Turbine Or Generator Control Patents (Class 700/287)
  • 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
  • Patent number: 9709037
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind farm including a plurality of wind turbines is provided. The method includes computing an error between a farm-level base point power and a measured wind farm power, generating an aggregated farm-level active power set point for the wind farm based on the error and a frequency response set point, generating aggregated turbine-level active power set points based on the aggregated farm-level active power set point, transmitting the aggregated turbine-level active power set points, determining aero power set points and storage power set points for the respective wind turbines and energy storage elements of the respective wind turbines from the aggregated turbine-level active power set points, and controlling the plurality of wind turbines for delivering aero power based on the respective aero power set points and controlling the energy storage elements to provide storage power based on the respective storage power set points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Deepak Raj Sagi, Avijit Saha, Govardhan Ganireddy, Mark Edward Cardinal, Rajni Kant Burra
  • Patent number: 9709623
    Abstract: The apparatus for monitoring a photovoltaic system includes an incoupling circuit configured to couple an AC voltage test signal into the photovoltaic system, and an outcoupling circuit configured to outcouple a response signal, which is associated with the test signal, from the photovoltaic system, and an evaluation device, which is connected to the outcoupling circuit. The evaluation device is configured to identify events which adversely affect correct operation of the photovoltaic system. The apparatus is distinguished in that the outcoupling circuit includes a first transformer and a second transformer, each having a respective primary winding and each having a respective secondary winding which is connected to the evaluation device, with the primary windings of the first and second transformers being arranged in different electrical lines between a generator and an inverter in the photovoltaic system. The disclosure also relates to a corresponding method for monitoring a photovoltaic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Marcel Kratochvil, Sebastian Bieniek, Holger Behrends, Markus Hopf
  • Patent number: 9599053
    Abstract: A torque requesting module generates a first torque request for a spark ignition engine based on driver input. A torque conversion module converts the first torque request into a second torque request. A model predictive control (MPC) module determines a set of target values based on the second torque request, a model of the engine, and a matrix having dimensions of (m+n) by (m+n). n is an integer greater than zero that is equal to a number of lower boundary constraints used in the determination of the set of target values. m is an integer greater than zero that is equal to a number of constraints used in the determination of the set of target values other than the lower boundary constraints. An actuator module controls opening of an engine actuator based on a first one of the target values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ruixing Long, Alberto Bemporad, Daniele Bernardini, Ning Jin
  • Patent number: 9587625
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to using remote sensing equipment such as a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) device to detect wind characteristics for use by wind turbines of a wind park. A wind park controller may received raw wind data from the remote sensing device and determine one or more turbines that can use the raw wind data. The raw wind data may be converted to customized data for each of the one or more wind turbines. Upon being provided the customized wind data, the one or more wind turbines may adjust one or more operational characteristics to improve power production or avoid damage to turbine components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Ali Zaib, Robert Bowyer
  • Patent number: 9557899
    Abstract: A visualization system utilizing pre-configured visualization profiles and templates to reduce the level of effort and time required to commission an industrial automation visualization system. The preconfigured visualization profiles and templates include graphic displays, informational reports and data sampling and collection strategies appropriate for the specific sector of manufacturing or industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Joseph McGreevy, Michael John Pantaleano, Bruce Gordon Fuller, Ian Edward Tooke, Kevin John Albert, John Joseph Baier, Jan Pingel
  • Patent number: 9551322
