Patents Assigned to Vestas Wind Systems S/A
  • Publication number: 20220055869
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for handling a load (2) comprising a wind turbine component (202), the method comprising,—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) controlling the orientation of the load (2) by means of the control arrangement (501, 502),—wherein 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: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicants: Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Michael Kastrup
  • Publication number: 20220055320
    Abstract: The invention provides a wind turbine blade body manufacturing method, the method comprising the steps of: providing a mould (40) having an elongated mould surface (43), placing a movable insert (50) on the mould surface, in a first position, forming, with the insert in the first position, a first blade body having a first length (L1), placing the insert (50) on the mould surface, in a second position, and forming, with the insert in the second position, a second blade body having a second length (L2) which is different from the first length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Jonathan Smith
  • Patent number: 11255310
    Abstract: A method of identifying an operating parameter of a wind turbine that contributes to the generation of tonal noise. The method comprises acquiring operating parameter data associated with a plurality of operating parameters of the wind turbine. The operating parameter data comprises a set of values for each operating parameter of the wind turbine. Noise data is also acquired that includes tonal noise produced by the wind turbine and is synchronised with the operating parameter data. The noise data is then binned with respect to a set of operating parameter values of a first operating parameter, and, for each of one or more of the bins, the noise data in the bin is analysed with respect to a set of values of a second operating parameter. The method then determines if there is a relationship between the second operating parameter and tonal noise produced by the wind turbine based on the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Mranal Gupta, Niels Christian M. Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11258345
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for simultaneous operation of a plurality of chopper circuits of a wind turbine power converter, the method comprising the steps of operating a controllable switching member of a first chopper circuit in accordance with a first switching pattern, and operating a controllable switching member of a second chopper circuit in accordance with a second switching pattern, wherein the first switching pattern is different from the second switching pattern during a first time period. In order to reduce switching losses the first switching pattern may involve that the controllable switching member of the first chopper circuit is clamped during the first time period. Additional chopper circuits may be provided in parallel to the first and second chopper circuits. The present invention further relates to a power dissipation chopper being operated in accordance with the before mentioned method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Lars Helle, Torsten Lund
  • Patent number: 11258256
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind power plant connected to an electrical grid, the wind power plant comprising at least one wind turbine generator and a power plant controller, the power plant controller comprising a signal controller for controlling an electrical parameter with a gain, the method comprising, measuring at least one electrical parameter in the electrical grid , determining an internal signal value at least partially based on the at least one electrical parameter, comparing the internal signal value with a saturation value, and if the internal signal value exceed the saturation value, increasing the gain of the signal controller to a first gain value, in order to decrease a rise time for a slope for the electrical parameter in the electrical grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Jorge Martinez Garcia
  • Patent number: 11248584
    Abstract: A wind turbine system comprising a nacelle mounted on a tower, a rotor having a plurality of blades and a boundary layer control system configured to control airflow through blade surface openings in each of the blades. The wind turbine system includes a control system configured to perform at least one of the following: to monitor an operational speed parameter of the wind turbine, and to activate the boundary layer control system if it is determined that the 1 operational speed parameter exceeds a predetermined speed parameter threshold; to monitor tower motion and to activate the boundary layer control system based on a determination of excessive tower motion; to monitor for a wind turbine shutdown condition, and to activate the boundary layer control system if it is determined that a wind turbine shutdown condition has been identified; and to monitor the aerodynamic loads on the blades, and to activate the boundary layer control system also based on a determination of excessive blade loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Jesper Sandberg Thomsen, Ian Couchman
  • Patent number: 11248588
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade comprising a main blade portion having a root end and a tip end, wherein a leading edge and a trailing edge extend between the root end and the tip end, and a conductive blade tip module that abuts the tip end of the main blade portion; wherein the conductive blade tip module comprises an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis transverse to a spanwise axis of the blade, and wherein the conductive blade tip module has a length in a direction along said longitudinal axis that is greater than a chord length of the blade tip interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Jakob Hjorth Jensen, Lasse Lykkegaard
