Patent ID: 8047801
Filing Date: 2011-11-01
Classification: F03D,F05B,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A wind turbine blade, said blade comprising: a suction side surface and a pressure side surface; a plurality of vortex elements configured on at least one of said suction side or said pressure side surfaces; and, said vortex elements having an upwardly inclined wind face and a downwardly inclined slip face, said wind face and said slip face meeting at a generally open-ended U-shaped ridge that defines side horns, said side horns decreasing in height from a forward most portion of said ridge to said suction side surface or said pressure side surface, said side horns further having a cross-sectional profile that decreases in width from said forward most portion of said ridge to said suction side surface or said pressure side surface, said vortex elements have a semi-hemispherical crescent shape with a convex wind face and a concave slip face, said U-shaped ridge comprising a continuously curved arc shape.