Patents Examined by Julio C. Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 11506178
    Abstract: A friction limiting turbine gyroscope is a compact and efficient means to convert the energy of a moving fluid into electrical energy. The gyroscope's flywheel rotates when a fluid passes through its spokes while magnets located along the perimeter act upon proximate movable field coils to produce electricity. The spokes of the flywheel are optimized for the flow and density of the fluid with the ability to trans mutate using shaped memory alloys as well as rotate about their center of pressure allowing the flywheel to capture more of the energy from the fluid passing over their surfaces in all conditions. Mechanical energy losses are reduced because of the inherent stabilizing effects created by the gyroscope. Because of the stabilization, a magnetic bearing field effectively supports the gyroscope eliminating mechanical interference in rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Airborne Motor Works Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse Antoine Marcel, Jeffrey Scott Chimenti
  • Patent number: 11506177
    Abstract: The disclosed technology provides a system and methods for transforming kinetic energy from wind and solar energy from sunlight into three phase electrical energy for local use and available to supply to electrical grids. The system includes a solar panel system and a wind system, which through a gearbox translates kinetic energy from the wind into hydraulic energy in a hydraulic circuit. One or more generators are coupled with the hydraulic circuit to translate the hydraulic energy into three phase electrical energy. In embodiments, a pump motor runs off of a rechargeable battery to supply hydraulic energy to one of the generators when the wind is insufficient to provide sufficient hydraulic energy to the generator. The rechargeable battery may be recharged by diverting energy from, for example, the solar panel system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventor: Daniel K Hicks
  • Patent number: 11499524
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling low-speed operations of a wind turbine electrically coupled to an electrical grid. The wind turbine includes a generator and a power converter. The generator includes a generator rotor and a generator stator. An operating parameter of the generator rotor is indicative of a low-speed operation of the generator. Accordingly, the crossing of a first threshold by the operating parameter is detected. In response, at least a portion of a required reactive power generation is developed via the generator rotor. The portion is then delivered to the electrical grid via the grid side of the power converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Fernando Arturo Ramirez Sanchez, Igor Berroteran, Cornelius Edward Holliday, III, David Scott Wilmer
  • Patent number: 11495967
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of controlling at least one wind turbine of a plurality of wind turbines connected to an electrical grid at a predefined point in the electrical grid. The wind turbine comprises a DC link connecting a generator side converter to a line side converter, where the line side converter is controlled according to a modulation index requested by a power converter controller. The method comprises determining a harmonic frequency signal indicative of a harmonic frequency value at the predefined point in the electrical grid; determining a deviation between the harmonic frequency signal and a permissible harmonic frequency value; determining a permissible modulation index based on the deviation; comparing the permissible modulation index to the modulation index requested by the power converter controller; and, altering a DC link voltage set-point based on the comparison between the permissible modulation index and the requested modulation index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Torsten Lund, Ciprian Biris, Kent Tange, Duy Duc Doan, Gert Karmisholt Andersen
  • Patent number: 11482958
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dual voltage power generation are provided. Aspects include a generator having an input connected to an engine to receive rotational energy proportional to a rotation speed of a fan and having an output through which electrical energy is output, a rectifier circuit having an input coupled to the output of the generator and a rectifier output that outputs rectified power, a bypass switch connected to the output of rectifier and operates in a plurality of states including a normal operation state where the rectified power is provided a power converter and a bypass state where the rectified power is provided directly to a load, and a controller configured to determine an occurrence of an event associated with the engine, and operate the bypass switch in the bypass state based on the occurrence of the event associated with the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael Krenz
  • Patent number: 11460012
    Abstract: A system for efficiently capturing the kinetic and/or potential energy of a moving vehicle includes an arc roller configured to move along an arcuate path upon impact by the moving vehicle, and a torsional spring configured to wind in response to the movement of the speed bump and, thereby, to store energy associated with the impact. The torsional spring may be configured to wind continually in response to the movement of another speed bump and, thereby, to store additional energy associated with the impact of the vehicle with the other speed bump. The system may include alternators or generators producing electricity from energy released from unwinding of the torsional spring. Electricity is further stored and utilized for onboard computing, traffic analytics, safety feature operating functions and communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Constructis Group, Inc.
