Patent ID: 9335229
Filing Date: 2016-05-10
CPC Classification: F03D,F05B,G01L,G01P,Y02E

Claim Text:
1. A method for estimating a load distribution for a rotor blade, the method comprising: determining, by a controller, a plurality of pressure differentials along a length of the rotor blade, wherein each pressure differential is a difference in pressure between a first pressure location and a second pressure location at a radial position on the rotor blade; determining, by the controller, a plurality of aerodynamic loads, each aerodynamic load based on a corresponding pressure differential; determining, by the controller, a load distribution along the rotor blade, wherein the load distribution comprises each aerodynamic load at the radial position of the corresponding pressure differential; determining, by the controller, whether a first predetermined load condition is met based on the load distribution along the rotor blade; and modifying at least a first characteristic of the rotor blade in response to the determining the first predetermined load condition is not met.