Patents by Inventor Marc Canal

Marc Canal 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: 12163502
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes a leading edge protection element attached to the leading edge of the wind turbine blade. The leading edge protection element extends in a longitudinal direction between an outboard end and an inboard end and includes an attachment surface mounted to an exterior surface of the blade, an exterior surface opposite the attachment surface, a first section extending from the leading edge and along a part of the pressure side of the wind turbine blade to a first transverse end at a first position on the pressure side of the blade, and a second section extending from the leading edge and along a part of the suction side of the wind turbine blade to a second transverse end at a second position on the suction side of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignees: BLADE DYNAMICS LIMITED, LM WIND POWER A/S, GENERAL ELECTRIC RENOVABLES ESPANA, S.L., LM WIND POWER (HOLLAND) B.V.
    Inventors: Harald Behmer, Horacio Bulacio, Marc Canal Vila, Michael Drachmann Haag, Andreas Herrig, Jordy Hertel Nilsson Van Kalken, Hans Minnee
  • Publication number: 20240360812
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices for wind turbine blades and methods for reducing vibrations in wind turbines with a rotor in standstill. A device comprises a portion configured to protrude beyond a leading edge of the wind turbine blade. A device comprising a portion configured to protrude beyond the leading edge of the wind turbine may be releasably attached around a wind turbine blade substantially along a chordwise direction. The device may be detached from the blade before the wind turbine starts to operate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Marc CANAL VILA, Andreas HERRIG, Santiago TOMAS MONPOL
  • Publication number: 20240360813
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices for wind turbine blades and methods for reducing vibrations in wind turbines with a rotor in standstill. A device comprises a portion configured to protrude beyond a leading edge of a wind turbine blade in a local chordwise direction. The portion configured to protrude beyond the leading edge is configured to at least partially form an air channel in front of the leading edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Marc CANAL VILA, Jesper MADSEN
  • Patent number: 12071924
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices (300) for wind turbine blades (22) and methods for reducing vibrations in wind turbines (10). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to devices (300) for mitigating vortex induced vibrations and stall induced vibrations, wind turbine blades (22) comprising such devices (300), and methods for reducing wind turbine vibrations when the wind turbine (10) is parked, especially during wind turbine installation and/or maintenance. A device (300) comprises a proximal support (310) configured to be arranged around a first portion (221) of a wind turbine blade (22), a distal support (320) configured to be arranged around a second portion (222) of the wind turbine blade (22), and a barrier (330) extending between the proximal support (310) and the distal support (320). The first portion (221) of the wind turbine blade (22) is at a different longitudinal position along the blade (22) than the second portion (222).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Marc Canal Vila, Darren John Danielsen, Rolf Hansen, Jesper Madsen
  • Patent number: 12044207
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods (100, 200) for controlling and operating wind turbines (10). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods and systems for determining a surface condition of one or more wind turbine blades (22) of a wind turbine (10). a method comprises rotating the wind turbine rotor (18) under the influence of a wind in predetermined rotation conditions, wherein the predetermined rotation conditions include at least a predetermined pitch angle (252) of the additional wind turbine blades (222, 223). The method further comprises determining a current value of one or more parameters of the wind turbine (10) when rotating in the predetermined rotation conditions and comparing the current value of the one or more parameters of the wind turbine with one or more reference values (37) to determine the surface condition of the wind turbine blades (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Marc Canal Vila, Saskia Honhoff, Shanmuga-Priyan Subramanian, Thomas Jean Picard
  • Patent number: 11959456
    Abstract: A vibration mitigating device for engagement with a wind turbine blade includes an air flow modifying element that is configurable between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. A frame is attachable to and has a fixed length in a span-wise direction of the wind turbine blade. The air flow modifying element is movable along the frame between the retracted configuration and the extended configuration. In the retracted configuration, the modifying element extends between the blade tip and the blade root with a first spanwise length, and in the extended configuration the modifying element extends between the blade tip and the blade root with a second, greater spanwise length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Darren John Danielsen, Marc Canal Vila
  • Publication number: 20240084785
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to wind turbine blades, devices and methods for reducing vibrations in wind turbines, particularly during installation. In an aspect, a device for mitigating vibrations of a blade of a wind turbine during standstill is provided. The device comprises a flexible base having a first connection area and a second connection area, the first connection area being configured to be attached to the second connection area to form a removable attachment. The device further comprises one or more airflow modifying elements attached to the flexible base. The flexible base is configured to fit around a portion of the rotor blade such that the removable attachment is positioned substantially at a leading edge of the blade. The present disclosure further relates to methods for mitigating vibrations in a parked wind turbine blade and to sleeves for wrapping around a portion of a wind turbine blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Gottfried SCHUON, Marc CANAL VILA, Nikolai PASTOUCHENKO, Bart Jan VELDKAMP
  • Patent number: 11867156
