Patents by Inventor Gert Torbohm

Gert Torbohm 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: 10837424
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine for generating electrical energy is provided comprising the steps as described below. The wind turbine comprises a nacelle being rotatably supported on a tower of the wind turbine, in particular wherein at least one tower cable is provided in the tower for electrically connecting the nacelle and/or components thereof to e.g. an electrical installation on a ground of the tower. In one step of the method an early untwist operation for untwisting the tower cables of the wind turbine is initiated at a first specific time. In addition, a future power generation of the wind turbine is predicted for a certain prediction period at least by analyzing a prediction of the wind, in particular by analyzing at least wind direction forecast information and/or wind speed forecast information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Gert Torbohm
  • Patent number: 10669988
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine to avoid stall during derating thereof includes providing an initial pitch setting for one or more rotor blades of the wind turbine. Further, the method includes operating the wind turbine based on a rated power curve with the one or more rotor blades fixed at the initial pitch setting. Further, the method includes identifying at least one condition of the wind turbine that is indicative of stall. The method also includes derating the wind turbine. Further, the method includes modifying the initial pitch setting to an updated pitch setting when the at least one condition is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Monika Marwaha, Nadine Schuell, Pranav Soni, Gert Torbohm
  • Publication number: 20200040873
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine for generating electrical energy is provided comprising the steps as described below. The wind turbine comprises a nacelle being rotatably supported on a tower of the wind turbine, in particular wherein at least one tower cable is provided in the tower for electrically connecting the nacelle and/or components thereof to e.g. an electrical installation on a ground of the tower. In one step of the method an early untwist operation for untwisting the tower cables of the wind turbine is initiated at a first specific time. In addition, a future power generation of the wind turbine is predicted for a certain prediction period at least by analyzing a prediction of the wind, in particular by analyzing at least wind direction forecast information and/or wind speed forecast information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventor: Gert Torbohm
  • Patent number: 10337496
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for controlling a wind turbine during adverse wind conditions. In one embodiment, the method includes monitoring one or more wind conditions near the wind turbine. Another step includes detecting one or more adverse wind conditions near the wind turbine. In response to detecting one or more adverse wind conditions, the method also includes reducing a power output of the wind turbine by a predetermined percentage. Further, the predetermined percentage is a function of a number and a type of the detected adverse wind conditions occurring during a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gert Torbohm, Darren John Danielsen, David Cole Magnuson, Simi Gopalan
  • Publication number: 20190107102
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine to avoid stall during derating thereof includes providing an initial pitch setting for one or more rotor blades of the wind turbine. Further, the method includes operating the wind turbine based on a rated power curve with the one or more rotor blades fixed at the initial pitch setting. Further, the method includes identifying at least one condition of the wind turbine that is indicative of stall. The method also includes derating the wind turbine. Further, the method includes modifying the initial pitch setting to an updated pitch setting when the at least one condition is identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventors: Monika Marwaha, Nadine Schuell, Pranav Soni, Gert Torbohm
  • Publication number: 20170058871
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for mitigating ice throw from one or more rotor blades of a wind turbine during operation. The method includes monitoring one or more ice-related parameters of the wind turbine. Thus, the ice-related parameters are indicative of ice accumulation on one or more of the rotor blades. In response to detecting ice accumulation, the method also includes implementing an ice protection control strategy. More specifically, the ice protection control strategy includes determining a yaw position of the wind turbine and determining at least one of a power set point or a speed set point for the wind turbine based on the yaw position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Bernardo Adrian Movsichoff, Ejaz J. Sabir, Karthikeyan Appuraj, Kunal Vora, Joerg Middendorf, Gert Torbohm
  • Publication number: 20160153425
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for controlling a wind turbine during adverse wind conditions. In one embodiment, the method includes monitoring one or more wind conditions near the wind turbine. Another step includes detecting one or more adverse wind conditions near the wind turbine. In response to detecting one or more adverse wind conditions, the method also includes reducing a power output of the wind turbine by a predetermined percentage. Further, the predetermined percentage is a function of a number and a type of the detected adverse wind conditions occurring during a predetermined time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Gert Torbohm, Darren John Danielsen, David Cole Magnuson, Simi Gopalan
  • Patent number: 8360722
