US 11,939,949 B2
Wind turbine blade
Jermaine Mortimer, Ventnor (GB)
Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus N. (DK)
Appl. No. 18/044,448
Filed by Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Aarhus (DK)
PCT Filed Sep. 7, 2021, PCT No. PCT/DK2021/050277
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 8, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/053117, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 17, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. PA2020 70584 (DK), filed on Sep. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0323856 A1, Oct. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. F03D 1/06 (2006.01); F03D 13/35 (2016.01); F03D 80/30 (2016.01); F03D 80/40 (2016.01)
CPC F03D 1/0675 (2013.01) [F03D 13/35 (2016.05); F03D 80/30 (2016.05); F03D 80/40 (2016.05); F05B 2230/50 (2013.01); F05B 2260/96 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of increasing a weight of at least one of a plurality of wind turbine blades configured to form a rotor of a wind turbine for balancing the rotor, the at least one wind turbine blade comprising a blade shell that extends in a spanwise direction from a root end of the wind turbine blade to a tip end of the wind turbine blade, the blade shell defining an internal blade volume within which a ballast tank is located, the method comprising:
applying an RF position-identification means to the ballast tank or to the at least one wind turbine blade at a position corresponding to the position of the ballast tank within the at least one wind turbine blade;
identifying the location of the ballast tank within the internal blade volume by:
generating, via the RF position-identification means, an RF position signal; and
detecting, at an RF detection means external to the at least one wind turbine blade, the RF position signal; and
determining the ballast tank position based on detection of the RF position signal;
drilling, forming and/or machining an opening into the blade shell at a location dependent on the identified location of the ballast tank; and
introducing a ballast material through the opening into the ballast tank.