Wind Patents (Class 290/44)
  • Patent number: 10975836
    Abstract: A system includes a water turbine, a plurality of positioning winches coupled to the water turbine and a plurality of positioning cables. An individual positioning cable extends between a fixed point at a first end and the water turbine at a second end and is coupled to a corresponding positioning winch that is configured to extend and retract the individual positioning cable between the fixed point and the water turbine. A plurality of sensors is configured to sense water conditions around the water turbine. A position control system is connected to the plurality of positioning winches and connected to the plurality of sensors. The position control system is configured to position the water turbine using the plurality of positioning winches according to the water conditions sensed by the plurality of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventor: Charles Ronald Grigg
  • Patent number: 10975843
    Abstract: A wind turbine, power plant and associated method of controlling a wind turbine is provided. Data is obtained that identifies, based on forecast data, one or more future periods of time during which it would be desirable to over-rate the wind turbine, and measures of the fatigue life consumed by one or more turbine components are determined. The total fatigue life consumed by the one or more turbine components is limited prior to the one or more periods of time by controlling the power output of the wind turbine, in advance of the one or more periods of time, based upon the measure of the fatigue life consumed by the one or more turbine components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Chris Spruce, Kelvin Hales, Judith Turner
  • Patent number: 10968890
    Abstract: A method and associated control arrangement are disclosed for controlling a power output of a wind power plant (WPP) according to a predetermined power ramp rate limit, the WPP comprising a plurality of wind turbine generators (WTGs). The method comprises receiving a first signal indicating that a first WTG is in a ready state to begin producing power. The method further comprises, upon determining that, responsive to the received first signal, beginning power production of the first WTG at a predetermined default power ramp rate would cause the power output of the WPP to exceed the power ramp rate limit, controlling power production of the first WTG using at least one of: a first delay, a power ramp rate reference less than the default power ramp rate, and a power reference less than a nominal power output of the first WTG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Mu Wei, Martin Ansbjerg Kjær, Kouroush Nayebi, Jesper Sandberg Thomsen, Eik Herbsleb
  • Patent number: 10972029
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind power installation which is connected to a network connection point of an electrical supply network and is intended to produce and feed electrical energy into the electrical supply network, wherein the electrical supply network has a network nominal frequency and is operated at a network frequency, and the wind power installation which comprises an electrical generator with a generator nominal power can be regulated on the basis of the network frequency, comprising the steps of: using the electrical generator to produce an electrical generator power for feeding into the electrical supply network, feeding the electrical generator power or a part of it into the electrical supply network as electrical feed-in power on the basis of the network frequency, wherein, in a first supporting stage, the electrical generator power is reduced on the basis of the network frequency in order to accordingly reduce the electrical feed-in power, and, in a second supporting stage, the electrical feed
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Kai Busker, Ingo Mackensen, Johannes Brombach, Eckard Quitmann, Hanna Emanuel, Martin Schellschmidt
  • Patent number: 10961981
    Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine having a nacelle, a rotor, a rotating hub, a first rotor blade and at least a second rotor blade, both rotor blades being mounted to the hub. The method includes measuring the strain in the first rotor blade by a strain measurement device attached to the first rotor blade; and choosing the operational parameters of the wind turbine based on the measured strain such that fatigue damage of the second rotor blade is reduced. A wind turbine is controlled by such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S
    Inventors: John M. Obrecht, Karsten Schibsbye
  • Patent number: 10965174
    Abstract: The present power generator includes: a rotor including a plurality of permanent magnets arranged in a rotation direction; a stator including a plurality of coils provided to face the plurality of permanent magnets, each of the plurality of coils being configured to generate AC voltage during rotation of the rotor; and a plurality of magnetic bodies respectively provided in the plurality of coils, in a direction of center axis of each of the coils, a length (Lm) of each of the magnetic bodies being set to be shorter than a length (Lc) of each of the coils. Accordingly, a larger amount of power than that in a coreless structure is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamada, Ken Sugiura
  • Patent number: 10961863
