Wind Turbine Blade Spoiler for Stall Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wind turbine blades stall at large angles of attack, leading to inefficiencies in power generation, reduced service life, and noise due to turbulent airflow, and are difficult to manufacture and repair with irregular shapes.

Innovation Solution

A noise-reduction device with a concave connection portion and a spoiler is mounted on the wind turbine blade, guiding airflow into vortexes to prevent stalling and noise, allowing for flexible mounting and replacement without reshaping the blades, with spoiler shapes and spacings optimized based on Fibonacci sequence for enhanced performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If conventional wind turbine blades are given irregular shapes to generate vortexes and prevent stalling, then the stability of airflow is improved, but the ease of manufacture and repair deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveairflow stabilityVSAvoidblade manufacturing and repair

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the blade structure into two independent parts: the original conventional blade and the detachable noise-reduction device with spoiler. This segmentation allows the spoiler to be manufactured and installed separately, avoiding the need to reshape the entire blade, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving airflow stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The noise-reduction device acts as an intermediary component between the blade and the airflow. Instead of modifying the blade itself, this intermediate device with spoiler structure generates vortexes to stabilize airflow, solving the contradiction by introducing a separate functional element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If irregularly shaped blades are used to generate vortexes and prevent stalling, then the power generation efficiency is improved, but the ease of repair deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower generation efficiencyVSAvoidblade repair and replacement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the vortex-generating function into a separate detachable noise-reduction device, the invention enables easy repair through simple removal or replacement of the device without affecting the main blade structure, thus maintaining high power generation efficiency while improving ease of repair.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces dynamic adjustability by allowing the spoiler shape and position to be modified or replaced based on operational conditions. This dynamic approach enables optimization of power generation efficiency while maintaining ease of repair through interchangeable components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Power

If the angle of attack is increased to improve power generation, then the power output is improved, but the likelihood of stalling increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower outputVSAvoidstall prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spoiler on the noise-reduction device performs preliminary anti-action by generating vortexes that prevent airflow separation before stalling occurs. This allows the blade to operate at higher angles of attack for improved power output while the spoiler continuously prevents stall, enhancing reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the potentially harmful turbulent airflow at high angles of attack into beneficial vortexes through the spoiler structure. These vortexes prevent stall and maintain attached flow, allowing higher power output while improving reliability by transforming what would be a harmful condition into a protective mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

The solution stabilizes airflow, reduces the likelihood of stalling, extends the service life of wind turbines, and enhances power generation efficiency while maintaining manufacturing and repair flexibility.

Implementation Method 1

the spoiler stirs air and guides the air across two sides thereof... The spoiler disturbs wind and thus turns it into vortexes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVortex generation: Vortex Ring

Data Source

PatentUS10920742B2Noise-reduction device for wind turbine and the wind turbine applied thereof

Publication Date: 2021.02.16 ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH

AI summary

A noise-reduction device for a wind turbine and the wind turbine applied thereof are introduced. The noise-reduction device has a body. The body has a connection portion and a spoiler. The connection portion is concavely disposed on one side of the body and corresponds in shape to the wind turbine's blade so as to be fixed to a confronting edge of the wind turbine blade. The spoiler is disposed on the opposing side of the body. As soon as the wind turbine blade is driven by wind, the spoiler stirs air and guides the air across two sides thereof. When guided by the spoiler, airflows turn into vortexes on the wind turbine blade; hence, the chance that the wind turbine will stall and generate noise is greatly reduced.