# How Wind Turbine Blades Get More Lift with Extra Parts > 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. - **Patent:** US 8303250 - **Original title:** Method and apparatus for increasing lift on wind turbine blade - **Owner:** General Electric - **Granted:** 2012 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 14 - **Field:** energy, mechanical, aerospace, renewable_energy ## What it does The patent describes a way to make wind turbine blades catch more wind, generating more lift. It does this by adding two extra pieces, called "extensions," to the main blade. A "forward blade extension" is attached to the top (suction surface) of the main blade, creating a "first airflow channel" (Claim 1). Another "aft blade extension" is attached to the bottom (pressure surface) of the main blade, creating a "second airflow channel" (Claim 1). These channels are designed to have a "substantially constant cross-sectional width" (Claim 1, Claim 4), which helps guide the airflow efficiently. For example, if a wind turbine blade is struggling to generate enough power in lighter winds, adding these extensions could help it capture more energy without needing a larger, heavier main blade. ## What it does NOT cover - Wind turbine blades that increase lift using only adjustable pitch or angle of attack without additional extensions. - Blade designs that use different types of aerodynamic add-ons, like vortex generators or Gurney flaps, instead of the specified forward and aft extensions. - Extensions that do not form airflow channels with a "substantially constant cross-sectional width" as claimed. - Blade designs where the forward extension does not extend along the suction surface past the centerline towards the trailing edge. - Systems where the aft blade extension's suction surface does not extend along the pressure surface of the rotor blade. ## The clever bit The clever part is precisely shaping and positioning two separate extensions on the blade's suction and pressure surfaces to create airflow channels that maintain a "substantially constant cross-sectional width." This specific channel design helps to manage airflow over the blade more effectively, boosting lift without significantly increasing drag. ## Real-world examples 1. Modern wind turbine blades with passive aerodynamic enhancements 2. Multi-element airfoils used in aircraft wings 3. Wind turbine designs focused on low-wind speed performance ## Why it matters Increasing the lift on wind turbine blades means they can capture more energy from the wind, even at lower wind speeds. This improves the efficiency of wind farms and allows them to generate more electricity. For companies like General Electric, which manufactures wind turbines, this kind of innovation can lead to more powerful and cost-effective energy solutions. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Wind Turbine Blades Get More Lift with Extra Parts cover? 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. ### Who owns patent US 8303250? General Electric owns this patent, granted in 2012. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on December 30, 2029, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 8303250 cited by? This patent has been cited by 14 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? Increasing the lift on wind turbine blades means they can capture more energy from the wind, even at lower wind speeds. This improves the efficiency of wind farms and allows them to generate more electricity. For companies like General Electric, which manufactures wind turbines, this kind of innovation can lead to more powerful and cost-effective energy solutions. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Wind turbine blades that increase lift using only adjustable pitch or angle of attack without additional extensions. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8303250/method-and-apparatus-for-increasing-lift-on-wind-turbine-blade **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US8303250 --- _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: - [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 to Make Solar Troughs Catch More Sunlight at Their Ends](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8049150/solar-collector-with-end-modifications) — This patent describes adding special reflective extensions and caps to the ends of a single-axis tracking solar trough to capture more sunlight that would otherwise be lost, making the collector more efficient. - [How High-Altitude Parafoils Use Spring-Loaded Rods to Open Automatically](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11608181/starship-orbital-launch-mount) — A system for high-altitude balloons that uses flexible, spring-loaded rods to force a parachute-like wing to snap open in the thin air of the upper atmosphere. - [Making Iron More Efficiently and Generating Power with Oxygen](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8133298/blast-furnace-iron-production-with-integrated-power-generation) — This patent describes an integrated system that uses extra oxygen in a blast furnace to make iron more efficiently, while also capturing the furnace's waste gases to generate electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. - [How to Capture Carbon Dioxide from Air or Smoke Using Seawater](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11648507/process-and-apparatus-of-ocean-carbon-capture-and-storage) — This patent describes a system that uses natural seawater to wash carbon dioxide out of industrial smoke or the air, then stores it safely in the ocean, aiming for an affordable, green way to fight climate change.