Patents Examined by Joseph Ortega
  • Patent number: 12037989
    Abstract: An elevator cage is used in an energy storage and delivery system to move blocks between a lower elevation of a tower and a higher elevation of a tower to store energy and to move blocks between a higher elevation of the tower and a lower elevation of the tower under force of gravity to generate electricity. The elevator cage removably receives a block thereon and supports the block on at least three sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Energy Vault, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Pedretti, Mauro Pedretti-Rodi
  • Patent number: 12025098
    Abstract: A method of yawing a nacelle in a wind turbine having a yawing assembly comprising a drive-ring and a plurality of drives configured to exert a torque during movement along the drive-ring and thereby move the nacelle relative to the tower. The drive-ring is made of drive-ring segments joined in intersections. The method comprises defining a location for each intersection, defining a reference torque exerted by the drives when moving along the drive-ring, defining a reduced torque being lower than the reference torque, determining when a crossing drive moves across the location of an intersection, and to increase the lifetime, exerting the reduced torque by the crossing drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Peter Fynbo, Torben Ladegaard Baun, Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer
  • Patent number: 12025107
    Abstract: A system to generate power, the system comprising a shaft configured for one-directional rotation around a horizontal axis, an inertial object coupled to the shaft where the inertial object has an uneven distribution of mass around the shaft, an electric generator configured to extract rotational kinetic energy from the shaft, and an electric motor configured to provide restorative energy to the shaft. The power generation method comprises steps of providing a power generation system, placing the shaft in an initial position, and inducing shaft rotation. Once shaft rotation is induced, the method alternates between steps of power generation and power consumption. More power is generated than consumed, resulting in a surplus of power supplied to the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Inventor: Syed Shah
  • Patent number: 12018655
    Abstract: Embodiments herein describe operating wind turbines in an offshore park to provide auxiliary power to a local AC grid or to an onshore grid during a grid malfunction. In one embodiment, the offshore park is coupled via a HVDC link to an onshore grid. When the HVDC link is down, a substation in the park includes a backup generator for creating a weak grid for powering auxiliary systems in a pilot turbine. The wind turbines in the park can switch to an auxiliary control system help power the auxiliary systems in the substation and in other turbines. In another embodiment, the offshore park is AC coupled to an onshore grid using a transformer in the substation. The wind turbines can participate in a brown or black start following a grid fault by switching to operating using the auxiliary control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Tusitha Abeyasekera
  • Patent number: 12018650
    Abstract: An aero wind power generation device may include a drone unit including drone wings configured to make the aero wind power generation device move and hover and a sensor unit configured to detect information for controlling the aero wind power generation device; a buoyancy generation unit including a side cover configured to open or close, a balloon disposed inside the side cover and configured to receive gas therein or release the gas therefrom, and a wire configured to surround the balloon; and a power generation unit including a rotating unit with a plurality of blades, a blade control unit of adjusting a state of the blades, and a motor unit of converting kinetic energy transferred from the rotating unit into electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Jung Hun Choi, Dong Hyun Ha, Jae Wung Jung
  • Patent number: 12018635
    Abstract: The invention involves a power generation system. The system includes at least one power producing module having at least one hollow member. The at least one hollow member is filled with fluid. The system further comprises at least one conductive coil disposed over the at least one hollow member. The system further comprises at least one movable magnet disposed within the at least one hollow member and a magnetic flux field of the magnet is in contact with the conductive coil. The system is configured to generate energy when the magnetic flux field of the magnet passes through the conductive coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Inventor: Henry Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 12009666
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for grid connection management of renewable energy generation, the method comprises: obtaining operating condition data of a first power supply, a second power supply, a power grid, and a load in a preset period; establishing a first optimal control model according to the first condition data, and establishing a second optimal control model; monitoring grid connection management status of the first optimal control model and the second optimal control model; analyzing stability when the first optimal control model is switched to the second optimal control model. The beneficial effects of this disclosure are: completing the switch from the first optimal control model to the second optimal control model in the renewable energy generation grid connection management, which improves the smoothness of control model switching under different load conditions in the renewable energy generation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignees: HUANENG HUBEI NEW ENERGY CO., LTD., HUANENG SUIXIAN JIESHAN WIND POWER CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yingjie Chen, Ge Peng, Hao Bian, Jun Zhang, Lei Tian, Linchuan Li
