Patents by Inventor Nicholas Wright Miller

Nicholas Wright Miller 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: 8664800
    Abstract: Power inverters are controlled in response to reactive power support commands received from a power grid such that at least one power inverter provides reactive power to the power grid. The reactive power provided is based on each power inverter's reactive power capacity only while the total power capacity of each power inverter providing the reactive power is not exhausted in generating real power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anthony William Galbraith, Owen Jannis Schelenz, Mark Edward Cardinal, Andreas Kirchner, Nicholas Wright Miller, Kara Clark
  • Publication number: 20120049636
    Abstract: Power inverters are controlled in response to reactive power support commands received from a power grid such that at least one power inverter provides reactive power to the power grid. The reactive power provided is based on each power inverter's reactive power capacity only while the total power capacity of each power inverter providing the reactive power is not exhausted in generating real power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Anthony William Galbraith, Owen Jannis Schelenz, Mark Edward Cardinal, Andreas Kirchner, Nicholas Wright Miller, Kara Clark
  • Publication number: 20120023396
    Abstract: A computer includes a memory area and a processor that is coupled to the memory area. The processor is configured to receive a document as an input string comprised of a markup language, store the input string in the memory area, parse the input string, and deserialize the input string to generate an object model, wherein the object model includes at least one type and at least one value corresponding to the at least one type. The processor is also configured to store the object model in the memory area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Nicholas Wright MILLER, Matthew WELLS
  • Patent number: 8076789
    Abstract: A system and method for use in controlling a wind turbine's power output by a wind turbine controller. The method includes determining a predicted wind speed for the wind turbine, determining a current wind turbine power output, and determining a predicted wind turbine power output utilizing the predicted wind speed. The method also includes comparing the current wind turbine power output to the predicted wind turbine power output and adjusting the wind turbine power output based on the comparison of the current wind turbine power output and the predicted wind turbine power output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Nicholas Wright Miller
  • Publication number: 20110204635
    Abstract: A system and method for use in controlling a wind turbine's power output by a wind turbine controller. The method includes determining a predicted wind speed for the wind turbine, determining a current wind turbine power output, and determining a predicted wind turbine power output utilizing the predicted wind speed. The method also includes comparing the current wind turbine power output to the predicted wind turbine power output and adjusting the wind turbine power output based on the comparison of the current wind turbine power output and the predicted wind turbine power output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventor: Nicholas Wright Miller
  • Patent number: 7990743
    Abstract: A solar farm system is provided that is configured for reducing electrical loss. The solar farm system includes a plurality of PV arrays coupled to inverters and a collector system including a conductor or network of conductors. The collector system also includes a plurality of transformers with one or more transformers connected between the inverters and the conductors. The solar farm also includes a substation transformer connecting the solar farm collector system to the electrical grid. The solar farm includes a control system configured to determine at least one operating parameter for the solar farm system to reduce electrical loss and to regulate the collector system and the plurality of inverters based at least in part on the at least one operating parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Reigh Allen Walling, Mark Edward Cardinal, Robert William Delmerico, Nicholas Wright Miller
  • Patent number: 7979167
    Abstract: A system, a method, and an article of manufacture for controlling operation of an electrical power generation system are provided. The electrical power generation system has a plurality of electrical generators electrically coupled to an electrical grid. The method includes obtaining a first output parameter value associated with the electrical power generation system. The method further includes determining an error value indicative of a difference between the first output parameter value and a desired output parameter value. The method further includes determining a first gain value based on at least one of the first output parameter value and a time-varying operational parameter of the electrical power generation system. The method further includes determining a first power value based on the error value and the first gain value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert William Delmerico, Mark Edward Cardinal, Nicholas Wright Miller, Dapeng Liu, Zhihong Ye
  • Publication number: 20110137481
    Abstract: A system for providing energy and other ancillary services to a power grid including a renewable energy source. One or more power converters are integrated with the renewable energy source. A battery-based energy storage system is also integrated with the renewable energy source. A control system including an algorithmic software operates to control at least one power converter together with the battery-based energy storage system to supply stored battery energy to the grid when the cost of extracting the stored battery energy supplied to the grid via the battery-based energy storage system is less than the market price paid for the stored energy supplied by the battery-based energy storage system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Devon Leigh Manz, Robert William Delmerico, Sumit Bose, Nicholas Wright Miller, Rajni Kant Burra, Kathleen Ann O'Brien
  • Patent number: 7941246
    Abstract: An automatic generation control (AGC) augmentation system and method for wind power plant integration for controlling the power contribution to a grid by the wind plant is disclosed that provides for the calculation of the area control error (ACE) by actively communicating to the wind plant ramp rate limits and curtailment requests contributing to the ACE calculation. The augmented control of the ACE minimizes the amount of lost energy production by the wind plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Wright Miller, Kara Clark
  • Patent number: 7761190
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment includes a wind turbine system. The wind turbine system includes a wind turbine generator operable to supply wind turbine power to a utility system. A converter is coupled to the wind turbine generator and the utility system. The wind turbine system also includes a controller comprising an internal reference frame of the wind turbine generator, coupled to the converter, and configured for modulating flow of power through the converter in response to frequency disturbances or power swings of the utility system relative to the internal reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert William Delmerico, Nicholas Wright Miller
  • Publication number: 20100138061
