Wind turbine rotor blade with a suction side winglet
A rotor blade for a wind turbine is disclosed. The rotor blade may comprise a root portion, a tip, and a body extending between the root portion and the tip. The body may include a pressure side and a suction side. Additionally, a winglet may be defined by the body. The winglet may terminate at the tip of the rotor blade and extend inwardly in a direction of the suction side of the body. Further, a bend may be defined in the body such that a portion of the body extends outwardly in a direction of the pressure side of the body.
1. A rotor blade for a wind turbine, the rotor blade comprising:
a root portion;
a tip; and,
a body extending between said root portion and said tip, said body comprising a pressure side and a suction side, said body including a first bend and a second bend, said first bend being defined in said body between 0% and about 80% of a total length of the rotor blade such that a portion of said body extends outwardly in a direction of said pressure side; and,
a suction side winglet formed in said body between said second bend and said tip, said suction side winglet extending inwardly in a direction of said suction side such that said tip is substantially aligned with a pitch axis of the rotor blade or is disposed between said pitch axis and a tower of the wind turbine.
2. The rotor blade of claim 1 , wherein said portion of said body extends outwardly in a direction of said pressure side between said first bend and said second bend.
3. The rotor blade of claim 1 , wherein said first bend defines a bend angle of less than about 60 degrees.
4. The rotor blade of claim 3 , wherein said bend angle ranges from about 10 degrees to about 45 degrees.
5. The rotor blade of claim 1 , wherein said first bend is defined in said body between 0% and about 60% of the total length of the rotor blade.
6. The rotor blade of claim 1 , wherein said suction side winglet has a height equal to less than about 20% of the total length of the rotor blade.
7. The rotor blade of claim 6 , wherein said height ranges from about 5% to about 20% of the total length of the rotor blade.
8. The rotor blade of claim 1 , wherein said body defines a curved profile between said first bend and said tip.
9. The rotor blade of claim 8 , wherein said curved profile is configured as a cubic Bezier curve.
10. The rotor blade of claim 1 , wherein said suction side winglet extends inwardly in a direction of said suction side substantially perpendicularly to a centerline of the tower.
11. A wind turbine, comprising:
a tower;
a nacelle mounted atop said tower;
a rotor coupled to said nacelle, said rotor comprising a hub; and,
at least one rotor blade extending from said hub, said at least one rotor blade comprising:
a root portion;
a tip; and,
a body extending between said root portion and said tip, said body including a first bend and a second bend, said first bend being defined in said body between 0% and about 80% of a total length of said at least one rotor blade such that a portion of said body extends in a direction away from said tower; and,
a suction side winglet formed in said body between said second bend and said tip, said suction side winglet extending inwardly in a direction towards said tower such that said tip is substantially aligned with a pitch axis of said at least one rotor blade or is disposed between said pitch axis and said tower.
12. The wind turbine of claim 11 , wherein said at least one rotor blade is configured to maintain said tip at or beyond a tower clearance threshold during operation of the wind turbine.
13. The wind turbine of claim 11 , wherein said portion of said body extends in a direction away from said tower between said first bend and said second bend.
14. The wind turbine of claim 11 , wherein said first bend defines a bend angle of less than about 60 degrees.
15. The wind turbine of claim 14 , wherein said bend angle ranges from about 10 degrees to about 45 degrees.
16. The wind turbine of claim 11 , wherein said suction side winglet has a height equal to less than about 20% of said total length of said at least one rotor blade.
17. The wind turbine of claim 11 , wherein said at least one rotor blade defines a curved profile between said first bend and said tip.
18. The wind turbine of claim 17 , wherein said curved profile is configured as a cubic Bezier curve.
19. The wind turbine of claim 11 , wherein said first bend is defined in said body between 0% and about 60% of said total length of said at least one rotor blade.
20. The wind turbine of claim 11 , wherein said suction side winglet extends inwardly in a direction of said tower substantially perpendicularly to a centerline of said tower.