Patents Examined by Julio C. Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 10072634
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for feeding electrical power into an electrical supply network by means of at least a first and a second wind farm. A first electrical wind farm output is provided by the first wind farm to be fed into the electrical supply network and a second electrical wind farm output is provided by the second wind farm to be fed into the electrical supply network, and a total power output is generated from at least the first and second wind farm output and fed into the electrical supply network, wherein a central control unit for controlling the total power output that is fed in controls the provision of at least the first and second wind farm output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: WOBBEN PROPERTIES GMBH
    Inventor: Kai Busker
  • Patent number: 10066597
    Abstract: A horizontal-shaft wind machine having improved low wind speed performance and greater overall efficiency consists of multiple rotors, wherein each successive rotor is larger in diameter than the previous rotor moving from the most windward rotor to the most leeward rotor. Each rotor may be coupled to a shroud/diffuser that is displaced axially downwind from the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: THUNDERBIRD POWER CORP
    Inventors: Richard K. Sutz, Peter E. Jenkins
  • Patent number: 10066605
    Abstract: The invention relates to a turbine which can generate an electric current, comprising a motor and a stator. The rotor is formed by a blade having a permanent magnet mounted thereon. The stator includes first and second coils which are positioned close to one another and have substantially orthogonal winding axes, said coils co-operating with the permanent magnet in order to generate the electric current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Save Innovations
    Inventor: Bernard Perriere
  • Patent number: 10063097
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a controlled field alternator or utility source of electrical power, a segmented waveform converter, and a controller. The source of electrical power is configured to generate a polyphase signal. The synchronous inverter includes multiple switches connected between the polyphase signal of the source of electrical power and an output filter. The controller is configured to provide a control signal for the switches based on measured electrical quantities associated with the output filter and may provide a field control signal to the controlled field alternator. The apparatus may be applied to a vehicle, a lawnmower, a zero turn radius lawnmower, or another type of machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Isaac S. Frampton, Adam Larson, Terrence Rotter
  • Patent number: 10041467
    Abstract: A device (OWC Oscillating Water Column) for capturing wave energy, the upper part of which contains a pressure accumulator (3) connected to the atmosphere through a unidirectional outlet turbine (4) and a vacuum accumulator (6) connected to the atmosphere through a unidirectional inlet turbine (5). The lower portion is formed by at least one block, where each block is made up of a structural column (19), which when submerged in the water gives rise to a water column (8) and an air chamber (1) in the upper portion. Each block is connected to the pressure accumulator (3) through a non-return intake valve (2), and to the vacuum accumulator (6) through a non-return exhaust valve (7), and having an inlet (16) arranged in the lower portion of each structural column (19). One of the main characteristics of the device is that the pressure (3) and vacuum (6) accumulators act as an air manifold, inhaling and exhaling through the blocks, and at the same time damping sudden changes in pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: SENER, INGENIERIA Y SISTEMAS, S.A.
    Inventors: Inaki Zabala, Alvaro Amezaga
  • Patent number: 10030646
    Abstract: A gas compressor includes a compressor unit having a compressor body for compressing gas and an electricity-generation device generating electricity by obtaining a driving force by vaporizing a working fluid utilizing exhaust heat generated by a compressing action in the compressor body and expanding the working fluid so as to utilize the power generated by the electricity-generation device as a power source, and includes a switch device switching between power from the electricity generation device and power from a commercial power supply to supply power to the power consumption equipment, and a control device detecting an electricity-generation amount or a value correlative to the electricity generation amount and switching between the powers by the switch device, thereby generating the power using exhaust heat as a heat source to surely drive an auxiliary machine by a simple configuration regardless of a shortage of the electricity generation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kentaro Yamamoto, Yuji Kamiya, Masahiko Takano
  • Patent number: 10024198
