Method Of Operation Patents (Class 416/1)
  • Patent number: 10108766
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for analyzing fatigue of a structure and optimizing a characteristic of the structure based on the fatigue analysis are disclosed herein. An example method disclosed herein includes obtaining mass and unit stress values of a plurality of details of interest of a structural component, calculating fatigue margins for each of the details of interest, identifying among the calculated fatigue margins any negative fatigue margins associated with one or more of the details of interest, and adjusting, via a processor, a dimensional characteristic of each detail of interest associated with the negative fatigue margin(s) until positive fatigue margin(s) at each detail of interest is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Micah D. Druckman, Milan Stefanovic, Omid B. Nakhjavani
  • Patent number: 10107263
    Abstract: A method of managing computing tasks in a wind farm is provided. The method comprises determining the status of a plurality of wind turbines in the wind farm, determining available computing resources based on the status of the plurality of wind turbines, and allocating a portion of the computing tasks to the available computing resources for processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Hun Yi Lock
  • Patent number: 10100812
    Abstract: A wind turbine system is presented. The wind turbine system includes a wind turbine tower, a plurality of blades, a rotor supported by the wind turbine tower and rotatably coupled to the plurality of blades, a torque control device coupled to the rotor, and a control system programmed to predict an over-speeding time T of an occurrence of an over-speed rotor event based at least in part upon a current rotor acceleration and a current rotor speed, that cannot be compensated by an available counter-torque margin of the torque control device, and, in response, to generate pitch commands for the pitch angles of the plurality of blades to avoid the over-speed rotor event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ameet Shridhar Deshpande, Pranav Agarwal
  • Patent number: 10099776
    Abstract: An actuation assembly includes a first shaft comprising a first end disposed opposite a second end. The actuation assembly further includes a second shaft with a first end disposed opposite a second end. The first end of the second shaft is disposed within the second end of the first shaft such that the first end of the second shaft can move relative the second end of the first shaft. A fluid chamber formed between the first shaft and the second shaft at the second end of the first shaft. Magnetorheologic fluid is disposed inside the fluid chamber and a magnetic field generating coil is disposed around the second end of the first shaft and the first end of the second shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Richard A. Himmelmann
  • Patent number: 10066601
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for manufacturing a wind turbine rotor blade that can be easily lifted and lowered to and from a rotor installed atop a tower. The method includes providing a plurality of root inserts for a blade root of the blade and securing at least one cylindrical member to one of the root inserts such that the cylindrical member is substantially perpendicular with the root insert. The method also includes arranging the root inserts in a blade mold of the blade and forming a blade shell with the plurality of root inserts laminated therein. The method may further include securing at least one attachment component within each of the cylindrical members so as to provide an attachment location for a pulley cable used to lift and lower the rotor blade to and from the rotor installed atop the tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ulrich Werner Neumann
  • Patent number: 10060412
    Abstract: The invention regards an apparatus for adjusting the yaw of a wind turbine adapted for mounting on a wind turbine comprising, a system for measuring the wind direction adapted, via a control signal, to control the yaw angle of the wind turbine based on the wind direction, and a wind sensor system adapted to determine the yaw error of the wind turbine, and means for modifying the control signal based on the yaw error determined by the wind sensor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: ROMO Wind AG
    Inventor: Jesper Kjaer Hansen
  • Patent number: 10047722
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for controlling a wind turbine having a rotor with a plurality of rotor blades mounted thereto based on a spatial wind speed distribution. The method includes monitoring, via at least one sensor, one or more operating conditions of the wind turbine. The method also includes determining a rotor azimuth angle of the wind turbine. In addition, the method includes determining, via a physics-based model, at least one individual wind speed for one or more of the rotor blades of the wind turbine based on the one or more operating conditions and the rotor azimuth angle. The method also includes determining a spatial wind speed distribution of the wind turbine based on the at least one individual wind speed. Thus, the method further includes controlling the wind turbine based on the spatial wind speed distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Prashanth Kumar Reddy Vaddi, Venkata Krishna Vadlamudi, Pranav Agarwal, Ameet Shridhar Deshpande
