Patents by Inventor Friedrich Loh

Friedrich Loh has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8912674
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for selecting wind turbine generators in a wind park for a change in output power comprises providing a wind park comprised of a plurality n of wind turbines; selecting, on a non-spatial basis, n?1 or fewer wind turbines from the wind park for a change in power output; and changing power output of one or more of the selected n?1 or fewer wind turbines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Enno Ubben, Joerg Middendorf, Friedrich Loh
  • Patent number: 8860237
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method of selecting wind turbine generators in a wind park for curtailment of output power to provide a wind reserve comprises providing a wind park comprised of a plurality n of wind turbines each having an individual possible power output and the wind park has a combined possible power output of X, where X comprises a summation of the individual possible power output of the n wind turbines; setting a power setpoint Y for the wind park, wherein Y?X and X?Y comprises a wind reserve; selecting, on a non-spatial basis, n?1 or fewer wind turbines from the wind park for power output curtailment; and curtailing power output of one or more of the selected n?1 or fewer wind turbines such that a total power output of the wind park comprises Y.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Enno Ubben, Joerg Middendorf, Friedrich Loh
  • Publication number: 20140103653
    Abstract: Methods and systems of selecting wind turbine generators in a wind park for a change in output power are described herein. One method comprises providing a wind park comprised of a plurality n of wind turbines; selecting, on a non-spatial basis, n-1 or fewer wind turbines from the wind park for a change in power output; and changing power output of one or more of the selected n-1 or fewer wind turbines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Enno Ubben, Joerg Middendorf, Friedrich Loh
  • Publication number: 20140103652
    Abstract: Methods and systems of selecting wind turbine generators in a wind park for curtailment of output power to provide a wind reserve are described herein. One method comprises providing a wind park comprised of a plurality n of wind turbines each having an individual possible power output and the wind park has a combined possible power output of X, where X comprises a summation of the individual possible power output of the n wind turbines; setting a power setpoint Y for the wind park, wherein Y?X and X?Y comprises a wind reserve; selecting, on a non-spatial basis, n?1 or fewer wind turbines from the wind park for power output curtailment; and curtailing power output of one or more of the selected n?1 or fewer wind turbines such that a total power output of the wind park comprises Y.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Enno Ubben, Joerg Middendorf, Friedrich Loh
  • Patent number: 8303251
    Abstract: A method of assembling a pitch assembly for use with a wind turbine. The wind turbine includes a rotor and a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the rotor. The method includes coupling a pitch drive system to at least one of the plurality of rotor blades for rotating the rotor blade about a pitch axis. At least one sensor is coupled in signal communication with the pitch drive system. The pitch drive system rotates the rotor blade when the sensor senses rotor overspeed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Friedrich Loh, Detlef Menke
  • Patent number: 8267655
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling a wind turbine, the wind turbine including at least one movable portion which is movable during operation of the wind turbine and at least one movable portion device including at least one of a movable portion transmitter or a movable portion receiver, the movable portion transmitter or the movable portion receiver being disposed at the least one movable portion; the method including: at least one of sending to or receiving from at least three reference points at least one signal by at least one of the movable portion transmitter or movable portion receiver; and determining at least one operational parameter of the wind turbine depending on at least one characteristic of the at least one received signal. Further the present disclosure relates to a wind turbine arrangement and a system for controlling a wind turbine, comprising a controller of the wind turbine and a movable portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Friedrich Loh, Hartmut Scholte-Wassink, Till Hoffmann, Juergen Esser
  • Patent number: 8210811
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a rotor including at least one rotor blade and a pitch drive system coupled to the at least one rotor blade. The pitch drive system is adapted for pitching the rotor blade. The method includes: determining an actual value of a first variable indicative of an overspeed state of the wind turbine; determining an actual value of a second variable of the wind turbine correlated to the rate of change over time of the first variable; and, estimating an occurrence of an overspeed state of the wind turbine from at least the determined actual values of the first and second variables. The pitch drive system pitches the rotor blade for aerodynamically braking the rotor based on the result of the estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Friedrich Loh, Detlef Menke, Christoph Schulten, Gert Torbohm
  • Publication number: 20110268569
