Patents Assigned to Repower Systems AG
  • Patent number: 8260467
    Abstract: A method and a system are for determining of the compatibility of control software, which is designed for standard parameters, with a wind energy installation which is operated using operating parameters. The method is an automatic method in which the operating parameters of the wind energy installation and the standard parameters of the control software are first transmitted to a computation unit. The computation unit determines discrepancies between the operating parameters and the standard parameters. A decision on compatibility is made on the basis of the discrepancies. The system includes a logic module which is designed to make the decision. This method makes it easier to automatically update the control software for a wind energy installation. There is no longer any need to manually check the compatibility of the new version of the control software before the new version of the control software can be installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: REpower Systems AG
    Inventors: Jens Altemark, Markus Book, Anton Kupper
  • Patent number: 8247913
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind energy installation and a system for implementing the method. An oblique incident flow value, which represents the difference between the wind direction and the direction of a rotor axis of the wind energy installation, and a load value, which represents the load state of the wind energy installation, are determined. A total load value is determined based on the load value and the oblique incident flow value. The rotor rotation speed is reduced when the total load value is above a first limit value. The wind energy installation is shut down when, in addition, a second limit value is exceeded. The method makes it possible to react objectively to oblique incident flows and can reduce a load on a wind energy installation without causing large yield losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: REpower Systems AG
    Inventors: Martin von Mutius, Roland Weitkamp, Jochen Anemueller
  • Patent number: 8203318
    Abstract: An electricity generating installation is connected to an electricity distribution network and feeds electrical power into the network via a converter. After detecting a network fault, a stabilization regulator in the installation is activated. The stabilization regulator regulates the voltage of the electrical power as a function of a fed-back voltage signal and has a step-function response that rises over time. After a predetermined time period has elapsed since the activation of the stabilization regulator, the reactive current feed is increased beyond a limit which is provided for normal operation if the network has not stabilized. Accordingly, a converter-fed electricity generating installation, such as a wind energy installation, can help stabilize an electricity distribution network after a network fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: REpower Systems AG
    Inventor: Jens Fortmann
  • Publication number: 20120148404
    Abstract: A rotor blade attachment, in particular of a wind power plant, for the connection of a rotor blade with an attachment device, including a transverse pin and a connecting device, which can be brought together to establish an operative connection, wherein the connecting device defines a longitudinal axis. The rotor blade attachment is characterized in that the transverse pin in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the connecting device has a higher bending stiffness than transversally to the longitudinal axis. An alternative rotor blade attachment is characterized in that the transverse pins are arranged in at least two rows, wherein at least a first row is arranged closer to the blade-root-side end of the rotor blade than at least a second row.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: REPOWER SYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Peter Quell, Urs Bendel, Matthias Schubert, Carsten Eusterbarkey
  • Patent number: 8189353
    Abstract: A method for the operation of a converter of a power-generating generator system that can be connected to an electrical AC network, and the use of the converter is provided. The converter is operated by a regulation device regulating the converter as an active audio frequency block. At least one audio frequency current of at least one specified audio frequency is detected. An AC current progression that is to be transmitted to the converter in the regulation device is determined, where at least one audio frequency current is at least partially impressed on the AC current progression. The AC current progression in the converter is generated. The AC current progression generated by the converter is then supplied to the AC network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventor: Heinz-Hermann Letas
  • Publication number: 20120107128
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor blade (10) of a wind power plant and a method for fabricating a rotor blade (10) of a wind power plant and a manufacturing mold (54, 50) for a belt (28-31). The invention is characterized by a belt pair (28, 29, 30, 31) in which two belts (28, 29, 30, 31) are connected together in a form-fit and/or force-fit and material fit connection, where the belts (28-31) have a complementary shape in a joining area (50).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: REPOWER SYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Mario Kontis, Jens Kulenkampff
  • Publication number: 20120107129
