초록

A multisection blade for a wind turbine includes a hub extender having a pitch bearing at one end, a skirt or fairing having a hole therethrough and configured to mount over the hub extender, and an outboard section configured to couple to the pitch bearing.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A multisection blade for a wind turbine comprising: a hub extender having a pitch bearing at one end, said hub extender being substantially frustoconical; a skirt or fairing having a hole therethrough and configured to mount over said hub extender; and an outboard section con

What is claimed is: 1. A multisection blade for a wind turbine comprising: a hub extender having a pitch bearing at one end, said hub extender being substantially frustoconical; a skirt or fairing having a hole therethrough and configured to mount over said hub extender; and an outboard section configured to couple to said pitch bearing. 2. A multisection blade in accordance with claim 1 wherein said skirt or fairing comprises about 30% of the length of the assembled blade. 3. A multisection blade in accordance with claim 1 wherein said outboard section is configured to provide an aeroelastic coupling, and said hub extender and said skirt or fairing is not. 4. A multisection blade in accordance with claim 3 wherein said aeroelastic coupling is provided with a forward or rearward sweep or combination thereof near tips of said outboard section. 5. A multisection blade in accordance with claim 3 wherein said aeroelastic coupling is provided by off-axis lay-up of laminate plies in said outboard section to achieve twist-bend coupling. 6. A multisection blade in accordance with claim 1 comprising carbon fiber, and said carbon fiber is limited to said outboard section of said blade. 7. A multisection blade in accordance with claim 1 wherein said skirt or fairing is configured to pitch with said outboard section. 8. A multisection blade in accordance with claim 1 wherein said skirt or fairing includes a hinged flap that, when open, forms a V-or T-shaped opening. 9. A multisection blade in accordance with claim 1 wherein said skirt or fairing comprises a plurality of spanwise slices. 10. A wind turbine having a rotor that comprises at least one multisection blade, said at least one multisection blade comprising: a hub extender having a pitch bearing at one end, said hub extender being substantially frustoconical; a skirt or fairing having a hole therethrough and configured to mount over said hub extender; and an outboard section configured to couple to said pitch bearing. 11. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 10 wherein said skirt or fairing comprises about 30% of the length of the assembled blade. 12. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 10 wherein said outboard section is configured to provide an aeroelastic coupling, and said hub extender and said skirt or fairing is not. 13. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 12 wherein said aeroelastic coupling is provided with a forward or rearward sweep or combination thereof near tips of said outboard section. 14. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 12 wherein said aeroelastic coupling is provided by off-axis lay-up of laminate plies in said outboard section to achieve twist-bend coupling. 15. A wind turbine in accordance with claim 10 wherein said skirt or fairing is configured to pitch with said outboard section. 16. A method for assembling a rotor of a wind turbine at a wind turbine site, said method comprising: shipping unassembled parts of a multisection rotor blade to the site, the unassembled parts including at least one hub extender having a substantially frustoconical shape, at least one outboard section, and at least one skirt or fairing that is separate from the outboard section; and assembling the multisection rotor blade at the site such that the outboard section and the skirt or fairing are rotatable together about a respective pitch axis of the rotor blade. 17. A method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising fabricating the skirt or fairing of the rotor blade at the site. 18. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein the skirt or fairing is manufactured as a plurality of spanwise slices. 19. A method in accordance with claim 16 wherein said assembling the multisection rotor blade at the site further comprises: fixedly attaching a first end of the hub extender having a pitch bearing at its other end to a hub of the rotor; mounting the skirt or fairing over the hub extender; and coupling the outboard section to the pitch bearing of the hub extender. 20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the skirt or fairing is mechanically coupled to the outboard section.