    Abstract: An electrical power generator system has: an input shaft for receiving a rotary input drive; plural output shafts connected by respective gear shifting arrangements to the input shaft thereby providing different gear ratios between the input shaft and each output shaft; and plural electrical generators powered by rotation of the respective output shafts, electrical power outputs of the generators being combined to supply a total power to a load. The input shaft operates over a range of rotation frequencies, and the gear shifting arrangements are configured to shift the gear ratios between the input shaft and the output shafts such that the output shafts operate over a narrower range of rotation frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: David P. Scothern
  • Patent number: 10958066
    Abstract: A method for protecting a three-winding transformer of a wind turbine includes estimating, via a controller, an electrical condition of the primary winding of the transformer. The method also includes determining, via the controller, an electrical condition limit of the primary winding. The method also includes comparing, via the controller, the estimated electrical condition to the electrical condition limit. Further, the method includes implementing a corrective action for the wind turbine if the estimated electrical condition exceeds the electrical condition limit so as to reduce the electrical condition within safe limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bacil Shaqqo, David Smith
  • Patent number: 10958071
    Abstract: A method for operating a renewable energy power plant comprising a plurality of renewable energy generators. The method comprises: identifying a predetermined condition of the renewable energy power plant, of the grid, or of the connection between the renewable energy power plant and the grid, the predetermined condition indicating a weak grid interconnection between the renewable energy power plant and the grid; and controlling each renewable energy generator in an adaptive active power mode in response to recovery of the grid from a voltage deviation. The adaptive active power mode comprises: determining a thermal capacity of a chopper resistor of the renewable energy generator; calculating, based upon the determined thermal capacity, a limit level of rate of change of active power output that may be implemented by the renewable energy generator; and operating the renewable energy generator to output active power at the calculated rate of change limit level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Manoj Gupta, Ravi Kumar, Janakiraman Sivasankaran, Thomas Schmidt Grau, Martin Ansbjerg Kjær, Kouroush Nayebi, John Godsk Nielsen, Jesper Sandberg Thomsen
  • Patent number: 10958200
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine power system that supplies real and reactive power to a grid includes operating a generator of the wind turbine power system up to a first speed limit. The method also includes monitoring a wind speed at the wind turbine power system. When the wind speed drops below a predetermined threshold, the method includes reducing the first speed limit of the generator to a reduced speed limit of the generator. Further, the method includes operating the generator at the reduced speed limit for as long as the wind speed remains below the predetermined threshold so as to optimize a tip-speed-ratio of the wind turbine power system during low wind speeds, thereby increasing power production of the wind turbine power system at low wind speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kasi Viswanadha Raju Gadiraju, Deepak Raj Sagi, Rajni Kant Burra
  • Patent number: 10934996
    Abstract: A method, control arrangement, and wind power plant (WPP) comprising a plurality of wind turbine generators (WTGs) are disclosed. The method includes operating, responsive to a received power demand corresponding to the WPP, a boost group of one or more WTGs of the plurality of WTGs to begin producing a boosted power output, wherein the boosted power output of each of the one or more WTGs of the boost group is regulated independent of the power demand. The method further includes determining, based on a measured amount of boosted power production, power production set points for a regulation group of one or more different WTGs of the plurality of WTGs to thereby meet the power demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Martin Ansbjerg Kjær, Jorge Martinez Garcia, Eik Herbsleb
  • Patent number: 10934997
    Abstract: Provided is a method for damping a side-side oscillation of a tower of a wind turbine having a generator connected to a converter, the method including: measuring an acceleration value of the tower; determining, based on the acceleration value, at least one frequency value of at least one tower oscillation mode, including a second tower oscillation mode; controlling the converter of the wind turbine based at least on the acceleration value and the frequency value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventor: Per Egedal
  • Patent number: 10935001
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for monitoring wear on a gearbox of a wind turbine. A controller of the system is configured to determine a torque exerted on a rotor shaft of the wind turbine or a generator shaft of the wind turbine based on measurement signals received from a first sensor of the system. The controller is also configured to determine an accumulated wear value for the gearbox based on the torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Raed Zuhair Hasan, Farong Zhu, Lawrence Keith Taliaferro, Jr., Priyangu Chunilal Patel, James Edward Cencula, Edward Lee McGrath
