Patents by Inventor Samuel Bryan Shartzer

Samuel Bryan Shartzer 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: 11674498
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine of a wind farm. Accordingly, a controller prepares a yaw bias correction function based, at least in part, on a yaw offset function, and on wind speed measurement data and wind direction reference data of a wind event acting on at least a portion of the wind farm. The controller also applies the yaw bias correction function based at least in part on position data of a nacelle of the wind turbine, to yaw the nacelle of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Scott Charles Evans, Kasi Viswanadha Raju Gadiraju, Joseph Lawrence Chacon, Samuel Bryan Shartzer
  • Patent number: 11649804
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine of a wind farm. Accordingly, a controller implements a first model to determine a modeled performance parameter for the first wind turbine. The modeled performance parameter is based, at least in part, on an operation of a designated grouping of wind turbines of the plurality of wind turbines, which is exclusive of the first wind turbine. The controller then determines a performance parameter differential for the first wind turbine at multiple sampling intervals. The performance parameter differential is indicative of a difference between the modeled performance parameter and a monitored performance parameter for the first wind turbine. A second model is implemented to determine a predicted performance parameter of the first wind turbine at each of a plurality of setpoint combinations based, at least in part, on the performance parameter differential the first wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Scott Charles Evans, Arunvenkataraman Subramanian, Dhiraj Arora, Samuel Davoust
  • Publication number: 20230034766
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for operating a wind farm. Accordingly, a wind direction affecting the wind farm is determined. Based on the wind direction, a controller identifies a turbine cluster, which is a subset of a plurality of wind turbines of the wind farm. The subset includes at least an upwind turbine and a downwind turbine that is affected by a wake emanating from the upwind turbine. With the turbine cluster identified for the given wind direction, the controller then determines a difference between a freestream maximal cluster power output and a wake-affected cluster power output for the turbine cluster. The controller then determines a mitigation setpoint combination for the subset of wind turbines. The mitigation setpoint combination is configured to establish a mitigated cluster power output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Scott Charles Evans, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Tapan Ravin Shah, Srinivas Bollapragada, Arunvenkataraman Subramanian, Philip James Verzella, Stefan Kern, Samuel Davoust
  • Publication number: 20220389906
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine of a wind farm. Accordingly, a controller implements a first model to determine a modeled performance parameter for the first wind turbine. The modeled performance parameter is based, at least in part, on an operation of a designated grouping of wind turbines of the plurality of wind turbines, which is exclusive of the first wind turbine. The controller then determines a performance parameter differential for the first wind turbine at multiple sampling intervals. The performance parameter differential is indicative of a difference between the modeled performance parameter and a monitored performance parameter for the first wind turbine. A second model is implemented to determine a predicted performance parameter of the first wind turbine at each of a plurality of setpoint combinations based, at least in part, on the performance parameter differential the first wind turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Scott Charles Evans, Arunvenkataraman Subramanian, Dhiraj Arora, Samuel Davoust
  • Patent number: 11242841
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine based on a collective pitch-offset. Accordingly, a wind condition acting on a rotor of the wind turbine is determined, and a first collective pitch angle for the plurality of rotor blades is set, and the wind turbine is operated. A thrust of the rotor based, at least in part, on the wind condition is determined, and an actual collective pitch angle is calculated. A collective pitch offset is determined based on the difference between the first collective pitch angle and the actual collective pitch angle. The collective pitch offset is integrated with at least one pitch setpoint command. The at least one pitch setpoint command is transmitted to a pitch control mechanism of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Landa, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Shuang Gu
  • Patent number: 11231012
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine of a wind farm. Accordingly, a controller determines a performance differential for the wind turbine at multiple sampling intervals of a yaw event. The controller determines a trendline for the wind turbine correlating the performance differential to a deviation of a wind direction at each of the multiple sampling intervals from an first yaw angle. A difference between an angle associated with the vertex of the trendline and the first yaw angle are utilized by the controller to determine a yaw angle offset. The yaw angle offset is used to adjust a second yaw angle of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Scott Charles Evans, Dhiraj Arora, Bernard P. Landa, Joerg Wanink
  • Patent number: 11199175
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining a geographic location of a tower top pivot point (TPP) of a wind turbine tower having a nacelle that includes a machine head and rotor at a top thereof. At least one rover receiver of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) is configured at a fixed position on the nacelle. A plurality of 360-degree yaw sweeps of the nacelle are conducted and the geo-location signals received by the rover receiver during the yaw sweeps are recorded. With a controller, the geo-location signals are converted into a circular plot and a radius of the plot is determined, the radius being a distance between the rover receiver and the TPP. Based on a GNSS geo-location of the rover receiver and the radius, a geo-location of the TPP is computed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard P. Landa, Pierino Gianni Bonanni, Xu Fu, Samuel Bryan Shartzer
  • Publication number: 20210246875
