Single-Fin Vortex Generator Mounting for Wind Turbine Blades
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vortex generator devices for wind turbine blades lack design flexibility and mounting strength, leading to potential mounting errors and reduced aerodynamic performance.
Innovation Solution
A single-fin vortex generator device with a base and a fin protruding from its outer side, featuring adjustable edge angles and adhesive materials for secure mounting, allowing for improved design freedom and robust attachment to wind turbine blades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional vortex generator devices are used, then mounting strength is insufficient, but increasing mounting complexity reduces design flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The base is segmented into multiple bonding areas with different bonding agent thicknesses (first bonding agent in a first area, second bonding agent in a second area), allowing each segment to contribute differently to mounting strength while maintaining overall structural integrity without requiring complex additional components
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the base have different local properties: the first area has a first bonding agent with specific thickness and adhesive strength, while the second area has a second bonding agent with different thickness and adhesive strength, optimizing mounting performance for different locations without uniform complexity throughout
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fins are used to improve aerodynamic properties, then design flexibility increases, but device complexity and mounting difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential aerodynamic function to a single fin configuration, removing unnecessary additional fins while maintaining design flexibility through adjustable fin geometry parameters (height, length, angle) and bonding configuration, thereby reducing device complexity while preserving adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
Design flexibility is achieved by varying parameters of the single fin (height, length, angle relative to blade surface) and bonding parameters (bonding agent thickness in different areas, adhesive strength distribution) rather than adding multiple fins, thus maintaining adaptability without increasing structural complexity
3Strength
If bonding agent thickness is increased to improve mounting strength, then adhesive strength improves, but device weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding agent thickness is optimized locally in different areas: the first area has a first thickness and the second area has a second thickness, allowing sufficient adhesive strength in critical regions while minimizing bonding agent volume and device weight in less critical regions
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding system is segmented into multiple bonding agent layers in different areas with different thicknesses, achieving overall mounting strength through distributed bonding rather than uniform thick bonding throughout, thereby reducing total weight while maintaining strength
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 enhances mounting precision and strength, reducing noise and turbulence while improving aerodynamic properties by facilitating easy alignment and secure bonding to the blade surface.
Implementation Method 1
a vortex generator device for a wind turbine blade... a first fin protruding from the outer side and extending along a first fin axis
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A vortex generator device for a wind turbine blade, and a wind turbine blade is disclosed, the vortex generator device comprising a base with an inner side and an outer side, and a first fin protruding from the outer side and extending along a first fin axis, wherein the vortex generator device is a single-fin vortex generator device, and the base has a first edge part and a second edge part, the first edge part and the second edge part forming a primary angle in the range from 5 degrees to 60 degrees.