Abstract: A system includes a first coil mechanically coupled to a first component and electrically coupled to a power source. The system further includes a second coil mechanically coupled to a second component and configured to receive power from the first coil via a magnetic field. At least one of the first and second components includes a rotatable component. The system also includes a field focusing element disposed between the first coil and the second coil and configured as a self resonant coil having a standing wave current distribution to focus the magnetic field onto the second coil and enhance the coupling between the first coil and the second coil.

Abstract: A power generating system includes an energy source coupled to a DC link through a first power converter and a second power converter to couple the DC link to a power grid. A first controller in the power generating system regulates voltage on the DC link and a second controller regulates a parameter of the energy source. A dynamic parsing controller coupled to the first power converter and the second power converter selectively parses the output signals of the first and second controllers and generates operating commands for the first and second power converters based at least in part on the parsed output signals.

Abstract: A fluid turbine blade is provided. The fluid turbine blade includes a centrally disposed longitudinal spar having a substantially circumferential cross section. The fluid turbine blade also includes at least one rib assembly affixed to said longitudinal spar. The fluid turbine blade further includes a skin attached to the at least one rib.

Abstract: An arc flash detection method includes transmitting light via an optical fiber to a sensor and transmitting light from the sensor that includes components representative of acoustic waves and light for filtering and processing to detect an occurrence of an arc flash.

Abstract: A heat flux measurement device includes at least two thermocouples disposed within a front portion of the device at different axial distances from a front wall of the device. A correlation between the measured heat fluxes from the device over a period of time is used to estimate a fouling thickness on a wall, for example, a water wall of a radiant syngas cooler (RSC).

Abstract: A method for advanced condition monitoring of an asset system includes monitoring a variable of an asset system using the at least one sensor of a smart sensor system; determining whether the asset system has departed from normal operation; and identifying the variable of the asset system indicating the departure from normal operation. In another method, the time sequential values of the monitored variable is analyzed by using a Rank Permutation Transformation test, a Hotelling's T2 statistic test, and a Likelihood Ratio Test; and a change of an operating condition of the asset system is determined using the analyzed values. An alert is provided if necessary. A smart sensor system includes an on-board processing unit for performing the method of the invention.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an approach by which low-performing turbines may be identified from among a plurality of wind turbines, such as may be present at a wind power plant. In accordance with one embodiment, low-performing turbines are identified from among pairs of turbines and based upon a comparison of the observed and expected performance of the turbines within each pair.

Abstract: A method of operating a three level converter includes controlling the output voltage of the converter when a DC link voltage of the three level converter is lower than one-half of a rated DC link voltage of the converter by, for each leg of the converter, alternately connecting an output terminal of the leg to the positive terminal or the negative terminal of the DC link. When the DC link voltage is at least one-half of the rated DC link voltage, the method includes controlling the output voltage of the converter by, for each leg, selectively connecting the output terminal of the converter to the positive terminal, the negative terminal, or a mid-point of the DC link.

Abstract: A glass-reinforced fiber or carbon-reinforced wind turbine blade having a suction side and a pressure side includes a tip portion adapted with an electric field control region disposed solely on or within the tip portion. The electric field control region is in electrical communication with or galvanically connected to an electric discharge conduction mechanism, wherein the electric field control region and the electric discharge conduction mechanism together operate to protect a wind turbine and its associated blade(s) from damage due to a lightning strike at the tip of the wind turbine blade(s) by controlling an electric field at the tip portion(s) caused by the lightning strike.

Abstract: A fiber optic sensing system comprises a housing disposed in a flow path, and a fiber optic sensor. The fiber optic sensor comprises an optical fiber secured in the housing, a Bragg grating, a light source for transmitting light to the optical fiber, and a detector for detecting light filtered by the Bragg grating of the optical fiber and monitoring wavelength changes of the detected light. The fiber is substantially perpendicular to the flow path. The housing defines an opening at an upstream side to allow flow through the flow path to exert a pressure on the optical fiber and cause a deformation of the Bragg grating.

