Wind turbine control surface hinge

Abstract

A wind turbine rotor blade has a plurality of trailing edge flaps, the upper surfaces of which are formed as a continuation of the blade skin. The flap deflects about a hinge line in the skin. The hinge line has a plurality of spaced apart slots to prevent the hinge from popping up as the blade deflects in a flapwise direction. The slots are filled with a soft deformable material and the skin around the slots is reinforced during the manufacturing process.

1 . A wind turbine rotor blade comprising at least one movable control surface, the upper surface of the blade defining a hinge along a hinge line, about which the control surface is movable, wherein the blade surface is provided with one or more slots along the hinge line. 
     
     
         2 . The wind turbine rotor blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the movable control surface is a flap. 
     
     
         3 . The wind turbine rotor blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more slots are filled with a soft deformable material. 
     
     
         4 . The wind turbine rotor blade according to  claim 3 , wherein the soft deformable material is a silicone rubber. 
     
     
         5 . The wind turbine rotor blade according to  claim 3 , wherein the deformable material comprises pre-moulded plugs. 
     
     
         6 . The wind turbine rotor blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the blade has one or more areas of strengthening around the one or more slots. 
     
     
         7 . The wind turbine rotor blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the blade comprises a skin which extends across the hinge line. 
     
     
         8 . The wind turbine rotor blade according to  claim 1 , comprising a mechanical hinge arranged under the control surface hinge. 
     
     
         9 . The wind turbine rotor blade according to  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of slots substantially evenly spaced along the hinge line. 
     
     
         10 . The wind turbine rotor blade according to  claim 2 , wherein the flap is a trailing edge flap. 
     
     
         11 . The wind turbine rotor blade according to  claim 1 , wherein the hinge line is curved. 
     
     
         12 . A wind turbine having a rotor comprising two or more rotor blades, each rotor blade comprising at least one movable control surface, the upper surface of the blade defining a hinge along a hinge line, about which the control surface is movable, wherein the blade surface is provided with one or more slots along the hinge line.