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods and systems for optimizing operation of a wind farm are presented. The method includes receiving new values corresponding to at least some wake parameters for wind turbines in the wind farm. The method further includes identifying new sets of interacting wind turbines from the wind turbines based on the new values. Additionally, the method includes developing a farm-level predictive wake model for the new sets of interacting wind turbines based on the new values and historical wake models determined using historical values of the wake parameters corresponding to reference sets of interacting wind turbines in the wind farm. Furthermore, the method includes adjusting one or more control settings for at least the new sets of interacting wind turbines based on the farm-level predictive wake model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Akshay Krishnamurty Ambekar, Krishnarao Dattaram Dhuri, Siddhanth Chandrashekar, Kalpit Vikrambhai Desai, Anup Menon
  • Patent number: 9537320
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a communication power with multi-energy-source supply and a control method. The communication power includes: an inputting unit (21), configured to receive at least two kinds of electrical energy and provide the at least two kinds of electrical energy to an allocating unit (22); the allocating unit (22), configured to allocate at least one kind of electrical energy of the at least two kinds of electrical energy determined by a monitoring unit (25) to a power converting unit (23) according to the control of the monitoring unit (25); the power converting unit (23), configured to perform power conversion on the at least one kind of electrical energy allocated by the allocating unit (22), and then provide the converted power to an outputting unit (24); the outputting unit (24), configured to supply power to an external load; and the monitoring unit (25). With the present disclosure, the modules for input allocating, power converting, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mingming Liu, Yanni Meng, Lingqiao Teng, Baohang Zhou, Shuwang Wei
  • Patent number: 9515486
    Abstract: An output control device for a wind farm which includes n number of wind turbines includes a WTG output obtaining unit for obtaining a current output Pi of each of the wind turbines; an extractable output calculation unit for calculating an extractable output Pmaxi for each of the wind turbines; a potential output calculation unit for calculating a potential output Ppoti of each of the wind turbines based on a difference between the extractable output Pmaxi and the current output Pi of each of the wind turbines; and a WTG output determination unit for determining an output command value of each of the wind turbines so that a total output PWF of the wind farm becomes closer to an output target value PWF*. The WTG output determination unit assigns an output increase amount to each of the wind turbines and to determine the output command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Yasugi, Tsutomu Kii, Mitsuya Baba, Yoshiaki Hori
  • Patent number: 9496812
    Abstract: A control system for controlling a set point of an individual power output of each wind turbine. The wind turbines are grouped into a plurality of groups of wind turbines and each group associated to a sub control unit. A main control unit is adapted to determine a set point for a total power output of each group based on a reference set point for an overall power output of the wind park and on data being indicative for current characteristics of the wind park and adapted to distribute the determined set points between the sub control units via main control signals being provided to the sub control units. Each main control signal is indicative for the set point. Each sub control unit is adapted to determine a set point for an individual power output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Martin Nygaard Kragelund, Joergen Nygaard Nielsen, Tjip Pasma, Jan Oestergaard Poulsen, Michael Stoettrup
  • Patent number: 9494624
    Abstract: A method of real-time monitoring of the operation of a wind turbine in an operational region of theoretically constant power coefficient is disclosed. The method comprises measuring the electrical power generated by the wind turbine, a representative wind speed, and an ambient temperature. The wind power available to the wind turbine for a given moment in time may be calculated based on the measured ambient temperature and measured representative wind speed. The aerodynamic power captured by the wind turbine at the same moment in time may be determined based on the measured electrical power generated. And the practical power coefficient may be calculated by dividing the aerodynamic power captured by the calculated available wind power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: ALSTOM RENOVABLES ESPANA, S.L.
