Lift influencing device for a rotor blade of a wind turbine

Abstract

A rotor blade of a wind turbine, wherein the rotor blade includes a lift modifying device, is provided. The lift modifying device is a part of the trailing edge section of the rotor blade. The lift modifying device is configured such that, at a predetermined loading of the trailing edge section, an air channel opens up a flow path from the pressure side to the suction side and vice versa in the trailing edge section. As a consequence, airflow flowing from the leading edge section of the rotor blade to the trailing edge section is at least partly deflected by the open air channel, which results in a modification of the lift of the rotor blade. A method to modify the lift of a rotor blade of a wind turbine is also provided.

Claims

1. A rotor blade of a wind turbine with a lift modifying device, comprising: a pressure side; a suction side; a leading edge section with a leading edge; and a trailing edge section with a trailing edge, wherein the lift modifying device is a part of the trailing edge section, and the lift modifying device is configured such that, at a predetermined loading of the trailing edge section when forces due to airflow that is flowing from the leading edge to the trailing edge acting on the trailing edge section exceed a threshold, an air channel opens up a flow path from the pressure side to the suction side and vice versa in the trailing edge section, such that airflow flowing from the leading edge section to the trailing edge section is at least partly deflected by the open air channel, which results in a modification of the lift of the rotor blade; wherein the lift modifying device is located upstream of the trailing edge of the trailing edge section of the rotor blade; wherein the lift modifying device is a single component that is flush with a surface of the pressure side and a surface of the suction side when in a closed position; wherein the trailing edge section comprises an extension part which is separate from a remaining trailing edge section, the extension part being attached to the pressure side of the rotor blade and the remaining trailing edge section, and the lift modifying device being a part of the extension part.

2. The rotor blade according to claim 1, wherein the trailing edge section with the lift modifying device is built as one, single piece.

3. The rotor blade according to claim 1, wherein the rotor blade comprises a plurality of lift modifying devices, which are arranged in a spanwise direction along the trailing edge section, such that the lift of the rotor blade is modified locally with regard to a spanwise position along the rotor blade.

4. The rotor blade according to claim 1, wherein at a first predetermined loading, a force from the suction side is applied on the trailing edge section of the rotor blade, thus opening up the lift modifying device towards the pressure side of the rotor blade.

5. The rotor blade according to claim 1, wherein at a second predetermined loading, a force from the pressure side is applied on the trailing edge section of the rotor blade, thus opening up the lift modifying device towards the suction side of the rotor blade.

6. The rotor blade according claim 1, wherein the lift modifying device comprises a mechanism that prevents the lift modifying device from opening up towards the pressure side, thus only allowing the lift modifying device to open up towards the suction side, or that prevents the lift modifying device from opening up towards the suction side, thus only allowing that the lift modifying device open up towards the pressure side.

7. The rotor blade according to claim 6, wherein the mechanism includes a rim of the lift modifying device that at least partly overlaps with a rim of the air channel in a closed state of the air channel.

8. The rotor blade according to claim 1, wherein the lift modifying device comprises a leading edge device portion facing towards the leading edge section of the rotor blade and a trailing edge device portion being opposite to the leading edge device portion, the lift modifying device opening up at either the leading edge device portion or the trailing edge device portion.

9. The rotor blade according to claim 1, wherein the lift modifying device is attached to the remaining trailing edge section by a mechanical hinge, which comprises a torsional spring, thus the lift modifying device is arranged and prepared for passively opening up the air channel at a predetermined loading of the trailing edge section.

10. The rotor blade according to claim 1, wherein the lift modifying device is firmly attached to the trailing edge section, and the lift modifying device is flexible such that it elastically deflects for passively opening up the air channel at a predetermined loading of the trailing edge section.

