Rubber used as trailing edge on wind turbine

ERJ staff report (DS)

Copenhagen -- The Danish sustainable energy laboratory has successfully tested a trailing edge flap made from rubber in a wind turbine application. The test was carried out in a wind tunnel on a 2m segment of a wind turbine blade.

These blade, which can be 60m in length, flex considerably under load, and so the aerodynamic elements need to be flexible in order to provide a long life.

In wind farms, surrounding wind turbines also exert considerable influence and generate turbulence, which has a more localised effect.

“It is these local influences which we hope our design will help mitigate. However, in addition to our rubber trailing edge, it also calls for effective sensors and control systems which can tell the system to regulate the flaps according to the local wind conditions along the blade. Right now we are looking at different types of sensors and a trailing edge made of plastic instead of rubber,” explains Research Specialist Helge Aagaard Madsen.

In December 2009, the rubber trailing edge was tested in the open jet wind tunnel at the company Velux in Denmark. The test marked the end of a development process which was initiated in 2006. It started with a GAP funding project which ran from 2007 to 2008 and confirmed the operating principle. This was followed by the current project in 2009, supported by Region Zealand, where the rubber trailing edge was tested in the wind tunnel.

This is an external link and should open in a new window. If the window does not appear, please check your pop-up blocking software. ERJ is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Press release from Danish Institute