Patents by Inventor Thomas Sieber

Thomas Sieber 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: 8738192
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine having at least one blade includes determining an ambient air operating envelope and controlling a power output of the wind turbine at least partially based on the determined ambient air operating envelope. Determining an ambient air operating envelope includes measuring at least one of an ambient air temperature, an ambient air pressure, an ambient air humidity, and wind turbine power output. The method also includes comparing at least one of a measured ambient air temperature, a measured ambient air humidity and a measured ambient air pressure to predetermined ambient air temperature, pressure and humidity values. The method further includes referencing the predetermined ambient air temperature, pressure and humidity values to at least one operational parameter of the wind turbine. The method also includes determining if an existing wind turbine power output is within a range associated with the determined ambient air operating envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ulrich Uphues, Craig Leonard Christenson, Donald Rogers, Peter Gregg, Henk-Jan Kooijman, Ryan LeClair, Thomas Siebers, Frank T. Ormel
  • Patent number: 8685127
    Abstract: A compact filter has a compact filter element for exchangeable use in a filter housing and the compact filter element has a filter body of a web-shaped filter medium. The web-shaped filter medium has at least one flat filter medium web and one corrugated filter medium web that are placed onto each other and at least partially connected to each other by ultrasonic welding. At least one of the flat and corrugated filter medium webs is a composite filter medium web of at least two components, wherein at least one component is a synthetic material and one component is a non-synthetic material. The non-synthetic material is a plant-derived material and forms a support of the composite filter medium web and the synthetic material is a synthetic layer applied on the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Mann + Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Heim, Thomas Sieber, Josef Rohrmeier, Klaus Gehwolf, Joachim-Paul Krieger, Sven Epli, Tanja Majer, Andrés Moreno Linares, Jobst Eisengraeber-Pabst
  • Patent number: 8349049
    Abstract: The invention relates to a compact filter element (1) for exchangeable use in a filter housing (2). The compact filter element (1) has a filter body (3) with a longitudinal axis (7) and at least one seal (4) arranged in the area of a front end (5) of the filter body (3), the seal having a seal section (8) which is arranged across the width (10) of a housing wall (6), sealing same. The seal section (8) projects beyond a front surface (12) of the filter body (3) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (7). The seal section (8) has a peripheral support wall (9) and at least one seal lip (17) integrally bonded to the outside of the support wall (9), across the width (10) of the latter, wherein the support wall (9) and the seal lip (17) consist of a rubber elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Mann+Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Amesöder, Thomas Sieber
  • Publication number: 20120279186
    Abstract: A compact filter has a compact filter element for exchangeable use in a filter housing and the compact filter element has a filter body of a web-shaped filter medium. The web-shaped filter medium has at least one flat filter medium web and one corrugated filter medium web that are placed onto each other and at least partially connected to each other by ultrasonic welding. At least one of the flat and corrugated filter medium webs is a composite filter medium web of at least two components, wherein at least one component is a synthetic material and one component is a non-synthetic material. The non-synthetic material is a plant-derived material and forms a support of the composite filter medium web and the synthetic material is a synthetic layer applied on the support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: MANN+HUMMEL GMBH
    Inventors: Michael HEIM, Thomas SIEBER, Josef ROHRMEIER, Klaus GEHWOLF, Joachim-Paul KRIEGER, Sven EPLI, Tanja MAJER, Andrés MORENO LINARES, Jobst EISENGRAEBER-PABST
  • Patent number: 8283798
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind energy system is provided wherein the method comprises determining the effective wind speed taking into account the load on the rotor blades of said wind energy system exerted by the wind is provided. A computer-readable medium is provided that provides instructions which when executed by a computing platform cause the computing platform to perform operations wherein the operations include the method according to embodiments described herein. Further, a wind energy system having a calculation unit adapted for calculating the effective wind speed by taking into account the load on the rotor blades of said wind energy system exerted by the wind is provided. Further, a wind speed sensor free wind energy system having a generator for generating electric energy and a controller for shutting down and/or starting the electric energy generation in dependence of the wind speed is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Siebers, Henk-Jan Kooijman
  • Publication number: 20120211985
