic three-dimensional illustration of a wind power installation;

[0070] FIG. 2 shows a schematic three-dimensional illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a lighting element according to the invention;

[0071] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a lighting portion of a further exemplary embodiment of a lighting element according to the invention;

[0072] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the lighting element according to FIG. 2 with aerodynamic cladding;

[0073] FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of part of a cross section through a rotor blade with a lighting element;

[0074] FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of part of a cross section through a rotor blade with a lighting element and a deflection element;

[0075] FIG. 7 shows a further schematic illustration of part of a cross section through a rotor blade with a lighting element;

[0076] FIG. 8 shows a schematic illustration of a longitudinal section through an embodiment of a rotor blade;

[0077] FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration of a longitudinal section through a further embodiment of a rotor blade;

[0078] FIG. 10 shows a three-dimensional view of a further embodiment of a rotor blade;

[0079] FIG. 11 shows a broken three-dimensional view of part of the rotor blade according to FIG. 10;

[0080] FIG. 12 shows a schematic cross section of the rotor blade according to FIG. 10;

[0081] FIG. 13 shows a schematic cross section of a further exemplary embodiment of a rotor blade;

[0082] FIG. 14A shows a schematic cross section of a further exemplary embodiment of a rotor blade having lighting elements in a first arrangement;

[0083] FIG. 14B shows the rotor blade according to FIG. 14A having lighting elements in a second arrangement;

[0084] FIG. 15 shows a rotor blade having a lighting element with a reflection surface;

[0085] FIG. 16 shows a lighting element with a reflection surface; and

[0086] FIG. 17 shows a wind power installation with illumination from the spinner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0087] FIG. 1 shows a wind power installation 100 with a tower 102 and a nacelle 104. An (aerodynamic) rotor 106 with three rotor blades 108 and a spinner 110 is arranged on the nacelle 104. During operation, the rotor 106 is made to rotate by the wind and, as a result thereof, it drives a generator (with an electrodynamic generator rotor and a stator; neither of which are illustrated) in the nacelle 104. One or more components of the wind power installation 100, in particular one or more rotor blades 108, the rotor 106, the spinner 110, the nacelle 104 or the tower 102 have an opening, through which the lighting portion of a lighting element according to the invention protrudes in order to irradiate the component.

[0088] FIG. 2 shows a schematic three-dimensional illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a lighting element 200, having a lighting portion 210 and a connection portion 220. The lighting portion 200 has a rounded beam surface 211 and an emission angle . A sealing portion 230 is arranged between the lighting portion 210 and the connection portion 220, said sealing portion being embodied and arranged to close off, in sealing fashion, the opening of the component from which the lighting element protrudes. Preferably, the opening is an assembly opening of a rotor blade, which serves to receive a hoist when assembling the rotor blade on a wind power installation.

[0089] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a lighting portion 210a of a further exemplary embodiment of a lighting element. The lighting portion 210a likewise has a rounded beam surface 211a and an emission angle 1. However, the beam surface 211a is significantly flatter than the beam surface 211 of FIG. 2. An embodiment of a lighting element according to FIG. 3 can also be referred to as a plate-type lamp, while that of FIG. 2 can be referred to as a bar-type lamp.

[0090] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the lighting element 200 according to FIG. 2 with an aerodynamic cladding 240, and so an external form of the lighting element 200 in droplet form arises. Such an aerodynamic cladding 240 is preferable, particularly when lighting elements 200 are arranged on moving components, in particular rotating components, of a wind power installation, in particular the rotor blades, in order to minimize an increase of the air resistance as a result of arranging the lighting elements 200.

[0091] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a schematic illustration of part of a cross section through a rotor blade with a lighting element 200b, 200c. On its surface 310, preferably on the pressure and/or suction side, the rotor blade has an opening 311, through which the lighting element 200b, 200c is guided to the outside with its lighting portion 210b, 210c. The connection portion 220b, 220c of the lighting element 200b, 200c remains in the interior of the rotor blade.

[0092] The lighting elements 200b, 200c differ in respect of their emission angles 2, 3. While the lighting element 220b according to FIG. 5 has an emission angle 2, which allows irradiation of the surface 310 of the rotor blade up to the rotor blade tip 320, the emission angle 3 of the lighting element 200c according to FIG. 6 is different, and so, here, in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6, a deflection element 400, for example in the form of a prism, is arranged on the surface 310 of the rotor blade, said deflection element being arranged and embodied to deflect radiation received from the lighting element 200c in the direction of the surface 310 of the rotor blade, in particular in the direction of the rotor blade tip 320.

