Abstract: An airflow generation device having a first dielectric substrate made from a rubber elastic material, a first electrode on or near by a first surface of the first dielectric substrate, a second electrode on a second surface, and a second dielectric substrate made from a rubber elastic material covering the second electrode. It makes the airflows generated by plasma caused from partial gas near by the first surface through applied voltage into the first electrode and the second electrode, and bonding portions between the first electrode and the second electrode and the first dielectric substrate, bonding portions between the second electrode and the second dielectric substrate, and bonding portions between the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate are bonded by chemical bonds with chemically crosslinking.

Abstract: An airflow generation device having a first dielectric substrate made from a rubber elastic material, a first electrode on or near by a first surface of the first dielectric substrate, a second electrode on a second surface, and a second dielectric substrate made from a rubber elastic material covering the second electrode. It makes the airflows generated by plasma caused from partial gas near by the first surface through applied voltage into the first electrode and the second electrode, and bonding portions between the first electrode and the second electrode and the first dielectric substrate, bonding portions between the second electrode and the second dielectric substrate, and bonding portions between the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate are bonded by chemical bonds with chemically crosslinking.

Abstract: A creeping discharge element drive device of an embodiment includes a switching element, a current detector, a zero-cross detection circuit, a storage, and a controller. The current detector detects alternating currents flowing through the switching element. The zero-cross point detection circuit detects a zero-cross point of the alternating currents. The storage stores a first threshold value of a resonant period. The controller drives the switching element to apply a test voltage to the creeping discharge element, determines a resonant period of the alternating currents from the detected zero-cross points of the alternating currents, and restricts or stops the driving of the switching element in response to the resonant period exceeding the first threshold value.

Abstract: An airflow generator power supply of an embodiment supplies alternating-current voltage to a plurality of airflow generators on a blade of a wind turbine generator. The power supply has a frequency converter, a plurality of transformers, and a switch. The frequency converter generates alternating-current voltage. Each transformer amplifies the alternating-current voltage and applies the amplified voltage to the corresponding airflow generator. The switch outputs the alternating-current voltage from the frequency converter to one selected from the transformers.

Abstract: A creeping discharge element drive device of an embodiment includes a switching element, a current detector, a zero-cross detection circuit, a storage, and a controller. The current detector detects alternating currents flowing through the switching element. The zero-cross point detection circuit detects a zero-cross point of the alternating currents. The storage stores a first threshold value of a resonant period. The controller drives the switching element to apply a test voltage to the creeping discharge element, determines a resonant period of the alternating currents from the detected zero-cross points of the alternating currents, and restricts or stops the driving of the switching element in response to the resonant period exceeding the first threshold value.

Abstract: There is provided an airflow generation device and the like capable of suppressing an increase in a number of poles of a slip ring, and effectively preventing a malfunction from occurring due to a generation of noise caused by the slip ring. An airflow generation device of an embodiment has a main body, a rotation speed detecting unit, and a voltage application unit. The main body has a first electrode and a second electrode provided to a base formed of a dielectric, and is disposed on a rotary body. The rotation speed detecting unit detects a rotation speed of the rotary body. The voltage application unit generates an airflow by applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode based on the rotation speed detected in the rotation speed detecting unit. Here, the voltage application unit and the rotation speed detecting unit are disposed in the rotary body.

Abstract: A vortex generating apparatus includes: a member to contact with a flow of a fluid to form a stagnation point and a first and a second separation points on a periphery of a cross section of the member parallel to the flow; a disturbance applying unit to apply a disturbance to an upstream side of the first separation point to cause part of a boundary layer of the flow to adhere; and a controller to temporally control the application of the disturbance to change an adhesion distance from the stagnation point to the first separation point so as to generate a dynamic stall vortex.

Abstract: A wind power generation system according to an embodiment includes a blade; a lightning protection device; an electric device; a voltage application mechanism; a first lightning arrester element; and a second lightning arrester element. The lightning protection device includes a receptor provided at the blade and guides a current of lightning to the ground from the receptor via a lightning conductor. The electric device is installed at the blade and includes a first electric conductor and a second electric conductor provided apart from each other. The voltage application mechanism applies a voltage between the first electric conductor and the second electric conductor. The first lightning arrester element has one end thereof electrically connected to the first electric conductor and has the other end thereof grounded. The second lightning arrester element has one end thereof electrically connected to the second electric conductor and has the other end thereof grounded.

Abstract: An airflow generation device disposed on a moving body such as a windmill blade in which a conduction state of an electrode can be sufficiently secured, and the like are provided. An airflow generation device of an embodiment includes a base, a first electrode, and a second electrode, and generates an airflow when a voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode. The base is formed of a dielectric having a flexibility. The first electrode is provided on a front surface side of the base. The second electrode is provided inside the base. Here, the first electrode includes a metal electrode part and an elastomeric electrode part. The metal electrode part is formed of a metal material. The elastomeric electrode part is formed by using an elastomeric material, and has a conductivity. Further, the elastomeric electrode part includes a portion covering the metal electrode part.

Abstract: A wind power generation system has a windmill, a lift improvement device, a power generator, a storage, and a controller. The windmill rotates when receiving an airflow. The lift improvement device has a capability of operating and halting, the lift improvement device increases a lift force to a blade of the windmill when operating. The power generator generates power by rotation of the windmill and a torque is generated in a direction suppressing rotation of the windmill. The storage stores a plurality of characteristic maps indicating characteristics of the torques of the power generator in relation to rotation speeds of the power generator. The controller controls a power generation amount of the power generator by switching and using the plurality of characteristic maps of the storage in correspondence with a state of operating or halting of the lift improvement device.

