Patents Examined by Nicholas Ponomarenko
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Patent number: 8482145Abstract: A wave energy system and method are provided that have a main body that floats on the surface of the ocean and generates energy due to the motion of the crests and troughs of the ocean.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2010Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Ocean Energy Management LimitedInventors: Michael Houser, Cameron Price
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Patent number: 8482146Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for the efficiency with which fluid energy is converted into another form of energy, such as electrical energy, where an array of fluid energy conversion modules is contained in a scalable modular networked superstructure. In certain preferred embodiments, a plurality of turbines, such as for instance wind turbines, may be disposed in an array, where the plurality of arrays may be disposed in a suitable arrangement in proximity to each other and provided with geometry suitable for tight packing in an array with other parameters optimized to extract energy from the fluid flow. In addition, the turbines may be a more effective adaptation of a turbine, or an array of turbines, to varying conditions, including fluid conditions that may differ among different turbines in an array, or among different turbines in a set of arrays.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2009Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: V Squared Wind, Inc.Inventor: Robert M. Freda
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Patent number: 8482150Abstract: The inventive technology described herein generally relates to the field of power generation. More specifically, methods and apparatus for a power generation coupler utilizing perhaps multiple generators coupled through a power generation coupler to at least one rotational movement element such that said coupled connection is dynamically movable across the surface the rotational movement element so as to maintain an electrical output at a constant generator rotation(s) per minute (RPM) according to the varying rotational velocity along the radius of a rotational movement element. In some embodiments such coupled generators may be sequentially loaded and disengaged to such rotational movement element to maintain an electrical output at a constant generator RPM. Certain embodiments may include a static power generation coupler as well as an electrically dynamic power generation coupler such that the current applied to the stator of a generator may dynamically alter that generators resistance.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2012Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Airgenesis LLCInventor: Danny J. Smith
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Patent number: 8476872Abstract: A system for reducing an alternator's load on an engine when the engine drives a second load. The system includes an alternator, a battery, a resistor, and a switch. The alternator includes a stator, a voltage regulator, a rectifier, and a field coil. The battery has a first terminal coupled to the alternator and a second terminal coupled to the alternator. The resistor has a first lead coupled to the first terminal and a second lead coupled to the field coil. The switch is coupled in parallel across the resistor, and is open when the engine drives the second load and closed when the engine is not driving the second load.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2010Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Thermo King CorporationInventors: Gregory R. Truckenbrod, William L. Waldschmidt, John Steven McFadden, Vidhey Vijay Trivedi
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Patent number: 8476871Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for controlling a doubly-fed induction machine. In operation a rotor current vector is processed with a rotor position estimate vector. A scalar error quantity is the determined in dependence upon a stator current vector and the processed rotor current vector. The scalar error quantity is integrated and an estimate of the rotor angular frequency is determined in dependence upon the integrated scalar error quantity. To obtain a rotor position estimate, the estimate of the rotor angular frequency is integrated and a rotor position estimate vector is determined in dependence upon the rotor position estimate. The rotor position estimate vector is then provided for processing the rotor current vector. As output signals a signal indicative of the rotor position estimate vector and a signal indicative of the estimate of the rotor angular frequency are provided for controlling the doubly-fed induction machine.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2007Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning/McGill UniversityInventors: Boon T. Ooi, Baike Shen, Victor Low
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Patent number: 8471397Abstract: Floating device for harnessing swell energy by lateral overflow, said device being formed by hulls which converge in plan view and have a variable freeboard between which the waves propagate. The convergence produces a gradual increase in the height of the wave as it propagates between the hulls, which, together with the reduction in the freeboard from a particular section of said hulls, gives rise to the lateral overflow of the mass of water of the crest over their rails, which is collected in tanks which are at different heights (in accordance with the reduction in the freeboard) and are connected to the corresponding turbines. The angle of convergence between the hulls can be varied in order to be adapted to the sea state. The harnessing system is supplemented with a connecting closure ramp between the sterns of the hulls in order to collect the water which has previously not managed to overflow the structure.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2007Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Universidade de Santiago de CompostelaInventors: Jose Gregorio Iglesias Rodriguez, Rodrigo Carballo Sanchez, Alberte Castro Ponte
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Patent number: 8471399Abstract: The present invention concerns a floating wind power apparatus with a floating unit and at least three rotors supported in rotor housings, placed on separate towers with a longitudinal central axis. The towers are attached in the floating unit and the rotor housing, and the floating unit may yaw to direct the rotors in relation to the wind. At least one rotor is a downwind rotor, and at least one rotor is an upwind rotor. The towers are placed at an inclined angle in relation to the rotors.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2008Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Windsea ASInventor: Marc Lefranc