    Abstract: A method of validating a wind turbine including a rotor includes intentionally inducing a loading imbalance to the rotor. The method also includes measuring the loading imbalance induced to the rotor, transmitting a signal representative of the measured loading imbalance to a calibration module, and at least one of detecting an error and calibrating at least one component of the wind turbine based on the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Till Hoffmann, Gert Torbohm, Jignesh Gandhi, Robert Peter Slack
  • 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: 20120027589
    Abstract: A wind turbine (10) is provided. The wind turbine includes a rotor (18), at least one rotor blade (22) coupled to the rotor, and a yaw system (92). The yaw system (92) includes at least one yaw motor (94) for adjusting a yaw angle of the wind turbine (10). The yaw system (92) is configured for generating a yaw drive signal corresponding to at least one of: i) a property from the at least one yaw motor (94); or ii) a control signal for operating the at least one yaw motor. The wind turbine (10) further includes an asymmetric load control assembly (100) configured to receive the yaw drive signal. The asymmetric load control assembly (100) is further configured to mitigate an asymmetric load acting on the rotor (18) using the yaw drive signal. A control system for operating a wind turbine (10) and a method thereof are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Christian Haag, Ulf Axelsson, Mikael Bjõrk, Christoph Schulten, Gert Torbohm
  • Patent number: 8035242
    Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine that includes at least one rotor shaft and at least one blade operatively coupled to the rotor shaft includes measuring a first wind turbine operational condition that is representative of a blade deflection value and generating a first operational condition signal based on that first wind turbine operational condition. The wind turbine also includes a drive train including at least one rotor shaft and an electric generator. The method also includes measuring at least one second wind turbine operational condition and generating at least one second operational condition signal. The method further includes changing the blade deflection value by changing the second operational condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Landa, Carlos Eduardo Latorre, Thomas Frank Fric, Thomas Omar Converse, Thomas Dinjus, Michael Gregory Brown, Gert Torbohm, Nadine Schuell
  • Patent number: 8022565
    Abstract: A control system for a wind turbine, the control system having at least one measurement device configured to measure at least one operating condition of the wind turbine and a first controller. The first controller is configured to calculate an operating limit of the wind turbine based on the measured operating condition and to adjust the operating limit based on a limiting condition of a component of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hartmut Scholte-Wassink, Mark Edward Cardinal, Anthony Michael Klodowski, Till Hoffmann, Jignesh G. Gandhi, Sidney Allen Barker, Gert Torbohm, Christoph Schulten
  • Publication number: 20110142593
    Abstract: A method of validating a wind turbine including a rotor includes intentionally inducing a loading imbalance to the rotor. The method also includes measuring the loading imbalance induced to the rotor, transmitting a signal representative of the measured loading imbalance to a calibration module, and at least one of detecting an error and calibrating at least one component of the wind turbine based on the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Till Hoffmann, Gert Torbohm, Jignesh Gandhi, Robert Peter Slack, Kirk Gee Pierce
  • Publication number: 20110140431
    Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine that includes at least one rotor shaft and at least one blade operatively coupled to the rotor shaft includes measuring a first wind turbine operational condition that is representative of a blade deflection value and generating a first operational condition signal based on that first wind turbine operational condition. The wind turbine also includes a drive train including at least one rotor shaft and an electric generator. The method also includes measuring at least one second wind turbine operational condition and generating at least one second operational condition signal. The method further includes changing the blade deflection value by changing the second operational condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Bernard Landa, Carlos Eduardo Latorre, Thomas Frank Fric, Thomas Omar Converse, Thomas Dinjus, Michael Gregory Brown, Gert Torbohm, Nadine Schuell
  • 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: 20110135466
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for monitoring and controlling the deflection of turbine blades of a wind turbine. The system includes a passive position detecting apparatus and a controller. The passive position detecting apparatus may be configured to acquire and transmit data relating directly to a position of at least one of the turbine blades. The controller may be configured to receive the data from the passive position detecting apparatus and compare such data to a known position reference to determine turbine blade deflection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: CARLOS EDUARDO LATORRE, THOMAS CONVERSE, MICHAEL GREGORY BROWN, BERNARD P. LANDA, THOMAS FRANK FRIC, THOMAS ERNST DINJUS, GERT TORBOHM, NADINE SCHÜLL
  • Publication number: 20100133831
    Abstract: A control system for a wind turbine, the control system having at least one measurement device configured to measure at least one operating condition of the wind turbine and a first controller. The first controller is configured to calculate an operating limit of the wind turbine based on the measured operating condition and to adjust the operating limit based on a limiting condition of a component of the wind turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Hartmut Scholte-Wassink, Mark Edward Cardinal, Anthony Michael Klodowski, Till Hoffmann, Jignesh G. Gandhi, Sidney Allen Barker, Gert Torbohm, Christoph Schulten