    Inventor: James Leo Nigg
  • Patent number: 11454205
    Abstract: By receiving a leading wave in a state where a wave receiving box is sunk on the coast, a pressure return pipe and a pressure return on-off valve are controlled, and a water surface in an air compression pipe is set to a reference water surface lower than an air throttle, even when there are tide level fluctuations and wave size variations in one wave receiving box, energy of the wave is converted into compressed air without loss, is stored in a compressed air storage tank, and can be used for power generation or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fuminori Takami, Terutsugu Segawa, Isamu Aokura
  • Patent number: 11448189
    Abstract: A turbine system that harnesses energy from natural atmospheric wind and water currents for power generation and storage in a power storage mode, and in a reverse switched operation, sources current to the turbine system from storage power to function in a propulsion mode to propel an associated structure (e.g., boat, aircraft).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Inventor: Paul C. Dietzel
  • Patent number: 11418139
    Abstract: In an embodiment a method includes: sensing a first signal indicative of magnetization of a winding in a dynamoelectric machine; applying the first signal to a window comparator having a comparator window between upper and lower thresholds and generating window exit signals indicative of the first signal exiting the comparator window of the window comparator; generating a slowed-down replica signal of the first signal; updating the comparator window of the window comparator as a function of the slowed-down replica signal; and issuing a wake-up signal towards a control device of the dynamoelectric machine as a result of one of the window exit signals indicating the first signal exiting the comparator window of the window comparator for a time duration in excess of a duration threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Di Biase, Claudio Serratoni
  • Patent number: 11408395
    Abstract: A method and a device for detecting an active power of a wind turbine. The method includes: acquiring a current rotation speed of a rotor of a wind turbine and a current outputted active power; determining an effective wind speed of the wind turbine; determining a maximum active power capable to be captured by the wind turbine at the current rotation speed; determining a maximum active power capable to be outputted by the wind turbine, and determining a release power at which the wind turbine is capable to release a rotation kinetic energy of the wind turbine for a predetermined time at the current rotation speed; and determining the available active power of the wind turbine, based on the maximum active power capable to be outputted, the release power, and the current outputted active power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING GOLDWIND SCIENCE & CREATION WINDPOWER EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mengting Yu, Guilin Zhou, Mei Han
  • Patent number: 11411520
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind turbine power system connected to an electrical grid includes determining, via a controller, at least one non-linear magnetizing parameter of a double-fed wind turbine generator of the wind turbine power system. The method also includes developing, via the controller, a model of the non-linear magnetizing parameter(s) of the double-fed wind turbine generator. Further, the method includes using, via the controller, the model in a stator voltage regulator of the double-fed wind turbine generator to provide grid-forming control of the double-fed wind turbine generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dustin Howard, Einar Vaughn Larsen
  • Patent number: 11401918
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine. Accordingly, a controller of the wind turbine detects an oscillation in the power output of the wind turbine during a recovery from a transient event. In response to detecting the oscillation, a portion of the power output during a peak phase of the oscillation is stored in an energy storage device. A portion of the stored power is then discharged during a valley phase of the oscillation in order to reduce an amplitude of the oscillation of the power output that is delivered to the power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Jishnu Kavil Kambrath, Veena Padmarao, Kapil Jha, Nithya Anand, Arvind Kumar Tiwari
  • Patent number: 11384736
    Abstract: A floating offshore wind turbine includes a rotor and a generator turned by the rotor. An elongated buoyant body supports a tower that supports the generator and rotor. The buoyant body or the tower may support aerodynamic features to counteract heeling forces or to steer the floating wind turbine as it swings on its anchor line. The floating offshore wind turbine may be configured to move the anchor line force vector to counteract heeling forces. A control system may control the aerodynamic features and the movement of the anchor line force vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: Frederick W. Piasecki, Dinesh Barwey, George Luis Firpi, David Joseph Stilwell
  • Patent number: 11353005