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Patent number: 8466576Abstract: A generator (20) for in situ fluid-driven production of electric energy and also a method of making the generator (20), which comprises a stator and a rotor. The stator is formed as a turbine housing (1) having at least one internal cavity (2) within which at least one independent rotor body (3) is arranged without a fixed mechanical support in the turbine housing (1). The turbine housing (1) comprises at least one supply channel (8) and at least one discharge channel (9) connected to the cavity (2) for throughput of a generator-driving fluid (13). The cavity (2) is of a circular shape along at least one path of rotation therein, whereas the rotor body (3) is of a rotary-symmetrical shape for allowing rotation thereof along said path of rotation. The turbine housing (1) is provided with at least one coil (5) at the periphery of the cavity (2), whereas the rotor body (3) is provided with at least one permanent magnet (4) at the periphery of the rotor body (3).Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2007Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Reslink ASInventor: Gisle Onsrud
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Patent number: 8450984Abstract: A system and method for diagnosis and prognosis of thermal sensitivity in a rotor of an electrical machine. A first system is provided for evaluating thermal sensitivity in a rotor of an electrical machine and includes: an input system for obtaining vibration data and field current from the rotor and for obtaining a set of operating parameter; a system for calculating a relationship between vibration and field current; an evaluation system for determining whether the relationship is significant; and a system for issuing a notification of thermal sensitivity in response to a determination of a significant relationship.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2010Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ravikumar Sandrana, Sudhanshu Rai
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Patent number: 8446027Abstract: An apparatus for extracting wave energy may include a watercraft, a pendulum and an energy converter. The watercraft may be configured to roll in response to wave action and may have roll characteristics that are tunable to characteristics of the wave action. The pendulum may be supported by the watercraft to enable the pendulum to swing in response to the wave action. An energy converter may be configured to convert the relative movement of the pendulum and watercraft into electrical energy. The pendulum may also be tunable to characteristics of the wave action.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2012Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Huntington Ingalls, Inc.Inventors: William J. Laz, Todd L. Sedler, Mohamed Belkhayat
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Patent number: 8446131Abstract: The regulating method is employed in a polyphase rotating electrical machine operating as a generator and having an excitation coil (10). The method is of the type in which a DC voltage (B+) is slaved to a predetermined setpoint, the voltage being produced by rectifying an AC voltage generated by the machine by controlling the duty cycle of a periodic excitation current (+EXC,?EXC) by means of a microcontroller (11), or the like, as a function of sampled values of the DC voltage (B+). The duty cycle is determined by the microcontroller (11) twice during an excitation current cycle (+EXC, ?EXC).Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2007Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques MoteurInventors: Jean-Claude Matt, Christophe Louise
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Patent number: 8432051Abstract: An electric power generator for generating a substantially constant frequency output from a varying mechanical speed input such as from a wind or water turbine, comprises a three-phase induction machine in which at least one stator winding is magnetically and electrically decoupled from at least one other stator winding which is arranged to be connected to an external load, and a power source is arranged to excite said at least one stator winding with an AC current at a desired output frequency. The power generator can be directly connected to the mains grid without requiring a power electronics rectifier and inverter stage to convert the generator output to constant frequency AC.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2008Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: Auckland Uniservices LimitedInventor: Udaya Madawala
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Patent number: 8426992Abstract: A liquid treatment system that may be self-powered includes a hydro-generator. A flow of liquid may be used to rotate the hydro-generator to generate electric power. The hydro-generator may include an outer housing and an inner housing. The inner housing may include a first hub removeably engaged with a second hub. A plurality of paddles may be replaceably engaged between the first hub and the second hub. An electrical generator may be disposed in the inner housing. A flow of liquid may strike the paddles causing the inner housing to rotate. During rotation of the housing, the electrical generator may produce electrical power.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2012Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Access Business Group International LLCInventors: David W. Baarman, Thomas Leppien, Terry Lee Lautzenheiser, Christopher B. Houghton, Stephen J. McPhilliamy
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Patent number: 8427116Abstract: A starting/generating system includes a rotor portion and a stator portion. The stator portion is connected to a DC power source during starting operations and to a DC load during generating operations, and includes a DC link having a first and second DC link bus, a DC link capacitor connected between the DC link buses, and an inverter/rectifier that converts AC power to DC power and vice versa. A switching device is connected in series on the first DC link bus and is controlled by a controller that turns the switching device On and Off to provide various functionality to the starting/generating system.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2012Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand CorporationInventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Matthew L. Wilhide