  • Patent number: 10938336
    Abstract: Integrated wind-photovoltaic system for the production of electrical energy, the system comprising a wind generator equipped with a semi-vertical axis provided, in turn, with wind blades having a back, wherein the back of the aerodynamic profile of these wind blades is at least partially provided with a covering consisting of flexible photovoltaic panels, and wherein a sunlight concentration optical system is provided comprising a plurality of coplanar lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Inventor: Orlando Lozzi
  • Patent number: 10934998
    Abstract: A yaw sensor for a wind turbine is described. The yaw sensor comprises a rotary switch, configured to be coupled to a yaw drive gearbox of a wind turbine nacelle, the rotary switch being operable to activate and deactivate an electrical contact in dependence on an amount of yaw rotation of the nacelle relative to a start position. The electrical contact is active at a plurality of first yaw rotation ranges with respect to the start position, and inactive at a plurality of second yaw rotation ranges with respect to the start position, the first and second yaw rotation ranges being interleaved, at least some of the first yaw rotation ranges having different lengths from each other and/or at least some of the second yaw rotation ranges having different lengths from each other. The electrical contact generates an electrical signal when active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Lars Glavind, Kristian Kiib, Ib Svend Olesen, Johnny Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10927812
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine includes operating, via a controller, the wind turbine according to a speed set point during normal operation of the wind turbine. The method also includes receiving, via the controller, a command to shut down the wind turbine or to curtail operation of the wind turbine. In response to receiving the command, the method includes initiating, via the controller, a shutdown procedure or a curtailment procedure of the wind turbine. During the shutdown procedure or the curtailment procedure of the wind turbine, the method includes dynamically adjusting a rate of change of the speed set point as a function of a speed tracking error, which corresponds to a difference between an actual rotor speed of the wind turbine and the speed set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Leonardo Cesar Kammer
  • Patent number: 10923918
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling injection and absorption of reactive power in a wind power plant (WPP). In addition to wind turbine generators (WTG), the wind power plant comprises reactive power regulating devices, such as MSU and STATCOM devices. The reactive power regulating devices are controlled by wind power plant controller so that the combined amount of reactive power produced by the wind turbine generators and the reactive power regulating devices satisfies a desired amount of reactive power. In case of communication fault between the power plant controller and one of the reactive power regulating devices, the power plant controller is reconfigured so as to compensate the capability of the reactive power regulating device to inject or absorb the amount of reactive power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Jorge Martinez Garcia, Rasmus Lærke, Henrik B. Møller, Kouroush Nayebi, Athanasios Rokofyllos, Mu Wei
  • Patent number: 10920750
    Abstract: A multi-class controller for a wind power generator capable of controlling the operation of the wind power generator in an optimal state under various site conditions and a wind power generation system using same are proposed. The multi-class controller includes: a sensor unit for sensing the environmental conditions of an area where the wind power generator or the power transmission unit to be controlled is installed and a state of a component constituting an object to be controlled, and generating a sensing value; and a control unit for receiving the sensing value to determine an operation state of the object to be controlled, converting a predetermined control default value for controlling the object to be controlled to a control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: HANJIN IND. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dae Young Kim, Sang Hyeon Jeon, Young Sool Yoon, Tae Joong Kang
  • Patent number: 10920752
    Abstract: A nacelle for a wind turbine, the nacelle comprising a roof panel forming an opening into an internal space; a cooling arrangement extending upwards from the roof panel; and a closure movable between an open position revealing the opening and a closed position closing the opening. To enable easy parking of the closure and particularly to enable parking of the closure in a position where it does not occupy a large surface space on the roof panel, the nacelle further comprises a track configured to guide the closure between the open and the closed positions, the track being carried at least partly by the cooling arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Martin Patrick Vcelka, Matthieu Alexandre