Abstract: An airflow generation device of an embodiment has a main body and a voltage application unit. The main body has a base formed of an insulating material and provided with a first electrode and a second electrode. The voltage application unit generates an airflow by applying voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode. Here, the main body is formed to include a portion which gradually decreases in thickness from a center portion to an end portion.

Abstract: A voltage application device of an embodiment applies a voltage between a first and second electrode disposed separately from each other in an airflow generation device, which is disposed on a rotation blade of a rotation apparatus, in which a rotation shaft of the rotation blade is held rotatably by a holding part. In the voltage application device of the embodiment, a voltage output unit outputs a voltage. Then, a sliding type transmission unit having electrodes disposed respectively on the rotation blade side and the holding part side of the rotation shaft transmits a voltage outputted from the voltage output unit from the holding part side to the rotation blade side. Then, a transformation unit disposed on the rotation blade side increases the voltage transmitted by the sliding type transmission unit and outputs the voltage to the airflow generation device.

Abstract: An airflow generator power supply of an embodiment supplies alternating-current voltage to a plurality of airflow generators on a blade of a wind turbine generator. The power supply has a frequency converter, a plurality of transformers, and a switch. The frequency converter generates alternating-current voltage. Each transformer amplifies the alternating-current voltage and applies the amplified voltage to the corresponding airflow generator. The switch outputs the alternating-current voltage from the frequency converter to one selected from the transformers.

Abstract: A wind power generation system according to an embodiment includes a blade; a lightning protection device; an electric device; a voltage application mechanism; a first lightning arrester element; and a second lightning arrester element. The lightning protection device includes a receptor provided at the blade and guides a current of lightning to the ground from the receptor via a lightning conductor. The electric device is installed at the blade and includes a first electric conductor and a second electric conductor provided apart from each other. The voltage application mechanism applies a voltage between the first electric conductor and the second electric conductor. The first lightning arrester element has one end thereof electrically connected to the first electric conductor and has the other end thereof grounded. The second lightning arrester element has one end thereof electrically connected to the second electric conductor and has the other end thereof grounded.

Abstract: An airflow generation device of an embodiment includes a dielectric base, a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a power supply. The dielectric base has a main surface. The first electrode is disposed on the main surface. The second electrode is disposed in the dielectric base with an interval from the first electrode in a first direction along the main surface. At least a part of the third electrode is disposed at a position in the dielectric base, between the first electrode and the second electrode in the first direction, and deeper than the second electrode. The power supply applies voltages for causing discharge to the first, second, and third electrodes.

Abstract: A wind farm of an embodiment includes a wind turbine and an airflow generation device, the wind turbine being installed in plurality in a predetermined installation region. The wind turbines each have a blade attached to a rotor. The airflow generation device includes a first electrode and a second electrode which are provided on a substrate formed of an insulating material. Here, the plural wind turbines include: a first wind turbine located on an upstream side and a second wind turbine located on a more downstream side than the first wind turbine, in a wind direction with a higher yearly frequency than a predetermined value, out of wind directions of wind blowing in the installation region. The airflow generation device is installed on the blade provided in the first wind turbine out of the plural wind turbines.

Abstract: There is provided an airflow generation device and the like capable of suppressing an increase in a number of poles of a slip ring, and effectively preventing a malfunction from occurring due to a generation of noise caused by the slip ring. An airflow generation device of an embodiment has a main body, a rotation speed detecting unit, and a voltage application unit. The main body has a first electrode and a second electrode provided to a base formed of a dielectric, and is disposed on a rotary body. The rotation speed detecting unit detects a rotation speed of the rotary body. The voltage application unit generates an airflow by applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode based on the rotation speed detected in the rotation speed detecting unit. Here, the voltage application unit and the rotation speed detecting unit are disposed in the rotary body.

Abstract: An airflow generation device disposed on a moving body such as a windmill blade in which a conduction state of an electrode can be sufficiently secured, and the like are provided. An airflow generation device of an embodiment includes a base, a first electrode, and a second electrode, and generates an airflow when a voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode. The base is formed of a dielectric having a flexibility. The first electrode is provided on a front surface side of the base. The second electrode is provided inside the base. Here, the first electrode includes a metal electrode part and an elastomeric electrode part. The metal electrode part is formed of a metal material. The elastomeric electrode part is formed by using an elastomeric material, and has a conductivity. Further, the elastomeric electrode part includes a portion covering the metal electrode part.

Abstract: An airflow control device 10 in an embodiment includes: a vortex shedding structure portion 20 discharging an airflow flowing on a surface in a flow direction as a vortex flow; and a first electrode 40 and a second electrode 41 disposed on a downstream side of the vortex shedding structure portion 20 via a dielectric. By applying a voltage between the first electrode 40 and the second electrode 41, flow of the airflow on the downstream side of the vortex shedding structure portion 20 is controlled.

Abstract: A wind power generation system has a windmill, a lift improvement device, a power generator, a storage, and a controller. The windmill rotates when receiving an airflow. The lift improvement device has a capability of operating and halting, the lift improvement device increases a lift force to a blade of the windmill when operating. The power generator generates power by rotation of the windmill and a torque is generated in a direction suppressing rotation of the windmill. The storage stores a plurality of characteristic maps indicating characteristics of the torques of the power generator in relation to rotation speeds of the power generator. The controller controls a power generation amount of the power generator by switching and using the plurality of characteristic maps of the storage in correspondence with a state of operating or halting of the lift improvement device.