Patents Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S
  • Patent number: 11831226
    Abstract: In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a generator for a wind turbine defining a central generator axis. The generator includes a stator support frame and an environmental conditioning module removably attached to the stator support frame. The environmental conditioning module includes a heat exchanger and an air mover supported by a module housing. The environmental conditioning module further includes fluid interface connections associated with the heat exchanger, the fluid interface connections being releasably connectable to a fluid supply system associated with the heat exchanger, and electrical interface connections associated with the air blower, the electrical interface connections being releasably connectable to an electrical supply system associated with the air mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Peter Mongeau, Mustafa Gündüz
  • Patent number: 11828270
    Abstract: A nacelle of a wind turbine is disclosed. The nacelle comprises a rear frame structure (1) comprising a plurality of truss assemblies (2) being connected to each other at connecting regions (3). At least one of the truss assemblies (2) comprises at least one beam structure (4), the beam structure (4) comprising at 5 least a first beam member (5) and a second beam member (6) being arranged substantially in parallel to each other, thereby defining a longitudinal direction of the beam structure (4). The first (5) and the second (6) beam members are retained to each other by a retaining means (12). The retaining means (12) is configured to enable the first beam member (5) to slide relative to the second 10 beam member (6) along the longitudinal direction, e.g. by means of oblong slits (11) formed in the first beam members (5) and bolts (12) extending through the oblong slits (11) and being attached to the second beam members (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Joël Saraiva Nunes
  • Patent number: 11821402
    Abstract: A method of designing a wind turbine rotor blade. The method includes selecting a gravity load safety factor associated with wind turbine rotor blade fatigue loading due to gravity, that is selected to be less than a defined wind load safety factor associated with wind turbine rotor blade fatigue loading that is not due to gravity. The method includes determining a gravity-corrected design load for wind turbine rotor blade deflection, that is determined based on the selected gravity load safety factor and the defined wind load safety factor. The method includes designing a gravity-corrected wind turbine rotor blade in accordance with the determined gravity-corrected design load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Leo Thesbjerg, Søren Hove Sørensen, Gustavo Oliveira Violato
  • Patent number: 11821407
    Abstract: A wind turbine (1) comprising a tower (2), a nacelle (3) and a hub (7) is disclosed. The hub (7) comprises a blade carrying structure (4) with one or more wind turbine blades (5) connected thereto. Each of the wind turbine blades (5) defines an aerodynamic profile having a chord which varies along a length of the wind turbine blade (5). Each of the wind turbine blades (5) is connected to the blade carrying structure (4) via a hinge (6) at a hinge position of the wind turbine blade (5), each wind turbine blade (5) thereby being arranged to perform pivot movements relative to the blade carrying structure (4) between a minimum pivot angle and a maximum pivot angle. The hinge position is arranged at a distance from the inner tip end (5a) and at a distance from the outer tip end (5b), and the chord at the hinge position is larger than or equal to the chord at the inner tip end (5a) and larger than the chord at the outer tip end (5b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Thomas S. Bjertrup Nielsen, Peter Bjørn Andersen
  • Patent number: 11815067
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a wind turbine during start up, from a non-producing operation mode to a power producing operation mode when limit cycles occur during start-up. Limit cycles are detected when a number of cut-in transitions or a number of cut-out transitions are detected. A cut-in transition is when the wind turbine fails starting up despite having the wind speed or rotor speed normally required to enter a power producing operation mode. A cut-out transition is occurring when the wind turbine is falling out of power producing operation mode after having entered the power producing operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Fabio Spagnolo, Julio Xavier Vianna Neto, Karthik Vasudevan, Naga Srinivas Kamarajugadda, Fabio Caponetti
  • Patent number: 11815370
    Abstract: A method for determining angular position of a generator shaft of a wind turbine is presented. The method includes receiving a position signal, from an encoder position sensor of the wind turbine, indicative of an angular position of the generator shaft. The method includes determining a compensation signal to compensate for a disturbance signal in the received position signal indicative of an imperfection associated with the encoder position sensor. The method includes modifying the position signal by applying the determined compensation signal to the received position signal to determine angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Kent Tange, Daniel De Figueiredo Maria
  • Patent number: 11811354
    Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine connected to an electrical grid is provided. The method comprises generating a turbine control reference signal and a grid control reference signal. The turbine control reference signal is provided to a machine side unit of a power or torque control system of the turbine to control the amount of energy generated by the turbine. The grid control reference signal is provided to a line side unit of the power or torque control system to control the amount of energy transferred to the electrical grid based on the grid control reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Jacob Deleuran Grunnet