  • Patent number: 10914286
    Abstract: A method for determining an equivalent wind speed of a rotor blade plane of a wind power installation is provided. The wind power installation has a rotor with rotor blades that have adjustable blade angle. The method includes determining an electric internal power available in the wind power installation depending on a captured electric power and a captured rotational speed of the rotor. The method includes determining the equivalent wind speed depending on the determined available internal power and the captured rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Sönke Engelken
  • Patent number: 10914291
    Abstract: A method of estimating the energy production of a wind turbine or group of wind turbines is described. The method comprises obtaining, from a climate library, climate data in respect of a selected geographical location, the climate data comprising wind speed and direction at the selected geographical location, generating a plurality of power curves, each power curve defining a power output of a wind turbine as a function of wind speed for a particular climatic condition or range of climatic conditions, and estimating an energy production for the wind turbine or group of wind turbines using the generated power curves and wind speed data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Michael Pram Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10910837
    Abstract: Provided is a hybrid control device for a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM), the device including: a first arithmetic operation unit calculating the deviation between a reference voltage desired to be controlled by the STATCOM and output voltage to be output so as to output the same; a proportional integral (PI) controller performing PI control on the deviation output from the first arithmetic operation unit within a range between a new inductive reactive current maximum value and a new capacitive reactive current maximum value, so as to output a reactive current output value; and a second arithmetic operation unit adding the preset reactive current set value to the reactive current output value output from the PI control unit so as to output a reactive current reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: HYOSUNG HEAVY INDUSTRIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ji Hun Kim, Jung Soo Park, Hong Ju Jung, Hyun Ho Yoo, Joo Yeon Lee
  • Patent number: 10907617
    Abstract: A diagnostic system for use in a wind turbine yaw system, comprising: a tower motion sensor configured to output a signal indicative of tower oscillation, in particular though not exclusively side to side tower oscillation, and a diagnostic module configured to: analyse the tower motion sensor signal to identify frequency content of the signal that is not associated with the tower oscillation; and correlate the identified frequency content with the operation of the yaw system thereby to determine that the yaw system requires maintenance. Beneficially the invention provides that the health of the yaw system can be determined by analysing the oscillatory movement of the tower as measured by a tower motion sensor installed at a suitable location for example at the top of the tower or in the nacelle for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Fabio Caponetti, Martin Ansbjerg Kjaer
  • Patent number: 10902163
    Abstract: A method and a system for simulating physical assets, such as wind farms, solar power plants and manufacturing facilities, comprising the steps of: a) collecting input data; b) setting up a virtual version of a physical asset; c) setting simulation length; d) running simulation according to a simulation algorithm using data collected in step a); and e) generating an output report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Shoreline AS
    Inventor: Ole Erik Vestøl Endrerud
  • Patent number: 10903648
    Abstract: A wind park for feeding power into a supply network at a connection point is provided. The wind park includes wind turbines for generating the power, a DC network for transmitting the power to the connection point, an inverter configured to transform electrical DC voltage into an AC voltage for feeding the power into the supply network, at least one DC-DC converter for feeding the power into the DC network. The DC-DC converter includes a switching device and a transformer with primary and secondary sides. The primary side is coupled to the at least one wind turbine via the switching device and the secondary side is coupled to the DC park network via at least one rectifier. The DC-DC converter is configured to apply a DC voltage of changing polarity to the primary side by the switching device to transform a DC voltage of the at least one wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Brombach, Christian Strafiel
  • Patent number: 10895247
    Abstract: A nacelle of a wind turbine includes a rear frame structure (1), the rear frame structure (1) having a plurality of truss members (2), and a plurality of joints (3), each joint (3) interconnecting ends of at least two truss members (2). Each joint (3) includes a central portion (6) and at least two connecting portions (7) extending away from the central portion (6), each connecting portion (7) being arranged to form an interface towards a truss member (2), and each connecting portion (7) being significantly more flexible than the central portion (6) and significantly more flexible than the truss members (2). The rear frame structure (1) is capable of improved handling of bending moments due to the increased flexibility of the connecting portions (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Kristoffer Isbak Thomsen, Anders Haslund Liingaard
