Wind Turbine Blade Deflection Section for Icing Prevention

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Wind turbine rotor blades face inefficiencies in heating due to turbulence and pressure losses when redirecting heated air, leading to reduced heat transport and increased electrical power consumption.

Innovation Solution

The rotor blade design features a deflection section at the tip with an enlarged internal cross-section, achieved by maintaining or increasing blade depth and thickness, which reduces pressure losses and flow velocities, allowing for improved heat transport without increasing electrical power.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If heated air is blown into the rotor blade interior and redirected toward the tip, then the rotor blade can be heated to prevent icing, but pressure losses and turbulence increase, reducing heating efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotor blade temperatureVSAvoidpressure losses in heated air flow

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The cross-sectional area of the rotor blade is increased in the deflection region near the tip, changing the geometric parameters to reduce flow resistance. This allows the heated air to be redirected with lower pressure losses and reduced turbulence, improving heating efficiency without increasing energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of energy

If the cross-sectional area is increased in the deflection region, then pressure losses are reduced and heating efficiency improves, but the rotor blade volume and material usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure lossesVSAvoidrotor blade volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of increasing the cross-sectional area along the entire rotor blade length, the invention applies the area increase locally only in the deflection region near the tip. This localized modification reduces pressure losses where needed while minimizing the overall volume increase and material usage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 the effective power of the blade heater by minimizing pressure and wall friction losses, improving heat transport and efficiency in heating the rotor blade while maintaining or reducing electrical power consumption.

Implementation Method 1

Warm air is generated by means of a rotor blade heater

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

an increase in the cross-sectional area is provided, which can be provided in the deflection area to deflect the heated air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP4276300A1Wind turbine blade rotor blade and wind turbine

Publication Date: 2023.11.15 WOBBEN PROPERTIES GMBH

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~4A

AI summary

A wind turbine rotor blade (200) is provided, comprising a length (201), a rotor blade root (210), a rotor blade tip (220), a pressure side (250), a suction side (260), a leading edge (230), a trailing edge (240), a rotor blade depth (270), a rotor blade thickness (280), and an air guide (400) for guiding heated air along a longitudinal direction (L) of the rotor blade (200) from the rotor blade root (210) towards the rotor blade tip (220). Furthermore, the wind turbine rotor blade (200) has a deflection section (500) located in the region of the rotor blade tip (202), which has a cross-sectional area that is at least constant, at least partially, towards the rotor blade tip (220), or that increases, at least partially, towards the rotor blade tip (220).