Patents Examined by Pedro J. Cuevas
  • Patent number: 11081980
    Abstract: A device for converting kinetic energy of a fluid to electrical energy is disclosed. The device comprises a flow chamber having an inlet port for a fluid and an exhaust port for the fluid. A pair of charge collecting electrodes is spaced apart from each other along a collection direction and disposed within the flow chamber. An electric field generator is configured to generate an electric field in the flow chamber along a field direction to separate charged species in the fluid. A flow path of the fluid between the inlet port and the exhaust port may have a flow direction with a component along the first direction and a component along the second direction. Also disclosed is a system comprising the device and a related method. The disclosure may find application, for example, in providing a source of energy for an electric vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: IONECH LIMITED
    Inventor: Nathan Owen
  • Patent number: 11073130
    Abstract: A pitch energy module comprising one or more ultracapacitors storing electrical energy for a wind turbine emergency pitch energy event. The pitch energy module replaces at least one battery within a battery housing of a wind turbine and interfaces with the existing battery wiring harness to communicate with a control system of the wind turbine. The pitch energy module is installed without further modification to the battery housing or the battery wiring harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Richardson Electronics, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeremy Winston Wilks, John Raymond Curran, Brian Christopher Gumino
  • Patent number: 11073139
    Abstract: The power plant disclosed is an engine that derives its usefulness in the pursuit of energy generation by utilizing hydrostatic pressure differentials found or created in various liquids, gases or solutions, such as but not limited to water and air. It is generally provided as a configuration designed to create a pressure differential, and to use the pressure differential to increase the effective head seen via a penstock and turbine system. Pump systems that are employed include venturi systems, jet pump systems and other comparable mixed-pressure vacuum pumps. Multiple power generating systems are interconnected to provide continuous and constant power generation through a penstock and turbine system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Inventor: Mark R Anteau
  • Patent number: 11070154
    Abstract: A switch can connect or disconnect a generator and a supply unit. A control unit controls an engine in one of a plurality of control states including a power generation state, a first standby state and a second standby state. When an acceptance unit accepts a switching instruction from the first standby state to the second standby state, the control unit controls the switch to disconnect the generator and the supply unit, and reduces the engine speed of the engine from an engine speed in the first standby state to an engine speed in the second standby state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamamura, Kyosuke Taniguchi, Wataru Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 11060504
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed. The control system includes a wind turbine, at least one sensor configured to detect at least one property of the wind turbine to generate measurement data, and a controller communicatively coupled to the wind turbine and the at least one sensor. The controller includes at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The at least one processor is configured to control, during a training phase, the wind turbine according to at least one test parameter, receive, from the at least one sensor, during the training phase, first measurement data, generate, based on the at least one test parameter and the received first measurement data, a control model, receive, during an operating phase, second measurement data from the at least one sensor, and update the control model continuously based on the second measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nurali Virani, Scott Charles Evans, Samuel Davoust, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Dhiraj Arora
  • Patent number: 11056990
    Abstract: A method of operating an electrical generator with a control unit may include: providing an electrical output voltage by rotating a rotor unit relative to a stator unit at a given rotation speed; providing the control unit with a control unit supply voltage; determining a control unit supply voltage value of the control unit supply voltage; providing the rotor unit with a rotor supply voltage; determining a rotation speed of the rotor unit; determining an ambient temperature of the electrical generator; determining a rotor supply voltage value for the determined rotation speed, and the determined ambient temperature and the determined control unit supply voltage value at which the electrical generator may have a maximal permitted thermal load; and operating the electrical generator at the maximal permitted thermal load by at least one of adjusting and controlling the rotor supply voltage of the rotor unit to the determined rotor supply voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventor: Stas Kanalec
  • Patent number: 11053921
    Abstract: A multi-source power generation system to generate electricity by utilizing a combination of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and wave energy is disclosed. The power generating system comprises a frame including a float body and a cylindrical body integral to the float body is submerged below the surface of sea water. A solar power generator comprising solar panel is mounted above the float portion, which is configured to receive the solar power energy and produce electrical potential. A wave energy generator is disposed inside the cylindrical body to harness wave energy from wave motion. A wind turbine disposed on the float body, which is configured to harness wind energy from wind. The cylindrical body comprises a cylindrical compartment including a cylindrical magnet which is configured to move in and out of a coil to generate electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventor: Laura Gong
