Patents by Inventor Benjamin Holstein

Benjamin Holstein has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9062717
    Abstract: A method for producing a plain bearing including at least one plain bearing segment for forming a first plain bearing shell, at least one running element of a second plain bearing shell which forms a counter-bearing surface to the at least one plain bearing segment, with a sliding surface of the at least one running element having a higher hardness than a sliding surface of the at least one plain bearing segment, a carrying body for the at least one running element, an intermediate layer which is arranged between the at least one running element and the carrying body, a plastic deformability of which can be set by a temperature guidance. The method includes heating the intermediate layer, adjusting the running element, and reducing the plastic deformability of the intermediate layer by the temperature guidance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Norman Perner, Klaus Spiegel
  • Patent number: 8952559
    Abstract: A hydroelectric power station has an energy unit including a turbine and a generator. The impeller of the turbine includes an impeller ring and turbine blades. The radially outer ends of the turbine blades are fixed to the inner surface of the impeller ring, and the radially inner ends of the turbine blades are free and together form a central passage. The impeller ring is surrounded by the generator and acts as a bearing therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Jorg Lochschmidt, Thomas Pontow
  • Patent number: 8939647
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radial bearing for mounting a shaft, comprising the following features: several bearing shells which are curved according to the radius of the shaft and whose inner surface forms the plain bearing surfaces; a housing enclosing the bearing shells; at least one of the end regions of the respective bearing shell as seen in the circumferential direction is held in an interlocking manner on the housing in such a way that expansion and/or displacement of the end region or the entire bearing shell is possible; means for setting the curvature of the individual bearing shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Jorg Lochschmidt
  • Patent number: 8872374
    Abstract: Presented is an underwater power plant including a support structure, a nacelle, the support structure and the nacelle being detachably connectable to one another via a coupling device, a water turbine, the water turbine at least indirectly drives an electrical generator that is received in the nacelle, and an inductive transmission device, where inductive transmission device transmits power generated by the electrical generator from the nacelle in a contactless manner to the support structure, and where the inductive transmission device includes a transformer with a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side is assigned to the nacelle and the secondary side is assigned to the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Norman Perner, Rolf Hoffmann, Andreas Lange, Michael Holle
  • Patent number: 8845231
    Abstract: The invention concerns a run-of-river power plant with the following components or features: at least one module or several stand-alone modules, which are arranged close to one another in the flow direction, respectively comprising at least one energy unit; each energy unit comprises a water turbine and a generator; every module includes an upstream retaining wall as well as a downstream bearing wall; an intermediate space is situated between both walls; a rake, which extends between the upper edge of the retaining wall and the upper edge of the bearing wall and covers the intermediate space; a suction channel is connected to the energy unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Jorg Lochschmidt, Helmut Bronowski
  • Patent number: 8801331
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tidal power plant, comprising a turbine, which rotates on a carrying element; a foundation structure, on which the carrying element is supported on at least one coupling device, an upper part of the coupling device that is part of the carrying element being detachably operatively connected to a lower part of the coupling device that is part of the foundation structure in the installed state, wherein the invention is characterized in that the carrying element is individually adapted to the orientation of the lower part of the coupling device existing after the foundation structure has been created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Norman Perner, Wolfgang Maier, Alexander Sauer, Benjamin Holstein
  • Publication number: 20140117667
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a marine current power plant, comprising a water turbine with several rotor blades arranged as buoyancy rotors, an electric generator which is driven at least indirectly by the water turbine, wherein the water turbine is guided for power limitation in an overspeed range above a power-optimal tip speed ratio. The water turbine is adjusted to the immersion depth of the marine current power plant in such a way that cavitation occurs on at least one rotor blade section in the overspeed range from a cavitation tip speed ratio threshold which lies below a tip speed ratio associated with a runaway speed, and the water turbine is operated for load limitation at tip speed ratios which lie above the cavitation tip speed ratio threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: VOITH PATENT GMBH
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Norman Perner
