Patents by Inventor Ulrich Harms

Ulrich Harms 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: 11268492
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine comprises capturing an actual value of a fed-in power (Pact) and determining a power deviation based on the captured actual value of the fed-in power (Pact). A signal value is set for a correction of a setpoint value for the rotor blade pitch angle when one of the power deviation exceeds a predetermined maximum value and the power deviation exceeds a maximum gradient threshold value over a specified period of time. The signal value is cleared when one of the power deviation falls below a predetermined minimum value and a grid voltage value is located in a predetermined band around a specified target voltage value. A correction value (d?/dt*) is determined for the setpoint value of the rotor blade pitch angle depending on the power deviation and applied to a rotor blade pitch control when the signal value is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Detlef Drossel, Ulrich Harms
  • Publication number: 20200318610
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine comprises capturing an actual value of a fed-in power (Pact) and determining a power deviation based on the captured actual value of the fed-in power (Pact). A signal value is set for a correction of a setpoint value for the rotor blade pitch angle when one of the power deviation exceeds a predetermined maximum value and the power deviation exceeds a maximum gradient threshold value over a specified period of time. The signal value is cleared when one of the power deviation falls below a predetermined minimum value and a grid voltage value is located in a predetermined band around a specified target voltage value. A correction value (d?/dt*) is determined for the setpoint value of the rotor blade pitch angle depending on the power deviation and applied to a rotor blade pitch control when the signal value is set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: Nordex Energy GMBH
    Inventors: Detlef Drossel, Ulrich Harms
  • Patent number: 9033660
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a wind turbine having an elongated stand apparatus, a generator rotatably mounted on the stand apparatus, and a rotor coupled to the generator via a rotor hub and the wind turbine also having an elongated rotor blade. A position of a radar system is determined with respect to the wind turbine and at least one area is determined for the rotational axis of the rotor as a function of the determined position which is not intended to be permanently assumed for alignment of the rotational axis of the rotor about the longitudinal axis of the stand apparatus. The wind turbine is operated with the at least one determined area not being permanently assumed for the alignment of the rotational axis of the rotor about the longitudinal axis of the stand apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Arlt, Guillaume Steinmetz, Ulrich Harms, Gerd Hose
  • Patent number: 8816871
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring a static and/or dynamic stability of a wind turbine. The wind turbine has a tower, a nacelle, which is supported by the tower, and a rotor, which is mounted in or on the nacelle and has at least one rotor blade which can be adjusted about its longitudinal axis. The method includes the following steps: the wind turbine is excited to oscillate in at least one direction. A frequency (fm) of the excited oscillation is detected. The detected frequency is compared with a predetermined frequency (fref) and an alarm signal is generated if the detected frequency deviates from the predetermined frequency by more than a difference value (?f).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Detlef Drossel, Ulrich Harms
  • Patent number: 8686581
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine when a grid fault with a voltage drop occurs. The turbine has a rotor with a rotor blade having an adjustable blade pitch angle, a generator connected to the rotor for generating power for a power grid and a converter connected to the generator and the power grid. The grid fault is identified and a present value of a turbine variable representing a power is detected and a hold setpoint for the variable representing a power of the turbine is preset. A maximum and/or minimum permissible setpoint for the variable of the turbine is determined. The setpoint is increased or reduced once the hold time has elapsed. The turbine is driven with a setpoint preset which corresponds to the rotational speed. A presetting of the maximum permissible setpoint is ended when the rotational speed-dependent setpoint is lower than the maximum permissible setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Harms, Malte Laubrock
  • Publication number: 20130043845
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine when a grid fault with a voltage drop occurs. The turbine has a rotor with a rotor blade having an adjustable blade pitch angle, a generator connected to the rotor for generating power for a power grid and a converter connected to the generator and the power grid. The grid fault is identified and a present value of a turbine variable representing a power is detected and a hold setpoint for the variable representing a power of the turbine is preset. A maximum and/or minimum permissible setpoint for the variable of the turbine is determined. The setpoint is increased or reduced once the hold time has elapsed. The turbine is driven with a setpoint preset which corresponds to the rotational speed. A presetting of the maximum permissible setpoint is ended when the rotational speed-dependent setpoint is lower than the maximum permissible setpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Ulrich Harms, Malte Laubrock
  • Patent number: 8332076
