Adaptive Wind Turbine Blade Radius Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wind turbines are limited by the Betz limit in energy efficiency and have high production costs due to the fixed geometry of their blades, which affects the power/cost ratio, and secondary rotors on blades reduce efficiency compared to conventional designs.
Innovation Solution
A wind turbine design where the radius of rotation of each blade is adapted according to wind speed, allowing for a variable swept surface area, potentially using a cable or bar connecting means, and a generator positioned at the blade end, enabling efficient energy harvesting and reduced manufacturing costs by optimizing the power/cost ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the blade geometry is fixed in conventional wind turbines, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the power/cost ratio deteriorates due to inability to optimize for different wind speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the blade radius adaptable through a telescopic mechanism that allows the blade length to vary dynamically. This enables the wind turbine to optimize its swept area according to wind speed conditions, improving the power/cost ratio while maintaining reasonable manufacturing costs through a modular telescopic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the blade radius to change based on wind speed conditions. The telescopic mechanism enables adjustment of the blade length parameter, optimizing the swept area and power generation efficiency for different operating conditions without requiring complete redesign of the blade geometry.
2Productivity
If the swept area is increased to maximize power output, then the energy efficiency improves, but the manufacturing cost increases due to larger blade material requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic mechanism allows the blade to dynamically adjust its length, enabling the swept area to be increased only when wind conditions warrant higher power output. This avoids the need for permanently large blades that would always incur high manufacturing costs, achieving cost-effective scalability.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade is divided into telescopic sections that can be extended or retracted independently. This segmentation allows the swept area to be adjusted in discrete steps, optimizing power output for different wind conditions while keeping the manufacturing cost proportional to the actual blade length used rather than the maximum possible length.
3Device complexity
If permanent magnet generators are used for direct drive, then the gear system complexity is reduced, but the generator cost increases at low rotation speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptable blade radius enables the system to optimize rotation speed by adjusting the swept area. This dynamic adjustment helps maintain more favorable rotation speeds for the generator, reducing the negative impact of low-speed operation on permanent magnet generator costs while preserving the benefits of direct drive architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances energy efficiency by adjusting the swept area to match wind speed, achieving power close to the maximum theoretical limit while reducing system costs and maintaining direct drive efficiency, even at low rotation speeds.
Implementation Method 1
a wind turbine consists of a mast, a nacelle containing the electric generator and a rotor generally consisting of three blades
Implementation Method 2
a nacelle containing the electric generator
Data Source
AI summary
A drone with a horizontal rotor includes one or more rotor(s) (115, 116) which rotate in a horizontal plane, each rotor (115, 116) being equipped with one or more rigid or non-rigid blades (120, 121), the blade end being mounted on an electric motor (110, 111) with a propeller.