http://www.technologynewsdaily.com/node/5243Knight & Carver’s Wind Blade Division has completed the first in a series of 27.5-meter wind blades as part of a U.S. Department of Energy project that ranks among the industry’s most innovative advances in wind energy production.
With the name “STAR” – which stands for “Sweep Twist Adaptive Rotor” – the blade is the first of its kind ever built. Its most distinctive characteristic is a gently curved tip, which unlike the vast majority of blades in current use, is specially designed for low-wind-speed regions.
Sized overall at 27.5 meters (approx. 90’2”) x 2.4 meters (approx. 7’8”), the blade takes maximum advantage of all wind speeds, including marginal speeds. Instead of the traditional linear shape, the blade features a curvature toward the trailing edge, designed to relieve pressure on the blade and turbine drive train.
“Depending on the wind farm’s site, this blade will capture between 5 and 10 percent more energy,” said Gary Kanaby, Knight & Carver’s Blade Division Manager.
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