  • Patent number: 10036367
    Abstract: The invention regards a method for controlling the pitch angle of at least one wind turbine blade in a rotor connected to a main shaft on a wind turbine, the method comprises the steps of determining; a first component of the wind vector which is upwind, horizontal and aligned with the main shaft direction and, a second component of the wind vector which is upwind, perpendicular to the first component of the wind vector, wherein the first component of the wind vector and the second component of the wind vector are determined by use of at least one ultrasonic sensor mounted on the rotor, whereby the pitch angle is controlled based on the first component of the wind vector and the second component of the wind vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: ROMO Wind AG
    Inventors: Jesper Kjær Hansen, Jørgen Højstrup
  • Patent number: 10036692
    Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a method for estimating rotor blade loads, e.g. a blade root resultant moment, of a wind turbine. In one embodiment, the method includes measuring, via one or more sensors, a plurality of operating parameters of the wind turbine. Another step includes estimating out-of-plane and in-plane forces acting on the rotor blade based at least partially on the plurality of operating parameters. Further, the method includes determining an application point for the out-of-plane and in-plane forces along a span of the rotor blade. A further step includes estimating out-of-plane and in-plane moments of the rotor blade based at least partially on the out-of-plane and in-plane forces and the respective application points. Thus, the method includes calculating the load acting on the rotor blade based at least partially on the out-of-plane and in-plane moments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Franklin Perley, Brandon Shane Gerber, Tim Robert Gerloff
  • Patent number: 10024304
    Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine includes obtaining weather data indicative of one or more weather conditions at the wind turbine, estimating wake profiles based on the obtained weather data, estimating far-field sound propagation in a direction of a noise sensitive site based on the estimated wake profiles, generating a yaw signal, wherein the yaw signal controls the yaw of a nacelle relative to a tower of the wind turbine, estimating a noise level at the noise sensitive site, and adjusting the yaw signal if the estimated noise level at the noise sensitive site exceeds a threshold noise level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Seongkyu Lee
  • Patent number: 10012214
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a wind farm is provided. The wind farm includes a plurality of wind turbines and a wind farm controller. The controller is configured to detect a high wind condition from at least one wind turbine in the wind farm, reduce a parameter setpoint of at least one other wind turbine, and increase a cut-out wind speed threshold of the at least one other wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Martin Ansbjerg Kjær, Ali Zaib, Erik Carl Lehnskov Miranda
  • Patent number: 10012209
    Abstract: A method of determining a degree of yaw error of a wind turbine is provided. The method includes obtaining wind pressure measurement values from in front of the rotor plane, which wind pressure measurement values exhibit a periodic nature related to a rotation of a spinner of the wind turbine, performing a signal processing step to process the wind pressure measurement values to determine a phase offset of the wind pressure measurement values relative to an angular reference, and deriving a yaw error angle from the phase offset. A method of establishing a relationship between a phase offset of wind pressure measurement values and a degree of yaw error of a wind turbine, a yaw error determination unit, and a wind turbine are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jimmi Andersen, Jan Martin Jensen, Johnny Rieper
  • Patent number: 10012215
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for capturing a blade angle of a rotor blade of a rotor of a wind turbine, comprising the steps disposing and aligning a contactless measuring device in front of the wind turbine, aligning the wind turbine in its azimuth position in relation to the measuring device, rotating the rotor of the wind turbine, sampling and capturing the profile of the rotor blade, or a part thereof, at a predefined height, by means of the contactless measuring device, and determining the blade angle of the rotor blade from the data recorded during the sampling of the profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Jürgen Stoltenjohannes
  • Patent number: 9995274
    Abstract: The invention concerns a rotor hub of a wind power installation comprising a handling apparatus for lifting the rotor hub by means of a crane for mounting the rotor hub to a pod arranged on a wind power installation pylon, wherein the handling apparatus is so adapted that upon being lifted at a fixing portion of the handling apparatus the rotor hub rotates from a perpendicular orientation with a substantially perpendicular hub axis into a horizontal orientation with a substantially horizontal hub axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Knoop, Gerrit Kuiper
