Turbine Or Generator Control Patents (Class 700/287)
  • Patent number: 10440504
    Abstract: Systems and methods of inspecting a wind turbine system are provided. In particular, a user device located proximate a wind turbine can obtain location data and component data associated with one or more components of the wind turbine. The component data can be associated with the location data. Maintenance data can then be determined based at least in part on the location data and the component data. The maintenance data can be associated with one or more repair procedures for the one or more components. The maintenance data can then be provided for display by the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Raymond Francis Rose, Jr., Neils Chris Schmitt, Quinn Schneller
  • Patent number: 10428792
    Abstract: A wind turbine includes a hub sub-system comprising a main hub and a shaft adapted to rotate about an axis, and a plurality of turbine blades having a pitch angle. The blades are adapted to drive the rotation of the hub sub-system to a first speed. The wind turbine further includes a pitch drive sub-system including a driving element adapted to rotate about the axis at a second speed, and further adapted to control the pitch angle of the turbine blades in relation to a difference between the first speed and the second speed. A slip enhanced generator enables the hub sub-system to rotate at a different speed than the pitch drive sub-system. The difference in speed is governed by a slip function. The wind turbine further includes an active control system adapted to control the second speed of the driving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Inventor: Wes Illing
  • Patent number: 10404066
    Abstract: A power-system management system and a method thereof, which generally manage congestion of a power system by relieving a power transmission line from being overloaded when the power transmission line is overloaded due to a rapid increase in load or the occurrence of credible accidents in the power system. To relieve the overload of the transmission line, the amount of power generated by a generator may be reduced, energy may be supplied from an energy storage device to the transmission line, or those two methods may be used together. There is provided a method of quantitatively calculating the amount of a generator's generated power desired to be reduced and the amount of power to be supplied from the energy storage device to the transmission line, in order to relieve the overload of the transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: EN Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Young Doug Moon, Wan Kyun Ham, Tay Seek Lee
  • Patent number: 10389168
    Abstract: Various embodiments include an “Intuitive System” which detects the state of grid power at home or in commercial places and/or regions and manages the operation of various electrical and electronic systems accordingly. In various embodiments, a server may receive data from devices positioned throughout the grid. The server may aggregate, analyze, present, and/or act upon the received data. The system may enable providers to manage the health of grid power, monitor reports of power failures, analyze causes and durations of failures, engage in demand response, determine peak power demands, etc. The system may actively reduce demands for power, including, for example, by selectively reducing grid power available to constituents. However, constituents may have the capability to turn to back-up power systems, whose existence may be a determining factor in which constituents receive reduced grid power. The Intuitive System may also reduce grid load by turning down high-power devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Inventor: Shailendra Suman
  • Patent number: 10381840
    Abstract: A photovoltaic (PV) power station includes at least one AC power production unit. The AC power production unit includes an energy reservoir that is supplied with DC energy from a DC power generator, such as PV panels. The energy reservoir is used as a buffer to store energy, and improve the efficiency of the PV power station. Whether or not an energy reservoir is used, decoupler devices may be used to prevent power annihilation that can decrease the amount of power delivered by the power station to the grid. In system integration for a PV power station, it is found that the declared rating of DC/AC converter in power grid convention should not be taken as the power conversion capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: LT LIGHTING (TAIWAN) CORP.
