Patents Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems A/S
  • Patent number: 11855576
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating a power generating assembly in the event of a fault, wherein the power generating assembly comprises a PMG comprising at least first and second sets of stator windings, wherein each set of stator windings is connected to a power converter via a controllable circuit breaker, the method comprising the steps of detecting a fault associated with the first set of stator windings, and lowering, such as interrupting, the current in the second set of stator windings, and, after a predetermined delay, lowering, such as interrupting, the current in the first set of stator windings. The present invention also relates to a power generating assembly being capable of handling such faults, and a wind turbine generator comprising such a power generating assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Kenneth G. Hansen
  • Patent number: 11852118
    Abstract: A horizontal axis wind turbine comprising a rotor having a plurality of blades, the rotor having a radius R of at least 80 meters, the blades comprising: a root end and a tip end, the blades extending in a spanwise direction from the root end to the tip end; a leading edge and a trailing edge, the blades extending in a chordwise direction along a chord from the leading edge to the trailing edge; a shoulder between the root end and the tip end where a chord length defined between the leading edge and the trailing edge is at a maximum; the blades being twisted between the root end and the tip end and the twist is defined by a twist distribution curve along the spanwise direction of the blades, each blade further comprising: an inboard region between the root end of the blade and the shoulder of the blade; an outboard region between a rotor radius 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Stephen Randall, Andrea Attorni, Thomas Potentier, Francesco Grasso
  • Patent number: 11855458
    Abstract: A method for controlling a renewable energy generator, the renewable energy generator being connected to a Point of Interconnection of an external power grid by a connecting network, wherein the connecting network has an associated impedance level. The method comprising: monitoring at least one parameter of the connecting network and the voltage level at the Point of Interconnection; generating, during normal operating conditions, at least one current injection profile based upon the at least one measured parameter and a predetermined injection profile; and operating the renewable energy generator, during a grid fault, to output current according to the at least one current injection profile, so as to achieve a current set point at the Point of Interconnection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Leif Svinth Christensen, Brian W. Andersen, Federico Rueda Londono
  • Patent number: 11846271
    Abstract: A wind turbine nacelle configured for mounting on a wind turbine tower and for supporting a rotor-supporting assembly, the nacelle comprising a main unit, and at least one auxiliary unit. The auxiliary unit accommodates at least one operative component, e.g. a converter, a transformer, an electrolysis cell, or a battery. An operative component having a similar function is accommodated in another auxiliary unit which thereby facilitate shared operation, and easy and fast maintenance or replacement of the operative component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Torben Ladegaard Baun, Jens Demtröder
  • Patent number: 11840038
    Abstract: A method of making a wind turbine blade (10) having a shear web (20, 22) bonded between first and second half shells (16, 18) is described. The method involves providing a web locator (40) on an inner surface of a half shell. The web locator has a fixed portion (42) and a spring portion (44) extending from the fixed portion. The spring portion is moveable relative to the fixed portion between compressed and relaxed states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Anton Bech
  • Patent number: 11841005
    Abstract: Embodiments herein describe in-plane vibration damping techniques for MR turbines. The MR turbines can include arms that extend from a common tower and support multiple rotors. Because the rotors are disposed laterally away from the tower, side-to-side motion of the tower causes the rotors to have an angled trajectory that includes both lateral and vertical displacement. In addition, a rotor disposed on one side of the tower in MR turbine can have a very different trajectory than a rotor disposed on the opposite side of the tower. To account for the vertical displacement and the different trajectories, in one embodiment, a controller can use different phase offsets for each rotor when calculating pitch offsets for performing in-plane vibration damping. In another embodiment, the controller can use both the lateral and vertical accelerations of the rotors to identify the pitch offsets for the rotors to perform in-plane vibration damping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Julio Xavier Vianna Neto, Søren Dalsgaard, Ian Couchman, Jon Sowman
  • Patent number: 11841002
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for monitoring a wind turbine having an electrical component. An exterior temperature and power loss associated with the electrical component is obtained, and a thermal model describing the electrical component is executed, based on the exterior temperature and power loss, to determine an internal temperature of the electrical component. A further thermal model describing the electrical component is executed, based on the internal temperature and an exterior component temperature, to predict a future thermal condition of the electrical component in order to monitor operation of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Ciprian Biris, Ole Damm Kristensen, Shirin Yousefizadeh
  • Patent number: 11841006
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating a direction of wind incident on a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a tower; a rotor-nacelle-assembly (RNA) carried by the tower; a deflection sensor configured to sense a position of the RNA or a deflection of the tower; and a wind direction sensor. One approach includes: obtaining deflection training data from the deflection sensor; obtaining wind direction training data from the wind direction sensor; training a machine learning model on the basis of the deflection training data and the wind direction training data in order to obtain a trained machine learning model; obtaining further deflection data from the deflection sensor; inputting the further deflection data into the trained machine learning model; and operating the machine learning model to output a wind direction estimate on the basis of the further deflection data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Goncalo Lucas Marcos, Lars Glavind, Johnny Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11841003
    Abstract: A wind turbine comprising a tower (2) with a tower wall and having at least one nacelle (3) mounted thereon, and a yaw system (1) interconnecting the tower (2) and at least one nacelle (3) is disclosed. The yaw system (1) comprises a yaw claw (4) comprising an upper radially extending part (5), a lower radially extending part (6) and an axially extending part (7) interconnecting the upper radially extending part (5) and the lower radially extending part (6), thereby defining a space. A sliding bearing connection with at least two axial sliding surfaces (9, 10) and at least one radial sliding surface (11) is arranged between the yaw claw (4) and a flange (8) arranged in the space defined by the yaw claw (4). At least one yaw drive (13) comprising a toothed gear (14) is arranged in meshing connection with a toothed yaw ring (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer, Peter Bøttcher
  • Patent number: 11841000
    Abstract: A method and a device for dampening movement in a multiple rotor (MR) wind turbine located at sea and comprising a tower (2) extending in an upwards direction, a load carrying structure (3, 4) forming a first section (3) and a second section (4), the first and second sections extending in different directions away from the tower (2). To provide efficient dampening of the movement, the method comprises tethering a first body (20) to the first section (3), the first body being at least partly submerged into the sea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Brian Jørgensen, Søren Dalsgaard, Peter Bøttcher, Julio Xavier Vianna Neto, Anders Yde Wollesen
  • 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