Patents by Inventor Stephen BUGGY
Stephen BUGGY 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).
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Patent number: 11542922Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling an electro-thermal heating system in a wind turbine blade, comprising measuring a supply voltage to the electro-thermal heating system, determining a duration of a variable time based enforced off period based on the measured supply voltage, and inserting the variable time based enforced off period between subsequent switching duty cycles that controls the electro-thermal heating system. The present invention also relates to a wind turbine that comprises one or more wind turbine blades wherein each wind turbine blade comprises an electro-thermal heating system and a processor adapted to perform the method.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2018Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/SInventors: Arran Wood, Stephen Buggy, Paul Badger
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Patent number: 11396864Abstract: Examples are generally directed to techniques for monitoring and controlling heating elements in wind turbine blades and the wind turbine blades. One example of the present disclosure is a method of monitoring and controlling a condition of a heating element in a wind turbine blade and the wind turbine blade. The method includes measuring a voltage applied to the heating element and measuring the current flowing through the heating element. The method further includes calculating a resistance of the heating element using the measured voltage and the measured current and storing the resistance in a database. The method further includes determining whether an event corresponding to a failure of the wind turbine blade or the heating element in the wind turbine blade has occurred. When the event occurs, control of the heating element is adjusted.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/SInventor: Stephen Buggy
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Patent number: 11342736Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying an electrical contact fault in a wind turbine blade electrical heating system, comprising inserting a predetermined enforced off cycle between or within a switching duty cycle, wherein the switching duty cycle controls the switching of one or more electrical contacts in the electrical heating system, measuring a current consumption during the predetermined enforced off cycle, determining if the measured current consumption exceeds a predetermined threshold, and wherein if the measured current consumption exceeds the predetermined threshold shutting down at least part of the electrical heating system. The present invention also relates to a wind turbine with one or more wind turbine blades that can identify an electrical contact fault.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2018Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/SInventors: Arran Wood, Stephen Buggy, John Bengtson
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Patent number: 11319934Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure generally relate to wind turbine blades configured to minimize or eliminate buildup of ice on the blades. In order to maintain an ice free surface on a wind turbine blade, one or more ETH panels are embedded in the wind turbine blade to heat the wind turbine blade. One or more busbars are electrically connected to each of the one or more ETH panels for conducting electrical power to the ETH panels. The busbars may be disposed in an overlapping configuration to provide uniform heating of the wind turbine blade.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2017Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/SInventors: Luke Spandley, Paul Badger, Stephen Buggy
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Patent number: 11225947Abstract: A method of securing a cable (22) to a wind turbine blade is described. The method involves providing a pre-assembled cable assembly (34) comprising a cable (22) and a plurality of mounts (40a-e) pre-attached to the cable (22) at intervals along the length of the cable (22). The plurality of mounts (40a-e) is attached to a surface (20) of a wind turbine blade such that the mounts (40a-e) are spaced apart along the surface (20) of the blade. The spacing between adjacent mounts (40a-e) when the mounts (40a-e) are attached to the blade is less than the length of the cable (22) between said adjacent mounts (40a-e) such that a predetermined amount of slack is provided in the cable (22) between said adjacent mounts (40a-e). A pre-assembled cable assembly for use in the method is also described together with a method of assembling the cable assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2017Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/SInventors: Luke Spandley, Paul Badger, Stephen Buggy
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Publication number: 20210148338Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling an electro-thermal heating system in a wind turbine blade, comprising measuring a supply voltage to the electro-thermal heating system, determining a duration of a variable time based enforced off period based on the measured supply voltage, and inserting the variable time based enforced off period between subsequent switching duty cycles that controls the electro-thermal heating system. The present invention also relates to a wind turbine that comprises one or more wind turbine blades wherein each wind turbine blade comprises an electro-thermal heating system and a processor adapted to perform the method.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2018Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Arran WOOD, Stephen BUGGY, Paul BADGER