    Inventors: Geoffrey Wen-Tai Shuy, Jau-Dar Liao, Hsin-Chen Lai, Feng-Tse Chung, Hsiu-Wen Han
  • Patent number: 10375806
    Abstract: A lighting control system controls a light source that emits light to a space in which subjects stay. The lighting control system includes: an communication interface that obtains stay schedule information indicating scheduled periods in an operation period after a first time and before a second time later than the first time, the scheduled periods being periods during each of which a corresponding one of the subjects is to stay in the space; and a processor that creates an illumination schedule for causing the light source to emit the light, based on the stay schedule information, and causes the light source to emit the light according to the illumination schedule created. The processor creates, based on the stay schedule information, the illumination schedule for causing the light source to emit the light during a period including a scheduled period common to at least two of the subjects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hatta
  • Patent number: 10374431
    Abstract: A converter system for interconnecting renewable energy sources with a DC distribution bus comprises a converter unit which comprises an isolated DC-to-DC converter connectable to the renewable energy source, and a non-isolated DC-to-DC converter connectable to the DC distribution bus, which is cascade connected with the isolated DC-to-DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Francisco Canales, Frederick Kieferndorf, Drazen Dujic
  • Patent number: 10364796
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising wind turbine blades attached to a rotor hub and a control system for pitching the blades relative to the hub. The method comprises providing wake sectors assigned to different wind directions and providing a normal pitch schedule to control an output parameter of the wind turbine (e.g. power, rotational speed), comprising pitch reference values as a function of the wind speed and at least one of the parameters of thrust coefficient Ct and axial induction factor a. Further, is provided a modified pitch schedule to control a modified output parameter of the wind turbine, comprising pitch reference values in dependence of the wind speed and at least one modified parameter of the thrust coefficient and/or the axial induction factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Per Brath, Martin Ansbjerg Kjær, Jesper Sandberg Thomsen
  • Patent number: 10352795
    Abstract: A measurement processing system suitable for supporting condition monitoring of a wind turbine based upon measurements performed on electrical and mechanical parts of the wind turbine, and, while determining whether the wind turbine is connected to the electrical grid or not, determining information representative for shaft torque of the wind turbine and suited for condition monitoring of the wind turbine, based on said measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: LABORELEC CVBA
    Inventors: Koenraad De Bauw, Yann Pankow
  • Patent number: 10352301
    Abstract: A method of operating a wind power plant in a weak grid environment is provided to achieve desired system stability criteria and to support an electrical grid during disturbances or faults. The wind power plant is coupled to an electrical grid, and includes a power plant controller for controlling a plurality of wind turbine generators. The method includes, when a weak grid criterion is fulfilled, setting the power plant controller to operate in a weak grid mode by providing, when a grid voltage deviates beyond a threshold voltage, a reduced active power reference to the plurality of wind turbine generators. The method further includes, when the electrical grid recovers, generating a reduced amount of active power based on the reduced active power reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Manoj Gupta, Ravi Kumar
  • Patent number: 10333312
    Abstract: This disclosure includes various systems and methods for determining an operating stage based on electrical conditions in electric power delivery systems and identifying a control strategy based upon the operating stage. The control strategy may be selected and customized to avoid or to ameliorate stresses in an electric power delivery system while maintaining the stability of electric power delivery systems. Various embodiments consistent with the present disclosure may include a distributed controller configured receive a plurality of indications of electrical conditions from a plurality of control devices in electrical communication with the electrical power delivery system. The distributed controller may determine an operating stage from among a plurality of operating stages based upon the plurality of indications of electrical conditions. The distributed controller may further identify a control strategy based upon the operating stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregary C. Zweigle, Ellery A. Blood
  • Patent number: 10333346
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for controlling voltage fluctuations of a microgrid including a plurality of distributed generators (DGs) is presented. The computer-implemented method includes collecting, by a resiliency controller including at least a voltage control module, measurement data from the microgrid, using, by a reactive power estimator, reactive power estimations to calculate an amount of reactive power for each of the DGs, and using a dynamic droop control unit to distribute the reactive power to each of the DGs of the microgrid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Feng Guo, Ratnesh Sharma
  • Patent number: 10316833
    Abstract: A non-linear power equation may be solved in linear form by locking one or more variables and iteratively solving to accurately and quickly estimate optimized power solutions for hydroelectric power stations. Additionally, these iterative calculations may provide for long term water resource planning and more accurate estimation models. Further, such optimized power solutions may be usable to create accurate and timely water management models for the operation and planning of hydroelectric power stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Avista Corporation
    Inventors: Clint Kalich, Xin Shane
  • Patent number: 10312683