    Abstract: A heat engine system and a method for cooling a fluid stream in thermal communication with the heat engine system are provided. The heat engine system may include a working fluid circuit configured to flow a working fluid therethrough, and a cooling circuit in fluid communication with the working fluid circuit and configured to flow the working fluid therethrough. The cooling circuit may include an evaporator in fluid communication with the working fluid circuit and configured to be in fluid communication with the fluid stream. The evaporator may be further configured to receive a second portion of the working fluid from the working fluid circuit and to transfer thermal energy from the fluid stream to the second portion of the working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Echogen Power Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Held, Jason D. Miller
  • Patent number: 10020765
    Abstract: A gas turbine power generation system is configured by a gas turbine, a main power generator which is coupled to a rotor of the gas turbine through a rotation shaft, a rotation rectifier which converts a three-phase AC current into a DC current and transfers the DC current to a field magnet winding wire of the main power generator, an AC exciter which is configured by an armature winding wire, a d-axis field magnet winding wire, and a q-axis field magnet winding wire, and transfers the three-phase AC current generated at the armature winding wire to the rotation rectifier, an excitation device which drives the AC exciter at the time of start-up of the main power generator, and an excitation power supply which supplies a current to the excitation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio Kataoka, Masaru Shimomura
  • Patent number: 10018126
    Abstract: A power generating set includes an engine operable in response to a flow of fuel to produce a flow of exhaust gas, a generator coupled to the engine and operable in response to operation of the engine to produce a total electrical power, and a primary load electrically connected to the generator to receive a portion of the total electrical power, the primary load having a cyclical pattern. A battery bank is selectively connected to the generator to receive a portion of the total electrical power and an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is positioned to selectively transition between a connected state and a disconnected state. The battery bank is connected to the generator to charge the battery bank when the IGBT is in the connected state and is disconnected from the generator when the IGBT is in the disconnected state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Clark Equipment Company
    Inventors: John Thomas Gunn, Robert Porter Edwards, Barry Eugene Reavis
  • Patent number: 10014802
    Abstract: A downhole assembly including a turbine to be disposed within a wellbore and a rotating array. The rotating array includes magnetic material and is coupled to the turbine. The downhole assembly also includes a magnetostrictive material coupled to the rotating array to strain the magnetostrictive material to induce an electric current in a conductor coupled to the magnetostrictive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Hardin, Jr., Mark Sitka
  • Patent number: 10006438
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating at least a first wind turbine including the steps of: recording a tower oscillation, initiating a measure to reduce oscillation if the tower oscillation is or contains a longitudinal oscillation, and if the amplitude of the longitudinal oscillation exceeds a predefined threshold value, and the measure for reducing the oscillation comprises freezing the current pitch angle at the current value for a predefined freezing period, switching the pitch control algorithm used, in particular in such a way that the control speed is reduced, adjusting the yaw position by a predefined yaw angle, switching the operation of the first wind turbine from a first operating mode based on a first power curve to a second operating mode based on a second power curve, and/or if, with regard to the current wind direction, the first wind turbine in a wind park is located behind a second wind turbine, adjusting the rotational speed of the first wind turbine to the rotational speed of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang de Boer
  • Patent number: 9999273
    Abstract: A sole for footwear capable of recovering part of the energy produced during deambulation including: at least one energy harvesting means, including: a tubular body, fixed in use, having a first and a second end and a movable part slidable in the tubular body; the energy harvesting means being provided, in use, for generating electrical energy following the sliding of the movable part with respect to the tubular body that is fixed in use, during the deambulation; at least one actuator group for the energy harvesting means, including at least one fluid-dynamic circuit including: at least one first and one second tank including a fluid, the first tank being housed at a rear area of the sole and the second tank being housed at a front area of the sole; at least one first and one second joining conduit in fluid connection between the first tank and the first end of the at least one tubular body, and the second tank and the second end of the tubular body, respectively, where, the first tank has a configuration in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: VIBRAM S.P.A.
