General Electric Company

Christian Schram

Florian Krug

Robert William Delmerico

Henning Luetze

Andreas Buecker

Christian Eisenhut

The device for detecting damage of a wind energy turbine of a wind energy turbine rotor blade, due to a lightning strike, comprises several magnetic or electric field sensors distributed along the length of a rotor blade of the wind energy turbine for measuring the magnetic or electric field concentration along the rotor blade and, an evaluation unit connected to the magnetic or electric field sensors for receiving the measured signals thereof, wherein damage of the wind energy turbine of the rotor blade caused by a lightning strike is calculated by the evaluation unit based on the measured concentration of the magnetic or electric field along the length of the rotor blade.

Device for detecting damage of a wind energy turbine rotor blade due to a lightning strike

A wind turbine generator includes at least one rotating member, at least one stationary member, and a clearance gap control system. The stationary member is positioned such that a clearance gap is defined between a portion of the rotating member and a portion of the stationary member. The clearance gap is configured to facilitate transmitting a controllable magnetic flux therethrough. The control system includes at least one clearance gap measurement assembly, at least one power converter, and at least one controller. The controller is coupled in electronic data communication with the assembly and the converter and is configured to modulate a dimension of the gap by modulating the flux.

Method and apparatus for controlling rotary machines

The method for controlling a first wind energy turbine of a wind park comprising multiple wind energy turbines connected to the grid, in situations where the first energy turbine operates substantially at zero energy output level, comprises the steps of determining whether at least one of the other wind energy turbines of the wind park is operated above a predetermined energy output level, and if at least one of the other wind energy turbines of the wind park is operated above the predetermined energy output level, maintaining connection of the first wind energy turbine to the grid.

Growing community of inventors

Munich, Germany

Christian Schram