Abstract: An optical device including an aerogel located in an encapsulating structure, an optically non isotropic material presenting a refractive index which can be changed upon submitting said material to an electrical field, preferentially a liquid crystal mixture, embedded in the aerogel, and first and second electrodes arranged to generate an electric field in the encapsulating structure.

Abstract: A modular rotor blade hub for a wind turbine rotor includes a plurality of segments, wherein at least one segment includes at least one face abutting against at least one face of at least one adjacent segment, and wherein at least one of said faces extends from an outer periphery of the hub to a central region of the hub. Further, methods for mounting a wind turbine including a modular hub are provided.

Abstract: A wind turbine is provided including a nacelle housing a power train of the wind turbine. The power train of the wind turbine includes a gearbox, a generator, and one or more rotatable shafts, each including a radial direction and an axial direction. Further, the wind turbine includes a vibration absorbing device being arranged on a shaft of the power train. The vibration absorbing device includes an energy storing arrangement, which includes a flexible element and a mass assembly. The vibration absorbing device is connected to the shaft in an axially symmetric way.

Abstract: A rotor blade assembly and a method for reducing the noise of a rotor blade for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade has surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root. The rotor blade assembly further includes a noise reducer configured on a surface of the rotor blade, the noise reducer including a plurality of noise reduction features. Each of the plurality of noise reduction features includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface includes a first portion mounted to one of the pressure side or the suction side and a second portion configured to interact with wind flowing past the other of the pressure side or the suction side. The second surface interrupts an aerodynamic contour of the one of the pressure side or the suction side.

Abstract: A method of controlling at least one wind turbine, comprising selecting a first effective operational curve from a plurality of operational curves, and applying the first effective operational curve to control at least one wind turbine. The operational curves may be operational curve segments.

Abstract: A method of controlling at least one wind turbine, comprising selecting a first effective operational curve from a plurality of operational curves, and applying the first effective operational curve to control at least one wind turbine. The operational curves may be operational curve segments.

Abstract: A rotor blade assembly and a method for reducing the noise of a rotor blade for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade has surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root. The rotor blade assembly further includes a noise reducer configured on a surface of the rotor blade, the noise reducer including a plurality of noise reduction features. Each of the plurality of noise reduction features includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface includes a first portion mounted to one of the pressure side or the suction side and a second portion configured to interact with wind flowing past the other of the pressure side or the suction side. The second surface interrupts an aerodynamic contour of the one of the pressure side or the suction side.

Abstract: A lift device for a rotor blade and a method for increasing the lift of a rotor blade for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade has exterior surfaces defining a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The lift device includes a first aerodynamic surface configured for mounting to the pressure side of the rotor blade, and a second opposing aerodynamic surface configured to interact with wind flowing past the lift device. The lift device has a generally increasing cross-sectional area in a flow direction of the wind. The lift device is configured to increase the lift of the rotor blade.

Abstract: A lift device for a rotor blade and a method for increasing the lift of a rotor blade for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade has exterior surfaces defining a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The lift device includes a first aerodynamic surface configured for mounting to the pressure side of the rotor blade, and a second opposing aerodynamic surface configured to interact with wind flowing past the lift device. The lift device has a generally increasing cross-sectional area in a flow direction of the wind. The lift device is configured to increase the lift of the rotor blade.

Abstract: An entity of the smart card type has an application layer linked to a communication protocol layer. A time manager containing a timer interfaces with the protocol layer. The time manager substantially periodically constructs waiting time extension requests transmitted to a terminal through the protocol layer as long as data are being processed in the application layer. The application layer is thus freed from any time constraint.

Abstract: A modular rotor blade hub for a wind turbine rotor includes a plurality of segments, wherein at least one segment includes at least one face abutting against at least one face of at least one adjacent segment, and wherein at least one of said faces extends from an outer periphery of the hub to a central region of the hub. Further, methods for mounting a wind turbine including a modular hub are provided.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine is provided, the rotor blade comprising an acoustically porous surface layer at least partially covering at least one surface of the rotor blade, at least one reactive acoustic element located below said acoustically porous surface layer, and a resistive acoustic layer located between said acoustically porous surface layer and said at least one reactive acoustic element.

Abstract: A wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a tower including a yaw interface, a bladed rotor including at least one blade rotatable in response to wind impinging upon the at least one blade, and a beam structure configured to support the bladed rotor. The beam structure includes at least two beam members. Each of the at least two beam members is coupled to the yaw interface by at least one joint element, so that the bladed rotor is rotatable about a yaw axis of the wind turbine. At least two of the joint elements are spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the tower. Further, another wind turbine including a yaw interface and a method for controlling a yaw angle of a wind turbine are also provided.

Abstract: A rotor blade 1 includes a main blade section 10, and an extension flap 20. The extension flap 20 is moveable relative to the main blade section 10. At least the main blade section 10 and the extension flap 20 form an airfoil lifting surface of the blade. A dimension of the airfoil lifting surface is variable by moving the extension flap 20 relative to the main blade section 10.

Abstract: A suspension system for suspending an apparatus is disclosed. The suspension system includes at least one suspension element mountable between the apparatus and a support. The at least one suspension element includes a laminate material having at least one metal layer and at least one elastomer layer laminated thereon.

Abstract: A damping element for a wind turbine rotor blade is provided, the damping element comprising a laminate material made of at least one viscoelastic layer and at least one stiff layer adhered to said viscoelastic layer, wherein the damping element is adapted to be attached to a body of the rotor blade so that the at least one viscoelastic layer is in contact with the body of the rotor blade.

Abstract: A blade for a wind turbine includes a chord plane having one spanwise portion with a first curvature and another spanwise portion with a second curvature that is different from the first curvature.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes a surface having a plurality of aerodynamics feature elements formed therein. The elements for influencing an airflow at the surface during operation of the wind turbine and arrayed in a two dimensional pattern.

Abstract: A gear integrated generator for a wind turbine having a tower, a nacelle, and a hub is described. The gear integrated generator includes: a stator supporting frame having a stator supporting portion, a radially extending portion and a rotor frame supporting portion, wherein the stator supporting frame is stationarily mountable within the nacelle. A rotor frame is rotatably supported on the rotor frame supporting portion of the stator supporting frame. The rotor frame is connected to the hub and a gear, that is driven by the rotor frame. The gear includes a ring gear stationarily mounted to the stator support frame, a carrier gear assembly, and a ring-shaped sun gear. The gear integrated generator further includes: a rotor generator ring support frame rotatably supported and radially positioned outward of the rotor frame supporting portion of the stator supporting frame.

Abstract: The rotor blade for a wind energy turbine comprising a longitudinal shell defining a root to be connected to a hub of a rotor, a tip, a forward edge and a rearward edge, the shell having a spar including two spar caps connected via at least one shear web arranged between the forward and rearward edges of the shell and extending in the longitudinal direction of the shell, and a structural damping system arranged within the shell and having a pendulum including a dumped sandwich beam and a mass element located at one end of the beam. The beam comprises a sandwich structure including at least three layers comprising at least one damping middle layer arranged between and connected to outer layers of an elastic material. The sandwich beam is connected to the at least one shear web in a cantilevered manner such that the mass element is proximal to the tip of the shell and the beam can be oscillated in a direction towards and away from the forward and rearward edges of the shell.