  • Patent number: 8692403
    Abstract: An installation method for an underwater power plant includes a nacelle comprising a nacelle housing having a first nacelle housing section, a water turbine including a drive connection to a drive shaft, the drive shaft being mounted inside the first nacelle housing section, an electrical generator, comprising a generator rotor and a generator stator, and a generator housing. The electrical generator and the generator housing from a separate generator module that can be handled and installed as a whole, and an adjustment of bearings for the drive shaft is executed before a production of a coupling between the generator module and the drive shaft, and the generator housing is coupled in a rotationally-fixed manner to the first nacelle housing section and the generator is coupled in a rotationally-fixed manner to the drive shaft, the generator rotor being carried by the drive shaft after the coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Norman Perner
  • Publication number: 20130322795
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radial bearing for mounting a shaft, comprising the following features: several bearing shells which are curved according to the radius of the shaft and whose inner surface forms the plain bearing surfaces; a housing enclosing the bearing shells; at least one of the end regions of the respective bearing shell as seen in the circumferential direction is held in an interlocking manner on the housing in such a way that expansion and/or displacement of the end region or the entire bearing shell is possible; means for setting the curvature of the individual bearing shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Jorg Lochschmidt
  • Patent number: 8536719
    Abstract: The invention concerns a tubular turbine generator unit including a turbine rotor disk; a drive shaft which is torsion-proof connected with the turbine rotor disk; an electrical generator with a generator rotor and a generator stator, wherein the generator rotor is driven at least via the drive shaft; a tubular turbine housing, which encloses the electrical generator; a bearing assembly, which is arranged inside the tubular turbine housing and enables to support the drive shaft; characterized in that at least one floodable space is provided inside the tubular turbine housing, which is flooded with water in the region of the tubular turbine generator unit, wherein the generator gap between the generator rotor and the generator stator and the bearing gap of the bearing assembly are part of the floodable space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Norman Perner, Hans Borrmann
  • Publication number: 20130140825
    Abstract: The invention concerns a run-of-river power plant with the following components or features: at least one module or several stand-alone modules, which are arranged close to one another in the flow direction, respectively comprising at least one energy unit; each energy unit comprises a water turbine and a generator; every module includes an upstream retaining wall as well as a downstream bearing wall; an intermediate space is situated between both walls; a rake, which extends between the upper edge of the retaining wall and the upper edge of the bearing wall and covers the intermediate space; a suction channel is connected to the energy unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Jorg Lochschmidt, Helmut Bronowski
  • Patent number: 8436483
    Abstract: Power generation plant for obtaining electrical power from a water or air flow includes a turbine; an electrical generator, having a coaxial configuration of a rotor and a stator. The rotor is an external rotor and part of an annular support structure for the turbine. The stator is housed in a stator housing which is sealed to the ambient medium and a wall area of the sealed stator housing running in the area of the gap between rotor and stator so that the rotor is situated radially outside the sealed stator housing and the magnetic interaction between rotor and stator occurs through this wall area. A mount for the annular support structure includes the rotor. The mount is situated adjoining the gap between the rotor and stator and is supported on the external circumference of the sealed stator housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Norman Perner, Benjamin Holstein
  • Publication number: 20130088014
    Abstract: A hydroelectric power station has an energy unit including a turbine and a generator. The impeller of the turbine includes an impeller ring and turbine blades. The radially outer ends of the turbine blades are fixed to the inner surface of the impeller ring, and the radially inner ends of the turbine blades are free and together form a central passage. The impeller ring is surrounded by the generator and acts as a bearing therefor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: VOITH PATENT GMBH
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Jorg Lochschmidt, Thomas Pontow
  • Patent number: 8410626
    Abstract: There is provided a power generation plant for obtaining electrical power from a water flow. The power generation plant includes a revolving unit having a water turbine, a directly driven electrical generator having a coaxial configuration with a generator rotor and generator stator, a gondola housing having a housing part to form a cylindrical internal opening where the generator stator is situated, a support element for supporting the revolving unit which is situated coaxially and radially inside the cylindrical internal opening to bear the generator rotor, and a bearing configuration for the running of the support element in the cylindrical internal opening. The electric generator of the power generation plant is situated asymmetrically in relation to the longitudinal extension of the cylindrical internal opening in the gondola housing and is also displaced toward the support structure carrying the gondola housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Norman Perner
