Patents Assigned to Vesta
  • Patent number: 11905143
    Abstract: A method for handling a load (2) including a wind turbine component (202). The method includes, while a crane (1) is supported by a supporting element (G), arranging a control arrangement (501, 502), which is at least partly elongated and flexible, so as to extend, while the load (2) is lifted in a suspended manner with the crane (1), from the load (2) to an actuator (511, 512), located on the supporting element (G), at a distance from the crane (1). The actuator (511, 512) controls the orientation of the load (2) by the control arrangement (501, 502), and the control arrangement (501, 502) is extended, during the load orientation control, via a redirection device (531, 532) which is connected to the supporting element (G).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Michael Kastrup
  • Patent number: 11905933
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and controller for heating a wind turbine blade that comprises a plurality of heating zones. An icing factor is determined based on environmental conditions and one or more heating zones are determined based on the determined icing factor, wherein each heating zone comprises one or more Electro-Thermal Heating Elements. The one or more Electro-Thermal Heating Elements corresponding to the determined heating zones are activated to generate heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Stephen Buggy, Luke Spandley, Paul Badger
  • Patent number: 11905927
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for monitoring a wind turbine (10). The system receives a signal (426) indicative of a pitch force being applied to a blade (20) of a wind turbine (10). The signal (426) is sampled to generate a discrete time-domain signal (426) including a plurality of pitch force samples. Samples are selected for analysis using a sampling window (326) that excludes samples obtained under operating conditions determined to be detrimental to obtaining good data. The selected samples are processed to generate a spectral density (150) of the signal (426), and the frequency content of the spectral density (150) analysed to determine the condition of one or more components of the wind turbine (10). If the analysis indicates that a component of the wind turbine (10) needs attention, the system generates an alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Frank Møller Hansen
  • Patent number: 11898534
    Abstract: A wind turbine comprising one or more wind turbine blades arranged to perform pivot movements between a minimum pivot angle and a maximum pivot angle, each wind turbine blade extending between an outer tip and an inner tip, wherein each wind turbine blade has an outer portion extending between the hinge and the outer tip and having a first length, and inner portion extending between the hinge and the inner tip and having a second length, wherein a coning angle of the blade carrying structure is larger than zero and/or a tilt angle of the rotor axis is larger than zero, and wherein a horizontal distance from the tower at a vertical position defined by a position of the hinge at tower passage to a point of connection between the blade carrying structure and the hub is equal to or less than the second length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Thomas S. Bjertrup Nielsen, Søren Dalsgaard, Brian Jørgensen, Kim Hylling Sørensen
  • Patent number: 11901734
    Abstract: A grid side inverter system includes a grid side inverter, a phase locked loop controller arranged to determine a phase of a dq-frame dependent on a monitored grid voltage vector in the dq-frame and a reference grid voltage vector in the dq-frame, a current reference decision unit arranged to generate a reduction of at least one of an active and a reactive current reference, wherein a decision to generate the reduction is based on an electrical parameter relating to the phase difference of the monitored grid voltage vector and the PLL vector, a current controller arranged to determine control signals for the grid side inverter for controlling generation of active and reactive power to the grid dependent on the active and reactive current references and monitored active and a reactive grid currents in the dq-frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: John Godsk Nielsen, Torsten Lund, Hamid Soltani, Gert Karmisholt Andersen
  • Patent number: 11901809
    Abstract: According to embodiments described herein a Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) is pre-charged by: driving a bypass current from an auxiliary power source through a plurality of bypass switches included in a corresponding plurality of cells; in response to a summed voltage across a plurality of cell capacitors included in the plurality of cells satisfying a drive threshold, driving an insert current through a plurality of insert switches included in the plurality of cells; and in response to a voltage across a Direct Current (DC) link capacitor satisfying a pre-charge threshold when driving the insert current, opening a circuit breaker connecting the auxiliary power source with the plurality of cells and connecting a generator with external power line rails between which the DC link capacitor is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Masoud Parkhou, Lars Helle, Cem Özgür Gerçek
  • Patent number: 11898542
    Abstract: A wind turbine comprising a plurality of wind turbine blades, a blade anti-ice system including a blade heating arrangement associated, wherein the anti-ice system includes a control system and a power supply configured to provide power to the blade heating arrangement, characterised in that the power supply comprises a power converter. A benefit of using a power converter to supply electrical power to the heating devices is that power can be applied in a stepless manner. A much finer degree of control is therefore achieved over the thermal energy applied to the blade since the power can be ramped up gradually as the system controller determines that the icing conditions are becoming more severe. As a result of the use of the power converter, the magnitude of thermal energy that is applied to the blade can be increased gradually and smoothly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Carsten Roed, Jan Slej