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling a wind turbine, the wind turbine including at least one movable portion which is movable during operation of the wind turbine and at least one movable portion device including at least one of a movable portion transmitter or a movable portion receiver, the movable portion transmitter or the movable portion receiver being disposed at the least one movable portion; the method including: at least one of sending to or receiving from at least three reference points at least one signal by at least one of the movable portion transmitter or movable portion receiver; and determining at least one operational parameter of the wind turbine depending on at least one characteristic of the at least one received signal. Further the present disclosure relates to a wind turbine arrangement and a system for controlling a wind turbine, comprising a controller of the wind turbine and a movable portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Friedrich LOH, Hartmut Scholte-Wassink, Till Hoffmann, Juergen Esser
  • Patent number: 8022566
    Abstract: A method for controlling operation of a floating wind turbine is described. The floating wind turbine includes a wind turbine generator coupled to a support tower. The method includes measuring a tower inclination, determining an operating parameter control value based on at least the measured tower inclination, and adjusting wind turbine operation based at least partially on the operating parameter control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Friedrich Loh, Hartmut Scholte-Wassink
  • Publication number: 20110223006
    Abstract: A method for use in operating a plurality of wind turbines is provided. An aggregate noise level at one or more geographic positions is calculated. The aggregate noise level is compared to a target noise level associated with the geographic position. When the aggregate noise level differs substantially from the target noise level, an operational adjustment is transmitted to at least one wind turbine controller. When the aggregate noise level is greater than the target noise level, such an operational adjustment may lead to a decrease in the aggregate noise level. Conversely, when the aggregate noise level is less than the target noise level, such an operational adjustment may lead to an increase in the aggregate noise level, facilitating an increase in the overall power output of the wind turbines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Friedrich Loh, Benoit P. Petitjean, Mahesh A. Morjaria
  • Publication number: 20110142634
    Abstract: An overspeed protection system for a wind turbine having a hub and at least one rotor blade mounted to the hub includes a rotation sensor adapted for measuring a rotor speed of said wind turbine; a comparator connected to the rotation sensor and adapted for comparing the measured rotor speed with a predetermined threshold value of the rotor speed wherein the comparator outputs a signal indicative of the comparison; and an auxiliary pitch drive controller connected to the comparator and adapted to receive the signal indicative of the comparison, the auxiliary pitch drive controller being further adapted for controlling a pitch drive unit of the wind turbine independently of a main turbine controller and, if the threshold value is exceeded, to adjust a pitch angle of the rotor blade of the wind turbine so that aerodynamic braking of the wind turbine is effected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Detlef MENKE, Friedrich LOH
  • Publication number: 20110142620
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a rotor including at least one rotor blade and a pitch drive system coupled to the at least one rotor blade. The pitch drive system is adapted for pitching the rotor blade. The method includes: determining an actual value of a first variable indicative of an overspeed state of the wind turbine; determining an actual value of a second variable of the wind turbine correlated to the rate of change over time of the first variable; and, estimating an occurrence of an overspeed state of the wind turbine from at least the determined actual values of the first and second variables. The pitch drive system pitches the rotor blade for aerodynamically braking the rotor based on the result of the estimation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Friedrich LOH, Detlef MENKE, Christoph SCHULTEN, Gert TORBOHM
  • Publication number: 20110140420
    Abstract: A method for controlling operation of a floating wind turbine is described. The floating wind turbine includes a wind turbine generator coupled to a support tower. The method includes measuring a tower inclination, determining an operating parameter control value based on at least the measured tower inclination, and adjusting wind turbine operation based at least partially on the operating parameter control value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Friedrich Loh, Hartmut Scholte-Wassink
  • Publication number: 20100133830
    Abstract: A method of assembling a pitch assembly for use with a wind turbine. The wind turbine includes a rotor and a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the rotor. The method includes coupling a pitch drive system to at least one of the plurality of rotor blades for rotating the rotor blade about a pitch axis. At least one sensor is coupled in signal communication with the pitch drive system. The pitch drive system rotates the rotor blade when the sensor senses rotor overspeed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Friedrich Loh, Detlef Menke