Abstract
Provided is a wind turbine rotor blade with a rotor blade shell, which envelops an internal volume, and at least one cross sectional constriction for narrowing open cross sectional space of the internal volume.
Claims
1. A wind turbine rotor blade, comprising: a rotor blade shell having an internal volume, and a cross sectional constriction in the internal volume that narrows open cross sectional space in the internal volume.
2. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1, further comprising: a web extending along a longitudinal direction of the rotor blade, wherein the cross sectional constriction is arranged on the web.
3. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1, comprising: first and second webs along a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade, and a first air channel between a leading edge of the rotor blade and the first web, wherein the cross sectional constriction is located in the first air channel.
4. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 3, comprising a second air channel between the second web and a rotor blade trialing edge, wherein the cross sectional constriction is a first cross sectional constriction, wherein a second cross sectional constriction is located at least partially in the second air channel and extends along the longitudinal direction of the rotor blade.
5. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 4, comprising a third cross sectional constriction in a third ventilation channel between the first and second webs.
6. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1, comprising a rotor blade root, and a rotor blade heating system at the rotor blade root, wherein the rotor blade heating system is configured to generate heated air and convey the heated air into the internal volume of the rotor blade shell.
7. A wind turbine comprising at least one wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] Advantages and exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing.
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a wind turbine according to the invention,
[0028] FIGS. 2A and 2B show a schematic cross section and a schematic longitudinal section of a rotor blade according to prior art,
[0029] FIG. 3A shows a schematic cross section of a rotor blade according to an aspect of the invention,
[0030] FIG. 3B shows a schematic longitudinal section of a rotor blade according to FIG. 3A,
[0031] FIG. 4A shows a schematic cross section of a first portion of a rotor blade,
[0032] FIG. 4B shows a schematic cross section of a portion of the rotor blade according to an aspect of the present invention, as well as a schematic longitudinal section of a rotor blade according to an aspect of the present invention,
[0033] FIG. 4C shows a schematic cross section of a portion of a rotor blade and a longitudinal section of a rotor blade according to an aspect of the present invention,
[0034] FIG. 5A shows a graph for illustrating a surface temperature of a rotor blade for the exemplary embodiments shown on FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C,
[0035] FIG. 5B shows a graph for illustrating a heat transfer coefficient α as a function for the three exemplary embodiments on FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C,
[0036] FIG. 5C shows a graph for illustrating a heat output L for the exemplary embodiments on FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, and
[0037] FIG. 6 shows a graph for illustrating a fluid temperature for the exemplary embodiments on FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a wind turbine according to the invention. The wind turbine 100 has a tower 102 and a nacelle 104 on the tower 102. Provided on the nacelle 104 is an aerodynamic rotor 106 with three rotor blades 200 and a spinner 110. During operation of the wind turbine, the wind imparts a rotational motion to the aerodynamic rotor 106, which thus also turns a rotor or runner of a generator, which is directly or indirectly coupled with the aerodynamic rotor 106. The electric generator is arranged in the nacelle 104, and generates electric energy. The pitch angles of the rotor blades 200 can be changed by pitch motors on the rotor blade roots of the respective rotor blades 200.
[0039] A rotor blade heater 500 can be provided in the area of a rotor blade root for purposes of rotor blade deicing. As an alternative thereto, the rotor blade heater 500 can be provided in an area of a rotor hub or on a rotor blade connector. The rotor blade heater 500 generates hot air, and then conducts it into the interior of the rotor blade to deice the rotor blade or prevent icing.
[0040] FIG. 2A shows a cross section of a rotor blade, and FIG. 2B shows a longitudinal section of a rotor blade. The rotor blade 200 has two blade shells 210, 220, which envelop an internal volume 203. The rotor blade 200 further has a rotor blade leading edge 230 and a rotor blade trailing edge 240. Webs 231, 232 can be provided between the blade shells 210, 220, so that the internal volume 203 can be divided into various portions or channels 250, 260 and 270 (first channel 250 between the leading edge 230 and first web 231, second channel 260 between the trailing edge 240 and second web 232, and third channel 270 between the first and second webs 231, 232). For example, the web 231 can be longer than the web 232.
