Patents Examined by Nicholas Ponomarenko
  • Patent number: 8049348
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a control device (1) for an electricity generator set, the generator set comprising: an engine fitted with at least one actuator (2) for controlling fuel admission; an alternator driven by the engine; and a speed regulator (4) for the engine and controlling the actuator(s); the control device being arranged to detect a variation in the load on the alternator as a function of at least one voltage thereof and to control the actuator(s) in such a manner as to compensate for the load variation thus detected; the control device delivering a control signal that acts directly on the actuator(s) taking the place of or being superposed on an output signal of the speed regulator when a variation in load is detected; or the control device delivering a control signal that acts on the actuator(s) via at least a portion of the speed regulator by taking the place of a speed regulator signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Moteurs Leroy-Somer
    Inventor: Francois Czajkowski
  • Patent number: 8044527
    Abstract: A power generation system includes: a prime mover; an electrical machine coupled to the prime mover and configured for converting mechanical power to electrical power, the electrical machine having a power factor of less than or equal to 0.7; a reactive power supply assembly coupled to the electrical machine and configured to supply reactive power to the electrical machine; and a power electronic converter coupled to the reactive power supply assembly and configured for transferring power from the electrical machine to a grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jorge Mari, Michal-Wolfgang Waszak, Simon Schramm
  • Patent number: 8039982
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a method for operating a wind turbine having a generator, the generator having for each phase a plurality of coils, wherein the plurality of coils of each phase includes at least one group of coils including at least two coils, the group of coils including at least two subgroups including at least one coil, wherein the generator has a first state in which the coils of the group of coils are electrically connected in series, and, the generator has a second state in which the at least two subgroups are switched electrically in parallel; the method including: changing the state of the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Hartmut Scholte-Wassink
  • Patent number: 8039980
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to reduce stop time of a wind turbine generator caused by icing on a wind turbine blade in the wind turbine generator. The invention provides the wind turbine generator including an ice detecting unit for detecting an amount of icing on a wind turbine blade, wherein an operation mode is switched to a no-load operation mode with no power being generated in a case where the icing amount detected by the ice detecting unit exceeds a first predetermined value, and an icing amount is detected by the ice detecting unit in a state where the apparatus is operated in the no-load operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taketo Mizoue, Mitsuya Baba, Yoshiyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8035245
    Abstract: An electrical energy apparatus has a shaft, a first arm extending radially outwardly from the shaft, a second arm extending radially outwardly from the shaft in spaced relationship to the first arm, a third arm extending radially outwardly from the shaft in spaced relationship to the first and second arms, a first set of vanes extending outwardly of the first arm, a second set of vanes extending outwardly of the second arm, a third set of vanes extending outwardly of the third arm, and a generator cooperative with the shaft for producing electrical energy relative to a rotation of the shaft. A magnetic inductor is connected to a vane so as to coordinate movement of the vanes during rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Inventor: Larry W. Simnacher
  • Patent number: 8035241
    Abstract: A wind turbine includes a generator and a control system. The control system is configured to determine whether a predefined amount of turbulence will be induced to the wind turbine by a wake zone created by a wind turbine upstream thereof. The control system is also configured to adjust at least one constraint of the wind turbine to a first setting if the amount of turbulence is greater than the predefined amount, the constraint affecting power produced by the generator, and to adjust the constraint of the wind turbine to a second setting if the amount of turbulence is not greater than the predefined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Balaji Subramanian, Srinivasa Gujju, Vikas Saxena, Vikram Singh Rajput
  • Patent number: 8030791
    Abstract: Power conversion apparatus and methods are presented for providing electrical power to a grid or other load in which a synchronous machine is driven by a wind turbine or other prime mover to provide generator power to a switching type current source converter (CSC), with a current source rectifier (CSR) of the CSC being switched to provide d-axis control of the synchronous machine current based on grid power factor feedback, and with a current source inverter (CSI) of the CSC being switched to provide leading firing angle control and selective employment of dumping resists to dissipate excess generator energy in a fault mode when a grid voltage drops below a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongqiang Lang, Navid Reza Zargari, Manish Pande, Bin Wu
  • Patent number: 8030793
