A morphing trailing edge flap system for wind turbine blades

The development of a morphing trailing edge system for wind turbines, also called a flap system, is presented. The functionality is simple as the flap deflection is controlled by pressurized air or a fluid in a number of voids in the flap made of an elastic material. It is thus a robust system as no mechanical or metal parts are used. The prototypes tested in the laboratory and on a blade section in a wind tunnel in the period from 2007-2010 demonstrated the functionality and the aerodynamic performance of the flap concept. In a recent research and development project INDUFLAP from 2011-2014 the flap system has been further developed in corporation with the industrial partners Hydratech Industries (DK) and Rehau (DE). A new trailing edge flap design with spanwise voids (channels) and with a chord of 15cm suitable for a 1m chord blade section was developed. It was then manufactured by extrusion and glued together with a load carrying part with a connector part that allows an easy attachment on the blade section. After tests in the laboratory the flap was mounted on a 2m long blade section mounted on a newly developed test rig. A 10m long boom with the blade section was installed on a 100kW turbine hub where the original blades were taken down. It means that the flap system was tested under realistic rotating conditions with real atmospheric turbulent inflow and with a g loading up to 10g which represents the conditions on the outer part of a MW turbine blade. The measured performance of the flap system shows that 3 deg. flap deflection gives the same lift change as 1 deg. pitch of the whole blade section.