  • Patent number: 9995270
    Abstract: A rotor blade of a wind turbine is provided, wherein the rotor blade has a flow deflection device for influencing an airflow flowing from the leading edge section of the rotor blade to the trailing edge section of the rotor blade. The flow deflection device passively changes its configuration depending on the bending of the rotor blade. Furthermore, the airflow is influenced such that load on the rotor blade is reduced. Furthermore, a method to reduce load on a rotor blade of a wind turbine is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peder Bay Enevoldsen, Alejandro Gomez Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 9976539
    Abstract: A control method and a control system for a wind turbine are disclosed. The control method comprises measuring wind turbine blade pitch angles; obtaining a wind turbine rotor acceleration value; determining whether a blade pitch runaway fault condition is occurring; and during the blade pitch runaway fault condition, adjusting a pitch angle command based at least in part on the rotor acceleration value, a pitch angle of at least one faulted blade and a pitch angle of a healthy blade; and controlling wind turbine blades based at least in part on the adjusted pitch angle command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Fabiano Daher Adegas, Xiongzhe Huang, Pranav Agarwal
  • Patent number: 9938960
    Abstract: The invention allows orientation of the platform (1) in order to obtain conditions of maximum efficiency in the wind turbine (16). It comprises first sensors (8) for detecting an effective rotation axis angle (?) formed between the rotation axis (2) and a horizontal plane (24); second sensors (9) for detecting wind direction (23); platform orientation means (11) for modifying the effective rotation axis angle (?); and at least one control unit (12) adapted for receiving a first input (13) from the first sensors (8) and a second input (14) from the second sensors (9) and, based on said inputs (13, 14), transmitting orders to the platform orientation means (11) and yaw mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: ACCONIA WINDPOWER, S.A.
    Inventors: Teresa Arlabán Gabeiras, José Miguel García Sayés, Miguel Núñez Polo
  • Patent number: 9932963
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the azimuth of a wind power plant, in which, during an azimuthal rotation of a machine housing with a rotor on a tower of the wind power plant, a constant residual pressure for generating a constant residual holding torque is applied to at least one azimuth braking device. Also an azimuth adjustment system for a wind power plant and to a wind power plant. In the disclosed method, the constant residual pressure and/or the constant residual holding torque are/is set as a function of at least one wind speed parameter before commencement of the azimuthal rotation, and the residual pressure and/or the residual holding torque are/is not changed during the azimuthal rotation, in particular during energization of azimuth drive motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Senvion SE
    Inventor: Marco Hansen
  • Patent number: 9926911
    Abstract: One or more controllers may perform one or more methods to control one or more air deflector units of one or more wind turbine rotor blades. The methods include per-blade control methods that may be performed, e.g., to reduce blade loading caused by wind gusts. The methods also include collective control methods that may be performed, e.g., to reduce tower motion and/or rotor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Butterworth, Tobias G. Wehrhan
  • Patent number: 9920744
    Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to systems and methods for detecting rotor asymmetry of a wind turbine. The method includes measuring wind condition at a location downwind of the rotor for a plurality of rotor positions. Another step includes storing the measured wind condition(s) in predetermined wind bins. The method also includes analyzing the stored wind conditions for each of the predetermined wind bins. If a particular wind bin reaches a certain threshold of captured data points, then the method includes determining a variance between each of the stored wind conditions for the predetermined wind bins that have reached the threshold, wherein a variance between any one of the measured wind conditions greater than a predetermined amount is indicative of rotor asymmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thorsten Honekamp
  • Patent number: 9903341
    Abstract: Control method for a wind turbine which comprises the steps of obtaining a first signal regarding the azimuthal position for each blade, obtaining at least one signal indicative of wind speed, and calculating a blade pitch angle control term. The step of calculating the blade pitch angle control term comprises the use of at least one function dependent on the at least one signal indicative of wind speed and the at least one function dependent on the at least one signal indicative of wind speed includes an increasing piece within a range of wind speed values below a nominal wind speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Acciona Windpower, S.A.