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Patent number: 8421422Abstract: A power supply device comprising: a magneto generator including a rotor including a magnet forming a magnetic field; a rectifying unit rectifying an alternating current of the generator to a direct current and supplying to an electrical load; a voltage detection unit detecting a voltage of the electrical load; an opening unit interrupting electrical conduction of an output of the generator; short-circuiting units electrically short-circuiting the output; a torque supplying device supplying torque to the rotor; a voltage control unit selectively performing one of opening-control of controlling on/off switching of the opening unit and short-circuit-control of controlling on/off switching of the short-circuiting units to control the voltage of the electrical load to a predetermined value in accordance with the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit; a switching control unit switching and controlling between the above two controls in accordance with an operating state regarding rotation of the rotor.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2010Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Mitsubishi Eletric CorporationInventors: Naoki Itoi, Masayoshi Maeda, Nobuhiro Kihara, Kenji Ishi, Hiroshi Okuda, Fumito Uemura
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Patent number: 8415930Abstract: Provided is a power supply device including: a magneto generator (1), which includes: a rotor including a magnet forming a magnetic field; and a stator which generates an alternating current in stator windings by rotation of the rotor; a rectifying unit (3) which rectifies the alternating current generated by the magneto generator to a direct current; a variable transformation-ratio direct current voltage transformer (40) which transforms an output voltage of the direct current of the rectifying unit to a voltage between input terminals of an electrical load (2) to which electric power is supplied; and a voltage control unit (5) which controls a transformation ratio of the variable transformation-ratio direct current voltage transformer in accordance with at least one of an operating state signal regarding the rotation of the rotor of the magneto generator and an electrical load state signal of the electrical load.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2010Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Nobuhiro Kihara, Masayoshi Maeda, Shinji Kawaguchi, Hiroshi Okuda, Fumito Uemura, Takahiro Urakabe, Masaya Inoue, Naoki Itoi, Kenji Ishi
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Patent number: 8415814Abstract: These inventions related to systems and methods for producing, shipping, distributing, storing and consuming hydrogen. In one embodiment, a hydrogen production and storage system includes a plurality of wind turbines for generating electrical power; a power distribution control system for distributing, and converting the electrical power from the wind turbines, and an electrolyzer unit that receive electrical power from the power distribution system and purified water from the desalination units and thereby converts the water into hydrogen and oxygen. After its production, hydrogen is used produce electrical power as and when required. The power can come from a new and/or retrofitted power plant that uses a gas turbine to consume the hydrogen. Secondary electrical generation, co-generation is accomplished when the gas turbine exhaust is used to generate steam to turn a steam turbine and electrical generator.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2012Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Inventor: Timothy J. Devine
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Patent number: 8415818Abstract: In a method for the compensation of rotor torque oscillations upon the occurrence of mains asymmetries in relation to a double-fed asynchronous machine (1) it is provided that at least one respective currently prevailing machine parameter is measured and/or derived, the at least one machine parameter is respectively decomposed by calculation into a positive and a negative sequence system component and optionally a DC component, and for the positive sequence system component, the negative sequence system component and optionally for the DC component of the at least one machine parameter, there are respective separate control members for controlling an adjusting value, to which the respective components of the machine parameters are fed as input components and the output values of which are additively superposed. In that case the control members are so adapted for controlling the adjusting value in such a way that the torque oscillations are counteracted.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2008Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Woodward Kempen GmbHInventors: Stephan Engelhardt, Holger Wrede, Andrzej Geniusz
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Patent number: 8415816Abstract: Provided is a vehicle AC generator for improving working efficiency in assembly, allowing a reduction in the number of components, and the like. The vehicle AC generator includes: a rectifier for rectifying an AC generated by a stator coil into a DC; and a regulator for regulating an AC voltage generated by the stator coil, in which: the regulator includes: a regulator holder; a regulator main body provided inside the regulator holder, the regulator main body being for regulating the AC voltage; a capacitor provided inside the regulator holder, the capacitor being for absorbing a noise generated when the AC is rectified into the DC by the rectifier; and an insulating resin material filling the regulator holder so as to fix the regulator main body and the capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2010Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Kazuyuki Iwamoto, Kazunori Tanaka
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Patent number: 8410625Abstract: A method for yaw control for a wind turbine comprising a rotor with a rotor blade, the rotor defining a rotor axis and a rotor plane to which the rotor axis is perpendicular, in which the rotor axis is turned to minimize the yaw angle between the ambient wind direction and the rotor axis is provided, wherein the turning of the rotor axis is performed based on the measurement of a wind speed in the rotor plane at the rotor blade. Furthermore, a wind turbine which comprises a rotor which includes a rotor axis and a rotor plane perpendicular to the rotor axis and an anemometer for measuring the ambient wind speed is provided. The wind turbine further comprises an anemometer which is located such at a rotor blade at a particular distance from the rotor axis as to allow for measuring a wind speed in the rotor plane.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2011Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Henrik Stiesdal