    Abstract: A method for network regulation on threshold value overshoots in a low voltage or medium voltage network, wherein control commands are transmitted from a central regulator of the low or medium voltage network to controllable components of the low voltage or medium voltage network, where information is continuously transmitted from each of the controllable components to the central regulator regarding their emergency reserves for reducing threshold value overshoots, upon a threshold value overshoot, the central regulator calculates the necessary correction and transmits a suitable action instruction to at least one controllable component, with each action instruction, a probability factor is also transmitted which is incrementally raised if, given an insufficient reaction of the controllable components, the threshold value overshoot is not prevented and thus an action instruction must be transmitted anew, and the central regulator informs the network operator if the emergency reserves of the controllable compo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Alfred Einfalt, Tobias Gawron-Deutsch
  • Patent number: 10303142
    Abstract: A method for network regulation upon threshold value overshoots in a low voltage or medium voltage network, wherein control commands are transmitted from a central regulation unit of the low or medium voltage network to controllable components of the low voltage or medium voltage network, where upon occurrence of the threshold value overshoot, the central regulation unit calculates the necessary correction and transmits a suitable action instruction to at least one controllable component, with each action instruction, a probability factor is also transmitted which is incrementally raised if, given an insufficient reaction of the controllable components, the threshold value overshoot is not prevented and thus an action instruction must be transmitted anew, and the central regulation unit informs the network operator if the emergency reserves of the controllable components are insufficient to prevent the threshold value overshoot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Alfred Einfalt, Tobias Gawron-Deutsch
  • Patent number: 10296073
    Abstract: Computing devices receive power from multiple fuel cells, consuming natural gas and outputting electrical energy natively consumable by the computing devices. The fuel cells are sized to provide power to a set of computing devices, such as a rack thereof. The computing devices of a failed fuel cell can receive power from adjacent fuel cells. Additionally, the fuel cells and computing devices are positioned to realize thermal symbiotic efficiencies. Controllers instruct the computing devices to deactivate or throttle down power consuming functions during instances where the power consumption demand is increasing faster than the power being sourced by fuel cells, and instruct the computing devices to activate or throttle up power consuming functions during instances where the power consumption demand is decreasing faster than the power being sourced by the fuel cells. Supplemental power sources, supplementing the fuel cells' inability to quickly change power output, are not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Joseph McKnight, Shaun L. Harris, Sean M. James
  • Patent number: 10298161
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a generator set are disclosed herein. The method includes determining a state of local modes selectable via a local interface proximate to the generator set. The local modes include a local standby mode and a local remote enabled mode. The method also includes determining a state of a plurality of remote modes using a command from a device remote from the location of the generator set in response to determining the remote enabled mode is active. The method includes, in response to determining the local standby mode is active, the remote enabled mode is active, and one of the remote modes is active, determining whether to activate or stop the generator set based on the active remote mode and disabling the local standby mode from controlling activation of the generator set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Cummins Power Generation IP, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan G. Priem
  • Patent number: 10291024
    Abstract: A control method performed in a microgrid. The microgrid includes at least one electrical power source and/or configured for injecting electrical power into the microgrid, a first point of common coupling (PCC) configured for allowing a first power flow between the microgrid and a first power grid, and a second PCC configured for allowing a second power flow between the microgrid and a second power grid. The method includes obtaining information about a change in the first power flow, and controlling the second power flow based on the obtained information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Ritwik Majumder, Joydeep Mukherjee, Eyke Liegmann
  • Patent number: 10288043
    Abstract: The present application includes wind turbine condition monitoring method and system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Rongrong Yu, Niya Chen, Yao Chen
  • Patent number: 10283961
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to economically operate a voltage reactive power control device by reducing a transmission loss and reducing the number of tapping operations affecting the life span of a facility. Provided is a voltage reactive power control device including a central monitoring device that includes a loss prediction information output unit calculating a bus voltage on the basis of a generation probability of a power generation pattern, and outputting loss prediction information associated with the bus voltage from system configuration information, and includes a control amount determination unit determining a control pattern of the voltage reactive power control device from the loss prediction information. According to the invention, it is possible to economically operate a voltage reactive power control device by reducing a transmission loss and reducing the number of tapping operations affecting the life span of a facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimakura, Yoshikazu Ishii
  • Patent number: 10264612