  • Patent number: 10892640
    Abstract: The voltage and reactive power monitoring/control method includes: measurement data for the power system and data for the system equipment of the power system are used to calculate the system status for the power system at the time of measurement; data for a status estimation calculation result and predicted data for the power generation and load of the power system are used to predictively calculate a system status at a future time from the time of the power system measurement; a fluctuation component is obtained for the predicted value of the data obtained from the power system; the reactive power required to suppress the fluctuation component is obtained, as a required reactive power amount; a reactive power distribution subject is selected from a plurality of pieces of control subject equipment; an output distribution calculation is performed for the required reactive power amount for the selected control subject equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Eisuke Kuroda, Toshiyuki Miyake, Nao Saito, Masahiro Yatsu, Taichirou Kawahara
  • Patent number: 10890158
    Abstract: A method for initializing startup of a wind turbine includes measuring a first wind condition at the wind turbine at a first moment in time. The method also includes measuring a second wind condition at the wind turbine at a subsequent, second moment in time. Further, the method includes estimating an acceleration parameter of the wind turbine as a function of the first wind condition and the second wind condition. Moreover, the method includes comparing the acceleration parameter to a predetermined threshold. As such, the method includes initializing a first startup process for the wind turbine when the acceleration parameter is at or below a predetermined threshold. Further, the method includes initializing a second startup process for the wind turbine when the acceleration parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold, the second startup process being faster than the first startup process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Megan Purcell Murray, Jignesh Govindlal Gandhi, Hammad Ahmad
  • Patent number: 10890160
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a control system for enhancing a frequency support capability of a wind turbine generator system. The control system includes a wind turbine, a gearbox, an electric generator and a converter. The control system is characterized by further including a supercapacitor energy storage apparatus, which includes a DC-DC converter and a supercapacitor. The converter includes DC buses, and the supercapacitor is electrically connected to the DC buses via the DC-DC converter. The supercapacitor may be orderly charged or discharged according to an operating state of the wind turbine generator system to maintain its operating condition, and has a superior reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignees: Wind Power Technology Center of Gansu Electric Power Company, State Grid Corporation of China, Gansu Electric Power Company of State Grid, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Inventors: Ningbo Wang, Liang Lu, Kun Ding, Shiyuan Zhou, Chen Zhang, Jin Li, Zheng Li, Nianzong Bai, Jing Zhi, Xu Cai, Zifen Han, Youming Cai
  • Patent number: 10890159
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling the shutdown of a wind turbine of the type having a rotor, the rotor including one or more wind turbine blades. The method includes dynamically determining a rotor speed reference; obtaining a measure of the rotor speed of the rotor; determining an error between the rotor speed reference and the rotor speed of the rotor; and controlling a pitch of one or more of the wind turbine blades based on the determined error. A corresponding wind turbine controller and a wind turbine including such a controller are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Fabio Caponetti, Keld Hammerum, Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer
  • Patent number: 10886811
    Abstract: Provided is a stator assembly including: i) a first stator segment, ii) a second stator segment, wherein the first stator segment and the second stator segment being arranged along a circumferential direction of the stator assembly, and wherein the first stator segment and the second stator segment are located adjacent to each other and are separated by a gap. The stator assembly further including: iii) at least one first coil set of a first multi-phase coil system, and iv) at least one second coil set of a second multi-phase coil system, wherein each coil set includes at least one coil for each phase of the respective multi-phase coil system. Each stator segment includes a first busbar arrangement having first busbar elements, and a second busbar arrangement having second busbar elements, each busbar element being assigned to one phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Inventors: Ziad Azar, Erik Groendahl, Subhra Samanta, Arwyn Thomas
  • Patent number: 10886743
