Patents Examined by Pedro J. Cuevas
  • Patent number: 11002183
    Abstract: A portable generator set (1) comprises an engine (6), a generator (7), a fuel tank (8), and a housing (5). The engine (6), the generator (7), and the fuel tank (8) are accommodated in the housing (5). The fuel tank (8) is constructed by a fuel tank housing (805), a fuel tank port (801), a fuel tank cap (802), and a fuel tank top surface (808). A protrusion structure protruding outward is provided on the fuel tank top surface (808). A hollow cavity (809) communicated with the inner cavity of the fuel tank (8) is formed on the inner side of the protrusion structure, such that fuel in the fuel tank (8) can enter the hollow cavity (809) when the generator set (1) is obliquely reclined. The generator set can be obliquely reclined, thereby improving security and facilitating transportation and storage of the generator set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: SUZHOU YUANNENG DONGLI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhenghua Zhu
  • Patent number: 11002146
    Abstract: A power generation system includes a shroud that defines a fluid flow path. A compressor is in the fluid flow path, and a combustor is in the fluid flow path downstream from the compressor. A turbine is in the fluid flow path downstream from the compressor and the combustor. An electric generator is in the fluid flow path upstream from the compressor, and the electric generator includes a rotor coaxially aligned with the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Antheon Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis O'Neill, Anthony A. Hartzheim
  • Patent number: 10988211
    Abstract: A system that maintains the relative and/or absolute geographical positions of two or more buoyant devices floating in a body of water. A plurality of formation restoring tethers are disclosed which permit the unrestricted vertical movement of networked buoyant devices, while resisting increases in their lateral separations by providing restoring forces to oppose such separations. Tensioning mechanisms incorporated into the tethers generate the resistance to the lateral separations of two or more entities by transforming such separations into an increase in the potential energy stored within such tensioning mechanisms, the potential energy of which is released in the process of restoring the original separations and/or positions of the displaced buoyant devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Lone Gull Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventors: Brian Lee Moffat, Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson
  • Patent number: 10982644
    Abstract: A power harvesting device comprising at least one rotor mounted rotatably on a corresponding fixture on a base structure is disclosed. The device is at least partially submerged in a moving fluid and arranged to convert tangential components of fluid dynamic forces of the moving fluid into a first torque component onto the rotor through rotor vanes. In addition, rotor blades are arranged on or between the first rotor vanes to deflect axially moving fluid into a tangential direction to create a second torque component onto the rotor in the same direction as said first torque component. A system comprising a plurality of power harvesting devices with common power transfer means is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: APL Technology AS
    Inventor: Geir Olav Hovde
  • Patent number: 10982657
    Abstract: Temperature Control Based on Weather Forecasting Examples are generally directed to techniques for controlling a temperature of a blade, such as a blade in a wind turbine system. One example of the present disclosure is a method of controlling a temperature of a blade. The method includes inputting current weather conditions and future weather conditions into a processor, generating a first power production, generating a second power production curve based on future weather conditions, comparing the first power production curve to the second power production curve, determining which power production curve minimizes a new power production loss of the blade, and adjusting a heating cycle of the blade based on the power production curve that minimizes the net power productions loss of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Karl Gregory, Joe Cuoghi
  • Patent number: 10982653
    Abstract: A controller for a wind turbine is disclosed, comprising: a processor; an input/output interface; and a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: i) select a setting xi from a list of settings X1, . . . , XN; ii) operate the turbine according to setting Xi for a period of time t1; iii) record a power output signal over t1; iv) repeat steps i) to iii) for another setting in Xi, . . . , XN until all N settings have been used; v) repeat steps i) to iv) for a number of cycles c; vi) calculate a summarised power output for each setting over all cycles; and vii) compare the summarised power outputs across settings and determine whether any setting X* results in a higher power output than other settings tested. A method of identifying power production improvements in a wind turbine, a computer program, and a wind turbine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Thomas S. Bjertrup Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10978975
    Abstract: Fault-tolerant electrical drive systems and methods of maintaining electrical balance or continuing operation of a rotary electric machine under a fault condition are provided. One such system comprises: a rotary electric machine comprising pn phases having a common connection point, where p is a prime number and n is an integer greater than or equal to 1; a drive circuit module having pn phase drive circuits and a reserve drive circuit; and a contactor module. The contactor module comprises: pn phase contactors each of which is operable to connect one of the pn phases of the rotary electric machine to a respective one of the pn phase drive circuits; and a phase fault contactor operable to connect the reserve drive circuit to the common connection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Vladimir A Shirokov