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Publication number: 20210151975Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying an electrical contact fault in a wind turbine blade electrical heating system, comprising inserting a predetermined enforced off cycle between or within a switching duty cycle, wherein the switching duty cycle controls the switching of one or more electrical contacts in the electrical heating system, measuring a current consumption during the predetermined enforced off cycle, determining if the measured current consumption exceeds a predetermined threshold, and wherein if the measured current consumption exceeds the predetermined threshold shutting down at least part of the electrical heating system. The present invention also relates to a wind turbine with one or more wind turbine blades that can identify an electrical contact fault.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2018Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Arran WOOD, Stephen BUGGY, John BENGTSON
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Patent number: 10927821Abstract: Examples are generally directed to techniques for controlling a temperature of a blade in a wind turbine system. One example of the present disclosure is a method of controlling a temperature of a blade in a wind turbine system. The method includes setting a target temperature, inputting physical conditions of the blade and ambient conditions about the blade into a processor, outputting a minimum amount of energy to a heating element of the blade required to reach the target temperature based on the physical conditions and ambient conditions, and adjusting the energy provided to the heating element to reach the target temperature.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/SInventors: Paul Badger, Luke Spandley, Stephen Buggy, Karl Gregory
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Publication number: 20200309095Abstract: A method of securing a cable (22) to a wind turbine blade is described. The method involves providing a pre-assembled cable assembly (34) comprising a cable (22) and a plurality of mounts (40a-e) pre-attached to the cable (22) at intervals along the length of the cable (22). The plurality of mounts (40a-e) is attached to a surface (20) of a wind turbine blade such that the mounts (40a-e) are spaced apart along the surface (20) of the blade. The spacing between adjacent mounts (40a-e) when the mounts (40a-e) are attached to the blade is less than the length of the cable (22) between said adjacent mounts (40a-e) such that a predetermined amount of slack is provided in the cable (22) between said adjacent mounts (40a-e). A pre-assembled cable assembly for use in the method is also described together with a method of assembling the cable assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2017Publication date: October 1, 2020Applicant: Vestas Wind Systems A/SInventors: Luke Spandley, Paul Badger, Stephen Buggy
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Publication number: 20200300226Abstract: Examples are generally directed to techniques for monitoring and controlling heating elements in wind turbine blades and the wind turbine blades. One example of the present disclosure is a method of monitoring and controlling a condition of a heating element in a wind turbine blade and the wind turbine blade. The method includes measuring a voltage applied to the heating element and measuring the current flowing through the heating element. The method further includes calculating a resistance of the heating element using the measured voltage and the measured current and storing the resistance in a database. The method further includes determining whether an event corresponding to a failure of the wind turbine blade or the heating element in the wind turbine blade has occurred. When the event occurs, control of the heating element is adjusted.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: September 24, 2020Inventor: Stephen BUGGY
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Publication number: 20190145384Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure generally relate to wind turbine blades configured to minimize or eliminate buildup of ice on the blades. In order to maintain an ice free surface on a wind turbine blade, one or more ETH panels are embedded in the wind turbine blade to heat the wind turbine blade. One or more busbars are electrically connected to each of the one or more ETH panels for conducting electrical power to the ETH panels. The busbars may be disposed in an overlapping configuration to provide uniform heating of the wind turbine blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2017Publication date: May 16, 2019Inventors: Luke SPANDLEY, Paul BADGER, Stephen BUGGY
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Publication number: 20190113025Abstract: Examples are generally directed to techniques for controlling a temperature of a blade in a wind turbine system. One example of the present disclosure is a method of controlling a temperature of a blade in a wind turbine system. The method includes setting a target temperature, inputting physical conditions of the blade and ambient conditions about the blade into a processor, outputting a minimum amount of energy to a heating element of the blade required to reach the target temperature based on the physical conditions and ambient conditions, and adjusting the energy provided to the heating element to reach the target temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: April 18, 2019Inventors: Paul BADGER, Luke SPANDLEY, Stephen BUGGY, Karl GREGORY
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Publication number: 20190003463Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and controller for heating a wind turbine blade that comprises a plurality of heating zones. An icing factor is determined based on environmental conditions and one or more heating zones are determined based on the determined icing factor, wherein each heating zone comprises one or more Electro-Thermal Heating Elements. The one or more Electro-Thermal Heating Elements corresponding to the determined heating zones are activated to generate heat.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2016Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: Stephen BUGGY, Luke SPANDLEY, Paul BADGER