  • Patent number: 11999241
    Abstract: A locomotive, a first chopper circuit, and a second chopper circuit integrating a traction motor with an energy storage device are disclosed. The locomotive includes a prime mover, an energy management device, a DC power bus, a traction motor, an energy storage device, a resistor grid, and a chopper circuit. Each chopper circuit is controlled by the energy management device and includes a plurality of power semiconductors with variable switching frequency. The traction motor may be capable of operating in a motoring mode, where power is controllably supplied by either the prime mover and/or the energy storage device; and a dynamic braking mode, where generated power is controllably allocated to the energy storage device and/or the resistor grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Progress Rail Services Corporation
    Inventors: Sidarta Beltramin, Guilherme Martini
  • Patent number: 11996758
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a generator input shaft assembly comprising a generator input shaft (160) arranged to receive a drive input to the generator, and a disconnect input shaft (120) arranged to deliver a drive input from the generator input shaft to a disconnectable drive transfer means (116). The disconnectable drive transfer means is configured to transfer rotational drive from the generator input shaft assembly to a rotor (110) of the generator. The generator input shaft assembly is configured such that the generator input shaft can: float axially relative to the disconnect input shaft and/or drive the disconnect input shaft with an axis of rotation of the generator input shaft non-parallel to an axis of rotation of the disconnect input shaft, so as to compensate for a misaligned input to the generator input shaft. Other aspects of the invention relate to a generator and a system comprising the generator input shaft assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: Safran Electrical & Power
    Inventors: Anthony Kelly, John Nixon
  • Patent number: 11994105
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of shutting down a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a rotor with a plurality of blades; and a generator system coupled to the rotor. The method comprises: operating the generator system to generate electrical power and apply a load torque to the rotor; controlling the electrical power generated with a power reference signal; determining that a shutdown of the wind turbine is required; in response to the determination that a shutdown of the wind turbine is required, changing the power reference signal so as to increase the electrical power generated thereby slowing the rotor; determining that a speed of the rotor has reduced below a threshold; and in response to the determination that the speed of the rotor has decreased below the threshold, changing a pitch of the blades to further slow the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Karthik Vasudevan, Ian Couchman
  • Patent number: 11988185
    Abstract: An example valve includes: a seat member; a spool configured to be seated on the seat member to block fluid flow from a first port to a second port when the valve is in a closed state, wherein fluid at the first port applies a fluid force on the spool; a spring applying a biasing force on the spool toward the seat member, wherein as the fluid force overcomes the biasing force, the spool moves in the proximal direction off the seat member, thereby allowing fluid flow from the first port to the second port through a flow area formed between the spool and the seat member; a turbine configured to rotate as fluid flowing through the flow area flows downstream across the turbine; and an electric generator coupled to the turbine, such that rotation of the turbine causes the electric generator to generate electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Sun Hydraulics, LLC
    Inventors: Bernd Zähe, Steven J. Meislahn, Hailee Morgan
  • Patent number: 11990823
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide irrigation generator systems that include a main conduit comprising an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit; a flow control system positioned within the main conduit; a generator conduit comprising a generator inlet conduit and a generator outlet conduit, wherein the generator inlet conduit is fluidly coupled with the main conduit upstream of the flow control system, the generator outlet conduit is fluidly coupled with the main conduit downstream of the flow control system; and a generator comprising a rotor assembly cooperated with generator conduit to be physically activated by a flow of fluid through the generator conduit causing rotation of the rotor assembly and generates electrical power. The flow control system transitions between a closed state to the open state in response to a water pressure exceeding a pressure threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Millius, Riccardo J. Tresso, Randy R. Montgomery, Patrick J. Hibbs, Parthiv A. Rajgor, Michael A. McAfee, Jiangjiang Dai, John E. Price, Bradley H. Dolbin
  • Patent number: 11973391
    Abstract: In general, devices and systems for a tangentially actuated magnetic momentum transfer generator, and methods of use thereof, are provided. In an aspect, an electrical generator having a plurality of turns of wire forming a coil, a rotating magnet positioned in the coil, at least one stationary magnet positioned about the coil, and a slider movable relative to the rotating magnet in a direction tangential to an outer surface of the rotating magnet are provided. The slider can be configured to cause rotation of the rotating magnet, and the rotation of the rotating magnet and/or an interaction of the rotating magnet with a magnetic field of one or more of the at least one stationary magnet and the slider magnet can induce a voltage across a first terminal end and a second terminal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: WePower Technologies LLC
