Patents Assigned to Senvion GmbH
  • Patent number: 11480159
    Abstract: A mainframe mounts the drivetrain of a wind turbine, and to an arrangement comprising such a mainframe, and to a wind turbine having a corresponding arrangement. For the purpose of mounting the drivetrain of a wind turbine, the mainframe is realized with two bearing points that are spaced apart from each other, a partial flange, having a fastening region shaped as a circular ring segment, being provided at at least one bearing point. The arrangement comprises, besides the mainframe, at least one ring element configured to radially encompass the drivetrain. At least one ring element is fastened to the fastening region, shaped as a circular ring segment, of a bearing point of the mainframe. In the case of the wind turbine, the drivetrain is mounted by means of the described arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventors: Alf Trede, Carsten Eusterbarkey
  • Patent number: 11162474
    Abstract: A method for determining a correction function for a wind turbine, a method and system for determining an alignment correction function for a nacelle of a wind turbine, and a method for operating a wind turbine are provided. Measurement values of the power measure of the wind turbine and of the leeward wind direction are assigned to measurement values of the leeward wind speed, corrected by a correction function, and are grouped into at least one wind-speed bin on the basis of instants at which the measurement values were recorded. A model function is determined and outputted for a relationship between the power measure and the leeward wind direction for the wind-speed bin, and an alignment correction function is determined for a target alignment of the nacelle relative to the measured leeward wind direction on the basis of the model function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventor: Niko Mittelmeier
  • Patent number: 11131293
    Abstract: An enclosure for a nacelle of a wind turbine is connected to a substructure in a manner that allows the enclosure to move relative to the substructure. An imaginary straight line extends over the panel and is aligned with an edge of the panel. The imaginary straight line defines a first sub-portion of the panel, said first sub-portion comprising the edge. The first sub-portion butts against the substructure. The first sub-portion is retained against the substructure by a tension element acting in a direction of tension. The first sub-portion can be displaced relative to the substructure in a direction which intersects the direction of tension. The invention facilitates the operation of assembling the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventor: Nils Lieckfeldt
  • Publication number: 20210190849
    Abstract: A condition monitoring system and method for electrical power components, in particular a transformer. A partial discharge detector unit captures acoustic signals of the partial discharge by means of an A-sensor. A processing unit captures a frequency of the partial discharges detected by the A-type sensor and a histogram module determines a temporal profile of the frequency from the frequency signal and a time signal. An analysis unit monitors the temporal profile for a fall and/or rise, preferably by means of pattern recognition. A warning signal is triggered if an adjustable threshold is exceeded. An imminent failure of an electrical power component can therefore be detected in good time and warned of; the component can be automatically disconnected if appropriate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: SENVION GmbH
    Inventor: Seyed Amir Mahmood NAJAFI
  • Patent number: 11035345
    Abstract: An adapter device for the horizontal preassembly of a wind turbine rotor includes a connection piece on the underside of the adapter device for fastening the adapter device to a tower system of a tower crane, and a rotor flange on the top side of the adapter device for fastening the rotor hub of the wind turbine rotor to be assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SENVION GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Schledde, Jan Lütjen
  • Patent number: 11018609
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind turbine with a wind rotor (2), a doubly-fed induction generator (1) driven therewith, and a converter (4), which is electrically connected to feed electrical energy into an electrical grid (8) with at least one grid parameter, and having a controller with a memory in which rotation rate parameters are stored, characterized in that at least one variable characteristic curve is determined between at least one of the rotation rate parameters and the at least one grid parameter, the at least one characteristic is stored in the memory, the at least one grid parameter is measured, the grid parameter measurements are fed to the controller, the values of the at least one rotation rate parameter associated with the grid parameter measurements via the at least one characteristic curve are activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz-Hermann Letas
  • Patent number: 10947958
    Abstract: A wind turbine has a drive train that comprises a rotor shaft and a planetary gear train having a first gear stage, the rotor shaft being connected to the planet carrier of the first gear stage in a fixed and backlash-free manner. The rotor shaft is supported, on the side that faces away from the first gear stage, by a toroidal roller bearing, on a first carrying structure. The planet carrier that is connected to the rotor shaft in a fixed and backlash-free manner is supported by a moment bearing, as a fixed bearing. The outer ring of the moment bearing is connected to a housing. The combination of the outer ring of the moment bearing and the housing is connected to a second carrying structure via at least three elastic suspension elements arranged in an annular manner around the rotor axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Eusterbarkey, Alf Trede
