Patents by Inventor Kirk Gee Pierce

Kirk Gee Pierce 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).

  • Methods and apparatus for twist bend coupled (TCB) wind turbine blades
    Patent number: 7118338
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind turbine having twist bend coupled rotor blades on a rotor mechanically coupled to a generator includes determining a speed of a rotor blade tip of the wind turbine, measuring a current twist distribution and current blade loading, and adjusting a torque of a generator to change the speed of the rotor blade tip to thereby increase an energy capture power coefficient of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Emilian Mieczyslaw Moroz, David Lawrence LeMieux, Kirk Gee Pierce
  • Methods and apparatus for reduction of asymmetric rotor loads in wind turbines
    Patent number: 7118339
    Abstract: A method for reducing load and providing yaw alignment in a wind turbine includes measuring displacements or moments resulting from asymmetric loads on the wind turbine. These measured displacements or moments are used to determine a pitch for each rotor blade to reduce or counter asymmetric rotor loading and a favorable yaw orientation to reduce pitch activity. Yaw alignment of the wind turbine is adjusted in accordance with the favorable yaw orientation and the pitch of each rotor blade is adjusted in accordance with the determined pitch to reduce or counter asymmetric rotor loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Emilian Mieczyslaw Moroz, Kirk Gee Pierce