Patents by Inventor IAN COUCHMAN

IAN COUCHMAN 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).

  • Publication number: 20160123302
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for removing or substantially reducing negative damping effects on a floating wind turbine. An operating point signal is received and a gain scheduling parameter is determined based on the received operating point signal. An input signal is then gain scheduled by the gain scheduling parameter and based on at least the gain scheduled input signal the negative damping effects on a floating wind turbine can be removed or substantially reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Ian COUCHMAN, Robert BOWYER
  • Patent number: 9234506
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and apparatus for determining a property of wind approaching a wind turbine. A light detection and ranging equipment may be used to determine a property of the wind at a plurality of locations ahead of a turbine. A wind flow model may be used to determine the property of wind expected at the rotor of the wind turbine based on the readings of the light detection and ranging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Ian Couchman, Robert Bowyer, Kelvin Hales, Christopher Palmer
  • Publication number: 20150369214
    Abstract: The invention relates to a controller configured to determine one or more future values of blade control references and/or a generator control references for a wind turbine generator. The first of the future values of the control references are used for control purposes. The future control references are determined from a physical model of a system of the wind turbine generator by solving an optimization problem which includes at least one cost function and at least one constraint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Eik HERBSLEB, Fabiano DAHER ADEGAS, Poul Brandt CHRISTENSEN, Robert BOWYER, Fabio CAPONETTI, Ian COUCHMAN, Lars Finn SLOTH LARSEN
  • Patent number: 9103327
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and apparatus for determining a property of wind approaching a wind turbine. A light detection and ranging equipment may be used to determine a property of the wind at a plurality of locations ahead of a turbine. A wind flow model may be used to determine the property of wind expected at the rotor of the wind turbine based on the readings of the light detection and ranging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Ian Couchman, Robert Bowyer, Kelvin Hales, Christopher Palmer
  • Publication number: 20150211484
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, controllers and computer program products for determining an optimal tilt angle for a wind turbine. One or more signals indicating site conditions at and/or near a wind turbine are received 402 and an optimal tilt angle for said wind turbine based on said received one or more signals indicating site conditions is determined 403. The optimal tilt angle is then transmitted 404 to a platform controller such that said wind turbine can be inclined said optimal tilt angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: MHI Vestas Offshore Wind A/S
    Inventors: Ian Couchman, Robert Bowyer
  • Publication number: 20150211488
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for operating a safety system in a floating wind turbine. The floating wind turbine comprises one or more sensors 202, 203, and receives a fore-aft inclination signal from the sensor 202, wherein the fore-aft inclination signal indicates an inclination of said floating wind turbine in a fore-aft direction. A side-to-side inclination signal is also received from the sensor 203, wherein the side-to-side inclination signal indicates an inclination of said floating wind turbine in a side-to-side direction. An operational parameter of the floating wind turbine is altered based on either or both of said fore-aft inclination signal and said side-to-side inclination signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Bowyer, Ian Couchman
  • Publication number: 20150147174
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, apparatus and computer program products for coordinating the control of a floating wind turbine (101) between a wind turbine controller (111) and a platform controller (110). One or more wind turbine control systems and/or one or more platform control systems may be altered based on 102 said coordinated control of said floating wind turbine (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND A/S
    Inventors: Ian Couchman, Robert Bowyer
  • Patent number: 9018782
    Abstract: Wind turbines of a wind power plant may be selectively over-rated by measuring the difference between the nominal and actual power plant outputs and deriving an over-rating request signal based on that difference which is sent to each turbine. The same value may be sent to each turbine. Alternatively, each turbine may be given its own over-rating amount based on an optimization of the turbine. Over-rating may also be used when external economic factors such as energy costs are sufficiently high to out-weigh any potential harmful effect of over-rating. The fatigue lifetime of turbines and their critical components may also be taken into account when deciding whether and to what extent to implement an over-rating command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Ian Couchman, Christopher Spruce, Judith Turner, Martin Evans, Robert Bowyer
  • Publication number: 20130270827
    Abstract: Wind turbines of a wind power plant may be selectively over-rated by measuring the difference between the nominal and actual power plant outputs and deriving an over-rating request signal based on that difference which is sent to each turbine. The same value may be sent to each turbine. Alternatively, each turbine may be given its own over-rating amount based on an optimisation of the turbine. Over-rating may also be used when external economic factors such as energy costs are sufficiently high to out-weigh any potential harmful effect of over-rating. The fatigue lifetime of turbines and their critical components may also be taken into account when deciding whether and to what extent to implement an over-rating command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Ian Couchman, Christopher Spruce, Judith Turner, Martin Evans, Robert Bowyer
  • Publication number: 20130094961
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and apparatus for determining a property of wind approaching a wind turbine. A light detection and ranging equipment may be used to determine a property of the wind at a plurality of locations ahead of a turbine. A wind flow model may be used to determine the property of wind expected at the rotor of the wind turbine based on the readings of the light detection and ranging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: IAN COUCHMAN, Robert Bowyer, Kelvin Hales, Christopher Palmer