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing energy elasticity services via distributed virtual batteries are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ranjini Bangalore, Prakash Murali, Dilip Krishnaswamy, Shivkumar Kalyanaraman
  • Patent number: 10876518
    Abstract: A method for mitigating damage in a rotor blade of a plurality of rotor blades of a wind turbine includes receiving a plurality of acceleration signals from the plurality of the rotor blades in at least one direction. The method also includes generating a spectral density for each of the plurality of acceleration signals. Further, the method includes determining blade energies for each of the plurality of rotor blades based on the spectral densities for each of the plurality of acceleration signals for at least one predetermined frequency range. Moreover, the method includes comparing the blade energies to at least one of each other or a predetermined damage threshold. In addition, the method includes implementing a control action when one or more of the blade energies vary from each other by a predetermined amount or one or more of the blade energies exceed the predetermined damage threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael James Rizzo, John Joseph Mihok
  • Patent number: 10877098
    Abstract: A method for detecting a fault in an AC/AC exciter having an exciter rotor and an exciter stator. A signal reflecting the current or voltage, is obtained at an exciter rotor winding or at an exciter stator winding. A frequency analysis is applied and on the basis of a presence of a frequency component, a rotor current or voltage signal, at a first frequency fs*(2?s), where fs is a supply frequency of the exciter stator and s is an exciter slip, it is determined whether the exciter suffers from an inter-turn short circuit in an exciter stator winding or not. On the basis of a presence of a frequency component, in the case of a stator current signal or a stator voltage signal, at a second frequency fs*(1?2*s), it is determined whether the exciter suffers from an inter-turn short circuit in an exciter rotor winding or not. Presence of frequency components at the first and/or second frequencies in windings of an AC/AC exciter indicate the mentioned fault conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Pedro Rodriguez, Matti Kivioja, Janne Holla, Tapio Rauhala, Ilari Karkkainen
  • Patent number: 10879764
    Abstract: Provided is a rotation device for rotating a wind turbine generator configured to be rotated by wind and to convert wind energy into electrical energy. The rotation device includes at least one rotary device configured to couple with an outer surface of the wind turbine generator, and a motor device for driving the rotary device such as to thereby rotate the wind turbine generator about a generator rotation axis. The wind turbine generator can be rotated in a state in which the wind turbine is not operating. This can be useful for training purposes in a training nacelle, for maintenance purposes when storing the nacelle or during assembly of the nacelle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventors: Brian Jensen, Anders Kristian Lauridsen, Johnny Nygaard Lauridsen
  • Patent number: 10871143
    Abstract: A vertical axis wind turbine includes two or more cells arranged one above the other along a vertical machine axis, wherein each of the cells includes a plurality of vertical blades which are arranged within the cell distributed on a concentric circle about the machine axis and which are connected so as to be able to move together on this circle and which are rotationally fixed with a main shaft, and wherein the blades in the cell are each individually mounted so as to be able to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation which in particular runs internally through them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Agile Wind Power AG
    Inventors: Karl Bahnmüller, Hans Thomas Hug
  • Patent number: 10865773
    Abstract: A method for compensating for flicker induced by a wind turbine power system connected to a power grid includes operating a power converter of the wind turbine power system based on a nominal reactive current command and a nominal torque command. In response to receiving a periodic torque command modifier, the method includes determining a reactive current command modifier for the power converter based on one or more operational parameters of the wind turbine power system and/or the power grid and the torque command modifier. The method also includes simultaneously modifying the nominal reactive current command as a function of the reactive current command modifier and the nominal torque command as a function of the torque command modifier. Accordingly, modifying the nominal torque command causes low-frequency voltage variations in the power grid and simultaneously modifying the reactive current command attenuates the low-frequency voltage variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Smith, Werner Gerhard Barton
  • Patent number: 10864989
    Abstract: A drone with a horizontal rotor includes one or more rotor(s) (115, 116) which rotate in a horizontal plane, each rotor (115, 116) being equipped with one or more rigid or non-rigid blades (120, 121), the blade end being mounted on an electric motor (110, 111) with a propeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventor: Philippe Crochat
  • Patent number: 10859064
