Patents Examined by Thomas K Quigley
  • Patent number: 11362567
    Abstract: Electrical power generation in turbine engines in provided by a permanent magnet that emits a first magnetic field and is disposed on a first rotor assembly of a turbine engine; an armature winding connected to a second rotor assembly of the turbine engine such that the armature winding is positioned within the first magnetic field; a resonant emitter configured to receive an electrical power input from the armature winding to generate a second magnetic field of at least a predefined frequency when the first rotor assembly rotates relative to the second rotor assembly; and a resonant receiver disposed on an enclosure of the turbine engine, positioned to receive the second magnetic field and convert the second magnetic field into an electrical power output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Shengyi Liu
  • Patent number: 11362611
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an electric generator and motor transmission system that is capable of operating with high energy, wide operating range and extremely variable torque and RPM conditions. In accordance with various embodiments, the disclosed system is operable to: dynamically change the output “size” of the motor/generator by modularly engaging and disengaging rotor/stator sets as power demands increase or decrease; activate one stator or another within the rotor/stator sets as torque/RPM or amperage/voltage requirements change; and/or change from parallel to series winding configurations or the reverse through sets of 2, 4, 6 or more parallel, three-phase, non-twisted coil windings with switchable separated center tap to efficiently meet torque/RPM or amperage/voltage requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: FALCON POWER, LLC
    Inventors: James L. Bailey, Harley C. McDonald
  • Patent number: 11353004
    Abstract: A method and a wind turbine are provided. The wind turbine includes a gearless generator that is a synchronous generator and includes a stator and a generator rotor. The wind turbine includes a generator filter with modifiable filter properties that is coupled to the stator and configured to filter a stator current. The wind turbine includes a filter controller configured to control the generator filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Beekmann, Wojciech Giengiel, Simon Schrobsdorff
  • Patent number: 11355934
    Abstract: Provided is an arrangement for producing electric energy, including: a generator having plural winding sets; plural converters each connected to one of the winding sets; at least two transformers, each connected at a low voltage side to output terminal of at least one converter; and a control portion connected to control the converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Inventors: Paul Godridge, Matthew Robert Anthony Kilpin, Brian Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 11349323
    Abstract: An engine includes at least one piston, a rotatable crankshaft, a starter motor, a lithium-ion battery, and a charging system. The rotatable crankshaft is coupled to the at least one piston. The starter motor is configured to selectively initiate rotation of the crankshaft. The lithium-ion battery is in electrical communication with the starter motor and has at least one cell. The charging system is powered by motion of at least one component of the engine. The charging system provides energy to the lithium-ion battery to charge the lithium-ion battery. The engine has a starting condition, a running condition, and a stopping condition. The charging system continuously applies a voltage potential to the at least one cell while the engine is in a running condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey M Zeiler, Richard J. Gilpatrick
  • Patent number: 11322943
    Abstract: A method for controlling the rebuilding of an electrical supply network, wherein the electrical supply network has a first network section and at least one further network section, at least one wind farm is connected to the first network section, the wind farm can be controlled via a wind farm control room, the first network section is coupled to the at least one further network section via at least one switching device in order to transmit electrical energy between the network sections, the at least one switching device is set up to disconnect the first network section from the at least one further network section in the event of a fault, a network control station is provided for the purpose of controlling the at least one switching device, wherein, in the event of a fault during which a network fault acting on the first network section occurs, the first network section is disconnected from the at least one further network section by the at least one switching device, the wind farm control room interchanges
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Brombach
  • Patent number: 11319925
    Abstract: A method for wind turbine tower damping is disclosed, as well as an associated controller and wind turbine. The method comprises determining, using one or more sensor signals, dynamic state information for a tower of a wind turbine during power production, wherein the dynamic state information comprises a tower frequency. The method further comprises determining at least one control loop gain value using the tower frequency, and generating, using the at least one control loop gain value, one or more control signals for controlling a rotational speed of a rotor of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Fabio Caponetti, Jesper Sandberg Thomsen
  • Patent number: 11306701