    Inventor: Josep Prats Mustarós
  • Patent number: 9473057
    Abstract: A system for wind power dispatch that includes a wind farm controller for controlling operation of wind turbines in a wind farm and regulating real time power output of the wind farm. The system also includes a wind power dispatch management system for computing a difference between a predefined power output and the real time power output and dispatching a transient wind farm reserve to reduce the difference or, if the transient wind farm reserve is insufficient to reduce the difference, additionally or alternatively dispatching a storage reserve to reduce the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ranji Kant Burra, Minesh Ashok Shah, Govardhan Ganireddy, Victor Robert Abate, Venkatarao Ryali, Akshay Ambekar
  • Patent number: 9450417
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method or management system which 1) dispatches high efficiency generators first, 2) charges/discharges energy storage units in a way to enhance efficiency of generators in the system or avoid the necessity of dispatching generators during their low efficiency operations at all. In this way the method or management system utilizes its knowledge about the efficiency characteristics of generators in the system and its ability to change the net demand seen by the generators through charge and discharge of energy storage units to increase the overall efficiency of the energy system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Babak Asghari, Ratnesh K. Sharma, Ali Hooshmand
  • Patent number: 9450516
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an inverter system for energy-storing microgrid and a controlling method thereof, wherein the inverter system for energy-storing microgrid is integrated with a detecting module, a controlling and processing module, a visual resistor algorithmic processor, and a PWM signal generator. Moreover, the controlling and processing module is installed with a power-voltage reducing function and a reactive power-frequency reducing function for making the controlling and processing module be able to properly distribute the intensity and output ratio of all the output currents of the inverters according to the charge states of battery modules and load currents. Therefore, the current supply of each of the parallel connected inverters in the inverter system can be automatically distributed and modulated for effectively providing necessary electric power to each of connected loads, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONAL CHUNG SHAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Hsuang-Chang Chiang, Chao-Tsung Ma, Kuo-Kuang Jen, Yi-Lun Chen
  • Patent number: 9429069
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an open brayton bottoming cycle includes a heat exchanger configured between a compressor and an expander. The heat exchanger is configured to receive heat from a heat source and supply at least a portion of the exhaust heat to an expander using a fluid. The compressor configured to supply compressed fluid to the heat exchanger. The expander has a shaft connected to the compressor and configured to supply energy to the compressor. At least one of the compressor or the expander has an efficiency greater than 80 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: StarRotor Corporation
    Inventors: Dan Price, Mark T. Holtzapple
  • Patent number: 9422869
    Abstract: A method of tuning a gas turbine includes receiving a first plurality of operating parameters as the gas turbine engine is operated at a first operating state. Further, the method includes operating the gas turbine engine at a second operating state to measure a second plurality of operating parameters at the second operating state. In addition, the method includes operating the gas turbine engine at a third operating state to measure a third plurality of operating parameters at the third operating state, wherein the first, second, and third operating states are different from each other. Additionally, the method includes generating a correction factor based on the first, second, and third plurality of operating parameters. The method also includes adjusting the operation of the gas turbine engine based on the correction factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Rex Allen Morgan, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr., Scott Richard Baker
  • Patent number: 9419437
    Abstract: A distributed energy resource (DER) exchanges with each neighboring DER portions of the total demand for power accumulated by the DER and each neighboring DER and portions of a total capability of the network to generate the total power accumulated by the DER and each neighboring DER before each communication step. The DER updates the portion of the total demand for power and total capability accumulated by the DER using the portions of the total demand and the portions of the total capability received from the neighboring DERs. After the fixed number of communication steps, the DER accumulates the total demand for power and the total capability of the network and generates an amount of the power as a product of the total demand for the power and a ratio of a maximum capability of the DER to generate the power and the total capability of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mouhacine Benosman, Evangelos Polymeneas
  • Patent number: 9360870
    Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for a system for controlling fluid systems and for remotely controlling fluid control devices. In some described embodiments, the system includes at least one fluid control device, a proportional valve driver coupled to the at least one fluid control device, a wireless network, and at least one user controller device coupled to the proportional valve driver through the wireless network. In some described embodiments, the proportional valve driver comprises a wireless transceiver, a proportional translation unit, and a parameter unit. The proportional valve driver comprises a wireless transceiver operable to establish a communication channel with a user controller, receive a request signal, transmit the request signal to a processor for deconstruction and execution, and transmit a response signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Lynch Fluid Controls Inc.
