Patent ID: 8712703
Filing Date: 2014-04-29
Classification: F03D,F05B,G01M,G01P,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A turbulence sensor for a wind turbine component having a cavity, the turbulence sensor comprising: a sensor membrane comprising a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first surface being disposed in an external environment and the second surface being disposed in the cavity, the sensor membrane configured to detect turbulence of airflow moving across the first surface, wherein the sensor membrane is integral to a surface of the wind turbine component, and the sensor membrane covers at least part of the cavity; a light source located in the cavity and configured to illuminate the second surface of the sensor membrane with a light; and a light detector located in the cavity and configured to detect the light reflected from the second surface of the sensor membrane, and the light detector is configured to provide an output to a processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine from the output of the light detector a turbulence value for the airflow.