    Abstract: An apparatus for mitigating vortex-shedding vibrations or stall-induced vibrations on one or more rotor blades of a wind turbine during standstill includes at least one positioning element located between a blade tip section and a blade root section thereof. The positioning element is adapted for wrapping around at least a portion of the rotor blade. The apparatus also includes at least one airflow modifying element coupled to the positioning element and defining a height relative to a surface of the rotor blade. Additionally, the apparatus includes at least one securing element operably coupled to the positioning element for temporarily securing the airflow modifying element to the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andreas Herrig, Benjamin Patrick Hallissy, Marc Canal, Jordy Hertel Nilsson van Kalken
  • Patent number: 11686293
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices (300) for wind turbine blades (22) and methods (400) for reducing vibrations in wind turbines (10). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to devices (300) for mitigating vortex induced vibrations and stall induced vibrations, wind turbine blades (22) comprising such devices (300), and methods (400) for reducing wind turbine vibrations when the wind turbine (10) is parked, especially during wind turbine installation and/or maintenance. A device (300) is configured to be arranged around a wind turbine blade (22) and comprises three or more air flow modifying elements (305) comprising a concave outer surface (323) configured to face away from a wind turbine blade (22). The device further comprises a supporting structure (310) configured to support the plurality of air flow modifying elements (305). An angular distance (307) between adjacent air flow modifying elements (305) in cross-section is substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Darren John Danielsen, Marc Canal Vila
  • Publication number: 20230184208
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes a leading edge protection element attached to the leading edge of the wind turbine blade. The leading edge protection element extends in a longitudinal direction between an outboard end and an inboard end and includes an attachment surface mounted to an exterior surface of the blade, an exterior surface opposite the attachment surface, a first section extending from the leading edge and along a part of the pressure side of the wind turbine blade to a first transverse end at a first position on the pressure side of the blade, and a second section extending from the leading edge and along a part of the suction side of the wind turbine blade to a second transverse end at a second position on the suction side of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Harald BEHMER, Horacio BULACIO, Marc Canal VILA, Michael Drachmann HAAG, Andreas HERRIG, Jordy Hertel Nilsson VAN KALKEN, Hans MINNEE
  • Publication number: 20230147218
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods (100, 200) for controlling and operating wind turbines (10). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods and systems for determining a surface condition of one or more wind turbine blades (22) of a wind turbine (10). a method comprises rotating the wind turbine rotor (18) under the influence of a wind in predetermined rotation conditions, wherein the predetermined rotation conditions include at least a predetermined pitch angle (252) of the additional wind turbine blades (222, 223). The method further comprises determining a current value of one or more parameters of the wind turbine (10) when rotating in the predetermined rotation conditions and comparing the current value of the one or more parameters of the wind turbine with one or more reference values (37) to determine the surface condition of the wind turbine blades (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Marc CANAL VILA, Saskia HONHOFF, Shanmuga-Priyan SUBRAMANIAN, Thomas Jean PICARD
  • Publication number: 20230104837
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices (300) for wind turbine blades (22) and methods (400) for reducing vibrations in wind turbines (10). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to devices (300) for mitigating vortex induced vibrations and stall induced vibrations, wind turbine blades (22) comprising such devices (300), and methods (400) for reducing wind turbine vibrations when the wind turbine (10) is parked, especially during wind turbine installation and/or maintenance. A device (300) is configured to be arranged around a wind turbine blade (22) and comprises three or more air flow modifying elements (305) comprising a concave outer surface (323) configured to face away from a wind turbine blade (22). The device further comprises a supporting structure (310) configured to support the plurality of air flow modifying elements (305). An angular distance (307) between adjacent air flow modifying elements (305) in cross-section is substantially constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Darren John Danielsen, Marc CANAL VILA
  • Publication number: 20230108569
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices (300) for wind turbine blades (22) and methods for reducing vibrations in wind turbines (10). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to devices (300) for mitigating vortex induced vibrations and stall induced vibrations, wind turbine blades (22) comprising such devices (300), and methods for reducing wind turbine vibrations when the wind turbine (10) is parked, especially during wind turbine installation and/or maintenance. A device (300) comprises a proximal support (310) configured to be arranged around a first portion (221) of a wind turbine blade (22), a distal support (320) configured to be arranged around a second portion (222) of the wind turbine blade (22), and a barrier (330) extending between the proximal support (310) and the distal support (320). The first portion (221) of the wind turbine blade (22) is at a different longitudinal position along the blade (22) than the second portion (222).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Marc CANAL VILA, Darren John Danielsen, Rolf HANSEN, Jesper MADSEN
  • Publication number: 20230106043