    Inventor: Ernest Thomas Lynch
  • Patent number: 9361655
    Abstract: In a method for controlling the electrical power consumption of a plurality of power consumers in a power grid, the power consumers represent network nodes of a communication network made of a plurality of network nodes, in which the power consumers communicate with each other. Each of the network nodes estimates the total power consumption of the network nodes based on the exchange of information with one other network node. Each network node having an additional power demand which increases a required amount of power, compares the total power consumption estimated by the network node plus the required amount of power to a predefined total power demand of the network nodes and initiates a delivery of the required amount of power from a power provider when the estimated total power demand thereof plus the required amount of power is less than the predefined total power demand by a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Kolja Eger, Christoph Gerdes, Gerd Voelksen
  • Patent number: 9354618
    Abstract: Provided herein is a method for automated control of the gas turbine fuel composition through automated modification of the ratio of fuel gas from multiple sources. The method includes providing first and second fuel sources. The method further includes sensing the operational parameters of a turbine and determining whether the operational parameters are within preset operational limits. The method also adjusting the ration of the first fuel source to the second fuel source, based on whether the operational parameters are within the preset operational limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Gas Turbine Efficiency Sweden AB
    Inventor: Christopher Chandler
  • Patent number: 9335042
    Abstract: A technique of controlling a steam generating boiler system includes using a rate of change of disturbance variables to control operation of a portion of the boiler system, and in particular, to control a temperature of output steam to a turbine. The technique uses a primary dynamic matrix control (DMC) block to control a field device that, at least in part, affects the output steam temperature. The primary DMC block uses the rate of change of a disturbance variable, a current output steam temperature, and an output steam temperature setpoint as inputs to generate a control signal. A derivative DMC block may be included to provide a boost signal based on the rate of change of the disturbance variable and/or other desired weighting. The boost signal is combined the control output of the primary DMC block to more quickly control the output steam temperature towards its desired level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert A. Beveridge, Richard J. Whalen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9293915
    Abstract: A controller installed at each consumer side comprises: a power generation amount acquisition unit acquiring the amount of electricity that has been generated in a solar cell; a power selling amount acquisition unit acquiring the amount of electricity for sale that has been allowed to flow into an electric power system by reverse power flow, among the electricity generated in the solar cell; and a power selling suppression control unit configured to set a threshold value for the amount of the electricity for sale, as proportional to the amount of the generated electricity acquired by the power generation amount acquisition unit, and configured to suppress the reverse power flow into the electric power system so that the amount of the electricity for sale is set to the threshold value or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Baba, Kiyotaka Takehara, Kenji Nakakita, Shinpei Hibiya
  • Patent number: 9267443
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a tuning system for tuning the operation of a gas turbine. The system comprises operational turbine controls for controlling operational control elements of the turbine, including at least one of turbine fuel distribution or the fuel temperature. The system also has a tuning controller communicating with the turbine controls. The tuning controller is configured to tune the operation of the turbine in accordance with the following steps: receiving operational data about the turbine, providing a hierarchy of tuning issues, determining whether sensed operational data is within predetermined operational limits and producing one or more indicators. If the operational data is not within predetermined operational limits, the tuning controller will rank the one or more indicators to determine dominant tuning concern, and tune the operation of the turbine based on dominant tuning concern. Also provided herein are a method and computer readable medium for tuning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Gas Turbine Efficiency Sweden AB
    Inventor: Christopher Chandler
  • Patent number: 9261079
    Abstract: An arrangement for generating a control signal for controlling a power output of a power generation system, such as a wind turbine, is provided. The power output is supplied to a utility grid. The arrangement includes a first input terminal for receiving a first input signal indicative of an actual grid frequency of the utility grid, a control circuit for generating the control signal, and an output terminal to which the control signal is supplied. The control circuit includes a bang-bang controller for generating a first power signal being indicative of a predefined amount of power to be added to the power output of the power generation system. The bang-bang controller is adapted to be activated when the first input signal falls below a first predefined threshold. The control signal depends on the first power signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thyge Knüppel, Sathees Kumar, Patrik Thuring
  • Patent number: 9234503
