# How Wind Turbine Blades Reduce Noise with Small Fins > This patent describes how small, flat fins attached to the tips of wind turbine blades can reduce noise and improve efficiency by managing swirling air, called vortices. - **Patent:** US 7927078 - **Original title:** Wind turbine blade tip vortex breakers - **Owner:** General Electric - **Granted:** 2011 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 17 - **Field:** energy, mechanical, aerospace, renewable_energy ## What it does This patent describes a wind turbine blade designed to reduce noise and improve efficiency by managing swirling air at its tip. It uses several "substantially flat flaps" (Claim 1) that stick out "substantially perpendicular" from the blade's "suction surface" (Claim 1) near its end. These flaps are placed along "different chord lines" (Claim 1) and are specifically shaped so their "trailing edge" is taller than their "leading edge" (Claim 1). Their job is to "capture and direct tip vortices toward a trailing edge of the blade" (Claim 1), which means they grab the swirling air and guide it away, making the blade quieter and more effective. For example, a wind turbine blade might have three such fins, each about a quarter of the length of the blade's width at that point, helping to smooth out the airflow. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover flaps that are not "substantially flat" (Claim 1), such as curved or complex shapes. - Does not cover flaps that are not positioned "substantially perpendicular" (Claim 1) to the blade's suction surface. - Does not cover flaps where the "trailing edge" is not taller than the "leading edge" (Claim 1). - Does not cover flaps with a length outside the range of 0.2 to 0.6 times the chord line length (Claim 1). - Does not cover systems that manage vortices using methods other than these specific flaps (Claim 1). ## The clever bit The clever part is using simple, "substantially flat flaps" (Claim 1) with a specific height difference from front to back to actively manage the powerful swirling air (tip vortices) at the blade's edge. Instead of just letting the vortices form and create noise, these flaps capture and redirect them, turning a problem into a controlled flow. ## Real-world examples 1. Modern utility-scale wind turbines 2. Wind turbine blade designs focused on noise reduction 3. Aerodynamic add-ons for existing wind turbine blades ## Why it matters Wind turbines are a key part of renewable energy, but the noise they make can be a significant issue for nearby communities. This patent addresses that problem by offering a way to reduce the distinct "whooshing" sound caused by air swirling off the blade tips. By making turbines quieter, it helps them be more widely accepted and allows for more flexible placement, contributing to the growth of clean energy infrastructure. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Wind Turbine Blades Reduce Noise with Small Fins cover? This patent describes how small, flat fins attached to the tips of wind turbine blades can reduce noise and improve efficiency by managing swirling air, called vortices. ### Who owns patent US 7927078? General Electric owns this patent, granted in 2011. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on July 12, 2027, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 7927078 cited by? This patent has been cited by 17 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? Wind turbines are a key part of renewable energy, but the noise they make can be a significant issue for nearby communities. This patent addresses that problem by offering a way to reduce the distinct "whooshing" sound caused by air swirling off the blade tips. By making turbines quieter, it helps them be more widely accepted and allows for more flexible placement, contributing to the growth of clean energy infrastructure. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover flaps that are not "substantially flat" (Claim 1), such as curved or complex shapes. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7927078/wind-turbine-blade-tip-vortex-breakers **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US7927078 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Tiny Bumps on Wind Turbine Blades Reduce Noise](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10400744/wind-turbine-blade-with-noise-reducing-micro-boundary-layer-energizers) — This patent describes how small, specially shaped bumps or grooves on a wind turbine blade's underside can reduce noise by controlling airflow and preventing turbulence. - [Wind Turbine Blades with Noise-Reducing Serrated Edges](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8932024/wind-turbine-blade-and-wind-power-generator-using-the-same) — This patent describes a wind turbine blade design that reduces noise by attaching a special serrated plate to its trailing edge, integrated directly into one of the blade's outer surfaces. - [How Wind Turbine Blades Get More Lift with Extra Parts](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8303250/method-and-apparatus-for-increasing-lift-on-wind-turbine-blade) — This patent describes adding special front and back parts to a wind turbine blade to create specific air channels, making the blade generate more power from the wind. - [Wind Turbine Blades with a Deeply Curved Front Surface](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7614852/wind-turbine-blade-and-assembly) — This patent describes a wind turbine blade designed with a deeply curved, concave front surface and a high camber ratio to potentially capture more wind energy. - [How a Wind Turbine Shroud Can Adjust Its Blades to Control Power](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20140030059/fluid-turbine-with-variable-pitch-shroud-segments) — This patent describes a wind turbine design where a ring-shaped casing around the main rotor has small, adjustable blades that can change their angle to control how much wind hits the rotor and how much power is generated.