  • Patent number: 10927820
    Abstract: A method and a system for calibrating a wind vane of a wind turbine, a method for monitoring a wind turbine, and a method for operating a wind turbine are provided. The method comprises: measuring first and second wind speeds with anemometers and a wind direction with a wind vane, a multiplicity of measurement values being recorded over a defined time period; determining differences between the first and second wind speeds; determining a model function for a relationship between measured wind directions and determined differences, at least one first model function being determined for a first wind-speed bin and at least one second model function being determined for a second wind-speed bin; determining at least one intersection point value of the measured wind direction where the first model function and the second model function intersect; and outputting the intersection point value as an installation angle of the wind vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventor: Niko Mittelmeier
  • Patent number: 10883474
    Abstract: A method for operating a plurality of wind turbines, in which a first current estimated wind value is derived from operating parameters of a first wind turbine, and in which a second current estimated wind value is derived from operating parameters of a second wind turbine. A prediction model is applied to derive, from the first current estimated wind value and the second current estimated wind value, a wind prediction, applicable to a future time point, for a third wind turbine. The wind prediction is processed in a controller, in order to generate a control signal for the third wind turbine that is effective before the future time point. The invention additionally relates to an associated control system. The loading for particular wind turbines can be reduced in that the wind conditions are predicted for a future time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Geisler, Jesse Ben Benjamin Schmuck
  • Patent number: 10882222
    Abstract: The invention relates to a production mold for a rotor blade of a wind turbine plant, having two mold half-shells (3, 4) which during a production method of the rotor blade are disposed so as to be at least temporarily beside one another, and having at least one inner walkway (2c, 2d) that runs along so as to be between the two mold half-shells (3, 4), characterized by at least one escape path (40) which runs along below at least one of the two mold half-shells (3, 4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventor: Urs Bendel
  • Patent number: 10879783
    Abstract: A converter controller is provided, by which the current valves are controlled by means of a switching frequency. It is provided to alter the switching frequency in a step-wise manner between a first and at least one second integral multiple of the grid frequency. According to the invention, this is effected in that the switching frequency is switched over cyclically, and a frequency spacing between the switching frequencies is at least double the grid frequency, specifically in such a manner that none of the switching frequencies is an integral multiple of another of the switching frequencies. In this way, harmonics can be selectively reduced, no intermediate frequencies being produced, owing to the integrality in relation to the grid frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SENVION GmbH
    Inventor: Heinz-Hermann Letas
  • Patent number: 10859063
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind farm in a reduced-power throttle mode in which a farm master determines an individual setpoint power reduction for each participating wind power plant by determining an available power for each wind power plant, reducing this available power by a reduction proportion; determining the reduction proportions using an optimization method with the optimization condition of equal increase time for the wind power plants; and repeating until the optimization method reaches a presettable termination criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: SENVION GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Geisler
  • Patent number: 10844833
    Abstract: A blade adapter for rotor blades of wind turbines, for increasing the rotor diameter, has a first end for attaching to the rotor hub, and a second end, spaced apart in the axial direction, for connecting to the blade root of a rotor blade. In addition, the blade adapter, at its first and second end, has a pitch circle for connecting to the rotor hub or to the rotor blade, wherein the wall of the blade adapter extending in the axial direction is open outwardly, in the form of a truncated cone, from the first end toward the second end, in at least one portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: SENVION GmbH
    Inventor: Alf Trede
  • Patent number: 10815967
    Abstract: A method for operating a first wind turbine and a second wind turbine, the second wind turbine being located in the wake of the first wind turbine. A prediction model is fed with a current wind value of the first wind turbine, in order to predict a future time point at which the area swept by the rotor of the second wind turbine becomes partially overlapped by the wake of the first wind turbine. The second wind turbine reacts to the prediction in that a control signal is generated in order to alter the pitch angle of a rotor blade of the second wind turbine relative to the pitch angle of another rotor blade of the second wind turbine. The invention additionally relates to a control system suitable for executing the method. Implementation of the disclosed method by a control system can reduce the loading of the second wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Geisler, Jesse Ben Benjamin Schmuck
