General Electric Company

Thomas Edenfeld

Andre Langel

Henning Luetze

Peter Gauchel

Lothar Wittekind

Udo Ahmann

Renjith Viripullan

Xianglei Chen

Vijendra Singh Chauhan

Stephan Kluemper

Matthias Wiehn

A slip ring system for a wind turbine for electrically connecting a first electrical device and a second electrical device, wherein the first electrical device is mounted to a rotor of the wind turbine, and the second electrical device is mounted to a nacelle of the wind turbine, is provided. The slip ring system comprises a slip ring apparatus and a rotational damping apparatus, with which an electrical connection between the first electrical device and the second electrical device can be established. The slip ring apparatus has a rotatable component with a rotatable electrode and a non-rotatable support electrode, wherein the rotatable electrode is electrically connected to the first electrical device, and the support electrode is electrically connected to the second electrical device. The non-rotatable support electrode and the rotatable electrode are arranged with respect to each other's position and configured such that an electrical connection can be established between the non-rotatable support electrode and the rotatable electrode. The rotational damping apparatus connects the turbine rotor and the slip ring apparatus. The rotational damping apparatus prevents vibrations at least partially from migrating into the rotatable component. The rotational damping apparatus comprises a slip ring portion, a shaft portion and a damping portion. The slip ring portion is mounted to the rotatable component and the shaft portion is adapted for being mechanically connected to the turbine rotor for rotating with the turbine rotor.

Slip ring system for a wind turbine wind turbine and a method for producing electrical energy

Systems and methods for increasing the power output of wind turbines in a wind farm are disclosed. In particular, a wind farm can include first and second doubly fed induction generator wind turbine systems. The rotational rotor speed of the first wind turbine system can be regulated at reduced wind speeds based at least in part on data indicative of rotor voltage to increase power output of a doubly fed induction generator. The rotor speed can be regulated such that the rotor voltage does not exceed a voltage threshold. The power output of the first wind turbine system can be further increased by reducing its reactive power output. The reduced reactive power output of the first wind turbine system can be compensated for by an increased reactive power output of the second wind turbine system.

Systems and methods for increasing wind turbine power output

A method for scheduling the replacement of wind turbine batteries is disclosed. The method may include monitoring an air temperature of a location at which a battery is stored within a wind turbine, determining with a controller a predicted lifetime for the battery based on the air temperature and determining when to replace the battery based at least in part on the predicted lifetime.

Methods for scheduling the replacement of wind turbine batteries and related systems

Tower sections for towers of wind turbines and methods for installing towers of wind turbines are disclosed. A tower includes a preassembled power module having a first cross-sectional area. The tower section includes a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface defines a tower interior and has a first diameter. The tower section further includes a tower flange extending from the wall into the tower interior and having a second diameter less than the first diameter. Further, the tower section includes a platform assembly affixed to the wall and having a third diameter greater than the second diameter. The platform assembly defines an aperture having a second cross-sectional area greater than the first cross-sectional area.

Tower section and method for installing tower for wind turbine

A method of operating a wind power plant during grid loss is disclosed. The method includes powering a blade pitch drive of the wind power plant by an energy storing unit, and adjusting the pitch of the rotor blades of the wind power plant by means of the blade pitch drive, wherein a rotor shaft keeps rotating and the wind power plant enters a self-sustaining power generating mode upon adjustment of the pitch of the blades.

Use of pitch battery power to start wind turbine during grid loss/black start capability

A method for controlling operation of a wind turbine is described. The wind turbine includes a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades. The method includes measuring an atmospheric condition associated with the environment surrounding the wind turbine, providing the measured atmospheric condition to a processor, and determining at least one monitor set point limit based at least partially on the measured atmospheric condition. The method also includes applying the at least one monitor set point limit to wind turbine operation.

System and methods for determining a monitor set point limit for a wind turbine

The disclosure concerns a method for operating a wind turbine having an electrical system, the electrical system comprises a permanent magnet generator having a rotor and a stator, and a power electronic device electrically connected to the permanent magnet generator, wherein the power electronic device and a circuit breaker are electrically disposed in series between the permanent magnet generator and a grid, wherein the permanent magnet generator has permanent magnets and a generator winding into which a voltage is induced by the permanent magnets when the rotor is rotating, the method comprising: generating a signal for tripping the circuit breaker based on a field modification that is modifying the field of the permanent magnets of the permanent magnet generator. Further, the disclosure concerns a method for determining the temperature of at least one permanent magnet of a permanent magnet machine and a controller for a wind turbine.

Method for operating a wind turbine, method for determining the temperature of a permanent magnet and controller for a wind turbine

The disclosure concerns a wind power plant and its operation during grid loss, wherein the wind power plant comprises a plurality of rotor blades, a blade pitch drive, a rotor shaft, an electric generator, and a control unit for controlling the operations of the wind power plant, wherein the plurality of rotor blades are rotatably connected to the rotor shaft, such that the pitch of the rotor blades can be adjusted by the blade pitch drive under the control of the control unit, and wherein the rotor shaft is operatively connected to the electric generator for generating electric energy, the wind power plant further comprising an energy storing unit for powering the blade pitch drive, wherein the control unit comprises a control module for adjusting the rotor blades and for entering a self-sustaining mode of operation of the wind power plant. With the self-sustaining mode of operation basic functions of the wind power plant, in particular safety and security functions as well as lubrication of the rotatable parts of the wind power plant are sustained even for long periods of a grid loss.

A wind turbine is disclosed. The wind turbine includes a synchronous generator having a stator and a rotor, and an AC-DC-AC link for coupling the synchronous generator to a grid, the AC-DC-AC link including a DC link. The DC link is used for supplying an excitation voltage to a rotor winding of the rotor. A DC-DC converter connects the DC link to the rotor winding of the rotor.

Excitation voltage supply for synchronous generator used in a wind turbine, and method of starting a wind turbine having such excitation voltage supply

A wind turbine braking system including: a wind turbine including turbine blades and a control system; a generator coupled to the turbine blades; a generator converter coupled to the generator and connectable to a utility power grid; at least one dump resistor coupled to the generator and generator converter, and if the utility power grid losses power, the dump resistor applying an electrical load to the generator converter.

Wind turbine dump load system and method

An emergency pitch drive power supply is provided, the emergency pitch drive power supply comprising an auxiliary generator for producing electric power, wherein the auxiliary generator is a permanently excited multi-pole generator adapted to generate sufficient power for a pitch drive of a wind turbine when driven with wind rotor speed, and wherein the auxiliary generator is connected to at least one pitch drive motor of the wind turbine.

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Osnabrück, Germany

Thomas Edenfeld