  • Publication number: 20130043623
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plain bearing for an underwater power plant, comprising at least one plain bearing segment for forming a first plain bearing shell; at least one running element of a second plain bearing shell, the running element forming the counter bearing surface to the plain bearing segment, the sliding surface of the running element having a higher hardness than the sliding surface of the plain bearing segment; a carrying element for the running element; characterized in that an intermediate layer having an adjustable plastic deformability is arranged between the running element and a carrying element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Norman Perner, Klaus Spiegel
  • Patent number: 8368242
    Abstract: A submersible power generation plant includes a water turbine standing freely on a support structure in an ambient flow; an electric generator which is driven at least indirectly by the water turbine; at least one generator component of the electric generator is enclosed by at least one corrosion protection element which seals against ambient water, with cavities within the corrosion protection element each being filled with a heat-conductive medium; at least one pass-through duct being provided for dissipating waste heat from the electric generator, which the pass-through duct conducts the ambient water and leads through the corrosion protection element without entering into any material exchange with a region encapsulated by the corrosion protection element, and a growth protection system arranged on a flow input of the pass-through duct on an upstream side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Hydro Holding GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Norman Perner
  • Patent number: 8330312
    Abstract: A hybrid bearing, comprising a first bearing shell with a sliding face and a second bearing shell with a second sliding face, with the first sliding face and the second sliding face being located opposite one another at a bearing gap. The first bearing shell comprises a first support body and the second bearing shell comprises a second support body. Elements which are made of slide bearing material are attached to the first support body and to the second support body, with the elements made of slide bearing material forming at least part of the first sliding face and of the second sliding face. Permanent magnets are connected to the first support body and the second support body, with the permanent magnets being arranged spaced apart from the first sliding face and the second sliding face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Norman Perner, Benjamin Holstein
  • Publication number: 20120272614
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tidal power plant, comprising a turbine, which rotates on a carrying element; a foundation structure, on which the carrying element is supported on at least one coupling device, an upper part of the coupling device that is part of the carrying element being detachably operatively connected to a lower part of the coupling device that is part of the foundation structure in the installed state, wherein the invention is characterized in that the carrying element is individually adapted to the orientation of the lower part of the coupling device existing after the foundation structure has been created.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Norman Perner, Wolfgang Maier, Alexander Sauer, Benjamin Holstein
  • Publication number: 20120228878
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tidal power plant, comprising a machine nacelle having a nacelle housing; a water turbine, which is part of a revolving unit, wherein the revolving unit is supported on the nacelle housing by means of a sliding bearing arrangement comprising a plurality of bearing elements. The invention is characterised in that the nacelle housing comprises at least one load-bearing concrete part and the bearing elements are adjustably fastened to the concrete part or to a bearing support cast into the concrete part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Norman Perner, Wolfgang Maier, Alexander Sauer, Benjamin Holstein
  • Publication number: 20120056424
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the operation of an underwater powerplant comprising a water turbine for purposes of absorbing kinetic energy from a flow of water; an electrical generator with converter feed, whose generator rotor is connected in a torsionally rigid manner with the water turbine, wherein the invention is characterised in that in normal operation a first frequency converter is used for purposes of converter feed, and in the braking operation at least one second frequency converter, or one component of a second frequency converter, is connected into the circuit and synchronised with the first frequency converter, in order to execute with the latter in a combined manner a converter feed to the electrical generator, which generates a generator torque braking the water turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Benjamin Holstein, Norman Perner, Michael Holle, Klaus Kruger