    Inventors: Carlos Molins Garralda, Alberto Garcia Barace, Jose Luis Laborda Rubio, Teresa Arlaban Gabeiras, Alejandro Gonzalez Murua, Jose Luis Aristegui Lantero, Jose Miguel Garcia Sayes, Miguel Nunez Polo
  • Patent number: 9869548
    Abstract: A method for determining the inclination of a tower, in particular of a wind turbine, in relation to the gravitational field, by evaluating the output signal from an acceleration sensor configured to pick up static acceleration in the direction of a sensor measurement axis, which method is simple to use and can be carried out on any wind turbines. It is proposed that the acceleration sensor is attached to a component, preferably to a main frame, which can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the tower in an azimuth angular range of at least 180°, such that the sensor measurement axis is oriented substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the component, the output signals, in the case of various azimuth angles, being successively measured and recorded by rotating the component between measurements, the inclination being determined by evaluation of the series of measurements obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: GL Garrad Hassan Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Nils Heining
  • Patent number: 9848035
    Abstract: Measurement exchange networks and protocols to exchange measurements of a parameter amongst devices (e.g., IoT devices), select the best measurement(s), accuracy/precision-wise, and determine a process variable for a control system based on the selected best measurement(s). A device may select a peer-provided best measurement to output as the process variable in place of a local measurement, and/or compute the process variable from multiple best measurements (e.g., local and/or peer-provided measurements). Metadata may be used to select a measurement(s) and/or to increase reliability/trust of exchanged data. In this way, each device of an exchange group/network may obtain the highest measurement accuracy of all available collocated sensors with little or no additional processing or cloud connectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Oleg Pogorelik, Alex Nayshtut, Alan Tatourian, Omer Ben-Shalom
  • Patent number: 9822762
    Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for operating a wind turbine. The method includes determining an actual operating time for one or more wind turbine components at multiple power levels; determining a corresponding wind condition for each of the operating times at each power level; estimating a loading condition acting on the one or more wind turbine components at the multiple power levels and the corresponding wind conditions; estimating an accumulated fatigue life consumption of the one or more wind turbine components based at least partially on the operating times and the estimated loading conditions; and, operating the wind turbine based on the accumulated fatigue life consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Henk-Jan Kooijman, Neils Chris Schmitt, Kapil Dagg
  • Patent number: 9822768
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wind turbine comprising a rotor hub (7) rotating about a rotor axis (8), rotor blades (9, 10, 11) extending radially with respect to the rotor axis (8) at the same angular spacing relative to one another, and a remote wind gauge (19) that is fastened externally on the surface of the hub (7) in a mounting (20) and oriented such that wind characteristics at a distance in front of the hub (7) can be ascertained or measured, wherein the remote wind gauge (19) is arranged between two neighbouring rotor blades (9, 10) and in the radial direction of the rotor axis (8) and the mounting (20) is fastened to a respective blade bearing flange (21, 22) in the region of the connection of the rotor hub (7) to the rotor blades (9, 10), such that the remote wind gauge (19) can be retrofitted to the wind turbine (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: SSB Wind Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Norbert Kötting
  • Patent number: 9790926
    Abstract: Counterweight systems for a wind turbine comprising a hub mounted to a nacelle such that the hub is rotatable around a rotation axis with respect to the nacelle, the hub comprising a blade root region configured to receive a root of a blade and having a pitch system configured to rotate the blade around a pitch axis. The counterweight system comprises a beam mountable to the blade root region at a first point of the beam and a counterweight mass coupled to the beam at a second point of the beam, such that, when the beam is mounted to the blade root region, the beam is arranged substantially perpendicular to the pitch axis and the pitch system can cause the counterweight mass to rotate around the pitch axis. Methods are also provided of mounting one or more blades to a wind turbine hub by using such counterweight systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: ALSTOM Renewable Technologies
    Inventor: Santiago Canedo Pardo
  • Patent number: 9771806