    Abstract: A method for optimizing wake management in a wind farm includes receiving, via one or more position localization sensors, position data from at least one nacelle of wind turbines in the wind farm. The method also includes determining angle of the nacelle(s) of the wind turbines with respect to true north based on the position data. Moreover, the method includes determining a wind direction at the nacelle(s) of the wind turbines. As such, the method includes generating a wake estimation model of the wind farm in real-time using the wind direction and the angle of the nacelle(s). In addition, the method includes running the wake estimation model to determine one or more optimal operating parameters for the wind turbines that maximize energy production of the wind turbine. Thus, the method includes operating the wind farm using the optimal operating parameter(s) so as to optimize wake management of the wind farm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Xu Fu, Bernard P. Landa, Christopher Darby Immer, Samuel Bryan Shartzer
  • Patent number: 11060504
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed. The control system includes a wind turbine, at least one sensor configured to detect at least one property of the wind turbine to generate measurement data, and a controller communicatively coupled to the wind turbine and the at least one sensor. The controller includes at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The at least one processor is configured to control, during a training phase, the wind turbine according to at least one test parameter, receive, from the at least one sensor, during the training phase, first measurement data, generate, based on the at least one test parameter and the received first measurement data, a control model, receive, during an operating phase, second measurement data from the at least one sensor, and update the control model continuously based on the second measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nurali Virani, Scott Charles Evans, Samuel Davoust, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Dhiraj Arora
  • Publication number: 20210115897
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a wind turbine based on a collective pitch-offset. Accordingly, a wind condition acting on a rotor of the wind turbine is determined, and a first collective pitch angle for the plurality of rotor blades is set, and the wind turbine is operated. A thrust of the rotor based, at least in part, on the wind condition is determined, and an actual collective pitch angle is calculated. A collective pitch offset is determined based on the difference between the first collective pitch angle and the actual collective pitch angle. The collective pitch offset is integrated with at least one pitch setpoint command. The at least one pitch setpoint command is transmitted to a pitch control mechanism of the wind turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Bernard Landa, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Shuang Gu
  • Patent number: 10815972
    Abstract: A method for assessing or validating wind turbine or wind farm performance produced by one or more upgrades is provided. Measurements of operating data from wind turbines in a wind farm are obtained. Baseline models of performance are generated, and each of the baseline models is developed from a different portion of the operating data. A generating step filters the wind turbines so that they are in a balanced randomized state. An optimal baseline model of performance is selected from the baseline models and the optimal baseline model includes direction. The optimal baseline model of performance and an actual performance of the wind farm or wind turbine is compared. The comparing step determines a difference between an optimal baseline model of power output and an actual power output of the wind farm/turbine. The difference is reflective of a change in the power output produced by the upgrades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Charles Evans, Danian Zheng, Raul Munoz, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Brian Allen Rittenhouse, Samuel Davoust, Alvaro Enrique Gil, Nurali Virani, Ricardo Zetina
  • Publication number: 20200300227
    Abstract: A method for assessing or validating wind turbine or wind farm performance produced by one or more upgrades is provided. Measurements of operating data from wind turbines in a wind farm are obtained. Baseline models of performance are generated, and each of the baseline models is developed from a different portion of the operating data. A generating step filters the wind turbines so that they are in a balanced randomized state. An optimal baseline model of performance is selected from the baseline models and the optimal baseline model includes direction. The optimal baseline model of performance and an actual performance of the wind farm or wind turbine is compared. The comparing step determines a difference between an optimal baseline model of power output and an actual power output of the wind farm/turbine. The difference is reflective of a change in the power output produced by the upgrades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Charles Evans, Danian Zheng, Raul Munoz, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Brian Allen Rittenhouse, Samuel Davoust, Alvaro Enrique Gil, Nurali Virani, Ricardo Zetina
  • Patent number: 10634120
    Abstract: A method for controlling loads of a wind turbine includes receiving sensor signals from one or more sensors being indicative of a movement of a nacelle of the wind turbine from a reference point. More particularly, the movement corresponds, at least, to a tilt and/or a displacement of the wind turbine tower and/or nacelle. The method also includes generating a deflection profile of the tower along its overall length from a bottom end to a top end thereof based on the sensor signals. Further, the method includes determining at least one of a thrust or a tower load of the wind turbine from the deflection profile. In addition, the method includes implementing a control action for the wind turbine based on the thrust and/or the tower load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bernard Landa, Darren John Danielsen, Collin McKee Sheppard, Nikolina Kristeva, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Pranav Agarwal
  • Patent number: 10605228