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind power installation is provided. The wind power installation comprises an aerodynamic rotor with rotor blades, where the rotor can be operated with a variable rotor rotation speed. The wind power installation outputs an output power generated from wind for feeding into an electrical supply grid. The wind power installation can be operated in a normal operating mode without power reduction and in a reduced operating mode with power reduction, in which a specified power reduced with respect to a rated installation power is specified. When operating in the reduced operating mode for wind speeds above a rated wind speed, at least in one rotation speed increase region, the wind power installation increases its rotor rotation speed as the wind speed rises further.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Messing, Christian Möller
  • Patent number: 11349372
    Abstract: There is provided a combustion engine and an electric generator. The combustion engine comprises an engine housing, a cylindrical member configured to rotate about an axis within a cavity of the engine housing, a piston, and an engagement section for engaging the piston. The piston is mounted to the engine housing and the engagement section is mounted to the cylindrical member, or the piston is mounted to the cylindrical member and the engagement section is mounted to the engine housing, such that the piston and the engagement section periodically rotate past one another as the cylindrical member is rotated within the engine housing. The piston engages the engagement section as they rotate past one another, the engagement forcing the piston to compress gases in a combustion chamber, which fire to drive the rotation of the cylindrical member. The electric generator may be driven by the combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Inventor: Christopher J. Hale
  • Patent number: 11336097
    Abstract: A wind power generation system with a power storage device includes a wind power generation system, a power storage device system, and a reactive power controller. The wind power generation system includes a wind power generator, a first power conversion circuit, a first control circuit, a first filter capacitor, and a circuit breaker interposed between the first filter capacitor and a grid connection point. The wind power generation system is configured to output the electric power converted by the first power conversion circuit to an electric power grid via the grid connection point. The power storage device system includes a power storage device, a second power conversion circuit, and a second control circuit that controls the second power conversion circuit to perform load leveling operation. The reactive power controller causes the second power conversion circuit to perform reactive power compensation operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyoshi Komatsu
  • Patent number: 11316457
    Abstract: An inverter type engine generator includes an alternator operable as a motor for starting an engine; a converter composed of a three-phase rectifying bridge circuit, converting three-phase alternating current output from the alternator into direct current, and operatable as a motor driver for driving the alternator when power is supplied from a power source; and a processor and a memory. The upper and lower three sets of elements of the three-phase rectifying bridge circuit of the converter are configured such that upper elements are configured from duty-controllable switching elements and thyristors connected in parallel therewith, and lower elements are configured from duty-controllable switching elements having diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Maedako, Toshio Inoue
  • Patent number: 11313350
    Abstract: Wind-driven energy converting device (2) is disclosed. The wind-driven energy converting device (2) comprises a main pendulum (20) comprising a pendulum bob (10) attached to a pendulum rod (6). A sail member (4) attached to the pendulum rod (6) in a higher position than the pendulum rod (6). The main pendulum (20) is suspended in a frame (8) by means of a bearing unit (18) allowing the pendulum rod (6) to be rotated about two perpendicular horizontal axes (X, Y) at the same time. The main pendulum (20) is mechanically attached to at least one secondary pendulum (14) by means of a connection structure (16). The secondary pendulum (14) is connected to and being configured to rotate a driving shaft (36) upon being moved due to motion of the main pendulum (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventor: Niels Ravn
  • Patent number: 11258387
    Abstract: A method for controlling a three-level back-to-back voltage source power conversion assembly includes receiving an indication of a DC or AC unbalance occurring in voltage of a DC link. The power conversion assembly has a first power converter coupled to a second power converter via the DC link. In response to receiving the indication, the method includes activating a balancing algorithm that includes determining a deviation of a midpoint voltage of the DC link as a function of a total voltage of the DC link, calculating a voltage compensation needed for pulse-width modulation signals of the power conversion assembly based on the deviation, and coordinating common mode voltage injection from each of the power converters independently at a neutral point of the power conversion assembly based on the voltage compensation, thereby minimizing the at least one of the DC unbalance or the AC unbalance at any given operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Joseph Kiran Banda, Kapil Jha, Fernando Arturo Ramirez Sanchez, Bacil Shaqqo, Hridya Ittamveettil
  • 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