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind turbine is disclosed. During full load operation, a power reference value, Pref, representing a power level to be supplied to the power grid by the wind turbine, is received, and the wind turbine is controlled in order to produce an output power which is at or near the power reference value, Pref, while maintaining a constant torque on the generator. In the case that the produced output power of the wind turbine exceeds the power reference value, Pref, excess produced energy is stored in the energy storage system, and in the case that the produced output power of the wind turbine is below the power reference value, Pref, stored energy is retrieved from the energy storage system. A power level being equal to the power reference value, Pref, is supplied to the power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Julio Xavier Vianna Neto, Germán Claudio Tarnowski, Mads Blumensaat, Torben Petersen, Søren Dalsgaard
  • Patent number: 11309816
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a converter system of a wind turbine for exchanging electrical power with an electrical supply grid at a grid connection point are provided. In the method and apparatus, the converter system is operated in a normal operating mode. An overload situation affecting the converter system is detected and operation of the converter system is changed to an overload operating mode when the overload situation is detected. An average switching frequency for generating an output current is reduced in the overload operating mode of the converter system in comparison with the normal operating mode, a higher load is permitted on the converter system, which may be in the form of an increased temperature or an increased output current, in the overload operating mode of the converter system for a predetermined maximum overload period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Brombach
  • Patent number: 11309815
    Abstract: The invention related to a control method for operating a synchronous machine, the machine comprising an exciter connected to a synchronous generator and a controller (40) for controlling the machine field excitation. The method comprises the steps of predefining a stable operation torque derivative range within which a stable operation of the machine occurs, performing a torque measuring or calculating for the machine, calculating the derivative of said torque, determining whether the calculated torque derivative is within the predefined stable operation torque derivative range for the machine, and, if the torque derivative is not within the predefined stable operation torque derivative range, modifying the machine field excitation to bring the torque derivative within the predefined stable operation torque derivative range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: INDAR ELECTRIC S.L.
    Inventors: Iker Garmendia Olarreaga, Alexander Galarraga Telleria, Nestor Campo Caballero
  • Patent number: 11300107
    Abstract: Provided is a system for determining an amount of oscillating movement of a wind turbine, the wind turbine including a tower, a non-rotating upper part supported by the tower, a rotor having a rotor axis, and a generator for generating electric power. The system includes (a) a sensor unit adapted to provide a rotor speed signal indicative of a rotational speed of the rotor relative to the non-rotating upper part, (b) a filtering unit adapted to, based on the rotor speed signal provided by the sensor unit, provide a filtered signal including information associated with an oscillating movement of the wind turbine, and (c) a processing unit adapted to determine the amount of oscillating movement based on the filtered signal provided by the filtering unit. Furthermore, a wind turbine and a method are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventors: Samuel H. Hawkins, Gustav Hoegh
  • Patent number: 11300101
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a power plant for reducing spectral disturbances in an electrical grid being operative connected to the power plant, the power plant comprising a plant controller, at least one wind turbine and at least one auxiliary energy source, wherein the at least one wind turbine comprises a rotor adapted to drive a power generator via a shaft, wherein the generator is connectable with the electrical grid, and at least one damping controller configured to compensate structural oscillations of the wind turbine by controlling a torque on the shaft, wherein the at least one damping controller is capable of setting a limit of a control action on the shaft, the method comprising the steps of determining disturbance information for the power plant in the form of an electrical disturbance at a point of measurement electrically connected to the power plant, determining set-points for the at least one auxiliary energy source based on the determined disturbance information
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Tobias Gybel Hovgaard, Poul Brandt Christensen
  • Patent number: 11293401
    Abstract: A method for wind turbine tower damping is disclosed, as well as an associated controller and wind turbine. The method comprises generating, using at least a first sensor signal, a first pitch reference signal for one or more rotor blades of a wind turbine during partial load operation. The method further comprises determining, using at least a second sensor signal, dynamic state information for a tower of the wind turbine. The method further comprises generating a second pitch reference signal by adapting the first pitch reference signal using the dynamic state information. The method further comprises selecting a maximum pitch reference signal from the second pitch reference signal and a saturation pitch reference signal. The method further comprises communicating the maximum pitch reference signal to control a pitch of the one or more rotor blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Fabio Caponetti, Jesper Sandberg Thomsen
  • Patent number: 11296638