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for discovering a controller function for wireless backhaul using cellular radio access technology (RAT) such as communications systems operating according to new radio (NR) technologies. For example, such a method may include connecting to a parent relay that provides connectivity to a controller function (CF) of a network, receiving, from the parent relay, information regarding at least one of: the CF or a radio access network (RAN) area covered by the CF, obtaining an identifier of the CF using the information, and connecting to the CF using the identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Karl Georg Hampel, Soo Bum Lee, Hong Cheng, Gavin Bernard Horn, Vincent Douglas Park
  • Patent number: 10253758
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for optimizing power output of a wind farm. The method includes determining baseline loading condition(s) for wind turbines of the wind farm and defining a baseline threshold value for the load sensors. Another step includes identifying at least one wind turbine having at least one load sensor operating below the baseline threshold value. An upgrade is then provided to the identified wind turbine. In response to the upgrade, the method includes determining whether the load sensor of the identified wind turbine continues to operate below the baseline threshold value. The method also includes classifying an additional load sensor(s) of an additional wind turbine with respect to the load sensor of the identified wind turbine to determine whether to provide the additional wind turbine with the upgrade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Jay Tyber, Jianhui Chen, Scott Charles Evans, Kiersten Marie Ralston
  • Patent number: 10240586
    Abstract: A method is proposed for operating at least one wind turbine of a wind farm including determining wind turbine individual offset information based on reactive power provided by the respective wind turbine and reactive power provided by at least one further wind turbine of the wind farm, determining wind turbine individual control information based on the wind turbine individual offset information and wind farm specific control information, operating the at least one wind turbine according to the wind turbine individual control information. Further, a controller and a device as well as a computer program product and a computer readable medium are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Per Egedal, Anders Eriksen
  • Patent number: 10214821
    Abstract: An electrolyzer operates within an energy system, for example to provide grid services, energy storage or fuel, or to produce hydrogen from electricity produced from renewable resources. The electrolyzer may be configured to operate at frequently or quickly varying rates of electricity consumption or to operate at a specified power consumption. In one process of operating an electrolyzer, a series of dispatches is received indicating a specified power consumption for a period of time. The dispatches may occur at least once every 30 minutes. The electrolyzer is operated according to the dispatches. Hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer is discharged to a natural gas system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: HYDROGENICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathaniel Ian Joos, Joseph Cargnelli
  • Patent number: 10205417
    Abstract: An electric system includes a local power controller and solar panel system that includes a plurality of solar modules on one or more branch circuits. A method for commissioning the electric system includes an installer using a commissioning device to send and receive information from a remote system and the local power controller performing an automatic self-test of the electric system. The results of the self-test may be packaged with photographs and measurements of the electric system and sent to a remote system where an inspector can inspect the electric system remotely. After receiving approval by the inspector, the local power controller may automatically activate each branch circuit of the electric system and thus enabling the electric system to generate electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick L. Chapman, Anant Kumar Singh
  • Patent number: 10167851
    Abstract: In one aspect, a system for monitoring and controlling the operation of wind turbines located within a wind farm may generally include first and second wind turbines. The first wind turbine may include a first turbine controller configured to monitor an operating parameter(s) associated with the first wind turbine and provide a first control interface for controlling the operation of the first wind turbine. The second wind turbine may include a second turbine controller configured to monitor an operating parameter(s) associated with the second wind turbine and provide a second control interface for controlling the operation of the second wind turbine. The system may also include a secondary computing device coupled to the second turbine controller. The second turbine controller may be configured to provide the secondary computing device access to the first control interface in order to allow the operation of the first wind turbine to be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Borea Noto, Paul Oliver Caffrey, Joerg Hagmann
  • Patent number: 10164434
    Abstract: Systems and methods for injecting power into or extracting power out of a power network are provided. In a method, Thevenin parameters, in the form of at least a Thevenin voltage and a Thevenin resistance, of an equivalent Thevenin circuit are obtained with respect to each wire of the PCC. A total Thevenin power for all the wires is obtained, based on a specific amount of power at the PCC and the obtained Thevenin parameters. The method calculates an optimal current to be injected into or extracted from the PCC so as to inject or extract a specific amount of power. The calculation is based on the total Thevenin power and the Thevenin parameters. The method controls an injection or extraction of current at the PCC in accordance with the optimal current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
    Inventors: Michel Malengret, Charles Trevor Gaunt
  • Patent number: 10158718
