A wind turbine blade de icing system based on shell distortion

摘要

A de-icing system for a wind turbine blade comprises a plurality of webs 90 located inside the blade, the webs being connected to the inner surface of the blade and dividing the interior of the blade into regions. Force is applied to the webs 90 by actuator(s) 124 such that the blade surface (shell) is deflected by an extent sufficient to weaken the adhesion of ice to the blade. The actuator may be an electric motor, rotary, piezoelectric, hydraulic or pneumatic. The webs may divide the blade into regions that can be independently controlled according to the propensity of ice to build up in those regions. Removal of ice by positively or negatively pressurising the interior of the blade so that the shell distorts is also disclosed.