    Abstract: A turbine blade has hollowness, and is provided with a back-side wall of which a portion of the inner wall surface is exposed at the rear edge portion, with cooling air flown along the inner wall surface at the exposed region; and a recess provided in the inner wall surface at the exposed region. The contour of the recess (5) viewed from the normal direction of the inner wall surface of the back-side wall is set to a shape that is symmetrical centered on a reference axis (L) that intersects the flow direction of cooling air, and that broadens along the reference axis (L).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignees: IHI CORPORATION, THE SOCIETY OF JAPANESE AEROSPACE COMPANIES
    Inventors: Yoji Okita, Akira Murata
  • Patent number: 9752449
    Abstract: An annulus filler, mounted to a rotor disc of a gas turbine engine and bridging the gap between two adjacent blades attached to the rotor disc, is disclosed. The annulus filler, formed from a polymer matrix composite material, includes an outer lid, defining an airflow surface for air drawn through the engine in an axial airflow direction, and a support structure, connectable to the rotor disc, to support the rear of the lid on the rotor disc. The support structure has two support walls extending from opposing lateral sides of the lid to an attachment strap for receiving a hook on the rotor disc, the attachment strap bridging the support walls. Under centrifugal loads, the opposing support walls resiliently deform. Each support wall has a concave rear edge. Each rear edge has a first curved section, a second curved section and a substantially straight section therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC, FACC AG
    Inventors: Kristofer John Bottome, James Andrew Lee, Paul Mason, Ewan Fergus Thompson, Gion Barandun, Markus Henne, Konstantin Horejsi, Martin Fleischmann, Christof Obertscheider, Thomas Keusch
  • Patent number: 9745051
    Abstract: An engine control device having a calculator for calculating a pitch setpoint for at least one propeller of the engine, the calculator taking account at least of a flight speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Nicolas Jerome Jean Tantot, Thierry Brichler
  • Patent number: 9745035
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling an outboard motor mounted on a boat and having an internal combustion engine and a variable pitch propeller, characteristics defining a desired pitch angle of the propeller that makes fuel consumption minimum relative to a navigation speed of the boat are memorized and the pitch angle of the propeller is controlled to the desired pitch angle that is corresponding to the navigation speed detected by a navigation speed detector in accordance with the characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Hiroshima, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9739162
    Abstract: An annulus filler is provided for mounting to a rotor disc of a gas turbine engine and bridging the gap between two adjacent blades attached to the rotor disc. The annulus filler is substantially entirely formed from a polymer matrix composite material. It has an outer lid which defines an airflow surface for air being drawn through the engine in an axial airflow direction, and a support structure which is connectable to the rotor disc to support the lid on the rotor disc. The support structure has two support walls extending from opposing lateral sides of the lid to an attachment strap for receiving a hook on the rotor disc, the attachment strap bridging the support walls. In use, under centrifugal loads, the opposing support walls resiliently deform to allow outward radial movement of the lid. Each support wall is thickened in a region neighboring the attachment strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Kristofer John Bottome, Paul Mason, James Andrew Lee, Ewan Fergus Thompson
  • Patent number: 9729096
    Abstract: An aircraft electrical power generation system includes an AC generator having a rotor including a plurality of electromagnetic rotor-windings and stator including plurality of electrical stator-windings. The rotor mechanically coupled to a shaft of a gas turbine engine by transmission-system. The generator includes a frequency controller, a torque sensor determining a torque on the transmission-system by the generator and controller to operate the system in first and second modes. In first mode, the power output frequency of the generator controlled by the frequency controller within limits, and reduced idle signal going to a turbine engine controller. In second mode, the power output frequency of the generator not controlled by the frequency controller and increased idle signal going to the turbine engine controller. The controller operates the system in first mode when the torque is below a limit, and in second mode when the torque is above a limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Huw Llewelyn Edwards
  • Patent number: 9711964