    Abstract: In one example, a method is provided for a lighting node within a lighting infrastructure to communicate data to other nodes within a lighting sensory network. The method includes receiving, at the lighting node, a first message from a server instructing the lighting node to enter into a sensor transmit mode associated with a first type of sensor data, the first message including transmission parameters for transmitting secure sensor messages associated with the first type of sensor data to the other nodes and a retransmit base interval associated with the first type of sensor data. The method includes obtaining, at the lighting node, the first type of sensor data and recording a timestamp associated with a time the first type of sensor data was obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Kent W. Ryhorchuk
  • Patent number: 10152076
    Abstract: A system and method is provided that facilitates aggregation of a plurality of controllable distributed energy resources (DERs). A processor may be configured to determine DER forecasts including non-influenced power profile forecasts for a plurality of DERs that include different types of load assets that consume power, for when the DERs are not influenced via dispatches from the system, based at least in part on different physics characteristics associated with the different types of the DERs. The processor may also determine a combined reserve capacity forecast for aggregated DERs including both power assets that output power and the different types of load assets, based at least in part on an aggregation of the non-influenced power profile forecasts. In addition, the processor may control at least some of the plurality of DERs based at least in part on the combined reserve capacity forecast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Aditya Aggarwal, Erich Fuchs, Pierre Mullin
  • Patent number: 10132294
    Abstract: Method for feeding electric power into an electric supply grid by means of a wind farm, wherein the wind farm feeds into the supply grid from an interconnecting network and via a transformer, with the first interconnecting network having a interconnecting network voltage and the supply grid having a grid voltage, wherein feeding takes place based on a virtual measured voltage and a voltage of a virtual measurement point is calculated as the virtual measured voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Beekmann, Kai Busker
  • Patent number: 10103545
    Abstract: In an approach for detecting islanding effect in a power electrical network topology, a computer processor finds, in the power electrical network topology, a point of common coupling between a load and a distributed generation with potential islanding effect as well as a substation supplying power to said point of common coupling; collects operating parameters of the power grid in vicinity of said point of common coupling as well as in vicinity of said substation; determines whether islanding effect exists in said distributed generation and the load in accordance with a variation characteristic of the operating parameters of the power grid in vicinity of said point of common coupling and the operating parameters of the power grid in vicinity of said substation. Higher degree of accuracy and sensitivity of detecting islanding effect is achieved without compromising the energy quality on user side according to embodiments of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jian D. Ding, Feng Jin, Yuhang Liu, Junmei Qu, Qi M. Tian, Ya N. Zhang
  • Patent number: 10072634
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for feeding electrical power into an electrical supply network by means of at least a first and a second wind farm. A first electrical wind farm output is provided by the first wind farm to be fed into the electrical supply network and a second electrical wind farm output is provided by the second wind farm to be fed into the electrical supply network, and a total power output is generated from at least the first and second wind farm output and fed into the electrical supply network, wherein a central control unit for controlling the total power output that is fed in controls the provision of at least the first and second wind farm output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: WOBBEN PROPERTIES GMBH
    Inventor: Kai Busker
  • Patent number: 10044192
    Abstract: A microgrid is re-synchronized to a main grid or substation by determining a degree of bus angle or frequency mismatch and bus voltage mismatch between the microgrid and the main grid or substation prior to re-synchronization, determining an amount of power adjustment needed to reduce the bus angle or frequency mismatch and bus voltage mismatch to below respective predetermined thresholds, determining at least one participation factor for each microgrid bus, each participation factor indicating an amount of influence power injection by the corresponding bus has on the bus angle or frequency mismatch or on the voltage mismatch, allocating the amount of power adjustment to the microgrid buses in proportion to the participation factors assigned to the buses, and re-synchronizing the microgrid to the main grid or substation responsive to the bus angle or frequency mismatch and bus voltage mismatch satisfying the respective predetermined thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Ravindra Singh, Dmitry Ishchenko
  • Patent number: 10042332
    Abstract: An electric/thermal energy storage schedule optimizing device is provided. The electric/thermal energy storage schedule optimizing device includes a predicting unit setting predicted values of a consumed energy or a supplying energy of a plurality of control-target devices. The electric/thermal energy storage schedule optimizing device also includes a start-stop optimizing unit creating start-stop schedules of the plurality of control-target devices based on the predicted values set by the predicting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masaaki Saito, Dai Murayama, Kenji Mitsumoto, Yasuo Takagi, Yutaka Iino
  • Patent number: 10030632
    Abstract: A control device for a voltage source converter connected to a wind farm is provided. The control device includes: a power source monitor unit sensing a direct current (DC) voltage of a whole grid connected to the voltage source converter; and a control unit comparing the DC voltage of the whole grid sensed with a reference voltage, wherein the control unit adjusts an alternating current (AC) supplying to the wind farm to a setting when as a result of comparison, the DC voltage of the whole grid sensed is out of a preset range of reference voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Gum Tae Son