11. The rotor blade according to claim 1, wherein the air channel is opened up passively.

12. A method comprising: modifying a lift of the rotor blade of the wind turbine, wherein the rotor blade is configured according to claim 1, and at the predetermined loading of the trailing edge section, the air channel opens up, and the airflow flowing from the leading edge section to the trailing edge section is at least partly deflected by the open air channel, which results in a modification of the lift of the rotor blade.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

(1) Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a wind turbine;

(3) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a rotor blade of a wind turbine;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a section of a rotor blade with embodiments of lift modifying devices in a perspective view;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the lift characteristics of a conventional rotor blade at a given spanwise position, compared to the lift characteristics of a rotor blade at a given spanwise position with an examplary lift modifying device;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a force acting on an embodiment of the lift modifying device from the pressure side;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a force acting on an embodiment of the lift modifying device from the suction side;

(8) FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a lift modifying device that is attached to the trailing edge section at the leading edge device portion;

(9) FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a lift modifying device that is attached to the trailing edge section at the trailing edge section;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a lift modifying device that is attached to the trailing edge section at the leading edge device portion;

(11) FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a lift modifying device that is attached to the trailing edge section at the trailing edge device portion;

(12) FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of a lift modifying device that is designed as a flexural element;

(13) FIG. 12 shows a detailed view of an embodiment of the lift modifying device of FIG. 11;

(14) FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of the lift modifying device designed as a flexural element and attached at the leading edge device portion to the trailing edge section;

(15) FIG. 14 shows the same embodiment of the lift modifying device as shown in FIG. 13, but attached at its trailing edge device portion to the trailing edge section; and

(16) FIG. 15 shows an embodiment of the lift modifying device with a mechanism for selectively blocking the opening up of the air channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(17) In FIG. 1, a wind turbine 10 is shown. The wind turbine 10 comprises a nacelle 12 and a tower 11. The nacelle 12 is mounted at the top of the tower 11. The nacelle 12 is mounted rotatable with regard to the tower 11 by means of a yaw bearing. The axis of rotation of the nacelle 12 with regard to the tower 11 is referred to as the yaw axis.

(18) The wind turbine 10 also comprises a hub 13 with three rotor blades 20 (of which two rotor blades 20 are depicted in FIG. 1). The hub 13 is mounted rotatable with regard to the nacelle 12 by means of a main bearing. The hub 13 is mounted rotatable about a rotor axis of rotation 14.

(19) The wind turbine 10 furthermore comprises a main shaft, which connects the hub 13 with a rotor of a generator 15. The hub 13 is connected directly to the rotor, thus the wind turbine 10 is referred to as a gearless, direct driven wind turbine. As an alternative, the hub 13 may also be connected to the rotor via a gearbox. This type of wind turbine is referred to as a geared wind turbine.

(20) The generator 15 is accommodated within the nacelle 12. It comprises the rotor and a stator. The generator 15 is arranged and prepared for converting the rotational energy from the rotor into electrical energy.

(21) FIG. 2 shows a rotor blade 20 of a wind turbine. The rotor blade 20 comprises a root section 21 with a root 211 and a tip section 22 with a tip 221. The root 211 and the tip 221 are virtually connected by the span 26 which follows the shape of the rotor blade 20. If the rotor blade were a rectangular shaped object, the span 26 would be a straight line. However, as the rotor blade 20 features a varying thickness, the span 26 is slightly curved or bent as well. Note that if the rotor blade 20 was bent itself, then the span 26 would be bent, too.

(22) The rotor blade 20 furthermore comprises a leading edge section 24 with a leading edge 241 and a trailing edge section 23 with a trailing edge 231.

(23) The trailing edge section 23 surrounds the trailing edge 231. Likewise, the leading edge section 24 surrounds the leading edge 241.

(24) At each spanwise position, a chord line 27 which connects the leading edge 241 with the trailing edge 231 can be defined. Note that the chord line 27 is substantially perpendicular to the span 26. The shoulder 28 is defined in the region where the chord line comprises a maximum chord length.