    Abstract: A method for controlling operation of a power generation and delivery system while increasing a power output of the power generation and delivery system is described. The method includes, monitoring an output parameter of the power generation and delivery system and determining a rate of change of the output parameter as a function of time. A reactive current command signal is generated a as a function of the determined rate of change of the output parameter. Operation of a power converter is controlled based at least partially on the reactive current command signal to facilitate maintaining a substantially constant terminal voltage as the power output of the power generation and delivery system is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Alfredo Sebastian Achilles, Einar Vaughn Larsen
  • Patent number: 9709024
    Abstract: A free stream fluid kinetic energy conversion device combines a large diameter freewheeling primary rotor with small diameter secondary power takeoff rotors placed within the lift induced blade tip vortices of the primary rotor. This enables use of high rotational speed generating units and avoids diseconomy of scale in gearbox expense. The device partially recovers otherwise lost blade tip vortex energy. The freewheeling primary rotor transmits no reaction torque to the support structure. Resilient buoyant tether deployment accommodates transient eddy induced structural loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventor: John Hincks Duke
  • Patent number: 9702338
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10) for manufacturing a fiber composite component (3, 4, 5), which is connected to an attachment element (22), for a rotor blade (2) of a wind turbine (1), wherein the fiber composite component (3, 4, 5) is or will be manufactured from at least one fiber material (15, 21) and at least one matrix material, wherein the attachment element (22) is provided with a first region (221) arranged outside of the fiber composite component (3, 4, 5) and a second region (222) integrated into the fiber composite component (3, 4, 5), comprising a manufacturing mold (11) for the fiber composite component (3, 4, 5) with a recess (12), wherein the recess (12) has a first region (121) for receiving the first region (221) of the attachment element (22), and a retention device (13), by means of which fluid matrix material is or will be retained from the first region (121) of the recess (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignees: Senvion SE, Carbon Rotec GMBH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Tilman Richers, Lenz Simon Zeller, Kai Danekas
  • Patent number: 9664174
    Abstract: Aerodynamic root adapters for rotor blades include an interior support section having a first end that connects to a root end of the rotor blade and a second end that connects to a rotor hub of the wind turbine, and, an aerodynamic exterior section supported by the interior support section. The aerodynamic exterior section thereby extends an aerodynamic profile of the rotor blade beyond the root end of the rotor blade to at least partially between the root end of the rotor blade and the rotor hub when the aerodynamic root adapter is connected thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Saravakota Sambamurty, Mohan Muthu Kumar Sivanantham, Afroz Akhtar
  • Patent number: 9637221
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a propeller of a contra-rotation open fan (CROF) engine of an aircraft is provided. A diameter of the propeller is set to be at a first diameter during at least a portion of a first flight condition of the aircraft. The diameter of the propeller is set to be at a second diameter, different from the first diameter, during at least a portion of a second flight condition of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Matthew David Moore, Kelly L. Boren, Robin Blair Langtry
  • Patent number: 9631605
    Abstract: A pitch system (20) for rotating a blade (4) of a wind turbine relative to a hub (6) generally comprises a bearing (22) having an inner bearing ring (30) configured to be mounted to the hub and an outer bearing ring (32) configured to be mounted to the blade. A first coupling member (24) positioned between the hub and inner bearing ring extends radially inward. A second coupling member (26) positioned between the blade and outer bearing ring extends radially inward and over the inner bearing ring. A drive system (28) includes a first drive member (34) coupled to the first coupling member and a first driven member (36) coupled to the second coupling member. The first drive member is configured to move the first driven member to rotate the outer bearing ring relative to the inner bearing ring and thereby pitch the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Jesper Lykkegaard Neubauer, Ole Mølgaard Jeppesen, Robert Rowntree, Leif Christoffersen, Peter Bøttcher, Gerry Madden
  • Patent number: 9631516
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive (1) of a tail rotor (12) of a helicopter (10) by a permanently excited transversal flux machine in duplex arrangement in such a way that between two stators (4), which each have a toroidal winding system (8), there is arranged a disc-shaped impeller (5), which has permanent magnets (15) and on the outer circumference of which propeller blades (14) of the tail rotor (12) are arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jens Hamann, Hans-Georg Köpken, Dietmar Stoiber
