Patents by Inventor Michael Willsch

Michael Willsch 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: 20100208247
    Abstract: To check whether the glass fiber or carbon fiber mats in a rotor blade for a wind energy installation have faults, upward bulges or folds after they have been manufactured, a point or line laser is directed at an angle onto the surface of the rotor blade. From the position of the reflected beam, especially a proportion of the beam that is reflected below the surface of the rotor blade at the mat, the location and form of the mat is deduced and it is determined in a non-destructive manner whether faults, upward bulges or folds are present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Hagen Hertsch, Joachim Kaiser, Nils-Michael Theune, Michael Willsch
  • Patent number: 7731420
    Abstract: At least one transceiver sends ultrasonic pulses through an object, which at least partially transmits ultrasonic pulses, into an element which reflects the ultrasonic pulses. The ultrasonic pulse(s) can be reflected in a temperature-correlated manner from the reflective element to the transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans-Gerd Brummel, Uwe Linnert, Klaus Newerla, Michael Willsch
  • Patent number: 7708461
    Abstract: A method for determining the temperature of an away-facing surface of an object, wherein at least one ultrasonic pulse is transmitted through a surface of the object facing a transmitter/receiver unit into said object; the at least one ultrasonic pulse is reflected at least partially in the direction of the transmitter/receiver unit on the surface of the object facing away from the transmitter/receiver unit; and the reflected part of the at least one transmitted ultrasonic pulse is received by the transmitter/receiver unit. At least one temperature value for the object surface facing the transmitter/receiver unit is also determined; at least one value is determined for the propagation time of the at least one ultrasonic pulse through the object, and at least one temperature value for the object surface facing away from the transmitter/receiver unit is determined by the at least one temperature value for the object surface facing the transmitter/receiver unit and the at least one propagation time value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans-Gerd Brummel, Uwe Linnert, Klaus Newerla, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20100066387
    Abstract: A device for determining distance between a rotor blade and a wall of a gas turbine surrounding the rotor blade is provided. A waveguide guides and emits electromagnetic waves of at least one frequency in the direction of the rotor blade through a waveguide opening facing the rotor blade. The electromagnetic waves are injected into the waveguide and reflected portions of the electromagnetic waves are received. An evaluation unit compares the phase of the electromagnetic waves to be injected with the phase of the reflected portions of the electromagnetic waves and determines phase comparison values for every frequency and the distance is determined based on the phase comparison values. The waveguide comprises a sealing element which is configured to be transmissible for the electromagnetic waves of the frequency and which has two opposite surfaces in the direction of guidance of the electromagnetic waves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20100023298
    Abstract: A device for determining distance between a rotor blade and a wall of a gas turbine surrounding the rotor blade is provided. A waveguide guides and emits electromagnetic waves in the direction of the rotor blade through a waveguide opening facing the rotor blade. The electromagnetic waves are injected into the waveguide and reflected portions of the electromagnetic waves are received. An evaluation unit compares the phase of the electromagnetic waves to be injected with the phase of the reflected portions of the electromagnetic waves and determines phase comparison values for every frequency and the distance is determined based on the phase comparison values. The waveguide includes two waveguide segments made from different materials having temperature stability and damping capacity increasing in the direction from the segment connected to the unit for injecting the waves to the segment having the waveguide opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20100014072
    Abstract: An optical device for monitoring a rotatable shaft is disclosed. The optical device has an optical waveguide arranged on the rotatable shaft and an optical sensor. The optical device further has a transmitting unit transmit the light signal, a transfer device to transmit the light signal between the transmitting unit and the optical waveguide and an evaluation unit for determining a physical variable from a light signal coming from the optical sensor and transferred by the transfer device, the evaluation unit being associated with the transmitting unit. The transfer device has an optical ‘multimode’ waveguide associated with a coupling device, the waveguide being associated with the transmitting unit and a further optical ‘multimode’ waveguide, with an associated coupling device associated with the optical waveguide and arranged on the rotatable shaft eccentrically to its axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20090245323