    Abstract: An arrangement for generating a control signal for controlling a power output of a power generation system, such as a wind turbine, is provided. The power output is supplied to a utility grid. The arrangement includes a first input terminal for receiving a first input signal indicative of an actual grid frequency of the utility grid, a control circuit for generating the control signal, and an output terminal to which the control signal is supplied. The control circuit includes a bang-bang controller for generating a first power signal being indicative of a predefined amount of power to be added to the power output of the power generation system. The bang-bang controller is adapted to be activated when the first input signal falls below a first predefined threshold. The control signal depends on the first power signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thyge Knüppel, Sathees Kumar, Patrik Thuring
  • Patent number: 9230694
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to efficiently improve uniformity of energy lines to be irradiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignees: OSAKA UNIVERSITY, HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Masakatsu Murakami, Nobuhiko Sarukura, Hiroshi Azechi, Ryo Yasuhara, Toshiyuki Kawashima, Hirofumi Kan
  • Patent number: 9201410
    Abstract: A method for optimizing one or more farm-level metrics in a wind farm is presented. The method includes identifying an optimization objective and one or more decision variables for optimization. Furthermore, the method includes optimizing the optimization objective based on wake-affected wind conditions, power capture values, or damage equivalent load values, to calculate optimum decision variable values for each wind turbine. The method also includes transmitting the optimum decision variable values to the respective wind turbines. In addition, the method includes applying the optimum decision variable values to the respective wind turbines to achieve the optimization objective. Systems and non-transitory computer readable medium configured to perform the method for optimizing one or more farm-level metrics in a wind farm are also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Akshay Ambekar, Venkatarao Ryali, Awadesh Kumar Tiwari
  • Patent number: 9194303
    Abstract: A gas turbine system includes a compressor, a fuel source, a combustor, and a turbine. The compressor is configured to compress air. The fuel source is configured to supply fuel to a plurality of fuel manifolds. The combustor is configured to receive the air from the compressor, to receive the fuel from the plurality of fuel manifolds, and to combust the air and the fuel into combustion products. The turbine is configured to extract work from the combustion products. A fuel control valve is disposed within each of the plurality of fuel manifolds and is configured to throttle the fuel to the combustor when the gas turbine system is operating in an electrical island mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventors: Gerardo F. Varillas, Skigh Elliot Lewis, Erhan Karaca, Alejandro Cesar Lopez
  • Patent number: 9182749
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a network-based power supply efficiency management system and a method thereof, and more particularly, to a method for managing a power supply efficiency by comparing a predefined scenario on a server side with a real environment condition, and then issuing a usage control command to a managed unit via a network connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lightstar Information Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Yi Lin
  • Patent number: 9163828
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling a load generated by a power generating system may include controlling at least a portion of the system using model-based control techniques. The model-based control techniques may include a dynamic matrix controller (DMC) that receives a load demand and a process variable as inputs and generates a control signal based on the inputs and a stored model. The model may be configured based on parametric testing, and may be modifiable. Other inputs may also be used to determine the control signal. In an embodiment, a turbine is controlled by a first DMC and a boiler is controlled by a second DMC, and the control signals generated by the first and the second DMCs are used in conjunction to control the generated load. Techniques to move the power generating system from Proportional-Integral-Derivative based control to model-based control are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Robert Allen Beveridge
  • Patent number: 9157376
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting an oscillation error are provided. According to one embodiment, a system may include a controller, and a processor communicatively coupled to the controller. The processor may be configured to detect an oscillatory event and increment a delay timer based on a duration of the oscillatory event. The delay timer may be set to a predetermined delay value. Additionally, the processor may be configured to determine that the delay timer exceeds the predetermined delay value and, based on the determination, declare the oscillation error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Edward Sherman, Bryan Edward Sweet, John Rogers Huey
  • Patent number: 9099955
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement generates an output oscillating signal indicative of voltage on any of plurality of line voltages. The circuit arrangement includes at least two zero-crossing detectors, a combiner, an integrator, and an oscillator. The first zero-crossing detection circuit detects a voltage level crossing on a first electrical signal corresponding to a first line voltage. The second zero-crossing detection circuit detects a voltage level crossing on a second electrical signal corresponding to a second line voltage. The combiner combines the output signals of the first zero-crossing detection circuit and the second zero-crossing detection circuit. The integrator is coupled to the output of the combiner. The oscillator has a control input and an oscillating signal output. The oscillator generates an oscillating signal at the oscillating signal output based on a signal present at the control input. The control input receives an output signal of the integrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr, Inc.
