WO 2018/100401
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`PCT/GB2017/053653
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`Claims
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`41
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`A wind turbine blade comprising a flexible external skin and an internal support
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`structure, together defining an aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade,
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`wherein at least a portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to
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`thereby vary said aerodynamic profile.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 1, wherein said at least a portion of
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`the internal support structure is adjustable to thereby vary the aerodynamic
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`profile of the wind turbine blade in cross-section through the wind turbine blade
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`perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the wind turbine blade.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least a
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`portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to vary the aerodynamic
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`profile of the wind turbine blade along at least 10% of the length of the wind
`turbine blade.
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`The wind turbine blade according to any one preceding claim, wherein the
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`flexible external skin comprises a suction surface and a pressure surface both
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`extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the wind turbine blade,
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`the suction surface and the pressure surface each forming part of
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`the
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`aerodynamic profile of the wind turbine blade.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 4, wherein the at least a portion of
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`the internal support structure is adjustable to vary an angle between a tangent
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`to the suction surface and a tangent to the pressure surface.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the at least a
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`portion of the internal support structure is adjustable to vary an orientation of
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`the trailing edge with respect to the leading edge.
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`The wind turbine blade according to any one preceding claim, wherein the
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`internal support structure comprises a longitudinal structural support member
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`extending along at least a majority of the length of the wind turbine blade and at
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`least one articulated transverse structural support member extending in a
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`direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the longitudinal
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`structural support member, at
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`least a portion of the articulated transverse
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`structural support member being movable to thereby vary the aerodynamic
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`profile of the wind turbine blade.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 7, wherein the internal support
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`structure comprises a plurality of transverse structural support members, each
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`extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the longitudinal
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`structural
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`support member,
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`the plurality of
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`transverse structural
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`support
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`WO 2018/100401
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`PCT/GB2017/053653
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`42
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`members including said at least one articulated transverse structural support
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`member.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the internal
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`support structure comprises a plurality of articulated transverse structural
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`support members, at
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`least a portion of each said articulated transverse
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`structural support member being movable to thereby vary the aerodynamic
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`profile of the wind turbine blade.
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`The wind turbine blade according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the or
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`each articulated transverse structural support member comprises a fixed
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`portion and a movable portion, the fixed portion being fixedly attached to or
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`integral with the longitudinal structural support member, and the movable
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`portion being coupled to the fixed portion such that the movable portion is
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`movable relative to the fixed portion.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 10, wherein the movable portion is
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`rotatably coupled to the fixed portion such that the movable portion is rotatable
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`relative to the fixed portion.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 11, wherein the movable portion is
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`rotatable through a total angular range of at least 5°.
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`The wind turbine blade according to any one preceding claim comprising a
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`distal region which is adjustable to vary the aerodynamic profile of the wind
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`turbine blade and a proximal region which is not adjustable, each of the distal
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`and proximal regions extending along at least 10% of the length of the wind
`turbine blade.
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`The wind turbine blade according to any one preceding claim further comprising
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`a controller operable to control adjustment of the at least a portion of the
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`internal support structure which is adjustable to vary the aerodynamic profile of
`the wind turbine blade.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 14 dependent on any one of claims 7
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`to 12, wherein the controller is coupled to one or more individually controllable
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`articulated transverse structural support members.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 14 or claim 15 further comprising one
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`or more sensors, wherein the controller is operable to determine one or more
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`adjustments of the internal support structure taking into account one or more
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`sensor outputs from the one or more sensors.
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`The wind turbine blade according to any one preceding claim, wherein the
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`flexible external skin comprises tensioned fabric.
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`.‘9
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`10.
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`11.
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`12.
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`13.
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`14.
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`15.
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`16.
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`17.
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`WO 2018/100401
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`PCT/GB2017/053653
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`43
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`20.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 17, wherein the tensioned fabric is
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`supported along a majority of the length of the wind turbine blade by two or
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`more elongate fabric supporting members.
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`The wind turbine blade according to claim 18, wherein at least one ofthe two or
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`more elongate fabric supporting members is slidably attached to the internal
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`support structure such that said at least one of the two or more elongate fabric
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`supporting members is slidable along at least a portion ofthe length of the wind
`turbine blade.
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`A wind turbine comprising at least one wind turbine blade according to any one
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`preceding claim.
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