IP Library Granted Patent US 10,934,995
Granted Patent B2
US 10,934,995 · App. 16/037,466 · Granted Mar 2, 2021

Blades and systems with forward blowing slots

Inventors: Michael D. Zuteck (Clear Lake Shores, TX); Leigh Zalusky (Vacaville, CA); Paul Lees (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: KOHANA TECHNOLOGIES INC.
F03D1/0675F03D7/022F05B2240/30F05B2250/502Y02E10/72
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,934,995
App. No.
16/037,466
Granted
Mar 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A blade for use in a wind turbine comprises a pressure side and suction side meeting at a trailing edge and leading edge. The pressure side and suction side provide lift to the turbine blade upon the flow of air from the leading edge to the trailing edge and over the pressure side and suction side. The blade includes one or more openings at the suction side, in some cases between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The one or more openings are configured to provide a pressurized fluid towards the leading edge of the blade, in some cases at an angle between about 0° and 70° with respect to an axis oriented from a centerline of the blade toward the leading edge.

Claims (27)

1. An airfoil comprising:

a pressure side and suction side meeting at a trailing edge and a leading edge, the pressure side having a pressure side surface and the suction side having a suction side surface, the pressure side surface and the suction side surface providing lift to the airfoil upon flow of air from the leading edge to the trailing edge and over the pressure side surface and the suction side surface; and

one or more openings at the suction side, the one or more openings each at an angle between about 0 degrees and 70 degrees with respect to a surface axis that is parallel to the suction side surface at or near a location of the opening, where 0 degrees with respect to the surface axis points along the suction side surface of the airfoil towards the leading edge, wherein the one or more openings provide a pressurized fluid such that a majority of the pressurized fluid flows towards the leading edge of the airfoil along the suction side surface of the airfoil before separating away from the airfoil.

2. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings are at an angle between about 0 degrees and 45 degrees with respect to the surface axis.

3. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings are oriented at an angle between about 0 degrees and 70 degrees with respect to a centerline axis of the airfoil, the centerline axis being a line from the trailing edge of the airfoil to the leading edge of the airfoil.

4. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings are disposed at or adjacent to a midline of the airfoil.

5. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings are disposed between the leading edge of the airfoil and a midline of the airfoil.

6. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings are disposed between a midline of the airfoil and the trailing edge of the airfoil.

7. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the airfoil is coupled to a device and affects a fluid dynamic force acting upon at least a portion of the device, wherein the fluid dynamic force is selected from a group consisting of an aerodynamic force or a hydrodynamic force.

8. An airfoil comprising:

a pressure side and suction side meeting at a trailing edge and a leading edge, the pressure side having a pressure side surface and the suction side having a suction side surface, the pressure side surface and the suction side surface providing lift to the airfoil upon flow of air from the leading edge to the trailing edge and over the pressure side surface and the suction side surface; and

one or more forward blowing slots on the suction side, said one or more forward blowing slots for adjusting the lift and drag of the airfoil by providing a pressurized fluid such that a majority of the pressurized fluid flows towards the leading edge of the airfoil along the suction side surface of the airfoil before leaving the suction side surface of the airfoil.

9. The airfoil of claim 8 , wherein the one or more forward blowing slots are depressed in the suction side surface.

10. The airfoil of claim 8 , wherein the one or more forward blowing slots are above the suction side surface.

11. The airfoil of claim 8 , wherein an orifice of each of the one of more forward blowing slots is disposed along the suction side surface.

12. The airfoil of claim 8 , wherein the airfoil includes two or more forward blowing slots.

13. The airfoil of claim 8 , wherein the one or more forward blowing slots are disposed between a 20 percent location and an 80 percent location along a chord line of the airfoil.

14. The airfoil of claim 8 , wherein the one or more forward blowing slots are disposed at or adjacent to at least one of a plurality of edges of the airfoil, the plurality of edges comprising the leading edge and the trailing edge.

15. The airfoil of claim 8 , wherein the one or more forward blowing slots are disposed at or adjacent to a midline of the airfoil.

16. The airfoil of claim 8 , wherein the one or more forward blowing slots are disposed between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the airfoil.

17. A system comprising:

an airfoil coupled to a device, wherein the airfoil affects a fluid dynamic force acting upon at least a portion of the device, wherein the airfoil includes:

a pressure side and suction side meeting at a trailing edge and a leading edge, the pressure side having a pressure side surface and the suction side having a suction side surface, the pressure side surface and the suction side surface for providing lift to the airfoil upon flow of air from the leading edge to the trailing edge and over the pressure side surface and the suction side surface, and

one or more openings at the suction side of the airfoil, the one or more openings configured to provide a pressurized fluid such that a majority of the pressurized fluid flows towards the leading edge of the airfoil along the suction side surface of the airfoil before being directed away from the airfoil.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the device is a wind turbine.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the device is an aircraft.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the device is an automobile.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 46628 FRAME: 0749. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASISGNMENT. Recorded Aug 21, 2018
From: MICHAEL, ZUTECK D.; LEIGH, ZALUSKY; LEES, PAUL
To: CAITIN, INC.
Reel/Frame 047320/0193 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYING PARTY NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 046628 FRAME: 0950. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 21, 2018
From: CAITIN, INC.
To: PAUL LEES (DBA MACH 2 WIND)
Reel/Frame 047389/0291 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2018
From: ZUTECK, MICHAEL D.; ZALUSKY, LEIGH; LEES, PAUL
To: CAITLIN, INC.
Reel/Frame 046628/0749 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2018
From: CAITLIN, INC.
To: PAUL LEES (DBA MACH 2 WIND)
Reel/Frame 046628/0950 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2018
From: LEES, PAUL
To: KOHANA TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 046629/0481 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 14853817 · Sep 14, 2015
Continuation 13400014 · Feb 17, 2012
Provisional Application 61509060 · Jul 18, 2011
Provisional Application 61548186 · Oct 17, 2011
Provisional Application 61589237 · Jan 20, 2012
Related Publication 20180328336A1 · Nov 15, 2018