Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
416040000 | Responsive to relative working fluid velocity | 24 |
416041000 | Natural fluid current | 24 |
20080206051 | Wind Turbine Generator, Active Damping Method Thereof, and Windmill Tower - A wind turbine generator, an active damping method thereof, and a windmill tower in which vibrations of the wind turbine generator itself or the windmill tower can be reduced at low cost are provided. The acceleration due to vibrations of a nacelle ( | 08-28-2008 |
20080247872 | Method of Operation of a High-Efficiency Turbine With Variable Attack Angle Foils - Operations of a turbine to generate energy from a relatively slow fluid flow, such as wind and water, are described. The turbine has a plurality of foils rotating about a central axis at a rotational velocity, each of the foils having a length and a foil axis parallel to the length and the central axis with each of the foils rotatable about its foil axis. From determinations of a velocity of the fluid flow, and angular location of each foil and the rotational velocity about the central axis, an attack angle of each foil is controlled with respect to the direction of fluid flow about the foil axis responsive to the velocity of the fluid flow, the angular location of the foil and the rotational velocity as the foil rotates about the central axis. | 10-09-2008 |
20080298965 | Wind Drum - The Wind Drum is a cylinder shaped wind utilization machine primarily used for electricity generation. Instead of a solid wall attaching the top and bottom circular plates are eight rods spaced equally around the circumference of the top and bottom circular plates. Now you have a drum shape you can see through from the elongated side. Attached to these rods are boards, or flat rectangular pieces, which make-up the vanes of the Wind Drum. Through mechanical manipulation of the angles of the eight vanes compared to the center, or pivotal spot, of the top and bottom circular plates the vanes are positioned so as to be pushed by wind energy, directing wind energy into other vanes of the Wind Drum, or to become neutral to wind energy allowing minimal resistance to wind energy. These changes of the wind vane angles allows for maximum efficiency in converting wind energy into mechanical energy. | 12-04-2008 |
20080304964 | HORIZONTAL AXIS WIND TURBINE - To provide a horizontal axis wind turbine capable of reducing flutter, and by extension, reducing the load on the wind turbine, without controlling the yaw, regardless of the direction of the wind relative to the nacelle. When the wind speed is above a specific value, the yaw angle of the nacelle is held constant, the blade pitch angle is controlled according to the yaw angle Y of the wind direction relative to the nacelle, and the rotor is allowed to rotate freely. Even when the yaw angle of the nacelle is held constant, allowing the rotor to rotate freely makes it possible to reduce the load by avoiding flutter. | 12-11-2008 |
20090022589 | Variable Speed Hub - A method of adjusting the speed of blades rotating in a rotor plane on a wind turbine, wherein the angle between at least two blades in the rotor plane is changed, whereby the tip speed of each individual blade can be optimised relative to the current speed of the wind experienced by the blade. Hereby it is possible to take into consideration the variation of the wind as a function of the height above ground level, and the yield of the wind turbine can be increased. The angular displacement of each blade can be changed individually independently of the remainder of the blades and cyclically. The method also comprises that each blade is accelerated on its way upwards in the rotation cycle and decelerated on its way down. Further details are provided about a system for controlling blades in a wind turbine comprising one or more wind speed meters, position meters, and/or acceleration meters, based on which parameters control of the angular displacement of each blade in the rotor plane is performed. | 01-22-2009 |
20090028706 | Vertical Axle Helix Monoblock Wind Turbine - VAHM has a rotor helix type, vertical axle, omni directional foil, which incorporates a 3 helix monoblock blade which transforms wind energy into electrical energy, via stand alone batteries. Rotor movement begins at a 2-3 m/s wind speed and provides a self-braking momentum at over 20 m/s wind speed. | 01-29-2009 |
20090060740 | Method of operating a wind turbine and wind turbine - The invention concerns a method of operating a wind turbine, wherein for a reduction of a wind load impacting on the wind turbine the rotational speed of the rotor and/or the electrical power output of the wind turbine are reduced depending on a deviation of the wind speed from the average wind speed. Moreover the invention concerns a wind turbine comprising a calculating unit adjusted for executing the inventive method. | 03-05-2009 |
20090074574 | Wind Turbine Blade with Variable Aerodynamic Profile - A wind turbine blade comprising an active elastic member arranged with access to the surface of the wind turbine blade is provided. The active elastic member is deformable from a first shape to a second shape and the lift coefficient of the airfoil with the active elastic member in the first shape is larger than the lift coefficient of the airfoil with the active elastic member in the second shape. Furthermore, a wind turbine comprising such a wind turbine blade and a method of operating a wind turbine comprising such a wind turbine blade are provided. | 03-19-2009 |