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind energy system is provided wherein the method comprises determining the effective wind speed taking into account the load on the rotor blades of said wind energy system exerted by the wind is provided. A computer-readable medium is provided that provides instructions which when executed by a computing platform cause the computing platform to perform operations wherein the operations include the method according to embodiments described herein. Further, a wind energy system having a calculation unit adapted for calculating the effective wind speed by taking into account the load on the rotor blades of said wind energy system exerted by the wind is provided. Further, a wind speed sensor free wind energy system having a generator for generating electric energy and a controller for shutting down and/or starting the electric energy generation in dependence of the wind speed is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas Siebers, Henk-Jan Kooijman
  • Publication number: 20120198803
    Abstract: A filter device has a compact filter made of a filter material that is wound spirally. A star filter that is made of a filter material that has folds arranged in a star shape surrounds the compact filter. The filter device has a cylindrical shape. A fluid to be filtered passes the compact filter in an axial direction and the star filter in a radial direction. The filter device is exchangeable and is mounted in a filter housing such that the compact filter and the star filter have a common raw side and a common clean side that are separated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: MANN+HUMMEL GMBH
    Inventors: Yassine Maaradji, Jens Hähn, Jan Karl Zink, Joachim Stinzendõrfer, Stefan Becker, Karlheinz Münkel, Michael Wolf, Werner Blossey, Mario Rieger, Ralf Poh, Josef Rohrmeier, Thomas Sieber, Andreas Pelz, Rolf Sanders, Manfred Winter
  • Patent number: 8192163
    Abstract: The present patent application concerns an apparatus for cleaning an outer surface of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the apparatus comprising a first frame and a cleaning device, the cleaning device being adapted to conform to the outer surface and connected to the first frame, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be slidably positioned on the outer surface of the rotor blade, to slide along, and to be pressed onto the outer surface. Further, it concerns an apparatus for cleaning a leading edge of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the apparatus comprising a first frame and a cleaning device, the cleaning device being adapted to conform to the leading edge and being connected to the first frame, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be slidably positioned on the leading edge of the rotor blade, to slide along and to be pressed onto the leading edge during standstill of a wind rotor comprising the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Siebers, Rainer Arelt
  • Patent number: 8183707
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind energy system is provided wherein the method comprises determining the effective wind speed taking into account the load on the rotor blades of said wind energy system exerted by the wind is provided. A computer-readable medium is provided that provides instructions which when executed by a computing platform cause the computing platform to perform operations wherein the operations include the method according to embodiments described herein. Further, a wind energy system having a calculation unit adapted for calculating the effective wind speed by taking into account the load on the rotor blades of said wind energy system exerted by the wind is provided. Further, a wind speed sensor free wind energy system having a generator for generating electric energy and a controller for shutting down and/or starting the electric energy generation in dependence of the wind speed is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Siebers, Henk-Jan Kooijman
  • Publication number: 20110206515
    Abstract: A yaw drive system for a wind energy system includes a hydraulic yaw motor for adjusting the yaw angle of a nacelle of a wind energy system, at least one hydraulic pump adapted for providing a pressurized hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic line system, including at least one line connecting the at least one hydraulic pump and the at least one hydraulic yaw motor, and at least one overpressure valve. The at least one overpressure valve is connected to at least one flow path of the hydraulic fluid between the at least one hydraulic pump and the at least one hydraulic motor. Further, a method for changing a yaw angle of a wind turbine nacelle is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas EDENFELD, Thomas SIEBERS
  • Publication number: 20110099961
    Abstract: The invention relates to a compact filter element (1) for exchangeable use in a filter housing (2). The compact filter element (1) has a filter body (3) with a longitudinal axis (7) and at least one seal (4) arranged in the area of a front end (5) of the filter body (3), the seal having a seal section (8) which is arranged across the width (10) of a housing wall (6), sealing same. The seal section (8) projects beyond a front surface (12) of the filter body (3) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (7). The seal section (8) has a peripheral support wall (9) and at least one seal lip (17) integrally bonded to the outside of the support wall (9), across the width (10) of the latter, wherein the support wall (9) and the seal lip (17) consist of a rubber elastic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: MANN+HUMMEL GMBH
    Inventors: Dieter Amesoeder, Thomas Sieber
  • Patent number: 7823437