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices (350) for reducing vibrations in wind turbines (10) and to methods (450) for using the devices (350) and mitigating wind turbine vibrations. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to devices (350) for reducing vortex induced vibrations and stall induced vibrations when the wind turbine (10) is parked, especially during wind turbine installation and/or maintenance, and to ways in which the devices (350) can be used, e.g. for installing them on wind turbine blades (22) or once they are already installed thereon. A vibration mitigating device (350) for mitigating vibrations of a parked wind turbine (10) is provided. The device (350) is configured to be arranged with a wind turbine blade (22). The device (350) comprises one or more air flow modifying elements (330). At least one of the air flow modifying elements (330) is configured to change between a retracted configuration (370) and an extended configuration (375).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Darren John Danielsen, Marc CANAL VILA
  • Patent number: 11614076
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for measuring deflection of blades of a wind turbine. Examples include a light emitting and collection device mounted to the nacelle and configured to emit light in a direction within a substantially vertical plane. Examples include a method for operating a wind turbine including emitting light above a hub, receiving the light when reflected by a blade of the wind turbine, and, if the level of blade deflection is above a threshold, reducing blade loading of the blade before the blade reaches a vertically downward position. Examples include a method for monitoring deflection of a rotor blade of a wind turbine comprising emitting a light sheet, collecting reflections of the emitted light, and determining deflection of the rotor blade by determining a time during which the blade reflects the emitted light sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Andreas Herrig, Marc Canal Vila
  • Patent number: 11608812
    Abstract: Methods (200) for reducing vibrations in one or more rotor blades (120) of a wind turbine (160), when the wind turbine is in standstill conditions are provided. The method comprises measuring (201) one or more deformation parameters indicative of deformation of one or more blades (120), determining (202), at a dedicated controller (190) for an auxiliary drive system (20, 107), a vibration of one or more of the blades (120) based on the deformation parameters, wherein the dedicated controller (190) for the auxiliary drive system is separate from the wind turbine controller (180), and generating (203), at the dedicated controller (190), an output signal to operate the auxiliary drive system to reduce the vibration. Also disclosed are wind turbines (160) which comprise a dedicated controller (190) configured to determine a vibration and generating an output signal to reduce the vibration, when the wind turbine is in standstill conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables España, S. L.
    Inventors: Pedro Arroyo Beltri, Thomas Picard, Marc Canal Vila, Ricardo Lázaro Bosch, Pedro Palomares Rentero
  • Publication number: 20220128039
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for measuring deflection of blades of a wind turbine. Examples include a light emitting and collection device mounted to the nacelle and configured to emit light in a direction within a substantially vertical plane. Examples include a method for operating a wind turbine including emitting light above a hub, receiving the light when reflected by a blade of the wind turbine, and, if the level of blade deflection is above a threshold, reducing blade loading of the blade before the blade reaches a vertically downward position. Examples include a method for monitoring deflection of a rotor blade of a wind turbine comprising emitting a light sheet, collecting reflections of the emitted light, and determining deflection of the rotor blade by determining a time during which the blade reflects the emitted light sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Andreas HERRIG, Marc CANAL VILA
  • Publication number: 20210079896
    Abstract: An apparatus for mitigating vortex-shedding vibrations or stall-induced vibrations on one or more rotor blades of a wind turbine during standstill includes at least one positioning element located between a blade tip section and a blade root section thereof. The positioning element is adapted for wrapping around at least a portion of the rotor blade. The apparatus also includes at least one airflow modifying element coupled to the positioning element and defining a height relative to a surface of the rotor blade. Additionally, the apparatus includes at least one securing element operably coupled to the positioning element for temporarily securing the airflow modifying element to the rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Andreas Herrig, Benjamin Patrick Hallissy, Marc Canal, Jordy Hertel Nilsson van Kalken
  • Patent number: 10927813
    Abstract: Methods of operating a variable speed wind turbine as a function of wind speed are described. The wind turbine has a rotor with a plurality of blades and a generator. The generator has a design rotor speed which varies so as to follow a theoretical generator rotor rotational speed curve describing the rotational speed of the rotor as a function of wind speed. The method comprises determining an erosion risk condition of the blades, determining erosion damage of one or more of the blades accumulated over time and changing the rotor rotational speed from the design rotor speed as a function of the determined erosion risk condition and the determined accumulated erosion damage. Wind turbines configured to carry out such methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Picard, Marc Canal Vila
  • Publication number: 20200173418
    Abstract: Methods (200) for reducing vibrations in one or more rotor blades (120) of a wind turbine (160), when the wind turbine is in standstill conditions are provided. The method comprises measuring (201) one or more deformation parameters indicative of deformation of one or more blades (120), determining (202), at a dedicated controller (190) for an auxiliary drive system (20, 107), a vibration of one or more of the blades (120) based on the deformation parameters, wherein the dedicated controller (190) for the auxiliary drive system is separate from the wind turbine controller (180), and generating (203), at the dedicated controller (190), an output signal to operate the auxiliary drive system to reduce the vibration. Also disclosed are wind turbines (160) which comprise a dedicated controller (190) configured to determine a vibration and generating an output signal to reduce the vibration, when the wind turbine is in standstill conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Pedro Arroyo Beltri, Thomas Picard, Marc Canal Vila, Ricardo Lázaro Bosch, Pedro Palomares Rentero