  • Patent number: 10975832
    Abstract: A water current catcher system for hydroelectricity generation includes a first L-shaped weir, a second L-shaped weir, a channel opening, an underwater gate assembly, and at least one elevation adjustable hydroelectric generator unit. The first and second L-shaped weir are connected to a subsurface environment and linearly positioned to each other. The channel opening is delineated between the first L-shaped weir and the second L-shaped weir. The underwater gate assembly is integrated into the first L-shaped weir, the second L-shaped weir, and the subsurface environment thus positioning about the channel opening. The elevation adjustable hydroelectric generator unit that includes a first jack-up barge, a second jack-up barge, a waterwheel, and a generator is connected to the subsurface environment and adjacently positioned about the channel opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventor: Donald Hollis Gehring
  • Patent number: 10975847
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind farm connected to an electrical grid includes receiving, via a farm-level controller, a frequency signal from the electrical grid. If the frequency signal is indicative of a frequency event occurring in the electrical grid, the method includes implementing, via the farm-level controller, a control scheme for providing frequency regulation and power-swing stabilization for the electrical grid. For example, the control scheme includes receiving, via the farm-level controller, individual output boost capabilities from each of the plurality of wind turbine generators, calculating, via the farm-level controller, a power command based on the individual output boost capabilities and based on one or more grid code requirements of the electrical grid, distributing, via the farm-level controller, the power command to each of the wind turbine generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Christoph Schulten
  • Patent number: 10975850
    Abstract: A lubrication system for a drive train of a wind turbine including a gearbox is provided. The gearbox has a first stage with a first internal oil level and a second stage with a second internal oil level. The second internal oil level is at a geodetic higher level than the first internal oil level. The gearbox further includes a supply passage for supplying oil from the first stage to the second stage of the gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventor: Andreas Rogg
  • Patent number: 10975841
    Abstract: In examples, a computing system is configured to detect rotor imbalance at wind turbines by (1) obtaining sets of historical-vibration data for turbines, each set comprising vibration data captured by a given turbine's multi-dimensional sensor, (2) deriving a rotor-imbalance-detection model by: (a) for each turbine, (i) transforming time segments of the turbine's historical-vibration dataset into a frequency-domain representation, and (ii) for each time segment, using the frequency-domain representation for the time segment to derive a set of harmonic-mode values for at least one frequency-range of interest, thereby deriving a time-series set of harmonic-mode values for the turbine, and (b) performing an evaluation of the time-series sets for the turbines, thereby deriving the rotor-imbalance-detection model, (3) based on received vibration data for a given turbine from a reference time, executing the derived model, thereby detecting a rotor imbalance at the given turbine, and (4) transmitting a notification
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Uptake Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard McAlpine Beckerman, Benedict Augustine, Matthew George Dzugan
  • Patent number: 10972030
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments aim to improve upon existing multi stage generators for providing power to a load. In particular, embodiments of the invention include a regulator situated between the output of a pilot exciter and the main exciter of a multi stage generator system, the regulator arranged to limit the voltage available to a field current control element which sets the field current supplied to the main exciter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventor: Neil Dudley
  • Patent number: 10968884
    Abstract: Provided is a fluid flow energy harvester (10) comprising a crankshaft (12) and at least one vane (14) pivoted into a sail portion (18) and a crank portion (20) on respective sides of the pivot (16). Both portions (18) and (20) are operatively oscillatable about the pivot (16) when the crank portion (20) is operatively arranged facing into a fluid flow (22). The crank portion (20) is linked to the crankshaft (12) via a crank (24) so that operative oscillation of the vane (14) imparts rotational force to said crankshaft (12). The harvester (10) also includes a fin arrangement (26) which comprises a fin (28) arranged on, and configured to guide, the sail portion (18) of the vane (14) facing towards or in a direction of the fluid flow (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Inventor: Douglas Richard English
  • Patent number: 10958077