    Abstract: A power generating system 10 includes a drive arrangement 12 and a compressor 18 arranged to be driven by the drive arrangement 12 to compress gas, in particular air. The system 10 also includes an underwater storage arrangement 20 for storing compressed gas provided by the compressor 18 and an expander 22 for expanding compressed gas from the underwater storage arrangement 20 and/or the compressor 18 to thereby drive a generator 16 to generate electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Nottingham
    Inventor: Seamus Dominic Garvey
  • Patent number: 8026622
    Abstract: A generator is provided including a rotatable pressure vessel with an inner and outer surface. Electromagnets are disposed on the inner surface of the pressure vessel. A biasing structure is configured to rotate within, and independently of, the pressure vessel and extends at least partly along a lengthwise dimension of the pressure vessel. The biasing structure has an axis of rotation that is within the circumference of the pressure vessel, and may be substantially parallel and coincident with a center axis of the pressure vessel. The biasing structure has a center of gravity at a radius away from the center axis of the pressure vessel. Armature coils are disposed on an outer portion of the biasing structure, and are positioned such that a relative motion between the electromagnets and the plurality of armature coils induces a current in the armature coils when a current is applied to the electromagnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Inventor: James D. Thackston
  • Patent number: 8022566
    Abstract: A method for controlling operation of a floating wind turbine is described. The floating wind turbine includes a wind turbine generator coupled to a support tower. The method includes measuring a tower inclination, determining an operating parameter control value based on at least the measured tower inclination, and adjusting wind turbine operation based at least partially on the operating parameter control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Friedrich Loh, Hartmut Scholte-Wassink
  • Patent number: 8018083
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for connection of a wind driven turbine generator to an HVDC transmission line is provided that does not require transformation of the wind generated AC voltage to a nominal AC distribution grid frequency. An AC output from the turbine generator is increased in level and converted to HVDC for direct application to a HVDC transmission line. The wind turbine generated AC may be first increased in frequency via a matrix converter and then rectified or may be first rectified and increased in level by a high-voltage DC-DC converter circuit and then applied directly to the HVDC transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Einar Vaughn Larsen, Robert William Delmerico
  • Patent number: 8018084
    Abstract: A wave powered electrical generator includes: a floating unit that floats in water and accommodates a power generator therein. The floating unit has a wave power system that includes, a chamber containing fluid, a free-floating mass provided in the chamber that separates the chamber into first and second chambers defined at each side of the mass, a first valve that allows the fluid in the first chamber to be discharged from the first chamber as the free-floating mass moves toward the first chamber, and a second valve that allows the fluid in the second chamber to be discharged from the second chamber as the free-floating mass moves toward the second chamber. The fluid discharged through the first and second valves flows into a pipe that discharges the received fluid from an end thereof against a turbine attached to a power generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Inventor: Gerald S. Rourke
  • Patent number: 8013578
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an alternator comprising: an alternator stator (2) comprising a main secondary winding (7) delivering an output voltage; at least one auxiliary winding (3); and an exciter field winding (5) powered by the auxiliary winding(s); a regulator (20) for regulating the output voltage of the alternator; and an alternator rotor (8) comprising an exciter secondary winding (6); a rotary field winding (4) powered by the exciter secondary winding (6); and a control circuit (10) for controlling the power supply to the rotary field winding (4) and configured to maintain the amplitude of the output voltage from the alternator at a predetermined level by controlling the power supply to the rotary field winding (4) in response to a control signal coming from the voltage regulator (20), the auxiliary winding(s) (3) generating a voltage because they are exposed to a varying magnetic field generated by the rotary field winding (4) in rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Inventor: François Czajkowski
  • Patent number: 8013460
    Abstract: A method for controlling a tip speed of a blade of a wind turbine. The method includes determining the wind speed proximate the wind turbine; maintaining a first substantially constant rotational speed of the tip of the blade during variable wind speeds above a first predetermined nominal wind speed and below the second predetermined nominal wind speed; maintaining a second substantially constant rotational speed of the tip of the blade during variable wind speeds above a second predetermined nominal wind speed. The noise generated by wind at the second predetermined nominal wind speed is greater than noise generated by the blade at the second constant rotational speed of the tip of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Kinzie, Stefan Herr, Benoit Petitjean
  • Patent number: 8008794
