Wind turbine comprising an active flow control device on the rotor blade

• Main Authors: WILLEY, LAWRENCE D, HAANS, WOUTER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 17.08.2016
• Subjects: BLASTING; HEATING; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER; WEAPONS; WIND MOTORS; WIND, SPRING WEIGHT AND MISCELLANEOUS MOTORS

A wind turbine (100) is provided. The wind turbine includes a plurality of rotor blades (112), an active flow control device operatively coupled to a respective rotor blade of the plurality of rotor blades, and a control system (200) communicatively coupled to the active flow control device and configured to optimize energy production in the wind turbine based on a generator speed, a rotor blade pitch setting and an active flow control device setting. The control system includes a processor (202) that is programmed to pitch the plurality of rotor blades towards a full operational position (262), and utilize an active flow control device in accordance with a generator speed and a rotor blade pitch setting to facilitate maintaining a predetermined generator rated power level (536).