    Abstract: At least one transceiver sends ultrasonic pulses through an object, which at least partially transmits ultrasonic pulses, into an element which reflects the ultrasonic pulses. The ultrasonic pulse(s) can be reflected in a temperature-correlated manner from the reflective element to the transceiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Hans-Gerd Brummel, Uwe Linnert, Klaus Newerla, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20090202194
    Abstract: An optical measuring device for determining temperature in a cryogenic environment includes at least one optical waveguide provided with at least one fiber Bragg grating sensor that is interrogated by a light signal. The device includes a light injector that injects light into the at least one fiber Bragg grating sensor, and an evaluation unit that determines a temperature value from the modulated light signal emanating from the at least one fiber Bragg grating sensor. The device includes at least one jacket that non-rigidly encloses the optical waveguide, at least in the region of the at least one fiber Bragg grating sensor. The jacket has a larger coefficient of thermal expansion, at least at cryogenic temperatures, than the optical waveguide. A winding arrangement for use in a cryogenic environment is provided with such a device for temperature monitoring of a conductor of the winding arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Hagen Hertsch, Martino Leghissa, Marijn Pieter Oomen, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20090165551
    Abstract: A flowmeter determines the flow direction of a fluid. The flowmeter has a measuring element, around which the fluid flows and which comprises at least one fiber-optic cable and at least two electrical heating elements that lie adjacent to the fiber-optic cable(s) by a respective heat stream emanating from the respective heating element and directed towards at least one fiber-optic cable, the directions of the heat streams being at least proportionately reversed. In addition, the values of the individual heat streams can be influenced to different extents, depending on the flow direction of the fluid. An electromagnetic wave that can be coupled into the fibre-optic cable(s) can also be influenced according to the temperature of the fibre-optic cable(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20090134884
    Abstract: A method determines the layer thickness of a TBC coating of at least one blade of a non-positive-displacement machine. To this end, at least one electromagnetic wave is emitted to the surface of the at least one blade, the at least one electromagnetic wave is then at least partially reflected by the at least one blade, and the reflected portion of the at least one electromagnetic wave is received and subsequently processed. In addition, the at least one electromagnetic wave is emitted with a frequency matched to the layer thickness of the TBC coating, and the phase of the at least one electromagnetic wave is compared with the phase of the at least one received electromagnetic wave. The at least one emitted electromagnetic wave undergoes a phase change during reflection and the layer thickness of the TBC coating is determined by the phase comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Klaus Huber, Andreas Schicht, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20090107231
    Abstract: A flowmeter determines the flow direction of a fluid. The flowmeter has a measuring element, around which the fluid flows. The measuring element has fiber-optic cable and at least two electrical heating elements that lie adjacent to the fiber-optic cable(s) by which a respective heat stream emanating from the respective heating element and directed towards the fiber-optic cable, the directions of the heat streams being at least proportionately reversed. In addition, depending on the flow direction of the fluid, the individual heat streams are correlated to different extents with the flow direction. An electromagnetic wave that can be coupled into the fiber-optic cable(s) can also be influenced according to the temperature of the fiber-optic cable(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Michael Willsch
  • Patent number: 7517143
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the temperature of a surface coating of rotating blades mounted in a non-positive-displacement machine with a rotor shaft rotationally mounted in a housing, during which electromagnetic waves are emitted in a duct in an area of the rotating blades by at least one means for generating electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic waves are reflected, at least in part, by at least one rotating blade. The reflected portions of the electromagnetic waves are received by at least one receiving means and the temperature of the surface coating of the rotating blades is determined from a distribution of intensity of the received electromagnetic waves. The invention also relates to a method for determining the temperature of a surface coating of guide vanes mounted in a rotationally fixed manner in a non-positive-displacement machine with a housing, and to a device for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Klaus Huber, Francisco Javier Sevilla Perez, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20080159353
