Abstract: A compact Wankel expander-alternator combination is provided. The combination includes a stationary outer housing that has embedded stator coils and a rotating inner housing having corresponding magnets disposed around the housing with the magnet/coil interaction generating power. Within the rotating housing, a three-sided rotor turns within a two lobed Wankel cavity, powered by working fluid acting on the rotor. The rotating housing and the rotor each circumscribe a stationary shaft. The shaft has an eccentric lobe about which the rotor turns on a bearing disposed between the rotor and the lobe. The rotating housing turns on bearings supported by the stationary shaft. The rotor and rotating housing are linked so that as the rotor turns in response to the working fluid force, the housing turns at a higher speed the speed ratio being preselected to achieve the desired output energy.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for substantially eliminating torque pulsation in a doubly fed induction machine are disclosed. An example method comprises: measuring a stator current of the doubly fed induction machine, measuring a rotor current of the doubly fed induction machine, calculating a total magnetic flux density in an airgap of the doubly fed induction machine, calculating a tangential force density, calculating an electromagnetic torque, repeating the calculation of the electromagnetic torque over one electrical cycle to estimate a torque pulsation, determining a new rotor current that substantially eliminates the torque pulsation by referencing a set of optimal rotor currents in a look-up table, and changing the rotor current in response to the determination. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A control system and a method for controlling operation of a wind turbine are disclosed. A first sensor and a second sensor are arranged for sampling or continuously measuring a first physical value and a second physical value being representative of a first physical impact and a second physical impact on components of the wind turbine in order to provide a first and a second control parameter for controlling operation of the wind turbine. The first and second control parameters are distinct. During active generation of energy the control system is adapted to selectively switch between controlling the operation of the wind turbine either on the basis of the first control parameter or on the basis of the second control parameter, i.e. to selectively switch between two different, distinct and independent control strategies. The two control strategies allow redundancy in control of the operation of the wind turbine.

Abstract: A hydrokinetic generator apparatus that includes a liquid reservoir having an outlet port and an inlet port that is disposed over the outlet port; an outflow valve that is disposed at the outlet port of the liquid reservoir; at least one generator module coupled from the liquid reservoir and including at least one fill pipe for receiving liquid expelled from the liquid reservoir, and at least one outlet port; at least one surge generator disposed in the fill pipe; and an outflow valve at a base of the generator module. The outlet port of the generator module is coupled to the inlet port of the liquid reservoir. The apparatus further includes a battery pack; an electrical controller responsive to a voltage across the battery pack for controlling said valves; and an electrical charging hub responsive to the surge generator for re-charging the battery pack.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a mobile electric power generation system including a mobile power source such as a generator. An external power interface is included to connect to an external electrical power source. An AC electric power distribution bus is included to power electric loads of the vehicle and a power switch device is provided to selectively provide AC electric power on the power distribution bus from one of the respective power sources with a default to select one of the sources whenever it is present.

Abstract: An energy storage and recovery system employs air compressed utilizing power from an operating wind turbine. This compressed air is stored within one or more chambers of a structure supporting the wind turbine above the ground. By functioning as both a physical support and as a vessel for storing compressed air, the relative contribution of the support structure to the overall cost of the energy storage and recovery system may be reduced, thereby improving economic realization for the combined turbine/support apparatus. In certain embodiments, expansion forces of the compressed air stored within the chamber, may be relied upon to augment the physical stability of a support structure, further reducing material costs of the support structure.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator including a membrane maintained by lateral ends and capable of taking a first shape when its temperature reaches a first threshold and a second shape when its temperature reaches a second threshold greater than the first threshold; at least one electrically conductive element attached to with the membrane and connecting the lateral ends of the membrane; and circuitry capable of generating, at the level of the membrane, a magnetic field orthogonal to the membrane displacement direction, the lateral ends of the membrane being connected to output terminals of the generator.

Abstract: A wind park, a method of correcting voltage imbalances, and a wind turbine are provided. The wind park includes at least one wind turbine; a transformer coupled between the at least one wind turbine and a power grid. The transformer includes a primary winding arrangement coupled to the power grid, and a secondary winding arrangement coupled to the at least one wind turbine. The power grid includes at least three power lines, each power line conducting a respective phase of a multi-phase current. Each power line of the power grid is coupled to the primary winding arrangement via an individual tap changer. Influences of the detected voltage imbalances on the wind turbines can be compensated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gravity power generating apparatus comprising a set of a plurality of magnetic heavy objects; a generator for generating electrical power by rotating a rotor of the generator, wherein the rotation of the generator is accomplished by having each heavy object to pass through a gravity route; a delivery route for delivering each heavy object to drive each heavy object to pass through the gravity route; a delivery route motor for supplying power for the delivery route; and a plurality of magnetic elements provided around the gravity route, wherein each magnetic element is wound around with a coil on the surface so that an electrical current is generated in the coil to supply to the delivery route motor.

