Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Trailing Edge Segment Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine rotor blades face challenges in efficiently increasing chord length and preventing boundary layer detachment, which affects efficiency and stability, particularly due to transport limitations and complex aerodynamic systems.
Innovation Solution
A rotor blade design featuring a trailing edge segment with slot-type air inlets and outlets on both pressure and suction sides, passively controlled by a covering element that opens to enhance kinetic energy and prevent uncontrolled ejection, thereby influencing the boundary layer and increasing chord length without stability issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the chord length of the rotor blade is increased to improve efficiency and power capacity, then the efficiency increases, but the transport limitations are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor blade is divided into an inner blade section and a trailing edge segment. The trailing edge segment can be detached or extended separately, allowing the chord length to be increased in the root region without exceeding transport limitations for the entire blade.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly increasing the chord length along the entire blade span, the invention applies the increased chord length specifically in the root region (another dimension of spatial distribution), which is sufficient to improve efficiency without creating transport problems.
2Productivity
If the chord length is increased to reduce vortex generation, then the efficiency improves, but the boundary layer detachment occurs due to pressure gradient
Solution Approach 1:
Air is introduced as an intermediary substance between the pressure side and suction side through the trailing edge segment. This air flow acts as a mediator to energize the boundary layer on the suction side, preventing detachment caused by the adverse pressure gradient in the rear region of the rotor blade profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses pneumatic principles by introducing air flow through the trailing edge segment to influence the boundary layer. The air Conveying system uses pressure differential to transport air from the pressure side to the suction side, where it prevents boundary layer detachment.
3Length of moving object
If a blunt trailing edge is provided in the root region to comply with transport dimensions, then transport limitations are met, but the boundary layer aspiration system becomes complex and unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the boundary layer control function from a complex active aspiration system and implements it through a simpler passive trailing edge segment design. The trailing edge segment itself serves as the air Conveying path, eliminating the need for separate complex ducting and active conveying means.
Solution Approach 2:
The trailing edge segment design allows the rotor blade to self-regulate the boundary layer. The air Conveying occurs passively through the trailing edge segment structure itself, using the natural pressure differential between the pressure side and suction side, without requiring active conveying means or complex control systems.
4Reliability
If active conveying means are used to transport aspirated air, then the boundary layer can be influenced, but the system becomes elaborate and impairs stability
Solution Approach 1:
The trailing edge segment design allows the rotor blade to self-regulate the boundary layer. The air Conveying occurs passively through the trailing edge segment structure itself, using the natural pressure differential between the pressure side and suction side, without requiring active conveying means or complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the active mechanical conveying means with a passive structural design. The trailing edge segment itself serves as the air Conveying path, and the pressure differential naturally drives the air flow, eliminating the need for mechanical pumps or active conveying devices.
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 effectively increases chord length, enhances energy production, and simplifies boundary layer management, improving wind turbine efficiency and reducing drag, even at low average speeds, without compromising stability.
Implementation Method 1
Another option for increasing efficiency is to influence the boundary layer, which is increasingly significant owing to increasing chord lengths
Implementation Method 2
The generally convex curvature of the suction-side face of the rotor blade means that, downstream of the point of maximum curvature in the rear region of the rotor blade profile, the air flow on the suction side has to flow against a pressure gradient
Implementation Method 3
the at least one covering element can be actuable in dependence on a stagnation pressure that becomes established inside the trailing edge segment
Implementation Method 4
a trailing edge segment arranged on the inner blade section for the purpose of increasing the chord length of the rotor blade along a section in the rotor blade longitudinal direction
Implementation Method 5
there are provided at least one air inlet and air outlet on the pressure-side face and on the suction-side face which are fluidically connected to one another
Data Source
AI summary
A rotor blade for a wind turbine, to a wind turbine comprising a tower, a nacelle and a rotor, and also to a wind farm. The rotor blade comprises an inner blade section that extends from a rotor blade root in the longitudinal direction of the rotor blade, and a trailing edge segment, arranged on the inner blade section, for increasing the profile depth of the rotor blade along a section in the longitudinal direction of the rotor blade. The rotor blade has a pressure-side surface and a suction-side surface, which are each formed in certain regions by parts of the inner blade section and of the trailing edge segment. One or more air outlets and air inlets extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the rotor blade are formed on both the pressure-side surface and the suction-side surface of the rotor blade, in the region of the trailing edge segment, said air outlets and air inlets being interconnected in a fluid-guiding manner. At least one covering element overlapping the at least one air outlet and by means of which the air outlet can be closed or opened is arranged on the suction-side surface.