  • Patent number: 10026106
    Abstract: Techniques for providing a synthetic price are described herein. The techniques may include a method of synthetic price provisioning including identifying a device operating in a consumption entity, wherein the device operates at least partially based on a pricing signal provided by an energy provider. Optimal operation is determined based on the device and other devices in the consumption entity. The method includes providing a synthetic pricing signal to replace the pricing signal provided by the energy provider such that the devices operate according to the optimization model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Annabelle Pratt, Tomm Aldridge
  • Patent number: 9997922
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for feeding electrical power of at least one wind turbine or of a wind farm into an electrical supply network having a network voltage and a network frequency, wherein the method is prepared for feeding in active electrical power and reactive electrical power and the fed-in active power can be adjusted on the basis of at least one network state by means of an active-power controller and/or the fed-in reactive power can be adjusted on the basis of at least one network state by means of a reactive-power controller and the active-power controller and/or the reactive-power controller can be changed according to type and/or parameterization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Beekmann, Kai Busker
  • Patent number: 9990817
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise a system disposed within a structure comprising a network of individually addressed devices for providing building safety, security, and operational efficiency. Each device in the network may comprise a microcontroller electrically connected to a communication module, at least one output module, and/or at least one sensor module. The sensor module may produce data corresponding to a particular sensed environmental condition within its vicinity and may transmit a signal to the microcontroller based on the data for processing to identify the particular sensed environmental condition. In various embodiments, the microcontroller may communicate with any number of addressable devices in the network to effect selective activation of output modules and/or sensor modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Inventor: Daniel S. Spiro
  • Patent number: 9982653
    Abstract: The invention refers to a system and method for reinforcing a weakened area of a wind turbine blade whose interior comprises a box beam extending from the blade root to the blade tip and wherein said box beam comprises an open end at the blade root. The system is characterized by comprising a repair module (100) adapted for moving inside the box beam and transporting a reinforcement element (107) from the blade root to the weakened area; and by the repair module (100), which is adapted for applying the reinforcement element (107) onto a interior surface of the box beam in the weakened area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: GAMESA INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY, S. L.
    Inventors: Juan Jose Fuertes Thomas, Irune Larisgoitia Astobiza, Andres Riezu Corpas
  • Patent number: 9932850
    Abstract: A method, including receiving a turbine system operating parameter. The turbine system operating parameter includes an indication of a frequency variation of an electric power system associated with the turbine system. The method includes determining a correction factor to vary the output of the turbine system according to the frequency variation, wherein the correction factor is based on a droop power response and a nominal droop power ratio. The droop power response is calculated based on a gas turbine power output and a speed-load error. The method further includes varying the output of the turbine system based at least in part on the correction factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Inventors: Yuhui Chen, Bryan Edward Sweet, Scott William Szepek
  • Patent number: 9896960
    Abstract: A system includes a power generation system and a controller that controls the power generation system. The controller includes a processor that generates a model of the power generation system that estimates a value for a first parameter of the power generation system. The processor also receives a measured value of the first parameter. The processor further adjusts a correction factor of the model such that the estimated value of the first parameter output by the model is approximately equal to the measured value of the first parameter. The processor also generates a transfer function that represents the correction factor as a function of a second parameter of the power generation system. The processor further displays the transfer function along with one or more previously generated transfer functions to quantify degradation of the power generation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Spencer Ewens, Frederick William Block, William Forrester Seely
  • Patent number: 9837821
    Abstract: Systems that allow energy allocation for energy storage cooperation are disclosed, with specific methods outlined concerning allocating energy stored by an energy storage device between a utility provider, a customer, and/or a third party. The methods may include allocating a portion of stored energy for a utility provider's benefit which may be gained as a result of a part of the allocated energy being dispatched into a utility network and allocating another portion of energy stored in the energy storage device for the benefit of the customer. Additional embodiments disclose the dispatching of the energy stored, signals used to bring about a dispatch, the nature of the relationship between the utility provider, the customer, and the energy stored, methods for making energy available to a utility provider without a prearranged reservation of the energy, penalties for misallocating energy, apparatus for allocating energy and causing dispatch, and more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Green Charge Networks LLC