  • Patent number: 11056989
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method for controlling a power plant. The method may include detecting a transient load on the power plant, and monitoring a system reactance during operation at the transient load. A system reactance of the grid is compared with a switching threshold indicative of a switching event on the set of transmission lines. If the switching threshold is exceeded, the gas turbine operates at the transient load using a first control setting with a transient fuel management profile, a transient split bias profile, and a dynamic intake parameter for the gas turbine. If the switching threshold is not exceeded but one of the electrical properties exceeds a stability threshold, the gas turbine operates at the transient load using a second control setting with the dynamic intake parameter for the gas turbine, and without the transient fuel management profile or the transient split bias profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Sreedhar Desabhatla
  • Patent number: 11053918
    Abstract: A wind turbine control unit comprising a control module configured to control an actuator system by outputting a first control signal, wherein the first control signal includes a current control sample value and a predicted control trajectory; the control unit further comprising an upsampling module configured to receive the first control signal from the control module, and to output a second control signal for controlling the actuator system, the second control signal having a higher frequency that the first control signal. The upsampling module calculates the second control signal in dependence on the current control sample value and the predicted control trajectory. The embodiments provide a more accurately reproduced control signal at a higher frequency that is suitable for onward processing which does not suffer from the problems of aliasing and delay that exist with conventional upsampling techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Tobias Gybel Hovgaard, Keld Hammerum, Kasper Zinck
  • Patent number: 11053922
    Abstract: A turbine energy device having one or more rotors and one or more stators in one or more generator sets wherein said rotors and stators are adapted to be rotated in opposite directions, by means of gear stages adapted to produce counter-rotation in these elements and to produce high relative rotation rates between said elements according to the gear ratios involved, thereby obtaining increased power density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventor: Doron E. Ezoory
  • Patent number: 11053909
    Abstract: A hydraulic turbine suspending device is provided which facilitates the positioning of a hydroelectric generator in a waterway, and which is easy to work on. The hydraulic turbine suspending device is a support that suspends a hydraulic turbine (10) in a waterway by laterally bridging the same, and comprises a combination of a suspending beam (2) positioned in parallel with the upstream and downstream sides of the waterway; a plurality of stanchions (5) that support the edges of the suspending beam (2) in a horizontal position on the outside of the waterway; and a floor plate (6) provided in a tensioned state to the suspending beam (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11047361
    Abstract: In a system of the disclosure, power generation devices installed at separate places include a kite-shaped flying object staying in the air, a generator installed on a ground and a tether operatively connecting the two to each other. The tether, which is pulled when the kite-shaped flying object rises, rotates a rotor of a generator to generate power. A power supply controller controls power supply such that, when power suppliable from a power generation device meets a target power needed by a power receiving facility, power is supplied from the power generation device to the power receiving facility, and when the target power of the power receiving facility exceeds the power suppliable from the power generation device, power from another power generation device is supplied to the power receiving facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Itakura
  • Patent number: 11035214
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a power supply semi-trailer for electric drive fracturing equipment, including a combination of a gas turbine engine, a generator and a rectifying unit, the generator outputs a winding configuration and a voltage required for the rectifying units directly to obviate conventional rectifier transformer equipment. The rectifying unit is connected to the inversion unit through a common DC bus, so that the common DC bus can separately drive multiple inversion units, thus decreasing the wirings of power supply lines. A high voltage inversion unit is disposed on a gooseneck of the electric drive semi-trailer to optimize the spatial arrangement of equipment. The entire power supply equipment has a compact structure, occupies a small area, and is simple in wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: YANTAI JEREH PETROLEUM EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuzhen Cui, Rikui Zhang, Dong Liu
  • Patent number: 11035346