(25) Furthermore, the rotor blade 20 can be divided into an inboard section which comprises the half of the rotor blade 20 adjacent to the root section 21 and an outboard section which comprises the half of the rotor blade 20 which is adjacent to the tip section 22.

(26) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a rotor blade 20 with a plurality of lift modifying devices 30. In particular, a part of the airfoil section of the rotor blade 20 is depicted. The airfoil section comprises a main body and an extension part 39 that is attached to the main body at the trailing edge section of the rotor blade. The extension part 39 comprises a plurality of lift modifying devices 30 which are aligned one next to the other in spanwise direction of the rotor blade. The various lift modifying devices 30 differ from each other with regard to their spanwise extension. They may also differ with regard to the predetermined loading at which they are activated in the sense of opening up the air channel for deflecting the airflow flowing from the leading edge section to the trailing edge section of the rotor blade.

(27) By such a set of lift modifying devices aligned in spanwise direction, customized lift characteristics of the airfoil section of the rotor blade can be provided.

(28) As an alternative, several lift modifying devices may also be positioned in chordwise direction of the rotor blade. Exemplarily, two lift modifying devices which are equal in size may be placed one next to the other in chordwise direction at the extension part 39. This allows for example for activating the first lift modifying device at a first predetermined loading and the second lift modifying device, which is placed at the same spanwise position as the first lift modifying device, at a second predetermined loading.

(29) FIG. 4 shows two graphs of lift characteristics of rotor blades. The vertical coordinate axis represents the lift coefficient 42 and the horizontal coordinate axis represents the angle of attack 41. The graph 43, which is referred to as the first graph, represents an example of a conventional rotor blade. The graph 44, which is referred to as the second graph, represents an example of a rotor blade with a lift modifying device.

(30) It can be seen that for the minimum angle of attack and the maximum angle of attack both graphs 43, 44 coincide. However, in a first section of small angles of attack the lift coefficient of the second graph 44 is enhanced compared to the lift coefficient of the first graph 43. This may be advantageous in terms of energy production of the wind turbine. In a second portion of angles of attack with high angles of attack the lift coefficient of the second graph 44 is reduced compared to the lift coefficient of the first graph 43. This may be a beneficial design as the loading of the rotor blade and the wind turbine as a whole is reduced for higher angles of attack, thus alleviating strain and stress on main components of the wind turbine.

(31) In summary, it can be seen that by implementing lift modifying devices at the rotor blade the lift coefficient versus angle of attack curve can be manipulated in a customized way.

(32) FIGS. 5 and 6 show the airfoil section of a rotor blade in a cross sectional view. The leading edge section 24, the trailing edge section 23, the suction side 252 and the pressure side 251 can be depicted. The trailing edge section 23 comprises a lift modifying device 30. The lift modifying device 30 is connected to the trailing edge section via a hinge at the leading edge device portion of the lift modifying device 30.

(33) In FIG. 6, a first predetermined loading 31 acts on the trailing edge section 23. The first predetermined loading comprises forces that are acting on the trailing edge section 23. The first predetermined loading 31 comprises the magnitude of the forces and the direction of the forces. As there may be variation of either the magnitude or the direction or both of the first predetermined loading along the chord line, the first predetermined loading 31 has to be understood as a set of vectors which represents the actual forces at various chordwise positions. In FIG. 6, the first predetermined loading can be translated into forces acting from the suction side 252 towards the pressure side 251.

(34) In comparison, FIG. 5 shows the second predetermined loading, which is represented by a set of forces that act from the pressure side 251 towards the suction side 252.

(35) FIGS. 7 to 10 show detailed views of lift modifying devices 30. These lift modifying devices 30 are each connected to the trailing edge section of a rotor blade. As the lift modifying device itself is defined as being part of the trailing edge section, it may also be said that the lift modifying device is connected to the remaining trailing edge section. In this sense, the term remaining trailing edge section refers to the fact that the remaining trailing edge section and the lift modifying device form together the trailing edge section 23.