  • Patent number: 11248583
    Abstract: A yaw sensor for a wind turbine comprises a plurality of rotary switches, each configured to be coupled to a yaw drive gearbox of a wind turbine nacelle, the rotary switches each being operable to activate and deactivate respective associated electrical contacts in dependence on an amount of yaw rotation of the nacelle relative to a start position. Each electrical contact is active at a plurality of first yaw rotation ranges with respect to the start position, and inactive at a plurality of second yaw rotation ranges with respect to the start position, the first and second yaw rotation ranges being interleaved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Lars Glavind, Ib Svend Olesen, Morten Thøgersen, Kristian Kiib, Johnny Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11248589
    Abstract: A main rotor arrangement for a wind turbine, comprising a shaft which is rotatable within a shaft housing about a rotational axis, a bearing including an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements, wherein the bearing is located between the shaft and the housing thereby to enable the shaft to rotate within the shaft housing. The shaft housing includes a first lubrication passage for carrying lubricating fluid through the shaft housing, wherein the outer ring of the bearing includes a second lubricating passage to direct lubricating fluid from the first lubricating passage in the direction of the plurality of rolling elements. The invention provides a space efficient arrangement which avoids the need to fluid delivery nozzles arranged externally to the bearing to direct fluid at the rolling elements, as in the prior art. The arrangement also means that lubrication fluid is delivered right to where it is needed in a more efficient way than in the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Lutz Heuser
  • Patent number: 11245261
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind power plant comprising a plurality of wind turbine generators, wherein the method comprises: deriving an estimated value for electrical losses in the wind power plant, deriving a measured value for electrical losses in the wind power plant, based on a difference between an aggregated power production from the plurality of wind turbine generators and a power measurement at a point of common coupling; applying the estimated value for electrical losses and the measured value for electrical losses in an active power control loop, comprising a regulator; and controlling by means of the active power control loop an active power production of the wind power plant at the point of common coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Dumitru-Mihai Valcan, Jorge Martinez Garcia, Kouroush Nayebi, Jesper Sandberg Thomsen, Martin Ansbjerg Kjær
  • Patent number: 11243142
    Abstract: A method is provided for testing a reliability of a plurality of driven component variants (22, 24, 30), such as those to be used as power train elements in one or more wind turbines. The method includes conducting physical success run testing on a test bench (42) of a first subset of test specimens (50) provided for the component variants (22, 24, 30), and conducting virtual success run testing of a second subset of the test specimens (50). The virtual success run testing does not use test bench time or physical component samples, which reduces the costs typically needed to provide reliability results for specified operating time durations or other parameters at desired confidence levels for operators of driven components such as wind turbine operators, who want to avoid unscheduled downtime based on component failures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Antonio Correia
  • Patent number: 11235956
    Abstract: A method of lifting a rotor of a wind turbine, the rotor having a center of gravity and including a hub and first, second, and third blades projecting outwardly from the hub at locations circumferentially distributed thereabout, includes positioning first and second slings around the first and second blades, respectively, to define first and second lifting zones delineating a lifting envelope, wherein the lifting envelope encompasses the center of gravity. The method also includes lifting the rotor above a surface via the first and second slings wherein the rotor is in one of a substantially horizontal or substantially vertical orientation, with the aid of at least one of the first and second slings while continuing to fully support the rotor by the first and second slings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Henrik Petersen, Jesper Hermann Hansen, Jens Torborg
  • Patent number: 11236729
    Abstract: A support frame (44) and method are described herein for support of a wind turbine blade (22) on a vehicle during transport to an installation site. A load indicator (46) is provided adjacent one or more support pads (52) when using the support frame (44), with the load indicator (46) being configured to determine and communicate an amount of movement of the wind turbine blade (22) relative to the support frame (44) during initial loading into the support frame (44) and during transport. To this end, the load indicator (46) helps assure that the wind turbine blade (22) is properly loaded into the support frame (44) in a desired transport position, while also confirming whether significant shocks or other movements have occurred during transport that could lead to a higher likelihood of internal or external damage at the blade (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Michael Kastrup, Kennet Hvid Nielsen, Kurt Jensen
  • Patent number: 11236727