[0093] FIG. 7 shows a further schematic illustration of part of a cross section through a rotor blade having a lighting element 200d, comprising a lighting portion 210d and a connection portion 220d. The surface 310a, 310b of the rotor blade is illustrated once in the unloaded position (310a) and once in the position under full load (310b) in FIG. 7, the rotor blade tips 320a, 320b having different deflections in said positions in relation to the rotor blade root 330b. The emission angle 4 of the lighting element 200d is chosen in such a way that the surfaces 310a, 310b of the rotor blade are irradiated both in the unloaded state and in the situation under full load, particularly also in the region of the rotor blade tips 320a, 320b.

[0094] FIG. 8 shows a schematic illustration of a longitudinal section through an exemplary embodiment of a rotor blade 300a with a rotor blade tip 320a and a rotor blade root 330a. A lighting element 200 is arranged in the region of approximately one third of the longitudinal extent of the rotor blade 300a. The two arrows indicate that the lighting element 200 irradiates the surface of the rotor blade 300a both in the direction of the rotor blade root 330a and in the direction of the rotor blade tip 320a.

[0095] FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration of a longitudinal section through a further embodiment of a rotor blade 300b having a rotor blade tip 320b and a rotor blade root 330b, as well as two openings 311b, in which lighting elements can be arranged. As may also be identified in FIGS. 10-12, the openings 311b are preferably arranged in the region of the lifter bar and, in particular, the openings 311b are preferably identical with the lifting point openings, which are used for transportation and assembly of rotor blades. After assembling the rotor blades on the rotor of the wind power installation, one or more openings 311b then can be used for illumination purposes with a lighting element. Therefore, existing wind power installations, too, can easily be retrofitted with a lighting element.

[0096] As a rule, the clear internal height of the rotor blade 300b in the region L1 is more than 1 m, and so the interior of the rotor blade in this region is easily accessible to service staff; this is particularly preferred for the installation, service and/or replacement of lighting elements in the openings 300b. Lighting elements are particularly preferably installed up to the region L2, which has such a minimum clear internal height that it can still be walked by service staff, in particular a clear internal height of at least 80 cm, in particular at least 1 m.

[0097] FIG. 10 shows a three-dimensional view of a further embodiment of a rotor blade 300c with a rotor blade tip 320c and a rotor blade root 330c. Here, too, the openings 311c in the surface 310c of the rotor blade 300c, which are preferred for arranging lighting elements, are identical to the lifting point openings provided for transportation and assembly.

[0098] FIG. 11 shows a broken three-dimensional view of part of the rotor blade 300c according to FIG. 10; FIG. 12 shows a schematic cross section of the rotor blade according to FIG. 10. Here, it is possible to identify the lifter bars 340c, which are arranged on one of the spar webs 350c, wherein the openings 311c are preferably arranged in the region of the lifter bars 340c.

[0099] FIG. 13 shows a schematic cross section of a further exemplary embodiment of a rotor blade 300d. Here, too, an opening 311d is provided in the surface 310d of the rotor blade 300d, a lighting element 200 being guided through said surface in order to irradiate the rotor blade 300d from the outside, as described above. However, here, as a result of arranging a cladding 500, the lighting portion 210 further has an external form in the form of a vortex generator that produces vortices 520 and/or prevents or reduces a stall in an airflow 510.

[0100] FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate two further exemplary embodiments of a rotor blade 300e in a cross section, which extend from the rotor blade root 330e up to the rotor blade tips 320e. In both FIG. 14A, B, the rotor blades 300e are illustrated in the deflected state, in which the rotor blade tip 320e is clearly deflected from the longitudinal axis of the rotor blade 300e. This state can also be referred to as bending. Two lighting elements 200 are provided in both rotor blades 300e in each case, wherein respectively one lighting element is arranged on the suction side and one lighting element is arranged on the pressure side. In particular, the two rotor blades 300e differ in the arrangement of the lighting elements 200.

[0101] The lighting elements 200 of the rotor blade 300e in FIG. 14A, B are arranged in such a way that the lighting portions protrude from the opening in the surface of the rotor blade 300e by the distances D1 and D2. The arrangements of the lighting elements 200 of FIG. 14A, B differ in that the distances D1 and D2 of the arrangement according to FIG. 14B are greater than the distances D1 and D2 of the arrangement according to FIG. 14A. Further, at preferably 6.5, the emission angle 5 is greater than the emission angle 6, which preferably has 6.1. What emerges herefrom is that a region L1 and L2 (up to the angled tip) that adjoins the rotor blade tip 320e is no longer irradiated by the upper lighting elements 200 in FIGS. 14A, B. In cases in which the situation illustrated in FIG. 14A, B shows the blade pretensioning in the rest state, the bend of the rotor blade can reverse in the operating state and so a situation that is analogous or similar to that shown in FIG. 14A, B arises, in which, however, an opposite region adjoining the rotor blade tip 320e is no longer irradiated by the lower lighting elements 200 in FIG. 14A, B.