    Inventor: Anibal Diego Ramirez
  • Patent number: 9093840
    Abstract: A system tool merges different load forecasts for power grid centers. A plurality of load forecast engines are coupled to a load forecast interface and a relational data base that saves load forecast engine data as an input through the load forecast interface. A comprehensive operating plan is coupled to the load forecast engines and the relational database. The comprehensive operating plan is configured to integrate individual load forecasts into a composite load forecast to present a comprehensive, synchronized and harmonized load forecast. A program interface provides access to the composite load forecasting schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventors: David Sun, Kwok Cheung, Kenneth Chung, Tory McKeag
  • Patent number: 9077205
    Abstract: An auxiliary equipment system includes at least one auxiliary load bus configured to receive electric power having a voltage within a first voltage tolerance range. The auxiliary equipment system also includes at least one electric power supply conduit coupled to at least one electric power source. The electric power supply conduit is configured to transmit electric power having a voltage within a second voltage tolerance range. The second voltage tolerance range is greater than the first voltage tolerance range. The auxiliary equipment system further includes at least one controlled series transformer coupled to the auxiliary load bus and to the electric power supply conduit. The controlled series transformer is configured to receive electric power having a voltage within the second voltage tolerance range and transmit electric power having a voltage within the first voltage tolerance range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ralph Teichmann
  • Publication number: 20150148975
    Abstract: The invention is a smart grid integrated electric power control system based on ESS distributed control, in which the households on a smart grid are grouped into plurality of local ESS areas and the electric power supplied to the households in the local ESS area is controlled distributedly by a local ESS device and the electric power supplied between the local ESS is controlled by a central ESS device integratedly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Yoo Cheol JEONG, Min Ho CHOI, Hee Joo BYUN
  • Publication number: 20150148974
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a wind park comprising several wind power installations to feed electrical power into an electrical AC grid at a point of common coupling (PCC). The method comprises feeding a 3-phase current at a point of common coupling, identifying a grid voltage on the point of common coupling, comparing the grid voltage that was identified on point of common coupling with at least one predetermined set point value, determining set point values for wind power installations depending on a comparison conducted to meet a stability criterion on point of common coupling, passing the determined set point values to plant control units of the individual wind power installations, and producing electrical current at each of the wind power installations depending on the predetermined set point values to be jointly fed in on point of common coupling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Volker Diedrichs
  • Publication number: 20150142188
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automating commissioning of a gas turbine combustion control system are provided. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a system may include a controller and a processor communicatively coupled to the controller. The processor may be configured to run a gas turbine under a plurality of operational conditions while within predetermined combustion operational boundaries. The processor may be further configured to automatically collect operational data associated with the gas turbine while the gas turbine is running and store the operational data. Based at least in part on the operational data, a set of constants for one or more predetermined combustion transfer functions is generated. The set of constants is stored in the gas turbine combustion control system to be used during auto-tune operations of the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jason Charles Terry, Timothy Andrew Healy, David Kaylor Toronto
  • Publication number: 20150142190
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to control a power system with an energy generator and a hybrid energy storage system. The system includes two or more energy storage system, each with different energy storage capacity and energy discharge capacity. The system includes developing data for one or more control variables refined from expert knowledge, trials and tests; providing the control variables to a fuzzy logic controller with a rule base and membership functions; and controlling the energy generator and the hybrid energy storage system using the fuzzy logic controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: NEC Laboratories America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yanzhu Ye, Ratnesh Sharma
  • Publication number: 20150142189
