US 11,719,224 B2
Rotor blade of a wind turbine, having a splitter plate
Stefan Kneissl, Kempen (DE); and Jochen Stemberg, Aurich (DE)
Assigned to Wobben Properties GmbH, Aurich (DE)
Appl. No. 16/970,293
Filed by Wobben Properties GmbH, Aurich (DE)
PCT Filed Feb. 18, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/053932
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 14, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/158744, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 22, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2018 103 678.7 (DE), filed on Feb. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0079886 A1, Mar. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. F03D 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC F03D 1/0683 (2013.01) [F03D 1/0641 (2013.01); F05B 2240/21 (2013.01); F05B 2240/31 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotor blade of a wind turbine, the rotor blade comprising:
a leading edge and a blunt trailing edge;
a suction side and a pressure side between the leading edge and the blunt trailing edge, wherein the suction side generates a shear layer when air flows around during operation of the wind turbine,
wherein the leading edge, the blunt trailing edge, the suction side and the pressure side form a reference system in which the leading edge is arranged in front of the blunt trailing edge and the suction side is arranged above the pressure side, and wherein, in the reference system, a profile chord direction extends from the leading edge to the blunt trailing edge; and
a splitter plate arranged on the blunt trailing edge of the rotor blade, wherein the splitter plate comprises:
a root edge, wherein the root edge is arranged on the blunt trailing edge below a transition from the suction side into the blunt trailing edge;
an end edge, wherein the end edge forms a free edge; and
a plate-shaped body extending between the root edge and the end edge, wherein the plate-shaped body comprises at least one curved part between the root edge and the end edge, and at least one part of the plate-shaped body lies in the shear layer generated by the suction side.
 
23. A splitter plate for use on a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the splitter plate comprising:
a root edge, wherein the root edge is configured for arrangement on a trailing edge of the rotor blade;
an end edge, wherein the end edge forms a free edge; and
a plate-shaped body between the root edge and the end edge, wherein the plate-shaped body has at least one curved part between the root edge and the end edge, and at least one part of the plate-shaped body is suitable for lying located in a shear layer generated by a suction side of the rotor blade while the wind turbine is in operation,
wherein the splitter plate is configured to be secured to a blunt trailing edge of the rotor blade of the wind turbine.
 
24. A method for optimizing a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the method comprising:
determining a flow pattern of the rotor blade, wherein the determination comprises a determination of a location of a shear layer that is generated by a suction side of the rotor blade while the wind turbine is in operation; and
determining a distance of a root edge of a splitter plate from a profile chord of the rotor blade, and a curvature of the splitter plate, such that at least one part of the splitter plate lies in the shear layer; and
securing the splitter plate to a blunt trailing edge of the rotor blade, wherein the splitter plate comprises:
the root edge, wherein the root edge is arranged on the trailing edge of the rotor blade below a transition from the suction side into the trailing edge;
an end edge, wherein the end edge forms a free edge; and
a plate-shaped body extending between the root edge and the end edge, wherein the plate-shaped body comprises the curvature.