    Abstract: A method for controlling operation of a wind turbine includes collecting training data, training a machine learning model, obtaining recent data, and applying the machine learning model the recent data to output a reference power or reference power differential corresponding to the recent data. The machine learning model is then applied to the recent data to output at least one of estimated power or estimated power differential corresponding to values of the pitch setpoints and the tip speed ratio setpoints which differ from the recent data. A turbine setting is determined by comparing the estimated power or estimated power differential to the reference power or reference power differential, and then applying the turbine setting to the wind turbine if the estimated power or estimated power differential is greater than or equal to a threshold amount above the reference power or reference power differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Charles Evans, Sara Simonne Louisa Delport, Samuel Davoust, Nurali Virani, Samuel Bryan Shartzer
  • Publication number: 20200056589
    Abstract: A method for controlling operation of a wind turbine includes collecting training data, training a machine learning model, obtaining recent data, and applying the machine learning model the recent data to output a reference power or reference power differential corresponding to the recent data. The machine learning model is then applied to the recent data to output at least one of estimated power or estimated power differential corresponding to values of the pitch setpoints and the tip speed ratio setpoints which differ from the recent data. A turbine setting is determined by comparing the estimated power or estimated power differential to the reference power or reference power differential, and then applying the turbine setting to the wind turbine if the estimated power or estimated power differential is greater than or equal to a threshold amount above the reference power or reference power differential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Scott Charles Evans, Sara Simonne Louisa Delport, Samuel Davoust, Nurali Virani, Samuel Bryan Shartzer
  • Publication number: 20200025174
    Abstract: A method for controlling loads of a wind turbine includes receiving sensor signals from one or more sensors being indicative of a movement of a nacelle of the wind turbine from a reference point. More particularly, the movement corresponds, at least, to a tilt and/or a displacement of the wind turbine tower and/or nacelle. The method also includes generating a deflection profile of the tower along its overall length from a bottom end to a top end thereof based on the sensor signals. Further, the method includes determining at least one of a thrust or a tower load of the wind turbine from the deflection profile. In addition, the method includes implementing a control action for the wind turbine based on the thrust and/or the tower load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Bernard Landa, Darren John Danielsen, Collin McKee Sheppard, Nikolina Kristeva, Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Pranav Agarwal
  • Patent number: 10280981
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for a wind turbine includes a bearing having an outer race, an inner race rotatable relative to the outer race, and a plurality of roller elements positioned within at least one raceway defined between the outer and inner races. Further, the bearing assembly includes at least one position sensor arranged with the at least one raceway. As such, the position sensor(s) is configured for monitoring movement of the plurality of roller elements. Moreover, the bearing assembly includes a controller communicatively coupled to the position sensor(s). Thus, the controller is configured to determine receive an output from the position sensor(s) and determine a position of one or more of the plurality of roller elements based on an output from the position sensor(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Joseph Edward Birkenstock
  • Publication number: 20190048937
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for a wind turbine includes a bearing having an outer race, an inner race rotatable relative to the outer race, and a plurality of roller elements positioned within at least one raceway defined between the outer and inner races. Further, the bearing assembly includes at least one position sensor arranged with the at least one raceway. As such, the position sensor(s) is configured for monitoring movement of the plurality of roller elements. Moreover, the bearing assembly includes a controller communicatively coupled to the position sensor(s). Thus, the controller is configured to determine receive an output from the position sensor(s) and determine a position of one or more of the plurality of roller elements based on an output from the position sensor(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Joseph Edward Birkenstock
  • Patent number: 7873464
    Abstract: A control system for an engine includes a block heater determination module, an adjustment module, and an engine control module. The block heater determination module generates a block heater usage signal based on ambient temperature, measured engine coolant temperature, and a length of time of the engine being off prior to engine startup. The adjustment module generates a temperature signal based on the ambient temperature. The engine control module determines a desired fuel mass for fuel injection at engine startup based on the temperature signal when the block heater usage signal has a first state. The engine control module determines the desired fuel mass at engine startup based on the measured engine coolant temperature when the block heater usage signal has a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Inventors: Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Wajdi B. Hamama, Roberto De Paula, Jaehak Jung, Igor Anilovich, John W. Siekkinen
  • Publication number: 20100256892
    Abstract: A control system for an engine includes a block heater determination module, an adjustment module, and an engine control module. The block heater determination module generates a block heater usage signal based on ambient temperature, measured engine coolant temperature, and a length of time of the engine being off prior to engine startup. The adjustment module generates a temperature signal based on the ambient temperature. The engine control module determines a desired fuel mass for fuel injection at engine startup based on the temperature signal when the block heater usage signal has a first state. The engine control module determines the desired fuel mass at engine startup based on the measured engine coolant temperature when the block heater usage signal has a second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Samuel Bryan Shartzer, Wajdi B. Hamama, Roberto De Paula, Jaehak Jung, Igor Anilovich, John W. Siekkinen