    Abstract: A power generation control system is provided. The power generation control system includes power generation devices electrically connected to form an array, a MPPT module, a power control module and voltage control modules. Each of the power generation devices includes an energy generation module for generating input supplying power and a MVPT module for performing a MVPT process on the input supplying power. The MPPT module performs a MPPT process on the total output supplying power from the power generation devices to generate a maximum supplying power. The power control module controls the MPPT module to perform the MPPT process. Each of the voltage control modules controls the MVPT modules to perform the MVPT process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION INDUSTRY
    Inventors: Chia-Shin Yen, Woei-Luen Chen, Yi-Cheng Liu
  • Publication number: 20150142191
    Abstract: A control system for a wind turbine is provided. The control system includes a plurality of controllers distributed in the wind turbine or the wind power plant; and a plurality of data storage units, each data storage unit being arranged at a respective predetermined position in the wind turbine or the wind power plant and being coupled to the controller arranged at the same position; wherein each data storage unit comprises operational information pertaining to the predetermined position in the wind turbine or the wind power plant; and wherein each controller is configured to read the operational information of the corresponding data storage unit and to determine its function from the operational information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: John Bengtson
  • Patent number: 9038058
    Abstract: Method and system of configuring a wind turbine software package having a multitude of software components includes providing a plurality of software components; providing information relating to component parameters for the software components; providing rules relating to compatibility between the component parameters; and establishing the configuration by performing a series of iterations, wherein each iteration includes defining a group of component parameter values based on the rules; receiving an input parameter selected from the groups of component parameter values; and updating a component parameter based on the input parameter. A system for establishing a configuration of a software package includes a storage device having the pertinent information stored therein, and a communication unit adapted to transmit the software package and/or the configuration to a computer device in a wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Emil Mølgaard
  • Publication number: 20150134251
    Abstract: A method for forecasting reduction in sunlight intensity due to cloud cover at a photovoltaic power plant is described. The method comprises determining characteristics of one or more clouds from sensors surrounding the photovoltaic power plant. The cloud characteristics are used to create a 3D map of the clouds. The 3D map in combination with information on the angle of the sun is used to create a 3D projection on the surface of the earth, resulting in a 2D surface irradiance map. The 2D surface irradiance map may be taken in successive projections or used in combination with wind speed data to forecast fluctuation in irradiance at the photovoltaic power plant. The forecasted reductions in power may be used to enact measures at the plant such as reducing the power output of inverters to prevent sudden fluctuations in the power output of the photovoltaic plant feeding the utility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Paul S. Bixel
  • Publication number: 20150132128
    Abstract: The invention provides a wind turbine, a control system for a wind turbine and a method for controlling a wind turbine where asymmetry in load on the rotor is compensated by individual pitching by comparing a load distribution over the rotor plane with a threshold value. To avoid unnecessary compensation, the threshold value is adjusted based on a loading of the wind turbine or based on climate conditions under which the turbine operates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Ali Zaib, Kenneth Tougaard Simonsen
  • Patent number: 9030043
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of avoiding that wind turbine voltage levels within a wind power plant do not exceed predetermined overvoltage and/or undervoltage protection levels. In particular, the present invention relates to shifting of an output voltage level of a wind power plant in order to protect an internal power plant grid against overvoltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Jorge Martinez Garcia
  • Publication number: 20150123817
    Abstract: Pedestrian and motorist warning system that is powered from vehicle generated movement where there is little or no access to a power grid. Pedals maybe disposed on the road such that when a vehicle passes over it, it informs a controller system to activate a warning board or light to notify people of the oncoming vehicle, the signs or lights maybe placed besides a pedestrian crossing to alert pedestrians of the risk of an oncoming vehicle. Illuminating road corner LEDs, roadside lights and road arrows disposed in various sections of the road are also powered from vehicle generated movement operate on a set of programmed criteria's. Variables such as time of day, the speed of the vehicle, the weather, the temperature or fog all determine the way all the connected devices operate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Bader A. ALMALKI