    Inventors: David Deak, Michael Joseph Riddell, Lawrence Richenstein
  • Patent number: 11965488
    Abstract: Provided is a wind turbine including a tower, a tower adapter attached to the tower and a nacelle attached to the tower adapter, whereby the tower adapter houses at least one electrical device of the wind turbine for conditioning or switching power provided by a generator of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventors: Poul Skjaerbaek, Johnny Soerensen
  • Patent number: 11933272
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for stabilizing a rotor of a wind turbine during a time period following an abnormal grid event, the method comprising the steps of detecting an occurrence of the abnormal grid event, reducing an allowable rotor thrust from a first thrust limit to a second thrust limit, detecting that the abnormal grid event has ended, and maintaining the second thrust limit a selected time period after the abnormal grid event has ended. The present invention further relates to a wind turbine controller and a computer program product for performing this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Anders Druedahl Thurlow
  • Patent number: 11927129
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system for providing mobile power, in which the required equipment for the power supply system at fracturing fields as well as connection cables and connection hoses are integrated properly, assigned onto three transport vehicles for movement and effectively connected. Intake components and a turbine generation system are combined on a first transport vehicle and installed together, then transported to customer sites directly, thus saving the installation time at the user sites. The two different designs on the locations of an exhaust stack and an exhaust silencer not only meet the requirements of road transportation, but also meet the requirements of exhaust gas emission during operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: YANTAI JEREH PETROLEUM EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ning Feng, Xin Li, Tao Zhang, Ting Zhang, Libin Zhou, Lili Wang, Wanchun Zha
  • Patent number: 11927102
    Abstract: An aircraft electric power generation and start system (EPGSS) includes a main machine, a starter permanent magnet generator (PMG), a generator PMG, and a carrier injection sensorless (CIS) system. The main machine selectively operates in a start mode or a generator mode. The starter PMG includes a first PMG stator and a first PMG rotor and is configured to rotate along with the shaft. The generator PMG includes a second PMG stator and a second PMG rotor configured to rotate along with the shaft. The CIS system determines one or both of a PMG voltage and a PMG current corresponding to the first PMG during the start mode, and determines a rotational position of the main rotor based on one or both of the PMG voltage and the PMG current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dhaval S. Patel, Andreas C. Koenig
  • Patent number: 11927170
    Abstract: A hydrokinetic turbine system for harvesting energy from riverine and tidal sources, including a first floating dock, a marine hydrokinetic turbine mounted on the first floating dock, and a second floating dock. The system further includes a winch assembly mounted on the second floating dock and operationally connected to the first floating dock and a linkage assembly operationally connected to the first floating dock and to the second floating dock. The linkage assembly may be actuated to pull the first floating dock into contact with the second floating dock. The linkage assembly may be actuated to distance the first floating dock from the second floating dock, and the winch assembly may be energized to orient the first floating dock into a position wherein the marine hydrokinetic turbine is above the first floating dock and wherein the winch assembly may be energized to orient the first floating dock into a position wherein the marine hydrokinetic turbine is below the first floating dock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Jun Chen, Haiyan H. Zhang, Charles Greg Jensen
  • Patent number: 11920555
    Abstract: An impeller for wind power generation includes: a plurality of blades; and a hub which is provided with a rotating shaft at a center and around which the plurality of blades are arranged at substantially equal intervals in a circumferential direction. The blade is formed to extend while widening a width toward an outer periphery of the impeller, a line segment connecting a leading edge and a trailing edge of the blade is inclined at an angle of approximately 10 degrees or more and approximately 20 degrees or less with respect to a plane perpendicular to a rotating shaft of the impeller, and in the plurality of blades, a trailing edge of a blade on a front side in a rotation direction of the impeller and a leading edge of a blade on a rear side in the rotation direction partially overlap each other in a front view of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Inventor: Kuninori Tsuda
  • Patent number: 11923751
    Abstract: A power system includes a turbine assembly including a turbine and a turbine shaft, a generator assembly including a generator and a generator shaft, an inertia assembly including a flywheel coupled to the generator shaft, and a clutch assembly for coupling the turbine shaft to the generator shaft. The clutch assembly is transitionable between a closed state, in which the turbine shaft is coupled to the generator shaft, and an open state, in which the turbine shaft is decoupled from the generator shaft. The power system is operable in a power generation mode when the clutch assembly is in the closed state and a synchronous condenser mode when the clutch assembly is in the open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: John Paul Skliutas, Paul A. Quail