IP Library Granted Patent US 8,668,462
Granted Patent B2
US 8,668,462 · App. 12/833,085 · Granted Mar 11, 2014

Wind turbine rotor blade

Inventors: Gunter Fischer (Hamburg, DE); Hermann Rochholz (Norderstedt, DE)
Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,668,462
App. No.
12/833,085
Granted
Mar 11, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Wind turbine rotor blade with a blade tip, a blade root, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side, a suction side and a cross-section, which changes from the blade tip to the blade root, the longitudinal portion being arranged between the blade root and the middle of the rotor blade, has the following: a convex pressure side portion, which extends from the leading edge up to a pressure-side inflection point, a concave pressure side addition portion, which connects with the pressure-side inflection point with a continuous curvature and extends up to the trailing edge, a convex suction side portion, which extends from the leading edge up to a suction-side kink or inflection point, and a suction side addition portion, which extends from the suction side kink or inflection point up to the trailing edge.

Claims (20)

1. A wind turbine rotor blade comprising a blade tip ( 10 ), a blade root ( 12 ), a leading edge ( 16 ), a trailing edge ( 18 ), a pressure side ( 32 ), a suction side ( 30 ) and a cross-section, which changes from the blade tip ( 10 ) to the blade root ( 12 ), wherein the cross-section in the middle ( 14 ) of the rotor blade is formed by an aerodynamic profile and is mainly circular at the blade root ( 12 ), and wherein the cross-section in a longitudinal portion of the rotor blade, the longitudinal portion being arranged between the blade root ( 12 ) and the middle ( 14 ) of the rotor blade, comprises:

a convex pressure side portion ( 78 ), which extends from the leading edge ( 16 ) up to a pressure-side inflection point ( 80 ),

a concave pressure side addition portion ( 82 ), which connects with the pressure-side inflection point ( 80 ) with a continuous curvature and extends up to the trailing edge ( 18 ),

a convex suction side portion ( 72 ), which extends from the leading edge ( 16 ) up to a suction-side kink or inflection point ( 74 ),

a suction side addition portion ( 76 ), which extends from the suction-side kink or inflection point ( 74 ) up to the trailing edge ( 18 ), and

wherein the kink or inflection point ( 74 ) is formed such that if one follows a progression of a curve defined by the convex suction side portion ( 72 ) and the suction side addition portion ( 76 ) from the leading edge ( 16 ) up to the kink or inflection point ( 74 ), a direction of the curve changes at the kink or inflection point ( 74 ) towards an outside of the cross-section.

2. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein a distance from the pressure-side inflection point ( 80 ) to the leading edge ( 16 ), measured along the profile chord ( 84 ), is more than 60% of a profile depth.

3. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the suction side addition portion ( 76 ) is mainly straight.

4. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein a tangent lies against the pressure side addition portion ( 82 ) at the trailing edge ( 18 ) mainly in a rotor plane when the rotor blade is arranged with reference to the rotor plane at a pitch angle optimized for partial load operation.

5. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein a tangent lies against the suction side addition portion ( 76 ) at the trailing edge ( 18 ) mainly in a rotor plane when the rotor blade is arranged with reference to the rotor plane at a pitch angle optimized for partial load operation.

6. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein an acute angle is formed between the pressure side addition portion ( 82 ) and the suction side addition portion ( 76 ) at the trailing edge ( 18 ).

7. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal portion begins at a distance from the blade root ( 12 ).

8. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal portion extends up to a distance from the blade root ( 12 ), in which the cross-section has a relative profile thickness of 60% or less.

9. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal portion extends up to a distance of 10% or more of a rotor blade length from the blade root ( 12 ).

10. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the rotor blade has a constant profile depth between a first distance of 10% of a rotor blade length from the blade root ( 12 ) and a second distance of 15% of the rotor blade length from the blade root ( 12 ).

11. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure side addition portion ( 82 ) and the suction side addition portion ( 76 ) are formed by an attachment ( 20 ), which is connected with the remaining components of the rotor blade.

12. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 11 , wherein remaining components of the rotor blade at a longitudinal position ( 22 ) of the rotor blade have a maximum profile depth, wherein the attachment ( 20 ) begins at this longitudinal position ( 22 ) and extends from there in the direction towards the blade root ( 12 ).

13. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 11 , wherein remaining components of the rotor blade at a longitudinal position ( 22 ) of the rotor blade have a maximum profile depth, wherein the attachment ( 20 ) begins at a greater distance from the blade root ( 12 ) than this longitudinal position ( 22 ) and extends from there in the direction towards the blade root ( 12 ) and the profile depth of the rotor blade is enlarged by the attachment ( 20 ) above and beyond the maximum profile depth of the remaining components at least in a longitudinal portion.

14. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 11 , wherein the attachment ( 20 ) is subdivided into several segments.

15. The wind turbine rotor blade according to claim 11 , wherein the attachment ( 20 ) is formed by a shell-like component made of a curved jacket with even thickness.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CHANGE OF NAME TO REMOVE PATENT NUMBER 10771765 AND ADD PATENT NUMBER 10711765 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 055259 FRAME: 0008. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Nov 12, 2021
From: NORDEX ENERGY GMBH
To: NORDEX ENERGY SE & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 058222/0542 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 8, 2021
From: NORDEX ENERGY GMBH
To: NORDEX ENERGY SE & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 055259/0008 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 13, 2013
From: FISCHER, GUNTER; ROCHHOLZ, HERMANN
To: NORDEX ENERGY GMBH
Reel/Frame 031595/0294 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 10002871 · Mar 18, 2010 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110229332A1 · Sep 22, 2011