20090110554 | Wind Turbine for Generating Electricity - A wind driven turbine ( | 04-30-2009 |
20090129923 | Device for maintaining a hydraulic turbomachine - A device for holding a hydraulic turbomachine in position, the turbomachine comprising a drive shaft along which are distributed turbines designed to rotate the drive shaft when they are immersed in a moving liquid, each turbine comprising drive blades distributed around the drive shaft, the device comprising at least one post extending along at least more than half of the length of the drive shaft and formed of the stacking of at least two post portions, each Post portion being associated with a turbine or with an assembly of adjacent turbines; and a first linking mechanism attached to one of the post portions and to a bearing receiving the drive shaft and arranged between two adjacent turbines; and a second linking mechanism connecting at least one of the posts to the around by a rigid connection with respect to the ground along at least one axis parallel to the liquid motion direction. | 05-21-2009 |
20100068058 | BLADE WITH HINGED BLADE TIP - The present invention relates to a blade ( | 03-18-2010 |
20100092292 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTINUOUS PITCHING OF A WIND TURBINE - A wind turbine includes a machine nacelle and a rotor having at least one rotor blade and a hub. An anemometer unit is adapted for measuring a first wind velocity at a first rotational position of the rotor and for measuring at least one second wind velocity at at least one second rotational position of the rotor. At least one pitch angle adjustment unit is provided for adjusting a first pitch angle and at least one second pitch angle of the at least one rotor blade as a function of the rotational position of the rotor, wherein the at least one pitch angle adjustment unit is adapted for changing the pitch angle between the first pitch angle and the at least one second pitch angle while the rotor of the wind turbine is rotating. | 04-15-2010 |
20100129215 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING DYNAMIC PITCH CONTROL IN A WIND TURBINE - A system for providing dynamic pitch control in a wind turbine. In accordance with an embodiment, the dynamic pitch control uses a starting spring to pitch the blades of the wind turbine into a starting position that is suited for very low wind speeds. The pitch control then automatically pitches the blades into a run position as the rotation speed increases, using a combination of a rotational mass and a restraining spring. This allows the turbine to be started, and to generate power, at a much lower starting wind speed yet still operate at optimal speeds in its typical running range. In accordance with an embodiment, as the wind speed further increases beyond an overspeed limit, the rotational mass overcomes its restraining spring, and automatically pitches the blades back toward and beyond their start position, reducing the likelihood of damage to the turbine caused by high rotation speeds. | 05-27-2010 |
20100172759 | Retractable wind turbines - A wind turbine electrical generating device is described where the blades that comprise the airfoil are retractable during operation. This feature allows for a number of improvements over the current state of the art including damage protection and the ability to remain operational during high wind conditions. Further described is a computer feedback loop that controls the degree of retraction. In addition, lightweight airfoil turbine blades are described that are assembled from discrete segments. | 07-08-2010 |
20100322768 | VARIABLE-GEOMETRY BLADE FOR AN EOLIC GENERATOR - The variable-geometry blade for use in a wind driven mechanism comprises a fixed blade portion and a movable winglet portion connected to said fixed blade portion and moveable with respect to said fixed blade portion along a direction substantially transverse to the axis of said fixed blade portion. A guide means is provided to guide the movement of said movable winglet portion with respect to said fixed blade portion, and an actuator means is provided for moving said movable winglet portion with respect to said fixed blade portion between a retracted position and an extended position. The actuator means controls the extension of the movable winglet portion when there is no wind or when the wind is blowing at low speed, and controls the retraction of the movable winglet portion when the wind is blowing at high speed, whereby the movable winglet portion can be moved in an extended position in order to co-operate with said fixed blade portion for increasing the thrust surface at low wind speed, thus allowing a significant increase of the amount of wind power which can be converted into another form of useful power, and the movable winglet portion can be moved in a retracted position at high wind speed in order to reduce the stress at the root of the fixed blade portion, thus allowing the blade to operate within an extended operating range of wind speed. | 12-23-2010 |