    Abstract: A motor/generator/transmission system includes: an axle; a stator ring having a plurality of stator coils disposed around the periphery of the stator ring, wherein each phase of the plurality of stator coils includes a respective set of multiple parallel non-twisted wires separated at the center tap with electronic switches for connecting the parallel non-twisted wires of each phase of the stator coils all in series, all in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel; a rotor support structure coupled to the axle; a first rotor ring and a second rotor ring each having an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of rotation of the axle, at least one of the first rotor ring or the second rotor ring being slidably coupled to the rotor support structure and configured to translate along the rotor support structure in a first axial direction or in a second axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: FALCON POWER, LLC
    Inventors: Harley C. McDonald, James L. Bailey, Matthew C. McDonald
  • Patent number: 11293403
    Abstract: A method for preventing catastrophic damage in a drivetrain of a wind turbine includes receiving, via a controller, a speed measurement of the generator of the drivetrain. The method also includes determining an electrical torque of a generator of the drivetrain of the wind turbine. The method further includes estimating, via the controller, a mechanical torque of the rotor as a function of at least one of the electrical torque and the speed measurement of the generator. Further, the method includes comparing, via the controller, the estimated mechanical torque to an implausible torque threshold, wherein torque values above the implausible torque threshold speed values greater that the implausible speed threshold. Moreover, the method includes implementing, via the controller, a control action for the wind turbine when the estimated mechanical torque exceeds the implausible torque threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Edward Cardinal, Drake Joseph Viscome, Mathew Doyle Angel
  • Patent number: 11289974
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an apparatus for generating energy in response to a vehicle wheel rotation. The apparatus may include a first roller comprising a curved roller surface configured to be positioned in substantial physical contact with a first wheel of the vehicle. The first roller may be configured to rotate in response to a rotation of the first wheel. The apparatus may further include a first shaft rotatably couplable to the first roller such that rotation of the first roller causes the first shaft to rotate. The apparatus may further include a first generator operably coupled to the first shaft. The generator may be configured to generate an electrical output based on the rotation of the first shaft and convey the electrical output to an energy storage device or to a motor of the vehicle that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy to rotate one or more wheels of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventor: Anthony Macaluso
  • Patent number: 11286904
    Abstract: A method for use in controlling a wind turbine generator of a wind power plant based on a condition of a power converter or a component forming part of a power converter in the wind power plant. The method comprises determining the initial condition of the power converter or a component forming part of a power converter and determining the evolution of the condition from the initial condition based on notional power reference values of the wind turbine generator. The method further comprises comparing the evolution of the condition to a predetermined threshold and determining, from the comparison, a time period by which the condition of the power converter or a component forming part of a power converter will substantially equal the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Gert Karmisholt Andersen, Lars Helle, Poul Møhl Dyrlund, Morteza Rabi, Duy Duc Doan
  • Patent number: 11242840
    Abstract: An ocean water power-generator for generation of renewable energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventor: Yik Hei Sia
  • Patent number: 11242841
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine based on a collective pitch-offset. Accordingly, a wind condition acting on a rotor of the wind turbine is determined, and a first collective pitch angle for the plurality of rotor blades is set, and the wind turbine is operated. A thrust of the rotor based, at least in part, on the wind condition is determined, and an actual collective pitch angle is calculated. A collective pitch offset is determined based on the difference between the first collective pitch angle and the actual collective pitch angle. The collective pitch offset is integrated with at least one pitch setpoint command. The at least one pitch setpoint command is transmitted to a pitch control mechanism of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Landa, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Shuang Gu
  • Patent number: 11242842
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for forecasting a farm-level power output of a wind farm having a plurality of wind turbines. The method includes collecting actual operational data and/or site information for the wind farm. The method also includes predicting operational data for the wind farm for a future time period. Further, the method includes generating a model-based power output forecast based on the actual operational data, the predicted operational data, and/or the site information. In addition, the method includes measuring real-time operational data from the wind farm and adjusting the power output forecast based on the measured real-time operational data. Thus, the method also includes forecasting the farm-level power output of the wind farm based on the adjusted power output forecast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert August Kaucic, Zhanpan Zhang, Subhankar Ghosh, Hongyan Liu, Necip Doganaksoy