    Abstract: A method and device for predicting a wind turbine fault is provided. The method includes: initializing a wind turbine model of the wind turbine; updating wind turbine model parameters of the wind turbine model based on a current environment condition and current actual wind turbine state parameters of the wind turbine periodically; establishing a variation model of the wind turbine model parameter based on historical wind turbine model parameters and corresponding historical environment conditions; predicting the wind turbine model parameters at a future moment by using the variation model of the wind turbine model parameters based on a future environment condition at the future moment; establishing a wind turbine fault model based on the historical wind turbine model parameters and corresponding historical wind turbine faults; predicting the wind turbine fault at the future moment based on the predicted wind turbine model parameters and the wind turbine fault model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: XINJIANG GOLDWIND SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Guanglei Zhang, Yuan Liu, Jie Zhou
  • Patent number: 11034245
    Abstract: A power generation system includes an aircraft that includes a propulsor and a platform attached to a structure and configured to support the aircraft. The propulsor is configured to generate electrical power via a wind rotating the propulsor while the aircraft is supported by the platform. A method for using a propulsor of an aircraft to generate electrical power includes positioning the aircraft such that the aircraft is supported by a structure and generating the electrical power via a wind rotating the propulsor while the aircraft is supported by the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: AURORA FLIGHT SCIENCES CORPORATION, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Daniel B. Cottrell
  • Patent number: 11028819
    Abstract: Disclosed is a novel device that converts some of the power in ocean waves into electrical power or other means of performing useful work. One or more tubes are arranged so that when the device is in position in a body of water, the tubes are oriented vertically with one end positioned proximate to and/or above the surface of the body of water on which the device floats, and with the other end positioned below the surface of that body of water. In some embodiments, through a differential restriction on the flow of air in and out of an upper end of the tube, the average height of the water inside the tube is different from the average height of the water outside the tube. In some embodiments, a hollow void inside a flotation structure of the embodiment is filled with water to contribute significant mass to the embodiment and increase the momentum associated with its vertical oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Lone Gull Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventors: Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson, Brian Lee Moffat, Daniel William Place
  • Patent number: 11015480
    Abstract: Hybrid electric systems and methods therefore are provided. In one exemplary aspect, a hybrid electric system includes an engine, an electric machine operatively coupled thereto and configured to generate electrical power when driven by the engine. One or more electrical loads are electrically connectable with the electric machine. An engine controller of the engine receives load state data indicative of electrical loads that anticipate electrically disconnecting from or electrically connecting to the electric machine at a predetermined time. In this way, the engine controller can anticipate electrical load changes and the engine can be controlled to adjust its torque output in anticipation of the electrical load change. In another exemplary aspect, a hybrid electric system is provided that includes features for nearly instantaneously reacting to load changes on the engine based on load state data received from feed forward inputs of the electrical system of the hybrid electric system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Scott Douglas Waun
  • Patent number: 11009010
    Abstract: Horizontal axis wind turbines are provided that have a rotor including a hub having at least one blade extending therefrom. A first rotatable member is coupled to the rotor and configured to rotate in relation to wind-induced rotation of the rotor. A tower supports the rotor and has a base. A second rotatable member is spaced from the first rotatable member toward the base of the tower. An endless member engages the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member to convey a rotational force therebetween. An electrical generator is coupled to the second rotatable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: LOOK FOR THE POWER, LLC
    Inventor: John A. Saavedra
  • Patent number: 11008950
    Abstract: A power generating unit, control unit and modular power generating system. A power generating unit includes an engine-generator set including an engine that produces mechanical power and a generator mechanically coupled to the engine. The generator converts the mechanical power to electrical power provided to a DC link. The control unit includes at least one controller configured to control fuel flow to the engine based on a voltage of the DC link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Dynamo Micropower Corporation
    Inventors: Jason How-Ring Ethier, Ivan Wang, German Lakov
  • Patent number: 11009327
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an unmanned underwater vehicle includes a turbine engine, a generator mechanically coupled to an output shaft of the turbine engine, an electrical motor mechanically decoupled from the turbine engine and electrically coupled to the generator via a power bus architecture, and a propulsor mechanically coupled to a rotational output of the electrical motor. The power bus architecture includes a pair of AC buses and a DC bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Richard A. Himmelmann