Abstract: A blade assembly including an outboard blade segment is provided. The outboard blade segment includes an outboard blade shell, first and second outboard bulkheads situated within the outboard blade shell, and an outer box supported by and aligned by the outboard bulkheads. The blade assembly also includes an inboard blade segment including an inboard blade shell, first and second inboard bulkheads situated within the inboard blade shell, and an inner box supported by and aligned by the inboard bulkheads. Further, the inner and the outer boxes are tapered to facilitate insertion of the inner box into the outer box and coupling of the inner and outer boxes.

Abstract: A capacitor comprises a substrate layer, a first electrode layer disposed on the substrate layer, and a first dielectric layer disposed on the electrode layer. The dielectric layer comprises a polymeric material having an elongation less than or equal to about 5 percent.

Abstract: A method for determining characteristics of a multi-material object is provided. The method includes determining an electric element matrix representing the multi-material object. The electric element matrix is pre-multiplied by a first mathematical transformation matrix to obtain a first transformed electric element matrix. The first transformed electric element matrix is post-multiplied with a second mathematical transformation matrix to obtain a second transformed electric element matrix. The method further includes determining the characteristics of the multi-material object based on the second transformed electric element matrix.

Abstract: A wind turbine blade inspection system includes a frequency modulated continuous wave radar system configured to be movable with respect to a wind turbine blade while transmitting reference microwave signals and receiving reflected microwave signals and a processor configured for using a synthetic aperture analysis technique to obtain a focused image of at least a region of the wind turbine blade based on the reflected microwave signals.

Abstract: A wind turbine hybrid braking system is presented. The system includes a generator coupled to a main shaft of the wind turbine for generating and transmitting power. A mechanical brake is coupled to the main shaft for applying reaction torque upon braking of the wind turbine. The system further includes an electrical braking circuit coupled to the generator for acting in conjunction with the mechanical brake and dissipating active power via controlled switching.

Abstract: A system to detect a plurality of elements is proposed. The system includes one or more X-ray sources for transmitting X-rays towards a sample and also includes plurality of photon detectors. An array of crystals are arranged in a curvature with appropriate geometry for receiving a plurality of photon energies emitted from the sample and focusing the photon energy on the plurality of detectors. The plurality of photon detectors are spatially arranged at Bragg angles corresponding to signature photon energies to detect the plurality of elements simultaneously.

Abstract: A system for removing sulfur from a gaseous stream includes (a) a reaction bed for receiving the gaseous stream and for reacting sulfur dioxide and at least some of the hydrogen sulfide of the gaseous stream into elemental sulfur to provide an elemental sulfur stream and a first product stream; and (b) a circulating fluidized bed comprising (i) a first region for receiving the first product stream and using a sulfur adsorption material to adsorb and remove any remaining hydrogen sulfide from the first product stream to generate saturated sulfur adsorption material and a second product stream substantially free of sulfur; and (ii) a second region for receiving a regeneration stream and for using the regeneration stream to regenerate the saturated sulfur adsorption material and to generate the sulfur dioxide.

Abstract: A method to identify phase is presented. The method includes obtaining electrical parameters at a node and a substation of an electrical grid, processing the electrical parameters of the node and the substation into processed electrical parameters comprising at least one of a voltage harmonic amplitude, a current harmonic amplitude, a geometric harmonic modulated signal, and a noise pattern. The method further includes comparing the processed electrical parameters from the node and the substation and identifying phase information of the node with respect to the substation.

Abstract: The solar cell comprises a front side comprising a first doped layer, a backside comprising formations defining channels therebetween, the backside further comprising a second doped layer situated on at least some of the surfaces of the channels facing the front side, and an electrically conductive layer situated on at least some surfaces of the channels facing the front side. The first and second doped layers comprise opposite polarity types.

Abstract: A system for generating a threat alert in an infrastructure component is provided. The system includes multiple acoustic sensors configured to detect a signal. The system also includes a processing circuitry including at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to digitize the signal. The processing circuitry also includes a digital signal processor configured to process the acoustic signal in a sequential routine. The sequential routine includes a noise filtering routine configured to filter background noise from the acoustic signal and generate a filtered signal. The sequential routine also includes a source identification routine configured to identify a source generating the acoustic signal based upon the filtered signal. The sequential routine further includes a threat analysis routine configured to detect a threat based upon the source identified and generate a threat level signal.