  • Patent number: 11795913
    Abstract: A turner gear assembly (52) for turning an unbalanced rotor of a wind turbine (10) having a drivetrain (30). The turner gear assembly (52) includes a turner gear (50) configured to couple to the drivetrain (30) and having at least two motors (58a, 58b), and a valve block (78) connectable to the turner gear (50) and having a first flow control valve (106) configured to be in fluid communication with a pump (80) and with the at least two motors (58a, 58b). The first flow control valve (106) is selectively moveable between a first fluid control position (106a) and a second fluid control position (106b). When the first flow control valve (106) is in the first fluid control position (106a), the at least two motors (58a, 58b) operate in parallel and when the first flow control valve (106) is in the second fluid control position (106b), the at least two motors (58a, 58b) operate in series. A method of operating the turner gear assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Joris Kofman, Dan Mølgaard Mathiasen
  • Patent number: 11795915
    Abstract: A transportation arrangement (10) includes a train (12) including at least first and second railcars (14) operatively coupled to each other for hauling by a locomotive along a railroad and having a first side (20) and a second side (22). The transportation arrangement (10) also includes a blade (40) extending between a root end (42) and a tip end (44), wherein a root region (60) of the blade (40) proximate the root end (42) is supported on the first railcar (14) and pivotable relative thereto about a first vertical axis (V1) spaced apart from the root end (42), and wherein a tip region (64) of the blade (40) proximate the tip end (44) is supported on the second railcar (14) and pivotable relative thereto about a second vertical axis (V2), such that at least a portion of the root region (60) is configured to extend laterally away from the first side (20) of the train (12) when the first and second railcars (14) are longitudinally offset from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Kurt Jensen, Henrik Timm Sørensen
  • Patent number: 11795911
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to controlling a wind turbine having a tower damping system actuable to control components of vibrational movement of the tower, a side-side component of a vibrational movement of the tower in a horizontal plane; and a fore-aft component of the vibrational movement of the tower in the horizontal plane are determined; and a control signal based on the side-side and fore-aft components is determined such that the tower damping system produces a force that increases or decreases the vibrational movement of the tower such that the side-side and fore-aft components are substantially equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Jacob Deleuran Grunnet, Fabio Caponetti, Poul Brandt Christensen
  • Patent number: 11799290
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating a power plant comprising a plurality of power producing units, the power plant being operatively connected to an associated power grid having a nominal grid frequency, the method comprising the steps of determining grid frequency variations of the associated power grid, and providing, in response to the determined grid frequency variations, an active power set-point to each of the plurality of power producing units, said active power set-point causing each of the plurality of power producing units to produce active power in response to said active power set-point, said produced active power comprising, in a frequency domain, one or more active power frequency components being different from one or more undesired frequency modes. The present invention also relates to a power plant controller for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Federico Rueda Londono, Germán Claudio Tarnowski
  • Patent number: 11787667
    Abstract: The invention provides a lifting assembly comprising a support structure (4) arranged to support a load (2) suspended from the support structure, a guide line (501) arranged to extend from a first location, to a second location, a wheel assembly (601) with one or more wheels (621, 622, 623) arranged to engage, and roll along, the guide line (501), and a control line assembly (701) arranged to extend from the wheel assembly (601) to the load (2), wherein the lifting assembly comprises a retainer (801) arranged to connect, between the first and second locations, the guide line (501) to the support structure (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Joris Kofman, Michael Egstrøm
  • Patent number: 11788511
    Abstract: A first aspect of the invention provides a method of testing a yaw system (200) of a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a rotor; the yaw system (200) comprising a yaw gear (202) coupled to the rotor so that rotation of the yaw gear (202) causes yaw rotation of the rotor, and first and second sub-systems (204a, 204b), the first sub-system (204a) comprising a first pinion gear (206a) and a first drive motor (208a) coupled to the yaw gear (202) by the first pinion gear (206a), the second sub-system (204b) comprising a second pinion gear (206b) and a second drive motor (208b) coupled to the yaw gear (202) by the second pinion gear (206b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Søren Dalsgaard, Peter Bøttcher, Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer, Anders Yde Wollesen, Julio Xavier Vianna Netø, Torben Ladegaard Baun
  • Patent number: 11788513
    Abstract: A wind turbine (10) includes a tower (12), a nacelle (14) coupled to the tower (12) and housing one or more heat generating components (18, 20), a rotor (16) having a least one wind turbine blade (24), and a cooler (38) mounted to the nacelle (14) and configured to cool the one or more heat generating components (18, 20) in the nacelle (14) by circulating a working fluid. The cooler (38) includes a support frame (46) coupled to the nacelle (14) and a heat exchanger (48) coupled to the support frame (46) and configured to cool the working fluid. The heat exchanger (48) includes at least two cooling panels (58) in non-planar relation with each other. The at least two cooling panels (50) may also be pivotably coupled to each other. A method of assembling a cooler (38) is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Henrik Hyldelund, Jesper Nyvad, Poul T. Tietze, Thomas Riis Jakobsen