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a wind power plant and its operation during grid loss, wherein the wind power plant comprises a plurality of rotor blades, a blade pitch drive, a rotor shaft, an electric generator, and a control unit for controlling the operations of the wind power plant, wherein the plurality of rotor blades are rotatably connected to the rotor shaft, such that the pitch of the rotor blades can be adjusted by the blade pitch drive under the control of the control unit, and wherein the rotor shaft is operatively connected to the electric generator for generating electric energy, the wind power plant further comprising an energy storing unit for powering the blade pitch drive, wherein the control unit comprises a control module for adjusting the rotor blades and for entering a self-sustaining mode of operation of the wind power plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas Edenfeld
  • Patent number: 8008791
    Abstract: A right-and-left-wheel differential torque generator makes a deceleration acted on a vehicle body to be corrected in small even when a rotating electric machine for generating a right-and-left-wheel differential torque is operated to generate a yaw moment of the vehicle, for this purpose, a correcting throttle opening is added to a throttle operation by a driver to correct a torque amount of an engine brake causing a power supply, two power generators A, B coupled independently to each of the left and right wheels and a rotating electric machine C for generating a torsional torque are provided, the power generator A absorbs (brake) the torque from one wheel to generate a power, and this power is supplied so that a torsional torque is generated by the rotating electric machine C in a direction toward which the other wheel (coupled with the power generator B) is accelerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Yamakado, Atsushi Yokoyama, Masaru Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 8008895
    Abstract: A static exciter system (20) for the field winding (17) of a generator (16) which is connected to a grid system via a busbar (19) includes a first device (12, 18, 21) for production of a DC voltage, which is connected to the field winding (17) and together with the field winding (17) form an exciter circuit, as well as a second device (23; 29, C1, . . . , C3) for emission of electrical energy, which second device (23; 29, C1, . . . , C3) briefly feeds additional energy into the exciter circuit when required. An exciter system such as this results in the capability to briefly increase the excitation in a simple, functionally reliable and space-saving manner, by inserting a forward-biased diode (22) into the exciter circuit, and by the capability to connect the second device (23) to the diode (22), in the reverse-bias direction, in order to feed the energy into the exciter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Reinhard Joho
  • Patent number: 8004106
    Abstract: A yaw bearing cleaning assembly for use with a wind turbine. The wind turbine includes a yaw bearing that is coupled between a nacelle and a tower for rotating the nacelle about a yaw axis. The yaw bearing cleaning assembly includes a support bracket that is coupled to the nacelle. At least one cleaning member is coupled to the support bracket. The at least one cleaning member extends from the support bracket and positioned adjacent an outer radial surface of the yaw bearing to facilitate removing debris from at least a portion of the yaw bearing when the nacelle is rotated about the yaw axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Daniels, Chad Kegan Robey
  • Patent number: 8004251
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for modifying interactions between an electrical generator and a nonlinear load is described. One illustrative embodiment receives a main control signal at a control input of an engine of the electrical generator, the main control signal controlling at least one of output power, output current, and output voltage delivered by the electrical generator to the nonlinear load, the engine being one of a power amplifier and a converter; measures the impedance of the nonlinear load; and feeds to the electrical generator a compensation signal corresponding to the measured impedance, the compensation signal rendering a transfer function of the output power of the electrical generator with respect to the main control signal substantially insensitive to variations in the impedance of the nonlinear load to stabilize the output power of the electrical generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Advances Energy Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Gideon van Zyl
  • Patent number: 8004105
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wave energy conversion device (1), for use in relatively shallow water, which has a base portion (2) for anchoring to the bed of a body of water (6) and an upstanding flap portion (8) pivotally connected (12) to the base portion. The flap portion is biased to the vertical and oscillates, backwards and forwards about the vertical in response to wave motion acting on its faces. Power extraction means extract energy from the movement of the flap portion. When the base portion (2) is anchored to the bed of a body of water (6) with the flap portion (8) facing the wave motion, the base portion (2) and the flap portion (8) extend vertically through at least the entire depth of the water, to present a substantially continuous surface to the wave motion throughout the full depth of water from the wave crest to the sea bed. A plurality of devices can be interconnected to form one system. The distance between the plurality of flaps is dependent on the wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Aquamarine Power Limited
    Inventors: Trevor John Whittaker, Allan Robert Thomson, Michael David Crowley