Patents by Inventor Hideyasu Fujioka
Hideyasu Fujioka 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).
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Publication number: 20240084781Abstract: A wind-turbine tower facility includes a monopile, a transition piece foundation, and a tower disposed on top of the foundation. The tower includes a first cylindrical part and a first outer flange protruding from a lower end of the first cylindrical part toward an outer side of the tower. The foundation includes a second cylindrical part and a second outer flange protruding from an upper end of the second cylindrical part toward an outer side of the foundation. The tower and the foundation are connected by a plurality of stud bolts passing through the first outer flange and the second outer flange. Below the second outer flange, a protruding part is protruding from the second cylindrical part to under the second outer flange.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2020Publication date: March 14, 2024Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Peter Sigfred Mortensen
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Publication number: 20230366383Abstract: A wind turbine monitoring device for monitoring a wind turbine including a lightning sensor for detecting a lightning strike on a wind turbine blade includes a lightning parameter acquisition part configured to acquire at least one lightning parameter based on an output of the lightning sensor, a lightning level determination part configured to determine a level of the lightning strike based on the at least one lightning parameter acquired by the lightning parameter acquisition part; and an inspection control part configured to judge whether it is necessary to automatically inspect the wind turbine blade by at least one inspection unit for inspecting the wind turbine blade, according the level of the lightning strike determined by the lightning level determination part.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2021Publication date: November 16, 2023Inventor: Hideyasu FUJIOKA
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Patent number: 11220998Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes: a blade body portion; and an anti-erosion layer disposed so as to cover a surface of the blade body portion partially. A center point of the anti-erosion layer in a circumferential length direction along a blade profile in a cross section orthogonal to a blade spanwise direction is shifted toward a pressure side from a leading edge of the blade body portion, at least in a part of an extension range of the anti-erosion layer in the blade spanwise direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2017Date of Patent: January 11, 2022Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/SInventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Masayuki Hiraishi
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Patent number: 11028829Abstract: There is presented a method (320) for controlling a wind turbine (100), wherein said wind turbine comprises a wind turbine rotor (102) with one or more blades (103), wherein the wind turbine has a rated angular rotation speed (214) of the wind turbine rotor, said method comprising providing (322) an estimated drop size (324) of rain drops impinging on the one or more blades, determining (326) whether an entry criterion for operation according to a reduced mode is fulfilled, wherein said determining is based at least partially on the estimated drop size (324), controlling (328) the wind turbine according to the reduced mode if the entry criterion is fulfilled, wherein in the reduced mode an angular rotation speed of the wind turbine rotor is limited below an angular rotation speed threshold (216), wherein the angular rotation speed threshold is smaller than the rated angular rotation speed of the wind turbine.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2017Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND A/SInventor: Hideyasu Fujioka
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Patent number: 11028827Abstract: There is presented a method (320) for controlling a wind turbine (100), wherein said wind turbine comprises a wind turbine rotor (102) with one or more blades (103), wherein the wind turbine has a rated angular rotation speed (214) of the wind turbine rotor, said method comprising obtaining (322) information (323) on ambient conditions, determining, based on said information, if an erosion criterion is fulfilled, controlling (328) the wind turbine according to an extended mode if the erosion criterion is fulfilled, wherein in the extended mode an angular rotation speed of the wind turbine rotor is allowed to exceed the rated angular rotation speed (214).Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2017Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND A/SInventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Alex Pericleous
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Patent number: 10844843Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes: a blade body extending from a blade root along a blade longitudinal direction toward a blade tip; and a metal strip provided to cover at least a leading edge at the blade tip side of the blade body so as to suppress erosion at the leading edge of the blade body.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2016Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND A/SInventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Kenji Sato
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Patent number: 10767629Abstract: A wind turbine power generation facility includes: at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus; a lightning sensor for detecting or predicting occurrence of lightning in an installation area of the at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus; and a controller for switching an operation mode of the at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus to a lightning-protection mode in which a rotor rotation speed is lower than a rated rotation speed, on the basis of an output signal of the lightning sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND A/SInventor: Hideyasu Fujioka