    Abstract: A rotor blade (10) of a wind power plant, wherein the rotor blade (10) has a longitudinal extension (11), which extends from a rotor blade root (12) substantially to a rotor blade tip (13), wherein, at least in one region of the rotor blade (10), an aerodynamic cross-sectional profile (15) is provided, which has a leading edge (16) (nose) and a trailing edge (17), which are connected via a suction side (18) and a pressure side (19) of the cross-sectional profile (15). The rotor blade is characterized in that the rotor blade (10) is subdivided at least in a longitudinally extended section (20) into a front rotor blade section (21) with the leading edge (16) and a rear rotor blade section (22) with the trailing edge (17), wherein the rear region (23) of the front rotor blade section (21) and the adjacent front region (24) of the rear rotor blade section (22) are connected through an I-beam (25).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: REPOWER SYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Jens Kulenkampff, Claus Weegen, Mario Kontis
  • Patent number: 8167575
    Abstract: The invention relates to a connection between components of a wind turbine. More specifically, the present invention relates to components for a wind turbine having a diameter of more than 0.5 m, preferably more than 1.0 m, and more preferably more than 1.5 m. The wind turbine includes two components that are connected together, whereby each component has a contact surface. The surface of the contact surface of a first component is softer than the surface of the contact surface of a second component. Further, the surface of the contact surface of the second component is annealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventor: Carsten Eusterbarkey
  • Patent number: 8169097
    Abstract: A method for the operation of a wind power plant (10), wherein in particular the wind power plant (10) will be or is switched off after a shutdown signal is triggered by a safety shutdown device (20) that is logically superordinate to an operating control system. The wind power plant (10) is released for operation by means of an operating device (41) that is spatially separated from the wind power plant (10) after a safety shutdown. An energy supply system with at least one wind power plant (10) and safety chain on a wind power plant are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventor: Roland Weitkamp
  • Patent number: 8157523
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the operation of a wind energy plant (10), wherein the wind energy plant (10) has a rotor (11) with a rotor axis and at least one rotor blade (15, 15?) arranged on the rotor (11), wherein the rotor blade (15, 15?) is adjustable or adjusted around a rotor blade axis with a predetermined rotor blade pitch angle. Further, at least one rotor blade (15, 15?) is rotated into an idle position, the rotation of the rotor blade (15, 15?) is braked after a first predetermined rotational position of the rotor blade (15, 15?) is reached and the stand-still position of the rotor blade (15, 15?) reached as a result of the braking procedure is captured. Furthermore, the invention relates to a wind energy plant (10) with a rotor (11) and at least one angle-adjustable rotor blade (15, 15?) arranged on the rotor (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventors: Karsten Warfen, Jens Altemark
  • Patent number: 8157522
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the calibration of at least one sensor (11-14) of a wind power plant (10). The invention also relates to a wind power plant (10). The calibration process according to the invention is captured by the at least one sensor (11-14). The measurement value (30, 31), which is a measure for the load of a component (15-17), is evaluated, wherein the wind power plant has at least the moveable component (15, 15?, 15?, 16, 17), wherein the component (15-17) is pivoted or rotated around a predeterminable axis (19, 20). The wind power plant according to the invention is provided with a calibration module for the automatic calibration of at least one sensor (11-14), which measures the load of a movable component (15-17) of the wind power plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventor: Detlef Bolz
  • Patent number: 8143734
    Abstract: A method for the operation of a wind power plant 10) with a rotor (12), which has at least one angle-adjustable rotor blade (14), wherein the wind power plant (10) is operated in a first operating mode (71) and/or a second operating mode (75). In the first operating mode (71) a braking process of the rotor (12) is initiated when a rotational speed of the rotor (12) is exceeded, which lies above a first rotational speed threshold value. Also, a method for the operation of a wind power plant (10) with a rotor (12), which has at least one angle-adjustable rotor blade (14), wherein an operating parameter is monitored and a braking process of the rotor (12) is initiated when an operating parameter threshold value is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventors: Dirk Steudel, Martin Von Mutius
  • Patent number: 8133029
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor blade attachment (17), in particular of a wind power plant (1), for the connection of a rotor blade (5) with an attachment device (4), including a transverse pin (20, 20?) and a connecting device (13, 21), which can be brought together to establish an operative connection, wherein the connecting device (13, 21) defines a longitudinal axis. The rotor blade attachment (17) is characterized in that the transverse pin (20, 21?) in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the connecting device has a higher bending stiffness than transversally to the longitudinal axis (18). An alternative rotor blade attachment (17) is characterized in that the transverse pins (20, 20?) are arranged in at least two rows (33, 34), wherein at least a first row (33) is arranged closer to the blade-root-side end (19) of the rotor blade (5) than at least a second row (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventors: Peter Quell, Urs Bendel, Matthias Schubert, Carsten Eusterbarkey
  • Patent number: 8123485