(36) The lift modifying devices 30 are connected to the trailing edge section via a mechanical hinge at either the leading edge device portion 35 or the trailing edge device portion 36. The airflow that is flowing from the leading edge section to the trailing edge section of the rotor blade is also depicted in FIGS. 7 to 10.

(37) As FIGS. 7 to 10 show situations where the air channel is open, there occurs a deflection of the airflow, at least a part of the airflow is deflected by the open air channel.

(38) Specifically, FIG. 7 shows a lift modifying device 30 that is hinged at the leading edge device portion 35 and which opens up towards the suction side of the rotor blade. As a consequence, a fraction of the airflow 45 is deflected from the pressure side to the suction side.

(39) FIG. 8 shows a lift modifying device 30 that is hinged at the trailing edge device portion 36 and which opens up towards the suction side of the rotor blade as well. As a consequence airflow on the suction side is partially deflected towards the pressure side by passing through the air channel.

(40) FIG. 9 shows a lift modifying device 30 that is hinged at the leading edge device portion 35 and which opens up towards the pressure side of the rotor blade. As a consequence airflow of the suction side is partially deflected towards the pressure side and passes by the air channel.

(41) FIG. 10 shows a lift modifying device 30 that is hinged at the trailing edge device portion 36 and which opens up towards the pressure side of the rotor blade. As a consequence a fraction of the airflow 45 from the pressure side flows towards the suction side via the air channel.

(42) FIG. 11 shows a cross sectional view of the airfoil section of the rotor blade 20. The leading edge section 24, the trailing edge section 23, the pressure side 251 and the suction side 252 are illustrated. At the trailing edge section 23 a lift modifying device 30 is integrated. The lift modifying device 30 is located upstream of the trailing edge 231 of the rotor blade 20. The lift modifying device 30 is a part of an extension part 39. The extension part 39 is attached to the pressure side 251 of the rotor blade 20.

(43) FIG. 12 shows a detailed view of the trailing edge section 23 of the rotor blade shown in FIG. 11. In this embodiment, the lift modifying device 30 is configured as a flexural element. If a force from the suction side to the pressure side acts on the lift modifying device 30, then the lift modifying device 30 is deflected elastically and performs a flexural movement 38.

(44) This can be seen in FIG. 13 showing the scenario that the lift modifying device 30 is attached to the remaining trailing edge section at the leading edge device portion 35. Thus, if the lift modifying device 30 is opened towards the suction side of the rotor blade, the airflow 45 on the pressure side of the rotor blade is deflected partially towards the suction side of the rotor blade.

(45) In FIG. 14, a slightly different configuration of the flexural element acting as the lift modifying device 30 can be seen. In this case, the lift modifying device 30 is connected to the remaining trailing edge section at the trailing edge device portion 36. As a consequence, airflow 45 of the suction side is partially deflected towards the pressure side by passing by the open air channel.

(46) Finally, FIG. 15 shows a lift modifying device 30 comprising a mechanism to block a movement of the lift modifying device 30 in one specific direction. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 15 the movement of the lift modifying device 30 from the suction side towards the pressure side of the rotor blade is prevented by a special configuration of the rim 33 of the lift modifying device 30 compared to the rim 34 of the air channel. Thus, if a first predetermined loading 31, which basically comprises forces acting from the suction side towards the pressure side of the rotor blade, acts on the lift modifying device 30 the position of the lift modifying device 30 does not change. Thus, the lift characteristics do not change under the first predetermined loading 31. If however, a second predetermined loading 32 acts on the lift modifying device 30 then the lift modifying device 30 would open up an air channel. In this context, the second predetermined loading 32 is to be understood as forces acting from the pressure side towards the suction side of the rotor blade.

(47) Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

(48) For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of a or an throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and comprising does not exclude other steps or elements.