  • Patent number: 11896930
    Abstract: The invention includes systems, methods, compositions, and processes for designing, manufacturing, and utilizing carbon dioxide-sequestering substrates that can fully or partially replace natural sand in coastal engineering applications. These engineered substrates can offset demand for scarce native sand resources, while also effecting the conversion of gaseous carbon dioxide to dissolved or solid-phase products thereby offsetting impacts of anthropogenic climate change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: PROJECT VESTA, PBC
    Inventors: Stephen Justin Romaniello, Brian David Ley, Margaret Grace Andrews, Nathan Gerard Walworth, Thomas Ishoey, Tom Coxeter Green, Francesc Montserrat, Chloe Sarah Leach, David L. Kriebel, Devon Barnes Cole, Geoffrey Wadsworth Calkins, Douglas Owen Edwards
  • Patent number: 11894672
    Abstract: A system for a wind turbine that includes a protection system interfaced to a circuit breaker system and a sensing system. The protection system is configured to determine an operational mode of the wind turbine by monitoring at least two parameters determine a parameter set comprising a plurality of operational parameters based on a determined operational mode, and an associated set of expected values corresponding to the parameter set, determine actual values corresponding to the determined parameter set, identify a fault condition in the event that the determined set of actual values of the operational parameters do not correspond to the determined set of expected values of the operational parameters, and implement a protection action based on the identified fault condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Luis Miguel Calhau Gonçalves, Kenneth G. Hansen, Hans Christian Bisgaard-Clausen, Duy Duc Doan, Hamid Soltani, Poul Møhl Dyrlund, Kent Tange
  • Patent number: 11885303
    Abstract: A method of operating a wind turbine generator comprising a plurality of blades, the method comprising iterating the following steps: comparing an indicated rotor speed with a rotor speed target to determine a rotor speed error; generating a modified rotor speed error by applying a control factor to the rotor speed error; controlling the pitch angle of the blades via a pitch control system in accordance with the modified speed error; and altering the control factor in dependence on a size of the indicated rotor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Fabio Caponetti, Andre Brandao Martins
  • Patent number: 11885309
    Abstract: A wind turbine cooling system comprising a cooling circuit arranged to convey a cooling fluid to and from a heat source, a cooling device arranged to cool the cooling fluid, a 5 pump arranged to circulate the cooling fluid in the cooling circuit, and a cooling fluid tank arranged in fluid connection with the cooling circuit and having a first fluid port adjacent a top of the tank and a second fluid port adjacent a bottom of the tank, wherein the second fluid port is arranged to communicate with the cooling circuit, wherein the pump has an outlet arranged in fluid connection with the cooling circuit and in fluid 10 connection with the tank, and wherein a fluid path between the pump outlet and the tank includes a flow restriction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Erik Eduard Kostandyan, Poul T. Tietze, Sandra Ann Hoffecker, Carsten Krogh Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11885306
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a wind turbine system, more particular for a method for determining shadow flicker at a location and identifying a wind turbine in a wind park with a plurality of wind turbines causing the shadow flicker. A remote detector located at or near the location is determining the presence of shadow flicker and generating flicker data representative of the shadow flicker. A target wind turbine potentially causing a shadow at the location is identified based on the turbine position and the position of the sun. Operational data from the target wind turbine is obtained and it is verified whether the target wind turbine generates the shadow flicker by comparing the flicker data and the operational data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Mikkel Kåe Skovdal, Morten Tim Thorsen
  • Patent number: 11879439
    Abstract: A wind turbine drive train component (22) comprising a rotating shaft (61) with a radial seal (50) is provided. The radial seal (50) comprises a stationary part and a rotating part. The stationary part comprises a ring (51) with an inner edge and an outer edge, the inner edge being configured for contactlessly surrounding the shaft (61). The rotary part comprising a disc (52), coaxially connected to the shaft (61) for rotation therewith and comprising a flange (53) that wraps around the outer edge of the ring (51). The radial seal (50) further comprises an annular air lock gap (55) for containing an amount of lubrication fluid (64) and thereby closing off the air lock gap (55) when the rotary part rotates at a rotational speed above a predetermined threshold speed, the annular air lock gap (55) being formed by an inner surface of the flange (53), an outer part of the opposing parallel surface of the disc (52) and the outer edge of the ring (51).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Leif Christoffersen, Lars Langvardt Krogh, Lars Skifter, Thomas Paw Buus
  • Patent number: 11879501