    Abstract: A rotor hub (10) of a wind power plant for a rotor, in particular with at least one rotor blade is provided, wherein a hub core body (12) and at least one hub outer body (16) are connected together by means of a flange connection (18). The rotor hub (10) is further characterized in that the flange connection (18) is constructed with a predetermined tilt angle (?) towards the rotational axis (24) of the rotor, wherein the tilt angle (?) of the flange connection (18) is constructed larger than the tilt angle (?) of the rotor blade connection surface of the hub outer body (16). Furthermore, a wind power plant may be provided with the rotor hub (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventor: Peter Quell
  • Patent number: 8106525
    Abstract: A wind energy installation is provided with a generator driven by a rotor with adjustable rotor blades to produce electrical energy, with a pitch adjustment device to adjust the blades, which pitch adjustment device includes an emergency circuit with an energy store to actuate a blade actuating motor. A shunt branch is provided with a current-balancing device in parallel with the energy store, the current balancing device configured to control the current shunt branch depending on a feedback current from the blade actuating motor. A current balancing circuit is provided with which the feedback current occurring in the overrunning state is dissipated in controlled fashion via a shunt branch and therefore the electrical energy store is protected from a damaging feedback current. This prevents a damaging rise in the voltage of the electrical energy store and a rise in the motor speed of the blade actuating motor during overrunning operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: REpower Systems AG
    Inventor: Heinz-Hermann Letas
  • Publication number: 20120006578
    Abstract: A wind energy installation includes a tower and a nacelle arranged at the top of the tower such that it can swivel in the azimuth direction. The installation also includes a plurality of cables which are guided via a loop from the tower into the nacelle, the cables being held at a distance from one another in the loop by means of rotationally fixed and loose holders. The holders each have receptacles for attachment of the cables with a predetermined circumferential separation. The holders include a lower rotationally fixed guide ring and an aligning upper loose guide ring. A loop guide is formed such that the loop is subdivided by means of the rotationally fixed lower guide ring into a curved untwisted area and an extended twisted area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: REpower Systems AG
    Inventor: Matthias Schubert
  • Patent number: 8084875
    Abstract: A wind energy installation includes a wind rotor, a double-fed asynchronous generator driven by the wind rotor, a converter provided with a first part on the generator side connected to a rotor and a second part on the network side connected to a stator of the generator, and a control device providing converter regulation. A mode selector can be switched between a normal operating mode and a reduced voltage operating mode, in which the excitation of the generator is reduced compared to the normal operating mode. The under-excitation produces an additional reactive current, thus reducing the rotor voltage. The rotor voltage can be limited even when the load is high and the network frequency or voltage is incorrect. The usable rotation speed range of the wind energy installation can be extended to provide a more powerful generator with a higher rating, without changing the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: REpower Systems AG
    Inventor: Heinz-Hermann Letas
  • Publication number: 20110288817
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the determination of an azimuth angle for servicing purposes (?w) of a wind power plant with a machinery housing that is rotatable on a tower through an azimuth angle (?) and a rotor that is rotatable on a machinery housing through a rotor angle (?) such that a plurality of combinations of rotor angles (?) and azimuth angles (?) is adjusted, that are determined at the rotor subject to the influence of a turbulent wind field, which is effecting torques, for the adjusted combinations of rotor angles (?) and azimuth angles (?) and the associated azimuth angle (?), a torque envelope of the torque-azimuth angle associations is determined, surrounding areas (U(?)) with comparable sector sizes of the azimuth angle (?) are generated and associated magnitude values of the torque envelope are determined, a surrounding area (U(?w)) with magnitude-wise smaller torque envelope values than the neighboring surrounding areas is selected and the azimuth angle for servicing purposes (?w) is
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: REPOWER SYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Martin Von Mutius, Dirk Steudel
  • Patent number: 8057158
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine and a method for operating the wind turbine planted in the floor of a body of water. The wind turbine includes a support structure and a rotor, which is arranged on the support structure. The rotor has a rotor blade. The wind turbine operates in a trundle mode in order to reduce the oscillations in the support structure created through mechanical impacts on the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventors: Marc Seidel, Martin Von Mutius, Dirk Steudel
  • Patent number: 8052394
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor blade (60) of a wind energy plant with a top side (suction side) and a bottom side (pressure side) wherein profiles (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) with a front edge and a back edge (62) in cross-section are designed along a longitudinal axis between a rotor blade root and a rotor blade tip, one designed-based direction of air inflow (31, 32, 33, 34, 35) is predetermined for each profile (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) and the profiles (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) in the outer area facing the rotor blade tip are designed with a relative thickness of less than 30%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Repower Systems AG
    Inventors: Marc Petsche, Urs Bendel