    Abstract: A method of forming a wind turbine foundation includes providing an anchor cage in an excavation pit, the anchor cage including an upper flange, a lower flange, and a plurality of anchor bolts extending therebetween. A first cementitious material is directed into the excavation pit so that the anchor cage becomes at least partially embedded in the material, which is allowed to cure to form a rigid body. A connecting element is selectively engaged with the upper flange and an actuating element is positioned in operative relation with the connecting element, the connecting and actuating elements positioned in non-contact relation with the anchor bolts. The actuating element is actuated relative to the connecting element to raise the upper flange from the rigid body into a leveled position. A second cementitious material is directed into a space beneath the raised upper flange and is allowed to cure to form a support layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Anders Brohm, Søren P. Jensen, Børge Øllgaard
  • Patent number: 11231010
    Abstract: A modular wind turbine blade is described. The modular blade comprises a first blade 5 module having a first spar cap extending longitudinally in a spanwise direction and a second blade module having a second spar cap extending longitudinally in the spanwise direction. The blade modules are configured for connection end-to-end via their respective spar caps. The first spar cap comprises first and second beams arranged side-by-side, each beam having a tapered end defining a scarfed surface. The tapered end of the first 10 beam extends beyond the tapered end of the second beam. The second spar cap comprises first and second beams arranged side-by-side, each beam having a tapered end defining a scarfed surface. The tapered end of the second beam extends beyond the tapered end of the first beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Jonathan Smith
  • Patent number: 11233400
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to a method for controlling an amount of reactive current provided from a wind turbine generator to a power grid during an abnormal power grid event, said wind turbine generator comprising a doubly-fed induction generator having a rotor and a stator, and a power converter coupling the rotor to the power grid, the power converter comprising a grid-side inverter, wherein the method comprises the step of balancing the reactive current provided to the power grid between a reactive stator current and a reactive grid-side inverter current, wherein the reactive grid-side inverter current is controlled in accordance with a reactive current capacity of a grid breaker receiving the reactive current provided by the grid-side inverter. Aspects of the present invention also relate to a wind turbine generator being capable of performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Ciprian Biris, Uffe C. Merrild, Leif Svinth Christensen, Gert Karmisholt Andersen
  • Patent number: 11231018
    Abstract: A wind turbine nacelle comprising a plurality of power generating components and a fluid system, wherein the nacelle includes a nacelle cover comprising a lower cover or ‘base’, a roof and side walls, thereby defining an interior space of the nacelle, wherein the fluid system includes a fluid tank that is integrated into the nacelle cover. The invention extends to a panel of a wind turbine nacelle cover, wherein the panel is configured to define at least apart of, or is coupled to, a fluid tank of a fluid system of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Michael Staghøj, Poul T. Tietze, Tommy Eschelund
  • Patent number: 11225949
    Abstract: A blade tip assembly for a wind turbine blade, comprising a conductive blade tip module, a receptor arrangement spaced from the conductive blade tip module, a coupler that electrically couples the conductive blade tip module to the receptor arrangement and an insulating member that insulates the coupler. The invention also can be expressed as a method for assembling a blade tip assembly for a wind turbine blade, the method comprising providing a blade tip module; providing the blade tip module with a coupler for electrically coupling the blade tip module to a down conductor of a lightning protection system; and encasing the coupler with an insulating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Daniel Whitehouse, Richard Baker
  • Patent number: 11225947
    Abstract: A method of securing a cable (22) to a wind turbine blade is described. The method involves providing a pre-assembled cable assembly (34) comprising a cable (22) and a plurality of mounts (40a-e) pre-attached to the cable (22) at intervals along the length of the cable (22). The plurality of mounts (40a-e) is attached to a surface (20) of a wind turbine blade such that the mounts (40a-e) are spaced apart along the surface (20) of the blade. The spacing between adjacent mounts (40a-e) when the mounts (40a-e) are attached to the blade is less than the length of the cable (22) between said adjacent mounts (40a-e) such that a predetermined amount of slack is provided in the cable (22) between said adjacent mounts (40a-e). A pre-assembled cable assembly for use in the method is also described together with a method of assembling the cable assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Luke Spandley, Paul Badger, Stephen Buggy
  • Patent number: 11225950
    Abstract: A multirotor wind turbine (1) comprising a vertical tower and at least two energy generating units (5), a load carrying structure (9, 10) extending transverse to the vertical direction and carrying the at least two energy generating units (5); and at least one escape route extending between a start and an exit. To provide a safe escape route, the load carrying structure forms at least a first section of the escape route from the start to an intermediate location, and the wind turbine comprises an escape opening in the nacelle, the escape opening leading from an interior space of a nacelle of the energy generating unit to a passage structure and the passage structure extending from the escape opening to the start of the escape route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Torben Ladegaard Baun, Brian Jørgensen, Per Holten-Møller, Jonas Lerche Schomacker