    Abstract: A wind farm with plural wind turbines which are connectible to a farm grid that is in turn connectible to an electricity supply mains via a connection point, wherein the wind farm features the following: a central control system, which determines a correction value for a local desired value for one or plural wind turbines by way of a first regulator, depending on an actual value of an electric variable before or after the connection point, and a turbine control for at least one wind turbine, which determines a local desired value for an electric variable to be generated by the wind turbine by way of a second regulator, depending on an actual value of an electric variable measured in the farm grid, wherein the turbine control determines the sum of the local desired value and the correction value as the total desired value for the electric variable of the wind turbine to be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Kurt Fischle, Ulrich Harms, Mark Jurkat, Kay Richter
  • Publication number: 20120195756
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a wind turbine having an elongated stand apparatus, a generator rotatably mounted on the stand apparatus, and a rotor coupled to the generator via a rotor hub and the wind turbine also having an elongated rotor blade. A position of a radar system is determined with respect to the wind turbine and at least one area is determined for the rotational axis of the rotor as a function of the determined position which is not intended to be permanently assumed for alignment of the rotational axis of the rotor about the longitudinal axis of the stand apparatus. The wind turbine is operated with the at least one determined area not being permanently assumed for the alignment of the rotational axis of the rotor about the longitudinal axis of the stand apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Volker Arlt, Guillaume Steinmetz, Ulrich Harms, Gerd Hose
  • Publication number: 20120139740
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring a static and/or dynamic stability of a wind turbine. The wind turbine has a tower, a nacelle, which is supported by the tower, and a rotor, which is mounted in or on the nacelle and has at least one rotor blade which can be adjusted about its longitudinal axis. The method includes the following steps: the wind turbine is excited to oscillate in at least one direction. A frequency (fm) of the excited oscillation is detected. The detected frequency is compared with a predetermined frequency (fref) and an alarm signal is generated if the detected frequency deviates from the predetermined frequency by more than a difference value (?f).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Detlef Drossel, Ulrich Harms
  • Patent number: 8080890
    Abstract: A method for the operation of a wind turbine comprising a rotor with at least one rotor blade, a generator and a speed regulator for regulating the rotational speed of a drive train element by adjusting a generator torque and/or a blade pitch angle, comprising the steps of: determining the angular speed of the drive train element through the time derivative of an angular position signal, determining the angular acceleration of the drive train element, presetting desired values for the generator torque and/or the blade pitch angle taking into account the angular speed of the drive train element and the angular acceleration of the drive train element, wherein the angular acceleration of the drive train element is determined from the angular position signal, wherein a filtering with an upper cut off frequency is performed after the first time derivative of the angular position signal and before a second time derivative of the angular position signal, said upper cut off frequency being tuned to a maximum adjustme
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Harms, Wolfgang Kabatzke
  • Patent number: 7905704
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind energy plant with a rotor having rotor blades which have an adjustable blade pitch, characterized in that the adjustment of the blade pitch takes place with an adjustment velocity and/or an adjustment acceleration, wherein the magnitude of the adjustment velocity and/or the magnitude of the adjustment acceleration is depending from a desired value and an actual value of the blade pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Harms, Detlef Schluter
  • Patent number: 7834476
    Abstract: A method for running in a drive train component of a wind energy plant, wherein the wind energy plant has an operation management which can control at least one operational variable B significant for the strain of the drive train component to a desired value BS, wherein after starting up the drive train component, the desired value BS is limited by a maximum value BMax, which is preset depending on a yield value W which describes the yield of the wind energy plant achieved since starting up the drive train component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Nitzpon, Hauke Karstens, Ulrich Harms
  • Patent number: 7826988
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for determining a characteristic curve (9) for an electric variable (Pel, Q, ?, cos ?, IP, IQ) of a wind energy plant (1). According to the present invention, it is provided that at least one characteristic value of the electric variable (Pel, Q, ?, cos ?, IP, IQ) is measured for at least one value of the wind (vW), and for the at least one value of the wind (vW), a characteristic value of the electric variable (Pel, Q, ?, cos ?, IP, IQ) is adapted from a predetermined characteristic curve (7) containing characteristic values of the electric variable (Pel, Q, ?, cos ?, IP, IQ) as a function of different values of the wind (vW), taking into account the characteristic value measured for the at least one value of the wind (vW).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Mark Jurkat, Ulrich Harms
  • Publication number: 20100268393
    Abstract: A wind farm with plural wind turbines which are connectible to a farm grid that is in turn connectible to an electricity supply mains via a connection point, wherein the wind farm features the following: a central control system, which determines a correction value for a local desired value for one or plural wind turbines by way of a first regulator, depending on an actual value of an electric variable before or after the connection point, and a turbine control for at least one wind turbine, which determines a local desired value for an electric variable to be generated by the wind turbine by way of a second regulator, depending on an actual value of an electric variable measured in the farm grid, wherein the turbine control determines the sum of the local desired value and the correction value as the total desired value for the electric variable of the wind turbine to be generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Kurt Fischle, Ulrich Harms