Abstract: A power generation system includes a generator mechanically coupled to a turbine to generate electrical power. The system includes a fault ride through system having a variable resistor and a variable inductor. The variable resistor is connected in parallel across output terminals of the generator to absorb power from the generator during a grid fault condition, and the variable inductor is connected between an output terminal of the generator and a power grid.

Abstract: A field winding type rotary electric machine includes a motor generator; a field current detection unit; a field current control unit which controls a field current; a field current limiting determination section which calculates a field current integration value and determines whether or not the field current integration value reaches a predetermined field current integration threshold value; and a field current limiting command section which, when it is determined that the field current integration value reaches the predetermined field current integration threshold value, outputs a command which sets the field current to be lower than or equal to a predetermined field current limiting value to the field current control unit during a predetermined limiting time, and outputs a command which changes the predetermined limiting time depending on the field current. Accordingly, a temperature rise of the machine is suppressed and limiting of the field current can be released as needed.

Abstract: Device and methods associated with underwater pumped-hydro energy storage are disclosed. An underwater pumped-hydro energy storage device includes a submersible tank that includes an inlet and an outlet. A pump is disposed at the outlet of the submersible tank to evacuate water from the submersible tank in a surrounding body of water. A valve is disposed at the inlet of the at least one submersible tank to control a flow of the water into the submersible tank from the surrounding body of water. Moreover, a turbine power unit is to generate output electrical power from the flow water into the submersible tank.

Abstract: An electrical supply device includes a set of armature coils which are coupled together in a polygonal mode. The coils are connected to a single bridge rectifier which includes a set of controllable elements allowing switching between a first operating mode in which some of the coils are electrically connected in series and a second operating mode in which all of the coils are electrically connected in parallel. An alternator for a motor vehicle includes the disclosed supply device.

Abstract: A system for generating electric and mechanical power utilizing a thermal gradient includes a thermal gradient producing device in communication with a turbine generator. The system being configured to absorb heat energy from an outside environment, circulate the same through a circulation chamber and convert the heat energy into one or both of a mechanical force and electricity which can be fed back to the system itself or utilized by other devices.

Abstract: The system is intended to extract energy from a vehicle that is otherwise wasted. As an example and not limiting, the generator and linkage as described can be employed with the rotation of a vehicle wheel to capture energy lost during vehicle braking with the generator functioning to convert vehicle momentum to electric power by putting a load on the wheels of the vehicle which effectively brakes the vehicle while driving the generator, which electricity from the generator likewise is stored in batteries.

Abstract: A system to harvest energy in a wellbore is disclosed. The system includes a flexible member disposed in a wellbore. The flexible member includes at least a portion of a drill string. The system includes an energy harvesting apparatus that includes magnetostrictive material and a conductor coupled to the magnetostrictive material. The energy harvesting apparatus is coupled to the flexible member to transfer forces from the flexible member to impart at least one of a strain or stress in the magnetostrictive material and to induce an electrical current in the conductor.

Abstract: Described is a power generating apparatus and a rotor locking method for the apparatus, which is capable of locking the rotor without using a huge braking mechanism. The power generating apparatus of renewable energy type includes a blade, a rotor including a hub and a main shaft, a hydraulic pump of variable displacement type driven by rotation of the rotor, a hydraulic motor driven by operating oil pressurized by the hydraulic pump, and a generator coupled to the hydraulic motor. The rotor locking method for the power generating apparatus may include the steps of: decelerating the rotor by adjusting a pitch angle of the blade: after the decelerating step, stopping the rotor by applying a braking force by the hydraulic pump to the rotor; and locking the rotor so that the rotor is immovable in a rotation direction.

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.

Abstract: A new method for predicting the rotor angle stability status of a power system immediately after a large disturbance is presented. The proposed two stage method involves estimation of the similarity of post-fault voltage trajectories of the generator buses after the disturbance to some pre-identified templates and then prediction of the stability status using a classifier which takes the similarity values calculated at the different generator buses as inputs. The typical bus voltage variation patterns after a disturbance for both stable and unstable situations are identified from a database of simulations using fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm. The same database is used to train a support vector machine classifier which takes proximity of the actual voltage variations to the identified templates as features.

Abstract: A control device for a vehicle AC generator, in which a part can be shared even when electrical configuration positions of field coils of rotors of generators are different, is obtained. Switching elements connected in series to the field coil in order to control a field current; and a control signal processing unit, in which information as to whether the field coil is connected to the high potential side or connected to the low potential side is inputted, one of the high potential side terminal and the low potential side terminal is selected on the basis of the inputted information, a control signal is outputted, and ON/OFF control of the switching element is performed to control the field current of the field coil, are provided.