The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 10, 2012
Filed:
Nov. 05, 2009
Wouter Haans, Den Haag, NL;
Jacob Johannes Nies, Zwolle, NL;
Wouter Haans, Den Haag, NL;
Jacob Johannes Nies, Zwolle, NL;
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A method of operating a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine has at least one rotor blade and an active flow control (AFC) system. The at least one rotor blade has at least one aperture defined through a surface thereof, and the AFC system is configured to modify aerodynamic properties of the at least one rotor blade by ejecting gas through the at least one aperture. The method includes operating the wind turbine in a first mode, determining an environmental condition surrounding the wind turbine indicative of fouling of the AFC system, and operating the wind turbine in a second mode different than the first mode based on the environmental condition. The second mode facilitates reducing fouling of the AFC system.