  • Patent number: 9581141
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for monitoring wind turbines, generally comprising a microphone for picking up acoustic emissions from a wind turbine and outputting a signal corresponding to the emissions; a filter for splitting the signal into a plurality of signals according to a plurality of frequency bands; and a processor for processing the plurality of signals and generating sound level data corresponding to at least a subset of the frequency bands. The system compares the sound level data with a sound threshold and generates an alarm signal when the sound level data exceeds the sound threshold. Alternatively, the system may include different thresholds corresponding to the different frequency bands, and an alarm can be generated when one or more of the different thresholds are exceeded by the different signals in the different frequency bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Inventus Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Ann Frey, Frank Roark, Miguel Gonzalez, Daniel M. Brake
  • Patent number: 9567978
    Abstract: A control system for a wind turbine includes a detecting system configured to determine at least one of a rotor load, a wind shear, a wind speed, and a load imbalance due to wind shear. An adjusting system is configured to adjust a shaft moment set point correction value based on at least one of the rotor load, the wind shear, the wind speed, and the load imbalance. A compensating system is configured to compute a shaft moment correction command based on the shaft moment set point correction value output from the adjusting system. A pitch system is configured to adjust a pitch of at least one blade of the wind turbine based on the shaft moment set point correction command, or a yaw system is configured to adjust the yaw position of a rotor based on the shaft moment set point correction command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Monika Marwaha, Brandon Shane Gerber, Jignesh Govindlal Gandhi, Mark Edward Cardinal, Thomas Franklin Perley
  • Patent number: 9567869
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting icing and other loadings on blades of wind turbines. Advantageously, the method utilizes existing wind turbine actuators, for example pitch actuators, far excitation of blade vibrations. Vibration sensors on the blade such as strain sensors or accelerometers measure the blade vibrations excited in response to the actively excised vibrations. By comparing the measured response with previously obtained reference responses, it is possible to determine if blade icing is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Steen M. Lauritsen, Erik Carl Lehnskov Miranda
  • Patent number: 9556850
    Abstract: A method of controlling a wind turbine rotor blade, the blade comprising a pitch axis about which the blade can be pitched, and a flap movable to alter the aerodynamic profile of the blade, the method comprising the steps of: providing a pitch angle request (?) to a pitch actuator; determining an initial flap angle request (?_flap); providing a decoupled flap angle request (?) to a flap actuator; herein the decoupled flap angle request (?) is calculated from the pitch angle request (?) and the initial flap angle request (?_flap) such that the decoupled flap angle (?) provided to the flap actuator does not counteract the pitch angle request (?); and pitching the blade according to the pitch angle request (?) and moving the flap according to the decoupled flap angle request (?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Jenny Goodman, Kelvin Hales
  • Patent number: 9523279
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade extending from a blade root to a blade tip. The rotor blade has a pressure side surface and a suction side surface. The pressure side surface and the suction side surface each extend between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The assembly also includes a blade root extension configured to attach to one of the pressure side surface or the suction side surface of the rotor blade adjacent to the blade root. The blade root extension includes at least one blade fence and at least one airflow modifying element. The blade fence extends between a proximal end and a distal end in a chord-wise direction. The proximal end is configured to attach to the rotor blade such that the distal end remains free and spaced apart from the rotor blade. The airflow modifying element is configured at the proximal end of the blade fence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stefan Herr, Biju Nanukuttan, Santhosha Yelwal Srikanta, Karthick Prabhu
  • Patent number: 9464626
