Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Deflecting Unit for Ice Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wind turbine rotor blades face icing issues due to inadequate heating, particularly at the tip region, leading to potential ice formation and dangerous ice shedding, and existing heating systems suffer from high pressure losses which reduce heating efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The rotor blade design incorporates at least one web along its length with a deflecting unit featuring two bends to optimize air flow, reducing pressure losses and enhancing heating efficiency by directing heated air from the root to the tip, while maintaining a compact cross-sectional area and minimizing turbulence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional deflecting unit with a single deflecting bend is used, then the device complexity is low, but the pressure losses are high which reduces heating efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The deflecting unit employs curved deflecting bends instead of sharp angles to guide the heated air flow. The curved geometry reduces flow separation and turbulence, thereby minimizing pressure losses while maintaining a relatively simple structural configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflecting unit is designed to adapt to the dynamic flow characteristics of heated air moving through the rotor blade. The curved bends allow the flow to adjust gradually, reducing energy losses without requiring complex active control mechanisms.
2Productivity
If the volume flow for heating is increased, then the heating efficiency improves, but the fan power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potentially harmful effect of flow direction changes into a beneficial outcome by using carefully designed curved deflecting bends. These bends minimize flow separation and turbulence, reducing pressure losses and allowing increased volume flow without proportionally increasing fan power requirements.
3Reliability
If heated air is directed to the rotor blade tip region, then ice formation is prevented, but the flow path length increases causing higher pressure losses
Solution Approach 1:
The deflecting unit is positioned and designed to guide heated air toward the rotor blade tip region before the air naturally dissipates. The preliminary curving of the flow path ensures that heated air reaches the critical tip region effectively, preventing ice formation while minimizing unnecessary flow path length and associated pressure losses.
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 significantly reduces pressure losses by 20% compared to traditional systems, allowing for increased volume flow without increased fan power, effectively preventing ice formation and improving heating distribution across the blade.
Implementation Method 1
reduce turbulence of the air during deflection
Implementation Method 2
a significant reduction of pressure losses can be achieved with a change in direction or a junctioning of the air flow
Implementation Method 3
heated air which flows from the rotor blade root region along the at least one web
Implementation Method 4
heated air can be introduced or can flow into the rotor blade root region for heating the rotor blade
Data Source
AI summary
A wind turbine rotor blade is provided comprising a rotor blade root region, a rotor blade tip region, a pressure side, a suction side, a front edge, a rear edge and at least one web along a longitudinal direction of the rotor blade. Furthermore, a deflecting unit is provided comprising at least two deflecting bends between one end of the at least one web and the rotor blade tip region.