[0102] On account of the greater distances of the lighting portion from the surface of the rotor blade 320e in FIG. 14B, a shorter length L1 and L2 arises than for the arrangement of the lighting elements 200 according to FIG. 14A.

[0103] In principle, the arrangement of the lighting elements 200, in particular the distance by which the lighting portions protrude from the component surface, the emission angle and the component geometry, in particular also the pretensioning and maximum bend of rotor blades, for example, is preferably chosen in such a way that regions that are not irradiated, such as the regions L1 and L2, are minimized where possible. Allowing the lighting elements 200 on the suction and pressure side of the rotor plate to protrude different distances from the surface may also be preferable in the case of a nonsymmetric bend, for example of rotor blades in the pretensioned state and in the operating state. This renders it possible to take account of different bending in different situations.

[0104] FIG. 15 shows a rotor blade 500 for a wind power installation having a lighting element 510. The lighting element 510 is guided out of an opening 530 from an interior of the rotor blade 500. The opening 530 is preferably an assembly opening, which serves to receive a hoist when assembling the rotor blade 500 on a wind power installation. FIG. 15 schematically indicates a reflection surface 511, which can be used to reflect and/or deflect electromagnetic radiation in the range of visible light and/or in the range of infrared radiation in order to irradiate the rotor blade in the direction of the arrow L, in particular in the direction of the rotor blade tip.

[0105] A possible configuration of the lighting element 510 is illustrated in FIG. 16. The lighting element 510 has a lighting portion 515 and a connection portion 516. The lighting element 510 can be connected, for example fastened, in the interior of a rotor blade 500, in particular in an opening 530, by way of the connection portion 516.

[0106] The lighting element 510 is free from electrical component parts, such as light sources; however, it is arranged and embodied to deflect and/or reflect electromagnetic radiation in the range of visible light and/or in the range of infrared radiation. To this end, the lighting element 510 has a reflection surface 511. The lighting element 510 is embodied as a passive, reflecting component; thus, for instance, a light source can be arranged at a distance from the lighting element, for example in the interior of the rotor blade. This is advantageous, inter alia, in that the risk of lightning damage can be reduced. Preferably, an infrared LED can be used as a light source.

[0107] Electromagnetic radiation in the range of visible light and/or in the range of infrared radiation, which is to be reflected and/or deflected by the reflection surface 511 of the lighting element 510, can enter into the interior of the lighting element 510 embodied as a hollow bar or with a hollow-bar shape, for instance through a front side 514. Preferably, the front side 514 is formed from a material that allows the passage of electromagnetic radiation in the range of visible light and/or in the range of infrared radiation. The sides 513 of the lighting element 510 can be formed from material that prevents or significantly reduces the passage of electromagnetic radiation in the range of visible light and/or in the range of infrared radiation.

[0108] Further, the lighting element 510, in particular the lighting portion 515, comprises a slot-shaped lighting region 512, which is embodied as a recess in this case. In this way, the emergence of electromagnetic radiation in the range of visible light and/or in the range of infrared radiation can be focused onto the lighting region, as a result of which particularly focused illumination may arise. As an alternative to the open configuration in the form of a recess, such a lighting region may also consist, for example, of a material that allows the passage of electromagnetic radiation in the range of visible light and/or in the range of infrared radiation.

[0109] FIG. 17 illustrates a wind power installation 600 with illumination from the spinner 611. The wind power installation 600 has a tower 601 and a nacelle 620. An (aerodynamic) rotor 610 with three rotor blades 631, 632, 633 and a spinner 611 is arranged on the nacelle 620. During operation, the rotor 610 is made to rotate by the wind and, as a result thereof, it drives a generator (with an electrodynamic generator rotor and a stator; neither of which are illustrated) in the nacelle 620. In the example illustrated here, the spinner 611 has one or more openings, through which one or more light sources 612, preferably infrared LEDs, emit electromagnetic radiation, preferably in the range of infrared radiation, in the direction of arrows L in order, in particular, to irradiate the tips of the rotor blades 631, 632, 633.