    Abstract: A power conversion system for a wind turbine generator, comprising a machine-side converter having an AC voltage input from a generator and a DC voltage output to a DC link, wherein the machine-side converter is a modular multi-level converter comprising one or more converter legs corresponding to a respective one or more electrical phases of the generator, each of the converter legs comprising a plurality of converter cells, the system further comprising: a converter control module which provides the machine-side converter with a gate signal, and an electrical frequency estimation module configured to estimate the mean electrical frequency of the generator; wherein the gate signal has at least one mean switching frequency corresponding to at least one electrical phase of the generator; wherein the converter control module is configured to modulate the mean switching frequency of the gate signal in dependence on the mean electrical frequency of the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Ciprian Biris, Duy Duc Doan, John Godsk Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10862310
    Abstract: A system includes a generator configured to be electrically coupled to a grid, a transmission configured to mechanically couple the generator to a prime mover, a converter circuit configured to be electrically coupled between the grid and an energy storage device, and a controller configured to control the converter circuit and the transmission. The controller may operate the converter circuit to source or sink power in response to a change on the grid meeting a criterion. The controller may be further configured to adjust a transmission ratio of the transmission based on a demand on the generator. The controller may also be configured to cause the transmission to mechanically decouple the generator from the prime mover while maintaining an electrical coupling of the generator to the grid so that the mechanically decoupled generator can contribute current to a fault on the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Flexgen Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Pasi Taimela, Tony Olivo
  • Patent number: 10855082
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to a method for controlling an amount of power to be delivered from a wind turbine generator to a power grid during an abnormal power grid event, the method comprising the steps of detecting an abnormal power grid event; controlling an active current delivered to the power grid in response to a measured or determined total active current; and controlling a reactive current delivered to the power grid in response to a measured or determined total reactive current. Aspects of the present invention further relate to a computer program product for carrying out the method as well as a wind turbine generator being capable of carrying out embodiments of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Ciprian Biris, Gert Karmisholt Andersen, Uffe C. Merrild, Leif Svinth Christensen
  • Patent number: 10852339
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for sensing lightning-current parameters at installations comprising a plurality of capturing devices and lightning-current diversion paths, in particular for exposed and/or tall buildings, including wind turbines, by using a plurality of sensors on the lightning-current diversion paths to identify a lightning-current event, and comprising subsequent evaluation of the lightning-current event and the effect of the lightning-current event on the particular installation. According to the invention, a lightning-current detection sensor is formed on each of the capturing devices or each lightning-current diversion path, which lightning-current detection sensor provides a yes/no statement concerning a lightning-current event with respect to the particular capturing device or the particular lightning-current diversion path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: DEHN SE + CO KG
    Inventors: Josef Birkl, Bernhard Eichler, Thomas Böhm, Franz Schork
  • Patent number: 10844834
    Abstract: Disclosed is a floating wind turbine including a floating platform and a turbomachine resting on the platform, the turbomachine including: —first and second transverse flow turbines disposed symmetrically with respect to a first plane, each turbine including blades including central parts that are extended at the ends by arms, connected to shaft elements by pivoting connections, each turbine also including upper and lower fairings; and—a structure for holding the turbines including a vertical median pylon between the turbines and upstream of a second plane containing the axes of rotation of the blades of the turbines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventor: Jean-Luc Achard
  • Patent number: 10844838
    Abstract: Summarizing, the present invention relates to a control system for a wind turbine including—a feed forward controller having a rotor effective wind speed of the wind turbine as an input parameter and having a plurality of output parameters—a feedback controller wherein an input parameter is based on a rotor speed or a generator speed of the wind turbine and having at least one output parameter and wherein o one output parameter of the feed forward controller is provided to the feedback controller as an input parameter and o another output parameter of the feed forward controller is used as a feed-forward control parameter for controlling the wind turbine and o one output parameter of the feedback controller is used as a feed-back control parameter for controlling the wind turbine, as well as a wind turbine and a control method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Universität Stuttgart
