Abstract: An apparatus and system for compensating for various load situations in a turbine includes the use of one or more deployable devices configured to extend an air deflector outwardly from a surface of a rotor blade. The air deflector may subsequently be retracted into the rotor blade once the load falls below a certain threshold. Mechanisms for extending and retracting the air deflector may include pneumatic, hydraulic and/or electromechanical devices. Air deflectors are generally configured to modify the air flow around the rotor blade to increase or decrease power generation, or reduce loads so that the risk of potential damage to components of the wind turbine is minimized. Deflectors may be positioned at various chordwise stations including leading-edge, mid-chord, and trailing-edge locations on the upper and lower surfaces at spanwise positions. Accordingly, a plurality of devices can be actuated to aerodynamically control rotor performance and loads based on wind conditions.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade (20B-C) with a rounded trailing edge (42A-E) and an elongated tab (44A-J) extending from the pressure side (PS) within the aft 10% of the local chord (C) and generally parallel to the trailing edge to increase lift. The tab may have a height (H) that is greatest on the radially inboard end to maximize lift, and lower on the outboard end to minimize drag. It may have a base with a length of at least 60% of its height.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade (20B-C) with a rounded trailing edge (42A-E) and an elongated tab (44A-J) extending from the pressure side (PS) within the aft 10% of the local chord (C) and generally parallel to the trailing edge to increase lift. The tab may have a height (H) that is greatest on the radially inboard end to maximize lift, and lower on the outboard end to minimize drag. It may have a base with a length of at least 60% of its height.

Abstract: An adjustable lift regulating device (30, 32, 40, 50, 52, 56, 60, 68, 72, 76) on an inboard portion of a wind turbine blade (28). The lift regulating device is activated to reduce lift on the inboard portion of the blade by causing flow separation (41) on the suction side (22) of the blade. To compensate for the lost lift, the blade pitch is increased to a running pitch that facilitates stalling on the outer portion of the blade in gusts. This provides passive reduction of fatigue and extreme loads from gusts while allowing full power production under non-gust conditions.

Abstract: A mandrel (20, 30) defines a void geometry in a layup for a blade shell (73) via a rigid mandrel core (22, 32) and a plurality of expandable bladders (24A-F, 34A-F) attached adjacently to each other in sequence around a periphery of the core, forming an expandable outer cover on the mandrel. The bladders are controllably expandable (50, 50B, 60) individually or in proper subsets of all the bladders to adjust pressure distribution and mandrel position within the layup after closing a blade shell mold over the layup. The bladders may be transversely partitioned (104) at multiple spanwise (S) positions along the mandrel in order to define additional sets of adjustable bladders along the span of the mandrel.

Abstract: A mandrel (20, 30) defines a void geometry in a layup for a blade shell (73) via a rigid mandrel core (22, 32) and a plurality of expandable bladders (24A-F, 34A-F) attached adjacently to each other in sequence around a periphery of the core, forming an expandable outer cover on the mandrel. The bladders are controllably expandable (50, 50B, 60) individually or in proper subsets of all the bladders to adjust pressure distribution and mandrel position within the layup after closing a blade shell mold over the layup. The bladders may be transversely partitioned (104) at multiple spanwise (S) positions along the mandrel in order to define additional sets of adjustable bladders along the span of the mandrel.

Abstract: A system and method for pressure based load measurement are provided. The system and method measure at least one pressure differential on an airfoil and determine at least one aerodynamic load associated with the at least one pressure differential. The determined at least one load is used to modify characteristics of the airfoil to increase efficiency and/or avoid damage. The determined at least one aerodynamic load may be further utilized to balance and/or optimize loads at the airfoil, estimate a load distribution along the airfoil used to derive other metrics about the airfoil, and/or used in a distributed control system to increase efficiency and/or reduce damage to, e.g., one or more wind turbines.

Abstract: A system and method for pressure based load measurement are provided. The system and method measure at least one pressure differential on an airfoil and determine at least one aerodynamic load associated with the at least one pressure differential. The determined at least one load is used to modify characteristics of the airfoil to increase efficiency and/or avoid damage. The determined at least one aerodynamic load may be further utilized to balance and/or optimize loads at the airfoil, estimate a load distribution along the airfoil used to derive other metrics about the airfoil, and/or used in a distributed control system to increase efficiency and/or reduce damage to, e.g., one or more wind turbines.

Abstract: A system and method for pressure based load measurement are provided. The system and method measure at least one pressure differential on an airfoil and determine at least one aerodynamic load associated with the at least one pressure differential. The determined at least one load is used to modify characteristics of the airfoil to increase efficiency and/or avoid damage. The determined at least one aerodynamic load may be further utilized to balance and/or optimize loads at the airfoil, estimate a load distribution along the airfoil used to derive other metrics about the airfoil, and/or used in a distributed control system to increase efficiency and/or reduce damage to, e.g., one or more wind turbines.

Abstract: An aerodynamic slat (30) mounted over a forward suction side (40) of a wind turbine blade (22) and a mechanism (51A-F) that closes or reduces a gap (31) between slat and blade. The slat may pivot to reduce the gap, or the gap may be reduced by a device such as an extendable gate (58), or butterfly plate (59), or damper plate (60). Control logic (64) activates an actuator (70) of the mechanism to close or reduce the gap when wind conditions meet or exceed a predetermined criterion such as a rated wind condition. This reduces wind loading on the blade by separating airflow (53) over the suction side of the blade downstream of the slat. The blades can then maintain a higher angle of attack during rated wind conditions than in the prior art, allowing them to stall in gusts sooner to limit peak aerodynamic loads.