  • Patent number: 7809477
    Abstract: A method for starting up a wind energy plant after an operation stoppage, wherein the wind energy plant has a gearbox in the drive train and an operation management which can control at least one operational variable significant for the strain of the gearbox B of the wind energy plant to a desired value BSoll, wherein after the operation stoppage, the desired value BSoll is limited by a maximum value BMax, which is preset depending on a measured temperature of a gearbox component and/or of a lubricant for the gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Nitzpon, Hauke Karstens, Ulrich Harms
  • Publication number: 20100225113
    Abstract: A method for the operation of a wind turbine comprising a rotor with at least one rotor blade, a generator and a speed regulator for regulating the rotational speed of a drive train element by adjusting a generator torque and/or a blade pitch angle, comprising the steps of: determining the angular speed of the drive train element through the time derivative of an angular position signal, determining the angular acceleration of the drive train element, presetting desired values for the generator torque and/or the blade pitch angle taking into account the angular speed of the drive train element and the angular acceleration of the drive train element, wherein the angular acceleration of the drive train element is determined from the angular position signal, wherein a filtering with an upper cut off frequency is performed after the first time derivative of the angular position signal and before a second time derivative of the angular position signal, said upper cut off frequency being tuned to a maximum adjustme
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Harms, Wolfgang Kabatzke
  • Patent number: 7756609
    Abstract: A method for the operation of a wind park with a plurality of wind energy plants, which each one have one control unit at a time, which can control and/or adjust the wind energy plant in response to a received desired value for an electric variable, the method having the following steps: a higher order control calculates and/or receives a currently permitted maximum value for the electric variable which the wind park is allowed to provide, the higher order control determines a desired value for the electric variable for each wind energy plant and forwards the same to the wind energy plants, characterized in that the higher order control determines the desired value for each one of the wind energy plants depending on the currently maximum and/or minimum available values of all the wind energy plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Mark Jurkat, Ulrich Harms
  • Patent number: 7714458
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind energy plant having a rotor with at least one rotor blade which has an adjustable pitch angle and a generator coupled to the rotor, and a regulation means which, if a there is a deviation of the rotation speed of the generator or rotor from a rotation speed set point, adjusts the pitch angle of the at least one rotor blade such that the rotation speed set point is reached again, wherein an electrical quantity provided by the wind energy plant by means of a generator and fed into a grid is reduced to a predetermined value in a short time by a reduction of a preset value for the generator, wherein prior to the regulation means noticing a deviation of the rotation speed of the rotor or generator from the rotation speed set point effected by the reduction of the preset value, an adjustment of the at least one rotor blade to a new pitch angle is initiated, wherein at the new pitch angle the rotation speed of the rotor or the generator reaches the rotation speed set point at the reduce
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Harms, Wolfgang Kabatzke, Mark Jurkat
  • Patent number: RE44464
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for determining a characteristic curve (9) for an electric variable (Pel, Q, ?, cos ?, IP, IQ) of a wind energy plant (1). According to the present invention, it is provided that at least one characteristic value of the electric variable (Pel, Q, ?, cos ?, IP, IQ) is measured for at least one value of the wind (vW), and for the at least one value of the wind (vW), a characteristic value of the electric variable (Pel, Q, ?, cos ?, IP, IQ) is adapted from a predetermined characteristic curve (7) containing characteristic values of the electric variable (Pel, Q, ?, cos ?, IP, IQ) as a function of different values of the wind (vW), taking into account the characteristic value measured for the at least one value of the wind (vW).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Mark Jurkat, Ulrich Harms
  • Patent number: RE44921
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind energy plant having a rotor with at least one rotor blade which has an adjustable pitch angle and a generator coupled to the rotor, and a regulation means which, if a there is a deviation of the rotation speed of the generator or rotor from a rotation speed set point, adjusts the pitch angle of the at least one rotor blade such that the rotation speed set point is reached again, wherein an electrical quantity provided by the wind energy plant by means of a generator and fed into a grid is reduced to a predetermined value in a short time by a reduction of a preset value for the generator, wherein prior to the regulation means noticing a deviation of the rotation speed of the rotor or generator from the rotation speed set point effected by the reduction of the preset value, an adjustment of the at least one rotor blade to a new pitch angle is initiated, wherein at the new pitch angle the rotation speed of the rotor or the generator reaches the rotation speed set point at the reduce
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Nordex Energy GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Harms, Wolfang Kabatzke, Mark Jurket