Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Winglet Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotor blades for wind turbines face a trade-off between aerodynamic and acoustic benefits from end plates, which increase friction and reduce energy yield due to higher surface area exposure.
Innovation Solution
The rotor blade design incorporates a closing element with multiple winglet pairs, where winglet longitudinal axes form specific angles relative to the rotor blade axis, reducing aerodynamic resistance and friction while maintaining aerodynamic and acoustic advantages, achieved through a smaller closing element area compared to traditional end plates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an end plate is attached to the rotor blade tip, then aerodynamic conditions are improved and noise is reduced, but friction increases and energy yield decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The closing element is divided into multiple winglet pairs instead of using a single solid end plate. Each winglet pair consists of individual wings spaced apart, creating a segmented structure that reduces continuous surface friction while maintaining the vortex-reducing aerodynamic benefits at the blade tip
Solution Approach 2:
The winglets are oriented at specific angles (α1 and β1 less than 180°, preferably around 90°) relative to the rotor blade longitudinal axis, introducing angular orientation in a new dimension. This angular arrangement allows the winglets to manage tip vortices effectively while presenting a smaller effective friction surface to the incoming wind compared to a traditional end plate
2Object-affected harmful factors
If an end plate is attached to the rotor blade tip, then aerodynamic conditions are improved, but aerodynamic resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closing element is divided into multiple winglet pairs instead of using a single solid end plate. Each winglet pair consists of individual wings spaced apart, creating a segmented structure that reduces continuous surface friction while maintaining the vortex-reducing aerodynamic benefits at the blade tip
Solution Approach 2:
The winglet pairs are configured with asymmetric orientation angles (α1 on the pressure surface side and β1 on the suction surface side, both less than 180°), creating an asymmetric structure that optimizes flow management while minimizing resistance to the incoming wind
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 optimizes energy yield by minimizing friction and noise generation, enhancing the aerodynamic properties and reducing turbulence, allowing for more efficient wind energy harvesting.
Implementation Method 1
an attached end plate leads to higher friction due to its surface facing away from the flow. This higher friction counteracts the positive effect of better buoyancy
Implementation Method 2
better lift is achieved by the fact that vortices are reduced by the end disk at the end of a blade and instead of a flow detaching as a vortex, it is 'at the rotor blade'
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a rotor blade, in particular for a wind turbine, having a blade root, a blade tip, a pressure surface and a suction surface, wherein the pressure surface and the suction surface are connected to one another in an incident-flow region and the blade tip has a terminating element, in particular a winglet, wherein the terminating element has a first winglet vane and a second winglet vane, wherein a first winglet vane longitudinal axis has, at the pressure surface side, an angle α1 of less than 180° or less than 150° or less than 120° or less than 90° or less than 60° with respect to a first rotor blade longitudinal axis, and a second winglet vane longitudinal axis has, at the suction surface side, an angle β1 of less than 180° or less than 150° or less than 120° or less than 90° or less than 60° with respect to a second rotor blade longitudinal axis, such that the first winglet vane and the second winglet vane form a first winglet vane pair.