Abstract: A reverse wind load mitigation device (30) is provided for a wind turbine blade (20). The device (30) comprises a hinge member (32) attachable to a trailing edge (26) of a wind turbine blade (20). The separated flow inducer (34) is associated with the hinge member (32) and is configured to pivot about or with the hinge member (32) toward at least one of the surfaces (40, 42) in response to wind (45) traveling from a direction of the trailing edge (28). The separated flow inducer (34) is effective to induce flow separation (50) over at least one of the surfaces (40, 42).

Abstract: An adjustable lift regulating device (30, 32, 40, 50, 52, 56, 60, 68, 72, 76) on an inboard portion of a wind turbine blade (28). The lift regulating device is activated to reduce lift on the inboard portion of the blade by causing flow separation (41) on the suction side (22) of the blade. To compensate for the lost lift, the blade pitch is increased to a running pitch that facilitates stalling on the outer portion of the blade in gusts. This provides passive reduction of fatigue and extreme loads from gusts while allowing full power production under non-gust conditions.

Abstract: An active sensing system for wind turbines is described. The sensing system may include a plurality of ports, a local sensing device and a load mitigation device and may be operably coupled to a control system. The plurality of ports, local sensing device, and load mitigation device may be operably coupled and configured to monitor air pressure on wind turbine blades, determine if proper sensing operation is occurring, and eradicate an obstruction if proper sensing operation is being prevented by the obstruction. Associated methods performing the sensing and eradication of the obstruction including purging and deicing are disclosed. Wind turbines and wind turbine blades with the active sensing system are also described.

Abstract: A system and method for pressure based load measurement are provided. The system and method measure at least one pressure differential on an airfoil and determine at least one aerodynamic load associated with the at least one pressure differential. The determined at least one load is used to modify characteristics of the airfoil to increase efficiency and/or avoid damage. The determined at least one aerodynamic load may be further utilized to balance and/or optimize loads at the airfoil, estimate a load distribution along the airfoil used to derive other metrics about the airfoil, and/or used in a distributed control system to increase efficiency and/or reduce damage to, e.g., one or more wind turbines.

Abstract: A system and method for pressure based load measurement are provided. The system and method measure at least one pressure differential on an airfoil and determine at least one aerodynamic load associated with the at least one pressure differential. The determined at least one load is used to modify characteristics of the airfoil to increase efficiency and/or avoid damage. The determined at least one aerodynamic load may be further utilized to balance and/or optimize loads at the airfoil, estimate a load distribution along the airfoil used to derive other metrics about the airfoil, and/or used in a distributed control system to increase efficiency and/or reduce damage to, e.g., one or more wind turbines.

Abstract: A system and method for pressure based load measurement are provided. The system and method measure at least one pressure differential on an airfoil and determine at least one aerodynamic load associated with the at least one pressure differential. The determined at least one load is used to modify characteristics of the airfoil to increase efficiency and/or avoid damage. The determined at least one aerodynamic load may be further utilized to balance and/or optimize loads at the airfoil, estimate a load distribution along the airfoil used to derive other metrics about the airfoil, and/or used in a distributed control system to increase efficiency and/or reduce damage to, e.g., one or more wind turbines.

Abstract: A load and noise mitigation system (40) for attachment to a wind turbine blade (20). The system (40) includes a flex member (42) for attachment adjacent the trailing edge (28) of the blade (20) and a noise reduction member (44) associated with the flex member (42). At least a portion of the flex member (42) is configured to deform and change in orientation from a first position (58) to a second activated position (60) in the presence of an air pressure force on at least a portion of the flex member (42).

Abstract: An apparatus and system for compensating for various load situations in a turbine includes the use of one or more deployable devices configured to extend an air deflector outwardly from a surface of a rotor blade. The air deflector may subsequently be retracted into the rotor blade once the load falls below a certain threshold. Mechanisms for extending and retracting the air deflector may include pneumatic, hydraulic and/or electromechanical devices. Air deflectors are generally configured to modify the air flow around the rotor blade to increase or decrease power generation, or reduce loads so that the risk of potential damage to components of the wind turbine is minimized. Deflectors may be positioned at various chordwise stations including leading-edge, mid-chord, and trailing-edge locations on the upper and lower surfaces at spanwise positions. Accordingly, a plurality of devices can be actuated to aerodynamically control rotor performance and loads based on wind conditions.

Abstract: A system and method for a pressure based load measurement system are provided. The system includes two pressure orifices arranged on a top surface and a bottom surface of an airfoil. The pressure differential between these two points is determined and an estimate of the aerodynamic load generated by the airfoil is determined from a linear correlation between pressure differential and load. The location of the orifices may be optimized using analytical or experimental techniques and a least squares empirical curve fit may be used to fit the data collected.

Abstract: An active sensing system for wind turbines is described. The sensing system may include a plurality of ports, a local sensing device and a load mitigation device and may be operably coupled to a control system. The plurality of ports, local sensing device, and load mitigation device may be operably coupled and configured to monitor air pressure on wind turbine blades, determine if proper sensing operation is occurring, and eradicate an obstruction if proper sensing operation is being prevented by the obstruction. Associated methods performing the sensing and eradication of the obstruction including purging and deicing are disclosed. Wind turbines and wind turbine blades with the active sensing system are also described.