    Abstract: A solar farm system is provided that is configured for reducing electrical loss. The solar farm system includes a plurality of PV arrays coupled to inverters and a collector system including a conductor or network of conductors. The collector system also includes a plurality of transformers with one or more transformers connected between the inverters and the conductors. The solar farm also includes a substation transformer connecting the solar farm collector system to the electrical grid. The solar farm includes a control system configured to determine at least one operating parameter for the solar farm system to reduce electrical loss and to regulate the collector system and the plurality of inverters based at least in part on the at least one operating parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: REIGH ALLEN WALLING, MARK EDWARD CARDINAL, ROBERT WILLIAM DELMERICO, NICHOLAS WRIGHT MILLER
  • Patent number: 7671481
    Abstract: A power generation system including a wind turbine generator for generating electrical power, an alternate power source, and a processor programmed to control operation of the alternate power source to control a power output of the alternate power source at least partially based on at least one of a wind parameter, a wind forecast, a wind turbine condition sensor, and a power output of the electrical generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Wright Miller, Kara Clark
  • Publication number: 20090218819
    Abstract: An automatic generation control (AGC) augmentation system and method for wind power plant integration for controlling the power contribution to a grid by the wind plant is disclosed that provides for the calculation of the area control error (ACE) by actively communicating to the wind plant ramp rate limits and curtailment requests contributing to the ACE calculation. The augmented control of the ACE minimizes the amount of lost energy production by the wind plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas Wright MILLER, Kara CLARK
  • Patent number: 7417333
    Abstract: A method for determining electric currents for an electrical machine includes generating a first real power current demand signal and a first reactive power current demand signal. The method also includes determining at least one of a second real power current demand signal and a second reactive power current demand signal by prioritizing a second real power current demand signal over a second reactive power current demand signal. Alternatively, the method also includes determining at least one of a second real power current demand signal and a second reactive power current demand signal by prioritizing the second reactive power current demand signal over the second real power current demand signal. The method further includes comparing at least one of the first real power current demand signal and first reactive power current demand signal to at least one electrical machine current limit signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Wright Miller, Einar Larsen, Robert William Delmerico
  • Publication number: 20080106098
    Abstract: A method for determining electric currents for an electrical machine includes generating a first real power current demand signal and a first reactive power current demand signal. The method also includes determining at least one of a second real power current demand signal and a second reactive power current demand signal by prioritizing a second real power current demand signal over a second reactive power current demand signal. Alternatively, the method also includes determining at least one of a second real power current demand signal and a second reactive power current demand signal by prioritizing the second reactive power current demand signal over the second real power current demand signal. The method further includes comparing at least one of the first real power current demand signal and first reactive power current demand signal to at least one electrical machine current limit signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Nicholas Wright Miller, Einar Larsen, Robert William Delmerico
  • Patent number: 7345373
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment includes a wind turbine system. The wind turbine system includes a wind turbine generator operable to supply wind turbine power to a utility system. A converter is coupled to the wind turbine generator and the utility system. The wind turbine system also includes a controller comprising an internal reference frame of the wind turbine generator, coupled to the converter, and configured for modulating flow of power through the converter in response to frequency disturbances or power swings of the utility system relative to the internal reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert William Delmerico, Nicholas Wright Miller
  • Patent number: 7271571
    Abstract: A system for providing anti-islanding protection of a synchronous machine based distributed generator includes a frequency sensor configured to generate a generator frequency signal, a bandpass filter configured for filtering the generator frequency signal, a governor controller configured for using the filtered frequency signal to generate a power feedback signal, and a governor summation element configured for summing the filtered frequency signal, the power feedback signal, and a reference power to provide an electrical torque signal. Another system includes a voltage sensor configured to generate a generator terminal voltage signal, a feedback power calculator configured for generating a reactive feedback power signal, a bandpass filter configured for filtering the terminal voltage signal, and a PI controller summation element configured for summing the filtered terminal voltage signal, the reactive power feedback signal, and a reference reactive power to provide an error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zhihong Ye, Pengwei Du, John Keith Nelson, Nicholas Wright Miller, Reigh Allen Walling
  • Patent number: 7202638
    Abstract: A system for providing anti-islanding protection of a synchronous machine based distributed generator includes a frequency sensor configured to generate a generator frequency signal, a bandpass filter configured for filtering the generator frequency signal, a governor controller configured for using the filtered frequency signal to generate a power feedback signal, and a governor summation element configured for summing the filtered frequency signal, the power feedback signal, and a reference power to provide an electrical torque signal. Another system includes a voltage sensor configured to generate a generator terminal voltage signal, a feedback power calculator configured for generating a reactive feedback power signal, a bandpass filter configured for filtering the terminal voltage signal, and a PI controller summation element configured for summing the filtered terminal voltage signal, the reactive power feedback signal, and a reference reactive power to provide an error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zhihong Ye, Pengwei Du, John Keith Nelson, Nicholas Wright Miller, Reigh Allen Walling
  • Patent number: 6924565
    Abstract: Real and reactive power control for wind turbine generator systems. The technique described herein provides the potential to utilize the total capacity of a wind turbine generator system (e.g., a wind farm) to provide dynamic VAR (reactive power support). The VAR support provided by individual wind turbine generators in a system can be dynamically varied to suit application parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas A. Wilkins, Nagwa M. Elkachouty, Reigh A. Walling, James P. Lyons, Robert W. Delmerico, Sumit Bose, Nicholas Wright Miller
  • Patent number: 5939798
    Abstract: An energy storage system including a first power conversion device and a second power conversion device for providing energy to loads upon interruption of a main power source. A first power conversion device is connected in parallel to a first load, receives energy from an energy storage device and provides power to the first load. A second power conversion device is connected in series with a second load, receives energy from the energy storage device and provides power to the second load. The first and second power conversion devices are rated so that power consumption by the power conversion devices is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Nicholas Wright Miller