Patents by Inventor Pekka Virta

Pekka Virta 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).

  • Ship lock electrical energy generation
    Patent number: 6969925
    Abstract: A ship lock utilizes a hydraulic turbine and/or pump-turbine to regulate the discharge flow rates through the ship lock to an approximate constant value during the majority of the water transfer cycle resulting in a diminishing of total energy of head losses and to enable the recuperation of the unused hydraulic energy for generation as electricity. The difference in water levels on opposite sides of the ship lock constitutes potential hydraulic energy. By regulating the discharge, the total head losses over a given period of time diminish very significantly, thus giving an opportunity for optimization of hydraulic energy recuperation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Norman Desy, Pekka Virta
  • Ship lock electrical energy generation
    Publication number: 20040108731
    Abstract: A ship lock utilizes a hydraulic turbine and/or pump-turbine to regulate the discharge flow rates through the ship lock to an approximate constant value during the majority of the water transfer cycle resulting in a diminishing of total energy of head losses and to enable the recuperation of the unused hydraulic energy for generation as electricity. The difference in water levels on opposite sides of the ship lock constitutes potential hydraulic energy. By regulating the discharge, the total head losses over a given period of time diminish very significantly, thus giving an opportunity for optimization of hydraulic energy recuperation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Applicant: General Electric Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Normand Desy, Pekka Virta