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Publication number: 20200011300Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes: a blade body portion; and an anti-erosion layer disposed so as to cover a surface of the blade body portion partially. A center point of the anti-erosion layer in a circumferential length direction along a blade profile in a cross section orthogonal to a blade spanwise direction is shifted toward a pressure side from a leading edge of the blade body portion, at least in a part of an extension range of the anti-erosion layer in the blade spanwise direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2017Publication date: January 9, 2020Inventors: Hideyasu FUJIOKA, Masayuki HIRAISHI
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Publication number: 20190368468Abstract: There is presented a method (320) for controlling a wind turbine (100), wherein said wind turbine comprises a wind turbine rotor (102) with one or more blades (103), wherein the wind turbine has a rated angular rotation speed (214) of the wind turbine rotor, said method comprising providing (322) an estimated drop size (324) of rain drops impinging on the one or more blades, determining (326) whether an entry criterion for operation according to a reduced mode is fulfilled, wherein said determining is based at least partially on the estimated drop size (324), controlling (328) the wind turbine according to the reduced mode if the entry criterion is fulfilled, wherein in the reduced mode an angular rotation speed of the wind turbine rotor is limited below an angular rotation speed threshold (216), wherein the angular rotation speed threshold is smaller than the rated angular rotation speed of the wind turbine.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2017Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventor: Hideyasu FUJIOKA
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Publication number: 20190368466Abstract: There is presented a method (320) for controlling a wind turbine (100), wherein said wind turbine comprises a wind turbine rotor (102) with one or more blades (103), wherein the wind turbine has a rated angular rotation speed (214) of the wind turbine rotor, said method comprising obtaining (322) information (323) on ambient conditions, determining, based on said information, if an erosion criterion is fulfilled, controlling (328) the wind turbine according to an extended mode if the erosion criterion is fulfilled, wherein in the extended mode an angular rotation speed of the wind turbine rotor is allowed to exceed the rated angular rotation speed (214).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2017Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Hideyasu FUJIOKA, Alex PERICLEOUS
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Publication number: 20190195203Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine blade for a wind turbine, having a tip end area, a tip end and a root end area and a lightning protection system. The lightning protection system comprises at least one metal foil, wherein said metal foil extends continuously from a first end in the tip end area towards the root end area of the blade and wherein the metal foil is arranged in proximity to the outer surface of the blade, so that the metal foil is adapted to function as a receptor of a stroke of lightning and as a down conductor. The lightning protection system further comprises a first metallic lightning receptor being in direct electrical contact with the metal foil, wherein the first metallic lightning receptor is disposed in proximity to the outer surface of the blade and between the first end of the metal foil and the blade tip end.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2012Publication date: June 27, 2019Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventor: Hideyasu FUJIOKA
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Publication number: 20180230968Abstract: A wind turbine power generation facility includes: at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus; a lightning sensor for detecting or predicting occurrence of lightning in an installation area of the at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus; and a controller for switching an operation mode of the at least one wind turbine power generating apparatus to a lightning-protection mode in which a rotor rotation speed is lower than a rated rotation speed, on the basis of an output signal of the lightning sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: August 16, 2018Inventor: Hideyasu FUJIOKA
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Publication number: 20160348643Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes: a blade body extending from a blade root along a blade longitudinal direction toward a blade tip; and a metal strip provided to cover at least a leading edge at the blade tip side of the blade body so as to suppress erosion at the leading edge of the blade body.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2016Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Hideyasu FUJIOKA, Kenji SATO
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Patent number: 8734110Abstract: A wind turbine blade having a lightning protection function includes an outer shell, a spar arranged in a space inside the outer shell, a spar cap which is formed by a carbon-fiber plastic laminated member disposed on a blade root side and a glass-fiber plastic laminated member disposed on a blade tip side that are connected together, the spar cap supporting the spar to the outer shell, and a lightning protection unit. The lightning protection unit includes a receptor for receiving lightning which is provided in the outer shell on a side where the glass-fiber plastic laminated member is arranged, a down conductor which directs lightning current received by the receptor into the ground or the water, and a conductive metal member which covers the outer shell on a side where the carbon fiber plastic laminated member is arranged.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2012Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Takao Kuroiwa, Hideyasu Fujioka
