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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Wind turbine

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6665571

A wind turbine of the type having an airfoil blade mounted on a flexible beam and a pitch governor which selectively, torsionally twists the flexible beam in response to wind turbine speed thereby setting blade pitch, is provided with a limiter which restricts unwanted pitch change at operating speeds due to torsional creep of the flexible beam. The limiter allows twisting of the beam by the governor under excessive wind velocity conditions to orient the blades in stall pitch positions, thereby preventing overspeed operation of the turbine. In the preferred embodiment, the pitch governor comprises a pendulum which responds to changing rotor speed by pivotal movement, the limiter comprising a resilient member which engages an end of the pendulum to restrict further movement thereof, and in turn restrict beam creep and unwanted blade pitch misadjustment.

Assignee:
United Technologies Corp
Patent Number(s):
US 4352629
OSTI ID:
6665571
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English