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the temperature of a surface coating of rotating blades mounted in a non-positive-displacement machine with a rotor shaft rotationally mounted in a housing, during which electromagnetic waves are emitted in a duct in an area of the rotating blades by at least one means for generating electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic waves are reflected, at least in part, by at least one rotating blade. The reflected portions of the electromagnetic waves are received by at least one receiving means and the temperature of the surface coating of the rotating blades is determined from a distribution of intensity of the received electromagnetic waves. The invention also relates to a method for determining the temperature of a surface coating of guide vanes mounted in a rotationally fixed manner in a non-positive-displacement machine with a housing, and to a device for carrying out the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Klaus Huber, Francisco Javier Sevilla Perez, Michael Willsch
  • Patent number: 7373823
    Abstract: The method serves to determine the vibrational state of turbine blades, arranged on a rotor shaft, mounted such as to rotate in a housing and/or of guide vanes. At least one electromagnetic wave is transmitted into a flow channel in the vicinity of the blades, using means for the generation of at least one electromagnetic wave. The electromagnetic waves are at least partly reflected from at least one blade. The reflected part of the at least one electromagnetic wave is received by means for receiving and the vibrational state of the corresponding blade is determined from a signal corresponding to the at least one received electromagnetic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Franz Eiermann, Klaus Huber, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20080107150
    Abstract: A method for determining the temperature of an away-facing surface of an object, wherein at least one ultrasonic pulse is transmitted through a surface of the object facing a transmitter/receiver unit into said object; the at least one ultrasonic pulse is reflected at least partially in the direction of the transmitter/receiver unit on the surface of the object facing away from the transmitter/receiver unit; and the reflected part of the at least one transmitted ultrasonic pulse is received by the transmitter/receiver unit. At least one temperature value for the object surface facing the transmitter/receiver unit is also determined; at least one value is determined for the propagation time of the at least one ultrasonic pulse through the object, and at least one temperature value for the object surface facing away from the transmitter/receiver unit is determined by the at least one temperature value for the object surface facing the transmitter/receiver unit and the at least one propagation time value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Hans-Gerd Brummel, Uwe Linnert, Klaus Newerla, Michael Willsch
  • Publication number: 20080095612
    Abstract: A regulation system for a compressor comprises a fibre-optic lattice sensor which makes it possible to determine a flow temperature of a fluid to be compressed by means of the compressor. Another aspect of the invention relates to a use of a fibre-optic Bragg lattice sensor as a temperature sensor in a regulation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Paul Girbig, Michael Willsch
  • Patent number: 7302844
    Abstract: The flow rate of a fluid flowing around a measuring element is measured using a guide for guiding an electromagnetic wave along the longitudinal extension thereof and at least one electric heating element that is placed adjacent to the guide. The guide can be heated by the heating element. An electromagnetic wave, which can be launched into the guide, can be influenced according to the temperature of the guide that is dependent on the flow rate of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Siegfried Birkle, Thomas Bosselmann, Michael Willsch
  • Patent number: 7095221
    Abstract: The invention provides a sensing system and a method for monitoring the damage to turbine components in a turbine generator. The sensing system comprises an electromagnetic wave generator that generates an electromagnetic wave; a transmitter that transmits the generated electromagnetic wave from a first turbine component; a second turbine component that receives the transmitted electromagnetic wave and reflects the electromagnetic wave; a receiver that receives the reflected electromagnetic wave; and a processor that interprets the received electromagnetic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Michael Willsch, Francisco Javier Sevilla Perez, Zal Sanjana
  • Patent number: 7083384
    Abstract: The invention provides a sensing system and a method for monitoring the damage to turbine components in a turbine generator. The sensing system comprises an electromagnetic wave generator that generates an electromagnetic wave; a transmitter that transmits the generated electromagnetic wave from a first turbine component; a second turbine component that receives the transmitted electromagnetic wave and reflects the electromagnetic wave; a receiver that receives the reflected electromagnetic wave; and a processor that interprets the received electromagnetic wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Bosselmann, Michael Willsch, Francisco Javier Sevilla Perez, Zal Sanjana
  • Publication number: 20060117844
    Abstract: The flow rate of a fluid flowing around a measuring element is measured using a guide for guiding an electromagnetic wave along the longitudinal extension thereof and at least one electric heating element that is placed adjacent to the guide. The guide can be heated by the heating element. An electromagnetic wave, which can be launched into the guide, can be influenced according to the temperature of the guide that is dependent on the flow rate of the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventors: Siegfried Birkle, Thomas Bosselmann, Michael Willsch