    Abstract: A method for re-calibrating an anemometer of a wind turbine is provided, the method comprising the steps of obtaining pairs of measured values of wind speed and a wind-speed dependent turbine variable; comparing said measured value pairs to pairs of wind speed and the turbine variable obtained from an expected turbine variable curve of the wind turbine to determine a difference between a measured wind speed value and an expected wind speed value for a given turbine variable value; and adjusting a calibration function of said anemometer on the basis of said determined difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Siebers, Henk-Jan Kooijman, Donald Rogers
  • Patent number: 7645313
    Abstract: A filter element (1) wound from a plurality of filter layers in which the circumferential contour (5, 5?) of a cross-sectional area (4) of the filter element (1) has at least one circumferential contour section (5?) undercutting the envelope contour (6, 6?) of the cross-sectional filter element area (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Lampert, Andreas Pelz, Josef Rohrmeier, Thomas Sieber, Mario Rieger
  • Publication number: 20100003138
    Abstract: The present patent application concerns an apparatus for cleaning an outer surface of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the apparatus comprising a first frame and a cleaning device, the cleaning device being adapted to conform to the outer surface and connected to the first frame, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be slidably positioned on the outer surface of the rotor blade, to slide along, and to be pressed onto the outer surface. Further, it concerns an apparatus for cleaning a leading edge of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the apparatus comprising a first frame and a cleaning device, the cleaning device being adapted to conform to the leading edge and being connected to the first frame, wherein the apparatus is adapted to be slidably positioned on the leading edge of the rotor blade, to slide along and to be pressed onto the leading edge during standstill of a wind rotor comprising the rotor blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Thomas SIEBERS, Rainer Arelt
  • Publication number: 20080307853
    Abstract: A method for re-calibrating an anemometer of a wind turbine is provided, the method comprising the steps of obtaining pairs of measured values of wind speed and a wind-speed dependent turbine variable; comparing said measured value pairs to pairs of wind speed and the turbine variable obtained from an expected turbine variable curve of the wind turbine to determine a difference between a measured wind speed value and an expected wind speed value for a given turbine variable value; and adjusting a calibration function of said anemometer on the basis of said determined difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Siebers, Henk-Jan Kooijman, Donald Rogers
  • Publication number: 20080112807
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine having at least one blade includes determining an ambient air operating envelope and controlling a power output of the wind turbine at least partially based on the determined ambient air operating envelope. Determining an ambient air operating envelope includes measuring at least one of an ambient air temperature, an ambient air pressure, an ambient air humidity, and wind turbine power output. The method also includes comparing at least one of a measured ambient air temperature, a measured ambient air humidity and a measured ambient air pressure to predetermined ambient air temperature, pressure and humidity values. The method further includes referencing the predetermined ambient air temperature, pressure and humidity values to at least one operational parameter of the wind turbine. The method also includes determining if an existing wind turbine power output is within a range associated with the determined ambient air operating envelope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: Ulrich Uphues, Craig Leonard Christenson, Donald Rogers, Peter Gregg, Henk-Jan Kooijman, Ryan LeClair, Thomas Siebers, Frank T. Ormel
  • Patent number: 7363808
    Abstract: A technique for correcting measurement error in data produced by a nacelle-based anemometer and for determining free stream wind speed for a wind turbine involves ascertaining parameters related to the wind turbine and the operation thereof, and using the parameters and data from the nacelle based anemometer as inputs to an algorithm to provide for determination of corrected wind speed data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Frank T. Ormel, Alexander Donth, Thomas Siebers, Clement Faucherre, Henning Luetze
  • Publication number: 20070186527
    Abstract: A filter element (1) wound from a plurality of filter layers in which the circumferential contour (5, 5?) of a cross-sectional area (4) of the filter element (1) has at least one circumferential contour section (5?) undercutting the envelope contour (6, 6?) of the cross-sectional filter element area (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Lampert, Andreas Pelz, Josef Rohrmeier, Thomas Sieber, Mario Rieger
  • Publication number: 20070125165
    Abstract: A technique for correcting measurement error in data produced by a nacelle-based anemometer and for determining free stream wind speed for a wind turbine involves ascertaining parameters related to the wind turbine and the operation thereof, and using the parameters and data from the nacelle based anemometer as inputs to an algorithm to provide for determination of corrected wind speed data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Inventors: Frank Ormel, Alexander Donth, Thomas Siebers, Clement Faucherre, Henning Luetze