[0041] FIGS. 3A and 3B show a corresponding cross section of a rotor blade as well as a longitudinal section of the rotor blade according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. While the channels 250, 260 and 270 are shown unchanged in the rotor blade according to FIGS. 2A and 2B, at least portions of the channels according to FIGS. 3A and 3B are provided with cross sectional constrictions 310 in the first channel 250, with second cross sectional constrictions 320 in the second channel 260 and/or optionally with third cross sectional constrictions 330 in the third channel 270. FIG. 3B shows the distribution of the cross sectional constrictions 310, 320, 330 along a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade.
[0042] Both the cross sections of the cross sectional constrictions and their distribution along the longitudinal axis of the rotor blade can differ from the cross sections and longitudinal distributions shown on FIGS. 3A and 3B.
[0043] The cross sectional constrictions result in a higher flow rate of the air flowing through the rotor blade heater 500 into the interior (into the channels 250, 260, 270) of the rotor blade.
[0044] FIG. 4A shows a schematic cross section of a first channel on FIG. 3A. No cross sectional constrictions are provided in the first channel 250.
[0045] On FIG. 4B, cross sectional constrictions are provided in the first channel 250 according to one exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4B also shows the distribution of the cross sectional constrictions in a schematic longitudinal section. For example, the cross sectional constrictions 310 can here be provided between a rotor blade length or a radius of 20 to 30 m.
[0046] FIG. 4C shows a schematic cross section of a first channel, as well as a schematic longitudinal section of the first channel. According to FIG. 4C, the cross sectional constrictions 310 can be provided at three locations along the rotor blade longitudinal axis, specifically at an exemplary rotor blade radius of 10 to 15 m, 20 to 25 m, and 30 to 35 m.
[0047] Therefore, FIG. 4A shows the case without cross sectional constrictions, FIG. 4B shows the case with a cross sectional constriction, and FIG. 4C shows an exemplary embodiment with three cross sectional constrictions.
[0048] FIG. 5A shows a graph, which depicts a dependence of the surface temperature on the radius R of the rotor blade for the exemplary embodiments on FIG. 4A (S1), FIG. 4B (S2) and FIG. 4C (S3). In the exemplary embodiment on FIG. 4A, a linear decrease in surface temperature can be discerned along the radius R of the rotor blade. In the second and third exemplary embodiments on FIG. 4B and FIG. 4C, there are increases in temperature in the area of the cross sectional constrictions.
[0049] FIG. 5B shows a dependence between the heat transfer coefficient α and the radius R. No change is evident in the exemplary embodiment S1 on FIG. 4A. A respective increase in the heat transfer coefficient α in the area of the cross sectional constrictions is evident in the exemplary embodiment S2 on FIG. 4B and S3 on FIG. 4C.
[0050] FIG. 5C shows a heat output L for the above three exemplary embodiments S1, S2 and S3. As evident from FIG. 4, the heat output rises with the increasing use of the cross sectional constrictions.
[0051] FIG. 6 shows a dependence of the fluid temperature on the radius R. In the first exemplary embodiment S1 on FIG. 4A, there is a linear decrease in fluid temperature. A stronger decrease in fluid temperature is shown in the exemplary embodiments S2 and S3, wherein a stronger drop in fluid temperature is still present in particular in the area of the cross sectional constrictions.
[0052] According to an aspect of the present invention, the cross sectional constrictions can be used given channel cross sections with a surface area of 30,000 mm.sup.2 to 100,000 mm.sup.2, for example.
REFERENCE LIST
[0053] 100 Wind turbine [0054] 102 Tower [0055] 104 Nacelle [0056] 106 Rotor [0057] 110 Spinner [0058] 200 Rotor blades [0059] 203 Internal volume [0060] 210 Blade shells [0061] 220 Blade shells [0062] 230 Rotor blade leading edge [0063] 231 Webs [0064] 232 Webs [0065] 240 Rotor blade trailing edge [0066] 250 Channels [0067] 260 Channels [0068] 270 Channels [0069] 310 Cross sectional constrictions [0070] 320 Cross sectional constrictions [0071] 330 Cross sectional constrictions [0072] 500 Rotor blade heater
[0073] The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
