Abstract: A rotor blade assembly of a wind turbine includes a rotor blade having an aerodynamic body with an inboard region and an outboard region. The inboard and outboard regions define a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The inboard region includes a blade root, whereas the outboard region includes a blade tip. The rotor blade also defines a chord and a span. Further, the inboard region includes a transitional region of the rotor blade that includes a maximum chord. Moreover, a unitless first derivative of the chord with respect to the span of the rotor blade in the transitional region ranges from about ?0.10 to about 0.10 from the maximum chord over about 15% of the span of the rotor blade. In addition, the unitless first derivative of the chord with respect to the span a slope of a change in the chord in is greater than about ?0.03 at an inflection point of the chord in the outboard region.

Abstract: A rotor blade assembly of a wind turbine includes a rotor blade having an aerodynamic body with an inboard region and an outboard region. The inboard and outboard regions define a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The inboard region includes a blade root, whereas the outboard region includes a blade tip. The rotor blade also defines a chord and a span. Further, the inboard region includes a transitional region of the rotor blade that includes a maximum chord. Moreover, a chord slope of the rotor blade in the transitional region ranges from about ?0.10 to about 0.10 from the maximum chord over about 15% of the span of the rotor blade. In addition, a slope of a change in the chord in the outboard region at a peak from concave to convex or vice versa is greater than about ?0.

Abstract: A method is provided for installing a jointed rotor blade of a wind turbine. A second section is positioned in a six o'clock position. At least one lifting line is routed through the second section radially inward of an inner surface of the section. A first end of the lifting line is coupled to a first section and a second end of the lifting line is coupled to a power source positioned within at least one of a or a nacelle of the wind turbine. The first section of the jointed rotor blade is lifted toward the second section by driving the lifting line via the power source. The first section and the second section are lined gather at a chordwise joint and coupled at the chordwise joint.

Abstract: A method is provided for installing a jointed rotor blade of a wind turbine. A second section is positioned in a six o'clock position. At least one lifting line is routed through the second section radially inward of an inner surface of the section. A first end of the lifting line is coupled to a first section and a second end of the lifting line is coupled to a power source positioned within at least one of a or a nacelle of the wind turbine. The first section of the jointed rotor blade is lifted toward the second section by driving the lifting line via the power source. The first section and the second section are lined gather at a chordwise joint and coupled at the chordwise joint.

Abstract: A rotor blade assembly of a wind turbine includes a rotor blade having an aerodynamic body with an inboard region and an outboard region. The inboard and outboard regions define a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The inboard region includes a blade root, whereas the outboard region includes a blade tip. The rotor blade also defines a chord and a span. Further, the inboard region includes a transitional region of the rotor blade that includes a maximum chord. Moreover, a chord slope of the rotor blade in the transitional region ranges from about ?0.10 to about 0.10 from the maximum chord over about 15% of the span of the rotor blade.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining turbine pressure related loads and for condition monitoring are provided. The systems and methods may measure at least one pressure differential on an airfoil. At least one pressure differential may be used to determine a root bending moment associated with the blade. Additionally or alternatively, at least one pressure differential may be used to determine a low-speed shaft moment for a turbine on which the blade is mounted. Still further, at least one pressure differential and/or moment may be used to gauge wear/fatigue and/or damage to one or more wind turbines. Based on this information, a controller may modify various operating characteristics of the turbine or blade to address the fatigue or damage.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for actuating less than all of a plurality of load management devices on a wind turbine and/or a wind turbine blade. In some embodiments, the actuation sequences may be a root-to-tip, tip-to root, maximum-distributed-load, random, and/or a cycle-count actuation sequence. Further, a combination of two or more actuation sequences may be utilized to achieve a desired result. The system may choose an appropriate blade-based and/or rotor-based actuation sequence according to operating conditions, may alternate actuation sequences, and/or may employ different actuation sequences among the plurality of blades of a wind turbine. The load management devices may be actuated to different maximum heights and/or may be configured to be actuated to variable heights. The load management devices may be included as part of a distributed management system providing a corresponding controller and/or sensor at each load management device.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for actuating less than all of a plurality of load management devices on a wind turbine and/or a wind turbine blade. In some embodiments, the actuation sequences may be a root-to-tip, tip-to root, maximum-distributed-load, random, and/or a cycle-count actuation sequence. Further, a combination of two or more actuation sequences may be utilized to achieve a desired result. The system may choose an appropriate blade-based and/or rotor-based actuation sequence according to operating conditions, may alternate actuation sequences, and/or may employ different actuation sequences among the plurality of blades of a wind turbine. The load management devices may be actuated to different maximum heights and/or may be configured to be actuated to variable heights. The load management devices may be included as part of a distributed management system providing a corresponding controller and/or sensor at each load management device.