  • Patent number: 9026257
    Abstract: Operation of a hydropower generation facility may be optimized by consideration and analysis of multiple factors influencing function of the facility. Aspects of the facility and surrounding hydraulic system are represented in a model that may include efficiency curves for hydropower turbines. Efficiency curves for one or more turbines are approximated by piecewise linear functions. The use of piecewise linear representations allows for calculation of recommended operational settings as well as predicted outputs in real time. An optimization system may consider input data such as weather and market prices for electricity. The input data may also include desired operational outputs of the hydropower generation facility. A user interface may present recommendations for specific operational settings to achieve the desired operational outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Avista Corporation
    Inventors: Clint Kalich, Xin Shane
  • Patent number: 9026258
    Abstract: In order to specify a method for the regulation of a wind park (1) comprised of a multiplicity of wind energy installations (WT1, . . . , WT9), wherein the wind park (1) is connected to an electric utility grid (12) into which the electric power generated by the wind park (1) is fed, and the wind park (1) includes a control input (13) by means of which nominal controlled variables (15, 16) of the wind park (1) can be set, which can be adapted to highly different wind park topologies using the least possible adaptation expenditures, which permits the addition or removal of wind energy installations to or from the wind park with minimal adaptation expenditures, which is utilizable without a measurement of the park network data at the grid transfer point and which, moreover, allows the integration of wind energy installations by different manufacturers into a wind park, it is proposed that each wind energy installation (WT1, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: DeWind Co.
    Inventor: Karl Friedrich Stapelfeldt
  • Publication number: 20150120070
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating an electrical power system, comprising at least one wind turbine generator and at least one other power source, the method comprises the steps of, setting a set of technical requirements and limits for the electrical power system, including a total power reserve and at least one of: maximum electrical frequency deviation and allowable wind power electrical frequency fluctuations, distributing the total power reserve between the at least one other power source and a total wind power capacity available from the at least one wind turbine generator, and calculating in response thereto an amount of power reserve from the at least one wind turbine generator, and providing settings for a wind power controller, the settings comprising the set of technical requirements and the amount of power reserve from the at least one wind turbine generator. The invention also relates to a power plant operating according to the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Germán Claudio Tarnowski
  • Publication number: 20150120072
    Abstract: A system and method for system for providing on-demand renewable energy are provided. The system comprises at least one power unit for converting environmental energy into electrical power, wherein the electrical power is drawn from the at least one power unit; and a regulator for controlling an amount of the electrical power drawn from the at least one power unit based on an authorization rule, wherein the authorization rule is checked upon each attempt to draw the electrical power from the at least one power unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: NOVA LUMOS LTD.
    Inventors: Nir MAROM, Davidi Vortman
  • Publication number: 20150120071
    Abstract: An exemplary control system performs a control and fault analysis method in a thermal power plant using plant data specifications during normal operation of the plant. The method includes obtaining information for at least one set point from the plant data specification which includes a list of process parameters and process outputs. One or more control loops are controlled by providing set points for control based on the information obtained for the at least one set point to operate the thermal power plant and identifying gaps in controlling the one or more control loops in the thermal power plant specification and at least one set point is iteratively manipulated to meet the demand. Further, the plant data specification is updated based on the manipulated at least one set point used to meet the demand, and the updated plant data specification is used for controlling the plant to meet the demand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: ABB Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Sudhakar GOVINDARAJULU, Sankara SUBRAMANIAN, Battena SRINIVASA, Sumeet NESARGI