System and method for locating airflow modifiers for installation on a wind turbine rotor blade

1. A system for locating airflow modifiers for installation on wind turbine rotor blades, the system comprising:

a plurality of airflow modifiers, each airflow modifier including a base having an outer wall extending around an outer perimeter of the base and a projection extending outwardly from the outer wall, the projection for each airflow modifier being positioned at a different location around the outer perimeter of the base than the projections of the remainder of the airflow modifiers such that each airflow modifier defines an outer profile around its outer perimeter that differs from the outer profiles of the remainder of the airflow modifiers;

a blade shell defining an exterior surface, the base of each airflow modifier being configured to be coupled to the exterior surface of the blade shell; and

an installation template provided on the exterior surface of the blade shell, the installation template defining a different installation location for each of the airflow modifiers, the installation template including a geometric feature at each installation location that at least partially matches the outer profile of the airflow modifier configured to be installed at such installation location.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each geometric feature corresponds to an outline of the outer profile of the base of the airflow modifier configured to be installed at the corresponding installation location.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the projection for each airflow modifier further differs with reference to at least one of shape or size of the projection relative to the projections of the remainder of the airflow modifiers.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the installation template is at least partially defined by physical features formed on or integrated into the exterior surface of the blade shell.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the installation template is configured to be installed or applied onto the exterior surface of the blade shell.

6. The surface of claim 1 , wherein the installation template is configured to be projected onto the exterior surface of the blade shell.

7. The system of claim 1 , each airflow modifier corresponds to a vortex generator.

8. A system for locating airflow modifiers for installation on wind turbine rotor blades, the system comprising:

a first vortex generator including a first base, the first base including a first outer wall extending around an outer perimeter of the first base and a first projection extending outwardly from the first outer wall at a first location around the outer perimeter of the first base such that the first vortex generator defines a first outer profile;

a second vortex generator including a second base, the second base including a second outer wall extending around an outer perimeter of the second base and a second projection extending outwardly from the second outer wall at a second location around the outer perimeter of the second base that differs from the first location such that the second vortex generator defines a second outer profile, the second outer profile differing from the first outer profile;

a blade shell defining an exterior surface, the first and second bases being configured to be coupled to the exterior surface of the blade shell; and

an installation template provided on the exterior surface of the blade shell, the installation template defining a first installation location for the first vortex generator and a second installation location for the second vortex generator, the installation template including a first outline at the first installation location that matches the first outer profile and a second outline at the second installation location that matches the second outer profile.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first projection further differs from the second projection with reference to at least one of shape or size.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the installation template is configured to be installed or applied onto the exterior surface of the blade shell.

11. A method for locating airflow modifiers for installation on wind turbine rotor blades, the method comprising:

positioning a first airflow modifier relative to a first installation location defined by an installation template provided on an exterior surface of a rotor blade, the first airflow modifier including a first base having a first outer wall extending around an outer perimeter of the first base and a first projection extending outwardly from the first outer wall at a first location around the outer perimeter of the first base such that the first airflow modifier defines a first outer profile, the installation template including a first geometric feature at the first installation location that at least partially matches the first outer profile;

positioning a second airflow modifier relative to a second installation location defined by the installation template, the second airflow modifier including a second base having a second outer wall extending around an outer perimeter of the second base and a second projection extending outwardly from the second outer wall at a second location around the outer perimeter of the second base that differs from the first location such that the second airflow modifier defines a second outer profile, the second outer profile differing from the first outer profile, the installation template including a second geometric feature at the second installation location that at least partially matches the second outer profile;

coupling the first base of the first airflow modifier to the exterior surface at the first installation location; and

coupling the second base of the second airflow modifier to the exterior surface at the second installation location.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first geometric feature corresponds to an outline of the first outer profile of the first base and the second geometric feature corresponds to an outline of the second outer profile of the second base.

13. The method claim 11 , wherein the first projection further differs from the second projection with reference to at least one of shape or size.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the installation template is at least partially defined by physical features formed on or integrated into the exterior surface of the blade shell.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the installation template is configured to be installed or applied onto the exterior surface of the blade shell.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the installation template is configured to be projected onto the exterior surface of the blade shell.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second airflow modifiers corresponds to a vortex generator.