    Abstract: A connection system for joining two wind turbine components together includes one or more bearing surfaces and one or more support surfaces extending away from the one or more bearing surfaces on a first wind turbine component, and one or more bearing surfaces and one or more support surfaces extending away from the one or more bearing surfaces on a second wind turbine component. One or more bores are formed in the one or more support surfaces of the first and second wind turbine components. One or more pins are configured to be engaged with respective one or more bores of the first and second wind turbine components to thereby join the two components together. A method for joining two wind turbine components together is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Thomas Møller Christiansen, Nicolaj Biltoft Kristensen, Erik Markussen
  • Patent number: 11879431
    Abstract: There is provided a method (40) of correcting blade pitch in a wind turbine (10) having a tower (12) and a plurality of rotor blades (18). The method (40) comprises: receiving (410) sensor output data from one or more wind turbine sensors (141), the sensor output data including data indicative of excitation of the tower (12) for a plurality of different pitch angles of a particular one of the blades (18); determining (420) a corrected pitch reference of the particular blade (18), the corrected pitch reference corresponding to a minimum tower excitation based on the received sensor output data; and, sending (430) the corrected pitch reference to a pitch actuator system (24) of the particular blade (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Karthik Krishnan Jamuna, Igor Kelbas, Selvavignesh Vedamanickam, Maxime Coulange, Jiji Nallathambi Kumaradhas, Jesper Errboe Askov, Karl H. Svendsen, Edgar Anahua, Nikolaj Sig Overgaard
  • Patent number: 11873795
    Abstract: A turner gear arrangement (60) for turning a rotor of a wind turbine via a drivetrain thereof; said turner gear arrangement (60) comprising a motor (68), a torque transmission assembly (90), and a mounting assembly (80); said torque transmission assembly (90) comprising one or more rotational elements and including a turner output drive (92) rotating about an axis (R), said turner output drive (92) being operably coupled to and driven by said motor (68) and configured to transmit rotational motion to a gearbox output shaft of a said drivetrain, said turner output drive (92) further including an output guide portion (94); said mounting assembly (80) being configured to mount said motor (68) and said transmission assembly (90) in a fixed relation with respect to a wind turbine drivetrain; and wherein said mounting assembly (80) further includes a radial support interface (86) which operably engages with said output guide portion (94), to constrain movement of said turner output drive (92) in a direction transve
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Joris Kofman
  • Patent number: 11873794
    Abstract: A generator-gearbox assembly for a wind turbine includes a generator having a generator rotor, a gearbox including an output shaft, and a connection assembly. The connection assembly a hub abutment surface and a plurality of shaft bolt holes, a hub associated with the generator rotor with a first connecting portion (340) having a shaft abutment surface and at least one elongated slot extending through the first connecting portion. The number of elongated slots is less than or equal to the number of shaft bolt holes. A plurality of fasteners fixedly connect the hub to the hub abutment surface, each fastener extending through a respective elongated slot and a shaft bolt hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Lars Langvardt Krogh, Henrik Zaar Mannik
  • Patent number: 11867157
    Abstract: A method of cooling a wind turbine. A cooling system is operated with a first setpoint temperature to cool the wind turbine over a first period. The method comprises measuring a temperature of the wind turbine over the first period to obtain temperature measurements; allocating each of the temperature measurements to a temperature range, wherein one or more of the temperature ranges are critical temperature ranges; and for each critical temperature range, comparing a parameter indicative of a number of the temperature measurements allocated to the critical temperature range with a threshold; selecting a second setpoint temperature on the basis of the comparison(s); and operating the cooling system with the second setpoint temperature over a second period. An equivalent method is also disclosed in which a power setting of the wind turbine is changed on the basis of the comparison(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Michael Staghøj
  • Patent number: 11867154
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of operating a wind turbine with an operational parameter where values of the operational parameter are obtained by different sensors and compared to determine the validity of the value. A first value and a second value of the operational parameter are obtained different sensors and validated by comparing the two values. The wind turbine being operated using a validated value as the operational parameter. The two sensors are selected among a trained machine learning model, a reference sensor and a computerized physical model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Goncalo Artur Duarte Pereira, Ines Pinto Frutuoso, Johnny Nielsen, Jens Van Schelve
  • Patent number: 11863112
    Abstract: The invention relates to controlling a power generating unit. Aspects of the invention include determining a virtual impedance value (Zvir), determining a virtual grid power (Pvsm) based on the virtual resistance value (Rvir) and the grid current (Igrid), determining a virtual synchronous machine rotational speed (?VSM) and/or a synchronous machine angle (?VSM) of a virtual synchronous generator, and determining a voltage reference (Vabc) for controlling a line side converter to generate the desired reactive power (Qgrid) based on the virtual synchronous machine rotational speed or angle (?VSM, ?VSM), a virtual voltage (?V??, ?Vdq) and the voltage magnitude reference (Vqref).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Esmaeil Ebrahimzadehveshareh, Torsten Lund, John Godsk Nielsen