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Patent number: 8700362Abstract: A designing method of a wind turbine rotor includes: providing operation environment data indicative of an operation environment of a wind turbine generator including the wind turbine rotor and design data of the wind turbine blade; calculating a position of a center of mass of the wind turbine blade in each position in a lengthwise direction of the wind turbine blade in the operation environment from the operation environment data and the design data; and calculating an evaluation value which is a value depending on an integral value obtained by integrating a product of the calculated position of the center of mass of the blade and a mass per unit length at each position in a lengthwise direction of the wind turbine blade from a blade root portion of the wind turbine blade to a blade tip end of the same.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2010Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Akihiro Nakamura, Takao Kuroiwa, Yoshiyuki Hayashi, Yoshihiko Hayashi
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Publication number: 20130294923Abstract: To provide a wind turbine rotor blade capable of protecting a base material in the blade tip portion of the wind turbine blade from liquid droplet erosion due to raindrops to improve durability of the wind turbine rotor blade, thereby lengthening the interval of maintenance of the wind turbine rotor blade. It is provided with a base material provided with an outer skin material formed of fiber-reinforced plastic, a protective coating having wear resistance that is applied over the entire surface of the base material, and a protective tape having wear resistance that is affixed to the leading edge portion of the protective coating in the blade tip portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2013Publication date: November 7, 2013Inventors: Hiroaki TAKEUCHI, Hideyasu FUJIOKA
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Publication number: 20130149153Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine blade for a wind turbine, having a tip end area and a root end area, and a lightning protection system, said lightning protection system comprising at least one metal foil, wherein said metal foil extends continuously from the tip end area to the root end area of the blade and wherein the metal foil is arranged in proximity to the outer surface of the blade, so that the metal foil is adapted to function as a receptor of a stroke of lightning and as a down conductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2011Publication date: June 13, 2013Applicants: EUROS ENTWICKLUNGSGESELLSCHAFT FUR WINDKRAFTANLAGEN MBH, MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Jens Alwart, Andreas Cremer
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Publication number: 20130149154Abstract: A wind turbine blade having a lightning protection function includes an outer shell, a spar arranged in a space inside the outer shell, a spar cap which is formed by a carbon-fiber plastic laminated member disposed on a blade root side and a glass-fiber plastic laminated member disposed on a blade tip side that are connected together, the spar cap supporting the spar to the outer shell, and a lightning protection unit. The lightning protection unit includes a receptor for receiving lightning which is provided in the outer shell on a side where the glass-fiber plastic laminated member is arranged, a down conductor which directs lightning current received by the receptor into the ground or the water, and a conductive metal member which covers the outer shell on a side where the carbon fiber plastic laminated member is arranged.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2012Publication date: June 13, 2013Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Takao KUROIWA, Hideyasu FUJIOKA
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Patent number: 8255173Abstract: A load is based calibrate on data collected under wide observation conditions and promptly calibrate loads of a plurality of wind turbine blades. A load measuring apparatus is applied to a wind turbine in which a pitch angle of a wind turbine blade is variable. The apparatus includes a sensor for obtaining a distortion of the wind turbine blade; a load calculating unit having a function expressing a relation between the distortion of the wind turbine blade and a load on the wind turbine blade, for obtaining the load on the wind turbine blade by applying to the function the distortion based on measurement data of the sensor; and a calibration unit for calibrating the function based on the measurement data of the sensor obtained in a pitch angle range and a rotational speed range of the wind turbine blade in which a variation between maximum and minimum aerodynamic torques is equal to or less than a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2009Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Hideyasu Fujioka, Yoshiyuki Hayashi
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Publication number: 20120051892Abstract: There is provided a designing method of a wind turbine rotor which includes a rotor head, a bearing provided on the rotor head and a wind turbine blade attached to the bearing. The wind turbine rotor designing method includes: providing operation environment data indicative of an operation environment of a wind turbine generator including the wind turbine rotor and design data of the wind turbine blade; calculating a position of a center of mass of the wind turbine blade in each position in a lengthwise direction of the wind turbine blade in the operation environment from the operation environment data and the design data; and calculating an evaluation value which is a value depending on an integral value obtained by integrating a product of the calculated position of the center of mass of the blade and a mass per unit length at each position in a lengthwise direction of the wind turbine blade from a blade root portion of the wind turbine blade to a blade tip end of the same.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2010Publication date: March 1, 2012Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Hideyasu FUJIOKA, Akihiro NAKAMURA, Takao KUROIWA, Yoshiyuki HAYASHI, Yoshihiko HAYASHI