  • Patent number: 10815973
    Abstract: Method for retrofitting a lightning protection device of a rotor blade of a wind turbine. In the method, a cable section of a lightning protection cable is stripped of insulation. A connection piece and a lightning protection receptor are fitted to the cable section which is stripped of insulation, so that the lightning protection receptor is electrically coupled to the lightning protection cable. The invention also relates to a rotor blade which is retrofitted using the method. The risk of lightning strikes in specific regions of a rotor blade can be reduced by the invention by means of the retrofitting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Flach
  • Patent number: 10794367
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for measuring moments of a wind turbine, comprising a carrier pin that can be fixedly connected to a bedplate of a nacelle of the wind turbine, which is arranged on a tower and can be adjusted with respect to yaw, a torque support of a gearbox of the wind turbine being mountable on the carrier pin via an elastomer body, and to a method for operating a wind turbine and the corresponding wind turbine. The carrier pin is provided with one or more sensors that are designed and arranged to detect strains and/or shears of the carrier pin, a signal processing and/or evaluation unit being provided, which is connected to the sensor(s) and which can determine, during operation of the wind turbine, from measurement signals of the sensors, pitch moments and/or yaw moments that act upon the torque support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: SENVION GMBH
    Inventors: Karsten Warfen, Eckart Hopp
  • Patent number: 10788014
    Abstract: A method for delivering controlling capacity to a regenerative power generating unit driven by a strongly fluctuating primary energy source includes routine determination of the actual uncertainty with which compliance with the target value for the controlling capacity ?PRL is achieved, in consideration of the fluctuating primary energy source, routine calculation of a dynamic security margin based upon the actual uncertainty, routine adjustment of the target value (Ptarget) on the basis of the requisite controlling capacity and the dynamic security margin. Statistical uncertainty is determined and the target value is then dynamically offset such that a corresponding buffer margin (security margin) is generated: large in the event of high uncertainty, low in the event of low uncertainty. Under consistent wind conditions, the security margin is significantly narrower, thus resulting in a larger target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: SENVION GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Geisler
  • Patent number: 10781798
    Abstract: A nacelle component for a nacelle of a wind turbine, comprising a mainframe module and a power electronics module. The mainframe module and the power electronics module in each case have a length greater than a width. In the assembled state of the nacelle component, the mainframe module is oriented with its longitudinal axis parallel to a vertical plane which extends through the axis of a rotor shaft. The longitudinal axis of the power electronics module intersects the vertical plane which extends through the axis of the rotor shaft. A method for mounting such a nacelle component is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventor: Alf Trede
  • Patent number: 10774816
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and a method for monitoring a flange connection of a wind turbine, and to a corresponding wind turbine. According to the invention, one or more monitoring bodies (90) are mounted on one or more bolt nuts (20) and/or bolt heads of at least one flange connection of a wind turbine, and a circuit of the monitoring bodies (90) is produced with connecting cables (100) such that, upon rotation of a slackening bolt nut (20) or of a bolt head of a slackening bolt and of the monitoring body (90) mounted thereon, at least one connecting cable (100) connected to the concomitantly rotating monitoring body (90) becomes detached, owing to increasing tensile stress on the connecting cable (100), a fault in the flange connection being signaled upon slackening of a bolt nut (20) or bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Fuglsang-Petersen, Christoph Nack
  • Patent number: 10711767
    Abstract: A method for the maintenance of a first wind energy installation from a group of wind energy installations. In the method, a future maintenance time period is identified in which a boost power of the group of wind energy installations is greater than a prescribed threshold value, wherein the boost power results from a wind speed predicted for the future maintenance time period, said wind speed being greater than a rated wind speed. The power of the first wind energy installation is reduced after the start of the maintenance time period and a boost power is drawn from a plurality of wind energy installations from the group of wind energy installations. A maintenance process is carried out at the first wind energy installation. The invention furthermore relates to a control unit suitable for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Senvion GmbH
    Inventors: Jan Lütjen, Dennis Thiessen