    Inventor: Richard C. Galati
  • Patent number: 9822766
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind farm is provided. The wind farm includes at least two groups of wind turbines, each of the at least two groups of wind turbines includes at least one wind turbine of the wind farm, each of the wind turbines of the wind farm belonging to one of the at least two groups of wind turbines. The method includes determining a power setpoint for the wind farm, determining a group curtailment setpoint for each of at least two groups of wind turbines, determining a power production value of each of the at least two groups of wind turbines, determining for each of the at least two groups of wind turbines a power reference value using the respective group curtailment setpoint and the respective power production value, determine for each of the at least two groups of wind turbines a group power setpoint which is proportional to the respective power reference values, and operating the at least two groups of wind turbines in accordance with the respective group power setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark Edward Cardinal, Kuruvilla Pallathusseril Kuruvilla, Enno Ubben
  • Patent number: 9811064
    Abstract: Embodiments may include a method of curtailing an output level of an EG system. The method may include receiving, at a processor, a first dynamic control signal. The first dynamic control signal may include an instruction to adjust an output level of an EG system to a first output level. The method may also include maintaining the output level of the EG system at the first output level for a predetermined period. The method may further include determining, by the processor, whether a second dynamic control signal is received during the predetermined period. If a second dynamic control signal is not received during the predetermined period, the method may include ramping down the output level at a predetermined rate after the predetermined period until a predetermined failsafe output level is achieved. The predetermined failsafe output level may be maintained until a third dynamic control signal is received by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: SolarCity Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Daniel Carlson, Nathan Murthy
  • Patent number: 9803461
    Abstract: Systems and methods for managing fuel and electrical power supplied to a drilling rig during all phases of a drilling operation. The system includes a power source in electrical communication with the drilling rig, and an engine management module operatively associated with the power source and configured to monitor power consumption of the drilling rig and recommend methods to manage energy provided thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: NABORS DRILLING TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.
    Inventor: Scott G. Boone
  • Patent number: 9806665
    Abstract: A photovoltaic power plant includes a photovoltaic inverter that converts direct current generated by solar cells to alternating current. The output of the photovoltaic inverter is provided to a point of interconnection to a power grid. A meter at the point of interconnection may be read to detect the output of the photovoltaic inverter at the power grid. The photovoltaic power plant includes a plant controller with a state machine. The plant controller is configured to adjust setpoints of the photovoltaic inverter to control the output of the photovoltaic power plant. The plant controller is also configured to soft start and soft stop automatic voltage regulation (AVR) of the photovoltaic power plant to prevent perturbing the AVR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventor: Lars Johnson
  • Patent number: 9793723
    Abstract: A plurality of storage battery modules include storage battery control devices that can mutually communicate with each other and obtain a demand for electric power in a predetermined consumer in which the plurality of storage battery modules are provided. The storage battery control devices mutually transmit and receive charging/discharging electric power of the storage batteries and control charging/discharging of the plurality of storage battery modules, respectively, on the basis of the demand for electric power in the predetermined consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Taminori Tomita, Yasuko Shiga, Takaharu Ishida, Michiki Nakano
  • Patent number: 9773303
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a prediction system for short-term solar irradiance and the method for operating the same. A total sky imager is adopted for acquiring sky images. After imaging, the images are operated for calculating the shading value of sunlight according to the sky images. Then, according to the shading values of sunlight for different times, the trend value for power generation can be calculated. According to the trend value of power generation, whether to start other power sources via power deployment in the near future can be determined and thus maintaining the stability of the overall power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Atomic Energy Council, Executive Yuan, R.O.C.
    Inventors: Chih-Chieh Ma, I-Tao Lung, Wan-Li Hsu
  • Patent number: 9759132
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine control system is disclosed having a model and an observer that together can be used to adjust a command issued to the gas turbine engine or associated equipment to improve performance. In one form the control system includes a nominal model that is adjusted to real time conditions. The adjusted model is used with a Kalman filter and is ultimately used to determine a perturbation to a control signal. In one form the perturbation can be to a legacy controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Syed Jalaluddin Khalid
  • Patent number: 9742351
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for collecting state information of a solar module, which map a physical shape of a solar module, a string, and an array to a network layer of a modem, a repeater, and a gateway, and receive information about a solar power generation state from a node of an activated lower layer, thereby increasing an efficiency of data collection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chang Sic Choi, Jin Soo Han, Wan Ki Park, Il Woo Lee