    Inventors: David Schlipf, Holger Fürst, Florian Haizmann, Steffen Raach
  • Patent number: 10840708
    Abstract: A method controls a microgrid having at least one renewable plant of distributed renewable energy resources and at least one generator plant of distributed non-renewable energy resources, and each plant has a local controller. The method includes providing type and power size of each plant to each local controller. At each local controller, measuring the frequency and estimating the total power load demanded based on the measured frequency. At the local renewable controller, decreasing the frequency at which power is supplied when the supplied power falls below the estimated power load and increasing the frequency when the supplied power exceeds the estimated power load. And at the local generator controller, increasing power supply in response to detecting a decrease in frequency, and decreasing power supply in response to detecting an increase in frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
    Inventors: Jean Dobrowolski, David Gualino, Mazen Alamir, Seddik Bacha
  • 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: 10823142
    Abstract: Provided are a method and a system for controlling wind turbine shutdown. The method includes: obtaining, according to a preset sampling period, a grid voltage for a wind turbine, and sending the obtained grid voltage to an converter controller; determining, by the converter controller and based on the grid voltage, an operating condition of a power grid is power outage of power grid; sending, in a case that the power outage of power grid is determined, a signal indicating power outage of power grid to a main controller of a main control system of the wind turbine; and controlling, by the main controller in a case that the signal indicating power outage of power grid is received, a pitch system to perform a variable-rate feathering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lei Zhang, Zhiqiang Yang, Lei Ma
  • Patent number: 10823148
    Abstract: A wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine comprises: a generator (162), one or more power converters (20) arranged between the generator and a point of connection to a main transformer (5), and one or more wind turbine electrical components (8, 9, 10). The main transformer (5) is configured to connect a busbar (60) to an auxiliary wind turbine transformer, wherein the busbar is configured to receive electrical power from an electrical grid with a main voltage. The wind turbine electrical components are configured to be connected to the auxiliary wind turbine transformer (6), wherein a selection of the wind turbine electrical components is further configured to be connected to the busbar through a service voltage transformer (7) when the main transformer (5) is disconnected from the busbar. Systems comprising such wind turbines are also provided. Methods for connecting a wind turbine main transformer to a grid are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Removables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Javier Cilla Garcia, Kevin Schoenleber, Sergi Rates Palau
  • Patent number: 10823147
    Abstract: A wind farm is presented. The wind farm includes a plurality of wind turbine stations, where each wind turbine station includes a wind turbine and a generator sub-system. The generator sub-system includes a doubly-fed induction generator configured to generate an alternating current voltage and a wind turbine station power converter. The wind farm further includes a power collection sub-system that includes a power bus and a sub-station power converter. The wind farm also includes a control system configured to determine a wind speed metric, estimate a corresponding frequency metric, calculate a desirable frequency based on the wind speed metric and frequency compensation ranges of the wind turbine station power converters, and generate and communicate control commands to the sub-station power converter based on the desirable frequency to allow the sub-station power converter to update a line frequency of a power bus voltage based on the desirable frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Govardhan Ganireddy, Rajib Datta
  • Patent number: 10823146
    Abstract: A method for monitoring and controlling a wind turbine to minimize rotor blade damage includes receiving sensor data from one or more sensors indicative of at least one blade parameter of the rotor blade over a predetermined time period. The method also includes trending the sensor data for the predetermined time period with respect to at least one wind parameter. Further, the method includes determining at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data. Moreover, the method includes comparing the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data to an operating threshold. In addition, the method includes implementing a control action if the comparison of the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data and the operating threshold indicates blade damage is occurring or is likely to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Clovis Dillon Vaughn, Robert Peter Slack, Michael James Rizzo