Patents Examined by S. Mikailoff
  • Patent number: 10344613
    Abstract: A turbine assembly system and apparatus for a Hyperjetâ„¢ and method for making same is provided. Specifically, the turbine assembly provides a power generation system for a turbine engine and includes a plurality of stages. Each stage of the turbine assembly includes a stator having a wire distributed winding; and a rotatable blisk that encircle the stator with an air gap disposed therebetween. The rotatable blisk includes a rotor disk and a plurality of blades that extend radially outward from the rotor disk. The rotor disk includes six superconducting magnets positioned in a circular arrangement within the rotor disk to encircle the stator. An electromagnetic field providing high power and power density is generated between the superconducting magnets and the stator with the blisk rotates about the stator during engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Sonic Blue Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard H. Lugg
  • Patent number: 10337504
    Abstract: Solar chimney and method for generating power by the solar chimney are provided. The solar chimney includes a chimney; a heat absorbing surface; a transparent cover located above the surface and forming an air pathway with the surface to the entrance to the chimney; one or more integrated turbine-generators at or before the entrance to the chimney for producing electrical power; and a focusing lens focusing solar radiation on a heat exchanging element to heat air at or just before the entrance to the chimney as it flows to the one or more turbines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventor: Fahad Abdulaziz Al-Sulaiman
  • Patent number: 10291099
    Abstract: A biomechanical electricity generating assembly for powering electronic devices includes a sleeve that has opposing ends, which are open. The sleeve is configured to insert a limb of a user to couple the sleeve to the user with the sleeve positioned over a joint of the limb. Each of a pair of bars is coupled longitudinally to a respective opposing side of the sleeve. Each bar comprises a first section that is pivotally coupled to a second section. Each of a pair of dynamos is coupled to a respective opposing side of the sleeve and is operationally coupled to an associated bar. Pivoting of the first section of the associated bar relative to the second section by action of the user articulating the limb actuates the dynamo to generate an electrical current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Inventor: R C Huglen
  • Patent number: 10291157
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a first determination section determining whether a power-supply voltage has decreased below a first threshold value, an interruption section interrupting a current flow to an inverter if the voltage has decreased below the first threshold value, a second determination section that determining whether the power-supply voltage has increased above a second threshold value, an interruption releasing section releasing the interruption based on the fact that the voltage has increased above the second threshold value, a count section counting the number of interruptions, a limiting section determining whether the decrease in the power-supply voltage is caused by a first factor of an electric rotating machine or a second factor, and limits the counting if the decrease in the power-supply voltage is caused by the second factor, and a third determination section determining whether the interruption is allowed to be released based on the number of interruptions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuo Morita, Shinsuke Kawazu
  • Patent number: 10273939
    Abstract: A wind turbine system comprising a plurality of wind turbines mounted to a support structure including a tower, wherein each of the plurality of wind turbines includes a rotor and a power generation system driven by the rotor, and at least one of a rotor blade pitch adjustment means and a generator power control means. The system further includes control means that receives vibration data associated with the support structure and which is configured to determine a damping control command for a respective one of the plurality of wind turbines, wherein the or each of the wind turbines includes a damping controller that receives a damping control command and which is operable to apply a damping control input to one or both of the blade pitch adjustment means and the generator power control means so as to counteract the measured vibration of the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Torben Ladegaard Baun, Erik Carl Lehnskov Miranda, Erik Sloth
  • Patent number: 10256759
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control system for a wind turbine generator, WTG. The control system defines reactive limits for a reactive power reference for the WTG. The reactive limits are defined as a function of a physical parameter, e.g. the output voltage of the WTG. In case the reactive power reference exceeds the predefined limits, the reactive power reference is limited. By limiting the reactive power reference output voltages which exceed certain output voltage limits may be avoided and, thereby, a disconnection of the WTG from the grid may be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Jorge Martinez Garcia, Naveen Kumar Boggarpu
  • Patent number: 10250103
    Abstract: A progressing cavity-type drilling motor having an electrical generator disposed within the rotor of the drilling motor. In some embodiments, the electrical generator produces electrical energy from a flow of drilling fluid through a bore in the rotor. In other embodiments, the electrical generator produces electrical energy by harnessing the kinetic energy of the rotor as the drilling motor is used to drill into a formation. The electrical energy generated by the generator can be stored or used to power sensors, actuators, control systems, and other downhole equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Gawski, John Snyder
  • Patent number: 10224847
    Abstract: Method of operating an engine and electricity generator powered by torque from the engine is provided. The engine has a working-line which is a locus of engine operating points as the engine is throttled. The method includes increasing electrical-load on the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Stephen Dennison
  • Patent number: 10218299
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to obtain a phase voltage detection circuit that can detect a phase voltage signal reliably even when a leak current flows therein and a DC bias voltage of the phase voltage signal varies. A phase voltage detection circuit that detects a phase voltage signal generated by an armature coil of an AC power generator includes a peak hold circuit that determines an envelope of the phase voltage signal using an operational amplifier, a voltage offsetting circuit that shifts an output voltage from the peak hold circuit by a preset offset amount, and a comparator that compares the phase voltage signal with an output voltage from the voltage offsetting circuit, and outputs a phase voltage detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Kamimurai, Keisuke Katsurada
  • Patent number: 10208731
    Abstract: Various embodiments of an apparatus and method for extracting useful work from a fluid stream are disclosed. Some embodiments comprise balanced hydrofoils comprising upper and lower semifoils joined by a member. Some embodiments comprise an array of removable hydrofoil modules wherein each module is adapted to provide an independent power contribution to an overall system, depending on speed of the fluid stream in the vicinity of the module, and each module is further adapted to provide its power contribution at a substantially consistent pressure to an array-wide high pressure fluid circuit. These and other embodiments are further disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: ResHydro LLC