    Inventors: Tom Krupenkin, Joseph Ashley Taylor, Virgilio Mattoli, Francesco Greco, Barbara Mazzolai, Alessio Mondini
  • Patent number: 10001109
    Abstract: A multifunctional wind power green-energy apparatus generally includes a carrying base, a plurality of wind power generation devices mounted on the carrying base and includes a plurality of blade sections, and at least one electricity accumulation device, water pumping motor, and the air storage device arranged at one side of the carrying base and electrically connected with the wind power generation devices. With such a structural arrangement, through simple combination of the carrying base and the wind power generation devices, terrain limitation conditions for availability of wind power green energy can be reduced to the least for applications to diversified environments. Through operations in combination with the electricity accumulation device, the water pumping motor, and the air storage device, accumulation of electrical energy or direct use of the energy can be available. As such, the utilization of the wind power generation devices can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: TRUE TEN INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shun-Tsung Lu
  • Patent number: 9998047
    Abstract: A rotor portion of a synchronous machine includes a rotor. The rotor carries a field winding and a re-chargeable power storage device. The re-chargeable power storage device is electrically connected to the field winding to provide electrical power to the field winding while in generate or motor mode, and to provide electrical power to the re-chargeable power storage device while in a charge mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Jacek F. Gieras, Steven J. Moss
  • Patent number: 9982555
    Abstract: A gas turbine power generation system has a dual-shaft gas turbine, an electric generator mechanically connected to a low pressure turbine of the dual-shaft gas turbine and electrically connected to an electric power system, a rotary electric machine mechanically connected to a high pressure turbine through a compressor of the dual-shaft gas turbine and electrically connected to the electric power system, and an electric power output from the electric generator side to the electric power system is adjusted by operation of the rotary electric machine as a motor or as a generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Aung Ko Thet, Noriaki Hino, Naohiro Kusumi
  • Patent number: 9972993
    Abstract: An electrical system for controlling a wind turbine is provided. The electrical system includes a first resistive element, a storage element and a controller. The first resistive element and the storage element are coupled to a DC link of the wind turbine. The controller is used for switching between the first resistive element and the storage element in response to a grid side fault condition to minimize mechanical loads induced by the grid side fault condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Rajni Kant Burra, Victor Robert Abate, David Cole Magnuson, Keith Longtin
  • Patent number: 9951752
    Abstract: The current invention provides apparatuses and methods for protecting buildings/structures from wind damage and simultaneously harvesting energy from wind. The apparatuses of the current invention comprise horizontal axial wind turbines integrated to the roof-edge of the buildings/structures in an aerodynamically conducive and structurally viable configuration to reduce roof suction. The apparatuses of the current invention can further comprise aerodynamic roof gutter and structural supports/connections to alleviate wind-induced suction (negative pressures) on building roofs generated by separated flows and vortices. The apparatuses of the current invention can also comprise vertical axial wind turbines integrated to the wall-edge of the structures/buildings in an aerodynamically conducive and structurally viable configuration to reduce wind induced wall suction generated by separated flows and vortices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: THE FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
    Inventors: Arindam Gan Chowdhury, Andres Tremante
  • Patent number: 9941687
    Abstract: Methods for operating a wind turbine system are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes adjusting a threshold direct current (DC) bus voltage for a dynamic brake in a wind turbine power converter above a reference DC bus voltage based on at least one system condition. The method further includes gating the dynamic brake on when an experienced DC bus voltage is equal to or greater than the threshold DC bus voltage, and inputting a dynamic brake condition into a controller when the dynamic brake is gated on. The method further includes determining if a grid fault has occurred, reducing power generation of the wind turbine if no grid fault has occurred, and blocking the power converter if a grid fault has occurred. The method further includes gating the dynamic brake off when the experienced DC bus voltage is less than the threshold DC bus voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Huibin Zhu, Xueqin Wu, Shouzhong Chang, Jie Ding
  • Patent number: 9926807
    Abstract: Turbine assemblies, loss recovery systems, and related fabrication methods are provided for managing temperatures associated with an electrical generator. One exemplary turbine assembly suitable for use in a loss recovery system includes a wheel configured to rotate in response to a portion of a fluid flow bypassing a flow control valve, a generator including a stator assembly disposed about a rotor coupled to the wheel to rotate in response to rotation of the wheel, a conductive structure in contact with the stator assembly, and an insulating structure radially encompassing the conductive structure and the generator. The conductive structure accesses at least a portion of the fluid flow bypassing the flow control valve and impacting the wheel, thereby providing thermal coupling between the stator assembly and the bypass fluid flow to transfer heat from the stator assembly to the bypass fluid flow via the conductive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Glenn F. Thompson, Patrick Beresewicz, Mike Guidry, Andrew Love
  • Patent number: 9926862
    Abstract: A method involves operating an internal combustion engine connected to an electric generator, in particular a synchronous generator, during a network fault, in particular during an electric short-circuit, in a power supply network connected to the generator. A mechanical power delivered by the internal combustion engine is introduced into the generator and converted into electric power in the generator. The electric power is delivered to the power supply network, and the mechanical power delivered by the internal combustion engine is at least temporarily increased depending on the value of at least one operating parameter of the generator and/or the internal combustion engine prior to the network fault and/or during the network fault, preferably by an amount of a fuel introduced into the internal combustion engine being increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: GE JENBACHER GMBH & CO OG
    Inventors: Jose Gomez, Herbert Kopecek, Erich Kruckenhauser, Herbert Schaumberger