    Abstract: Provided is a method for generating a multiphase electrical alternating current having a sinusoidal fundamental wave in each phase by a multiphase inverter of a wind power installation. The multiphase inverter is controlled by a tolerance band method which respectively has an upper and a lower band limit for each of the phases of the inverter. The inverter has, for each phase, an upper switch for generating a positive sine half-wave of the alternating current of the phase and a lower switch for generating a negative sine half-wave of the alternating current of the phase. The method includes generating the positive sine half-wave by the upper switch and generating the negative sine half-wave by the lower switch based on the band limits of the phase, and changing at least one of the band limits such that a signal component superimposed on the respective sinusoidal fundamental wave is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Mackensen, Stefan Gertjegerdes
  • Patent number: 10947953
    Abstract: A secondary electric power system and method of operation are disclosed. The system contains a grid having an array of turbines by which pressurized fluid is used to generate electricity to power a residential, commercial, agricultural or industrial structure. The secondary system may be a backup power source to the structure when a primary source is temporarily unavailable or may be a primary source in some circumstances. The method pumps fluid from a first pressure to a second pressure and exposes the fluid to a grid of turbine driven generators, the pressure is reduced across the grid to a third pressure that is less than the second. Additionally embodiments of the system are integrated into and incorporate components of other building utilities, e.g. water, sewer and fire control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Inventor: Chris Burns
  • Patent number: 10934992
    Abstract: The hydraulic generator includes a first structure; a second structure, such that a water passageway from the inflow port to the outflow port is formed by the first structure and the second structure in a state that the second structure is attached to the first structure; a water turbine; and an electrical generator. The second structure is removable from the first structure, and includes a fixing portion fixing the fixed shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kuroishi, Nobuhiro Hayashi, Naoyuki Onodera
  • Patent number: 10934998
    Abstract: A yaw sensor for a wind turbine is described. The yaw sensor comprises a rotary switch, configured to be coupled to a yaw drive gearbox of a wind turbine nacelle, the rotary switch being operable to activate and deactivate an electrical contact in dependence on an amount of yaw rotation of the nacelle relative to a start position. The electrical contact is active at a plurality of first yaw rotation ranges with respect to the start position, and inactive at a plurality of second yaw rotation ranges with respect to the start position, the first and second yaw rotation ranges being interleaved, at least some of the first yaw rotation ranges having different lengths from each other and/or at least some of the second yaw rotation ranges having different lengths from each other. The electrical contact generates an electrical signal when active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Lars Glavind, Kristian Kiib, Ib Svend Olesen, Johnny Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10938276
    Abstract: A method of mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion utilizes a mechanical spring in combination with a rapid-action variable inductance magnetic flux switch to convert a spring-loaded mechanical energy into a change in magnetic flux captured by an electrical coil element within the magnetic flux switch. The change in coil inductance and magnetic flux induces a current to flow through the electrical coil in the form of a a pulse of electrical energy that may be stored. The electrical coil is coupled to the mechanical spring so that each time the spring is released, the coil moves with respect to a magnetic core and a change in flux is created. The application of an external mechanical force (such as human locomotion) functions to compress and subsequently “unlock” the mechanical switch, allowing for the electrical energy associated with the application of aperiodic forces to be harvested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Nikita Krupenkin, Joseph Ashley Taylor
  • Patent number: 10914286
    Abstract: A method for determining an equivalent wind speed of a rotor blade plane of a wind power installation is provided. The wind power installation has a rotor with rotor blades that have adjustable blade angle. The method includes determining an electric internal power available in the wind power installation depending on a captured electric power and a captured rotational speed of the rotor. The method includes determining the equivalent wind speed depending on the determined available internal power and the captured rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Sönke Engelken
  • Patent number: 10914288
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a wind turbine configured with an on load tap changer transformer which enables adjustment of a current ratio of a primary side current of the transformer and a secondary side current of the transformer. The method comprises detecting that a network voltage on the primary side or secondary side of the transformer is outside a pre-determined voltage range, and in response determining a current reference for the primary side current based on the detected network voltage. The power converter of the wind turbine is controlled to generate an increase of the primary side current towards the current reference, and the current ratio of the transformer is adjusted towards a higher ratio of the current ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Jesper Hillebrandt, Philip Carne Kjær