    Abstract: A floating wind turbine (1) for electric power production and a method for use of the wind turbine (1) is described. The wind turbine (1) includes a hull (2) attached to a supporting column (2?) for a wind turbine (3) arranged to be put into rotation by wind force acting on rotor blades (3?). The wind turbine (1) is connected to a buoyancy device (4) by a coupling device (5). The buoyancy device (4) encircles at least a portion of the hull (2) and supports at least a portion of the mass of the wind turbine (1). The coupling device (5) is a rotary coupling arranged in such a way that the wind turbine (1) is able to rotate an angle from an essentially vertical position towards a horizontal position, or the opposite. The hull (2) is provided with an adjustable ballast (9, 12) arranged to balance the wind turbine (1) about the rotary coupling (5) in any position between the positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Windel AS
    Inventor: Magne Tolo
  • Patent number: 9458729
    Abstract: An aircraft engine including: a stator; a main shaft; a first rotor; a second rotor; a transmission mechanism; a first electrical apparatus supported by the first rotor and a second electrical apparatus supported by the second rotor; at least one first field winding supported by the stator; a control unit configured to circulate direct electric current in the first field winding; at least one first armature winding supported by the first rotor and connected to the first electrical apparatus and at least one second armature winding supported by the second rotor and connected to the second electrical apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: LABINAL POWER SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Eric De Wergifosse, Cedric Duval
  • Patent number: 9459179
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a state of a drive train of a wind power plant. The drive train including at least one component which is mechanically connected to a rotating element of the drive train and at least one acceleration sensor connected to the rotating element and located at a distance from a rotational axis of the drive train. The at least one acceleration sensor is configured to rotate about the rotational axis of the drive train at the distance. A signal of the at least one acceleration sensor is sensed in terms of its timing at least one rotational speed of the rotating element and is examined for interference frequencies which correspond to damage in the drive train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Brenner, Dirk Schollbach
  • Patent number: 9452831
    Abstract: An individual blade control system (IBCS) for a rotor system having a rotor hub is provided including a plurality of blade cuffs mounted to the rotor hub. Each blade cuff is configured to receive a rotor blade and rotate about a blade axis. A plurality of electrical actuators is mounted to the rotor hub adjacent at least one of the plurality of blade cuffs. Each electrical actuator is configured to rotate about an actuator axis. The plurality of blade axes and the plurality of actuator axes are arranged in a plane. Each electrical actuator is coupled to an adjacent blade cuff such that rotation of one of the plurality of electrical actuators causes a proportional rotation of one of the blade cuffs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bryan D. Mayrides, William A. Welsh, Michael Joseph DeVita, Timothy Fred Lauder
  • Patent number: 9435320
    Abstract: Described embodiments include a wind turbine system. In this embodiment, the system includes a wind turbine including a rotor blade having a controllable feature and attached to a rotor hub drivingly coupled to an electric generator. The controllable feature is configured if activated to decrease a noise generated by the rotor blade and correspondingly to decrease electric power generated by the electric generator. The wind turbine system includes a sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of present or possible future noise generation state of the rotor blade. The wind turbine system includes a noise manager circuit configured to select a noise mitigation measure responsive to the detected parameter and in compliance with a minimum electric power generation requirement assigned to the wind turbine. The wind turbine system includes a control circuit configured to activate the controllable feature in response to the selected noise mitigation measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: William David Duncan, Roderick A. Hyde, David B. Tuckerman, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9435214
    Abstract: A device for setting a turbomachine propeller blade is provided. The setting device includes a first disc and a second disc respectively provided with first and second coupling devices, the first and second discs being coaxial; and a system for tilting at least one of the first and second discs with respect to the other. During a tilting of at least one of the first and second discs with respect to the other, the coupling distance of the at least one blade on the first and second discs remains constant, bringing about the rotation of the at least one blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Norman Jodet, Adrien Dubois, Rasika Fernando, Mathieu Gruber