  • Patent number: 11788512
    Abstract: A plurality of sliding rails and a frame structure comprising a plurality of frame elements configured to be arranged at least partly circumferentially around a tower structure. Each frame element is slidably connected to at least one of the sliding rails, and the frame elements and the sliding rails are interconnected to form a scissor structure. An upwardly directed lifting force applied by a hoisting mechanism at connecting points at or near positions where the frame elements are connected to the sliding rails, in combination with gravity working on the frame structure, causes the frame elements to slide along the sliding rails, thereby causing the scissor structure to contract or expand to adjust a diameter of the frame structure to an outer diameter of the tower structure having the apparatus mounted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Angelo Sardellano
  • Patent number: 11781524
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a wind turbine system reducing, preventing or mitigating vibrations due to wind induced vibrations. The wind turbine system includes a wind turbine tower 102, a sensor arrangement 304 for sensing vibrations of the wind turbine tower, a nacelle 104 mounted to the wind turbine tower via a yaw bearing 310 and a control system 306 for controlling yawing of the nacelle relative to the wind turbine tower. The system is adapted for sensing 402 a vibration of the wind turbine tower using the sensor arrangement, providing 404 an input for the control system in response to the vibration of the wind turbine tower as sensed by the sensor arrangement, and providing 406 an output by the control system based on the input, and yawing 408 the wind turbine nacelle based on the output from the control system, and hereby reducing wind induced vibrations of the tower and nacelle, particularly vortex induced vibrations and/or vibrations due to galloping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Søren Bøgelund Madsen, Anders Brohm, Tue Hald, Shougang Qu
  • Patent number: 11781313
    Abstract: There is presented a tower element, such as a tower element for a tower for a wind turbine generator, said tower element comprising a hollow, tubular element, a flange on an inside surface of the hollow, tubular shell, a unit comprising a platform and a fixation element, such as a plurality of fixation elements, attached to the platform, wherein the unit is arranged with respect to the flange, so that the flange prevents movement of the platform in both directions along an axis being parallel with an axis of the tubular element, and movement of the platform is allowed in at least one direction along an axis being orthogonal to the axis of the tubular element. There is furthermore presented a tower, a wind turbine generator and a method for providing a tower element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Børge Øllgaard, Peter Sigfred Mortensen, Jens Juul
  • Patent number: 11781527
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring an operational parameter of a wind turbine. The method comprising defining a peer limit, measuring the operational parameter during operation of the wind turbine; and comparing the measured operational parameter to the peer limit. The wind turbine is a member of a peer group of wind turbines, each wind turbine of the peer group comprising a common characteristic. The peer limit is defined using measurements of the operational parameter measured on the wind turbines of the peer group of wind turbines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Søren Dyøe Agger
  • Patent number: 11780711
    Abstract: A tagline control system for handling a wind turbine component during an operation on a wind turbine using a lifting apparatus. The tagline control system includes a tagline control module (74, 164) having a housing (80), at least two winches (126,128) disposed within the housing and each having a tagline cable (130, 132), a controller (146) disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the at least two winches, and a power source (148) disposed within the housing (80) and operatively coupled to the at least two winches. A method of handling a wind turbine component during an operation on a wind turbine using the lifting apparatus includes coupling the tagline control module to the lifting apparatus and to a wind turbine component, and operating the tagline control system to effectuate the position of the wind turbine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Joris Kofman, Michael Egstrøm
  • Patent number: 11773822
    Abstract: There is provided a wind turbine blade extending longitudinally in a spanwise direction between a root end and a tip end, and transversely in a chordwise direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The wind turbine blade comprises an outer shell defining a substantially hollow interior, and a shear web arranged inside the outer shell and extending longitudinally in the spanwise direction. The shear web comprises an elongate web panel and a mounting flange extending along a longitudinal edge of the web panel, the mounting flange comprising an inboard end portion defining a root end of the mounting flange and an outboard portion defining a tip end of the mounting flange. The outboard portion extends along a majority of the length of the elongate web panel. The inboard end portion of the mounting flange is bonded to an inner surface of the blade shell by a first adhesive, and the outboard portion of the mounting flange is bonded to the inner surface of the blade shell by a second adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Jonathan Smith