    Inventor: Colin Kerr
  • Patent number: 10197038
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein comprises a system focusing water current into a relatively smaller diameter lumen, imparting vortical movement to the current, and directing the water vortex through an even smaller diameter lumen en route to turbine blades having long curved blades rotatable along an axis parallel with the lumen. Rotation of the turbine blades turns gearing interfacing with the circumference of the turbine assembly, to rotate a drive shaft connected to a generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Inventor: Charles B. Culpepper
  • Patent number: 10138753
    Abstract: An auxiliary generator of electrical energy, including an external shell provided with at least one intake opening for a fluid and at least one outlet opening for the fluid; a rotor housed inside the shell along the path of the fluid from said intake opening to said outlet opening; said rotor being provided with a plurality of vanes for intercepting the fluid and with an output shaft; a generator of electrical current housed inside the shell, provided with an input shaft mechanically connected to the output shaft of the rotor, and provided with at least one output electrical terminal; and an at least one accumulator of electrical energy electrically connected to said output electrical terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Inventors: Claudio Munerato, Sandra Castaldini
  • Patent number: 10132362
    Abstract: A power generation device includes: a one-way clutch which is provided between an output shaft of a speed increaser and a drive shaft of a power generator, and which restricts relative rotation of the output shaft and the drive shaft in one direction and permits relative rotation thereof in another direction; and a plurality of elastic coupling members which are provided between the output shaft and the drive shaft, which are spaced in an axial direction, and which absorb misalignment between the output shaft and the drive shaft. The one-way clutch is disposed in a position axially outside an area between the plurality of elastic coupling members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10125628
    Abstract: The present application provides a power generation system. The power generation system may include a core turbine positioned about a core rotor shaft, a power turbine positioned about a power rotor shaft, a synchronous generator including a generator rotor shaft coupled to the power rotor shaft for rotation therewith, and an electronic controller in operable communication with the synchronous generator. The synchronous generator may be configured to generate reactive power for or absorb reactive power from an electric power grid when the power generation system operates in a reactive power mode. The electronic controller may be operable to cause the core rotor shaft to rotate when the power generation system operates in the reactive power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Tho V. Nguyen, Douglas Jones, Harley M. Ross, Vineet Sethi, Tuy C. Huynh
  • Patent number: 10125738
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating electrical power are disclosed. The method includes the steps of turning turbine blades of at least one turbine provided at a region of a subsea pipe or umbilical via a respective motion of seawater through a swept area associated with the turbine blades and generating electrical power responsive to turning of the turbine blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: GE OIL & GAS UK LIMITED
    Inventor: Richard Clements
  • Patent number: 10110091
    Abstract: A progressing cavity-type drilling motor having an electrical generator disposed within the rotor of the drilling motor. In some embodiments, the electrical generator produces electrical energy from a flow of drilling fluid through a bore in the rotor. In other embodiments, the electrical generator produces electrical energy by harnessing the kinetic energy of the rotor as the drilling motor is used to drill into a formation. The electrical energy generated by the generator can be stored or used to power sensors, actuators, control systems, and other downhole equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Gawski, John Snyder
  • Patent number: 10077756
    Abstract: A hydrokinetic system for generating electricity from hydropower, the system comprising a floatable or floating structure for mooring, the structure comprising: a generally horizontal rotor (12); a deflector (13, 15) for deflecting impinging water to an undershoot flow-path and to an overtopping flow-path to rotate the rotor; and a generator for generating electricity from rotation of the rotor. Networking of the system is also described, as is an anchor for mooring and a method of mooring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Pliosaur Energy Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeremy Trevarthen
  • Patent number: 10075114
    Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for operating an electrical power circuit connected to a power grid. The electrical power circuit has a power converter electrically coupled to a generator. The method includes monitoring a rotor speed of the generator during operation of the electrical power circuit. The method also includes increasing an operating range of the rotor speed of the generator. Further, the method includes determining at least one of a line-side voltage of a line-side converter of the power converter or a rotor-side voltage of a rotor-side converter of the power converter during operation of the electrical power circuit. Another step include controlling, via a converter controller, a DC link voltage of a DC link of the power converter as a function of one or more of the line-side voltage, the rotor-side voltage, and/or the rotor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Harold Robert Schnetzka, Anthony Michael Klodowski, Sidney Allen Barker
  • Patent number: 10072641
    Abstract: A generator has a surface structure relative to a base structure and capable of being positioned within a field of flow. The surface structure also has an electrogenerative portion positioned relative to the surface structure and the base structure. The electrogenerative portion is preferably a piezoelectric or electromagnetic structure, although other types of structures are known within the art. The field of flow exerts forces upon the surface structure which causes surface structure movement relative to the base structure through the electrogenerative portion. This generates electricity which causes movement in the surface structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Inventor: Sean Nean Hsu
  • Patent number: 10063093
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a wind turbine that comprises a generator, is provided to feed electrical power into an electricity supply grid but has not yet been connected to the electricity supply grid, comprising the steps: generating electrical power using the generator and supplying electrical elements of the wind turbine with the power generated, and to a wind turbine for generating electrical power from the wind and for feeding the electrical power generated into an electricity supply grid, wherein a method according to one of the preceding claims is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Beekmann