20110123332 | ENERGY EXTRACTION DEVICE WITH AT LEAST ONE BANK OF BLADES - An energy extraction device for extracting energy from a flow of fluid is provided. The energy extraction device comprises a rotating member for rotatably mounting to a support structure, at least one rotatable bank of blades connected to the rotating member through a connection disposed radially from the main axis of rotation of the rotating member, and, a pitch control system for controlling the angular position of the at least one rotatable bank of blades relative to a direction of the flow of fluid. The rotating member has a main axis of rotation and the at least one bank of blades comprises an array of spaced-apart blades secured together. Each of the at least one bank of blades has a bank axis of rotation. | 05-26-2011 |
20110211957 | SELF REGULATING WIND TURBINE - A wind turbine for use in a wide range of wind conditions is disclosed. The wind turbine uses blade pitch change and/or blade folding to accommodate wind conditions and maintain a substantially constant speed. The blades are configured to fold in unison for balanced wind turbine operation. | 09-01-2011 |
20110318180 | METHOD FOR OPERATING A WIND ENERGY CONVERTER, CONTROL DEVICE FOR A WIND ENERGY CONVERTER, AND WIND ENERGY CONVERTER - Some general aspects of the invention provide a method for operating a wind energy converter having a variable-ratio gear system ( | 12-29-2011 |
20120045333 | BLINKING SAIL WINDMILL WITH SAFETY CONTROL - A vertical axis windmill is disclosed which includes a set of frames attached via horizontal bars to a vertical axis of rotation, each frame comprising a plurality of swinging windows, each swinging window comprising an upper horizontal bar, vertical side bars, and a plurality of additional horizontal bars; a plurality of blinking sails comprising sheets of lightweight material, wherein the upper edge of each blinking sail is fixed at a horizontal bar, each blinking sail being allowed to move by pivoting or bending relative to the horizontal bar; a gap control rod for each of the frames, connected to each of the swinging windows in the frame such that all swinging windows in the frame move synchronously as the gap control rod is moved; and one or more electronically controlled actuators capable of moving the gap control rods. The swinging windows stop the blinking sails from being blown to one side of the frames, where that one side is on the same side of each frame relative to the direction of rotation of the vertical axis windmill. The swinging windows are movable toward that same side of the frame such that there is a variable gap to allow part of the air to pass through in the downwind direction. The electronically controlled actuators can be programmed to respond to available sensors including sensors for wind speed, wind direction, swinging window position, and windmill power output. | 02-23-2012 |
20120093646 | SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF A CROP PROTECTION WIND MACHINE ARRAY - A system for arranging and operating an array of wind machines to protect crops from damaging weather conditions, such as freezing frost, rain and heat. The method includes a wind machine positioned to force air across the crop. The wind machine is preferably a propeller/tower configuration. The operational method of the wind machine array includes the steps of sensing ambient meteorological and the hardiness of the crop to withstand a particular adverse weather condition and operating the wind machines in response to these factors. Multiples of wind machines are employed in the preferred embodiment of the method, the siting of the wind machines preferably based upon topographic and historical meteorological conditions. The operation of the wind machines can be automatically and remotely operated with the aid of satellite communications including internet links. | 04-19-2012 |
20120107118 | Wind Turbine Device Having Rotor for Starting Up and Avoiding Overspeed - A novel vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) is provided. The VAWT has rotor to help starting up and avoiding overspeed. Blades of the VAWT are used for an auxiliary mechanism. By adjusting rigidity of multiple springs with torque of support blades, the blades forms equilibrium of rotating status under different wind speeds. The present disclosure makes the VAWT device more effective for improving efficiency as well as reducing cost while increase in spatiality of the VAWT is avoided. | 05-03-2012 |
20150037151 | POWER GENERATION DEVICE - Disclosed is a power generation device ( | 02-05-2015 |
20150147176 | ROTARY MACHINE COMPRISING A ROTOR PLACED IN A FLUID AND EQUIPPED WITH ORIENTABLE BLADES - A fluidic rotor rotary machine has a rotor comprising at least one blade ( | 05-28-2015 |
20150308407 | Predictive Blade Adjustment - Predictively adjusting the pitch of blades and/or sections of a blade based on fluid velocity measurements. In one embodiment, the measurements are obtained of an upstream portion of a fluid flow using a laser Doppler velocimeter. The pitch of the blade(s) and/or blade section(s) are then adjusted to achieve a desired amount of lift or to create a stall-configuration as can be useful for conditions in which an excessive fluid velocity is detected. | 10-29-2015 |