US7239036B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for power control in wind turbines
Assignee: GE Vernova Infrastructure Technology LLC
•
Filing: 2005-07-29
•
Granted: 2007-07-03
•
Expires: 2025-07-29
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for power control in wind turbines are provided. The method includes switching a plurality of switching devices in a power conversion component of the wind turbine system in a normal switching mode to provide power flow through the power conversion component. The method further includes switching the plurality of switches devices in the power conversion component of the wind turbine system in a short circuit switching mode to prevent power flow through the power conversion component.
Inventors
- 👤 John Douglas D'Atre
- 👤 Anthony Michael Klodowski
- 👤 Allen Michael Ritter
- 👤 David Smith
- 👤 Robert Gregory Wagoner
- 👤 Luis Jose Garces
- 👤 Henning Luetze
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 18:47
CPC Classifications
F; F03; F03D; F03D7/00; F03D7/02; F03D7/0272; F03D7/028; F03D9/00; F03D9/20; F03D9/25; F03D9/255; H; H02; H02P; H02P9/00; H02P9/007; F05; F05B; F05B2220/00; F05B2220/70; F05B2220/706; F05B2220/7062; F05B2260/00; F05B2260/80; F05B2270/00; F05B2270/10; F05B2270/101; F05B2270/1011; H02P2101/00; H02P2101/15; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/70; Y02E10/72
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for controlling power flow in a wind turbine system, said method comprising: switching a plurality of switching devices in a power conversion component of the wind turbine system in a normal switching mode to provide power flow through the power conversion component; and switching the plurality of switching devices in the power conversion component of the wind turbine system in a short circuit switching mode to prevent power flow through the power conversion component.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for controlling power flow in a wind turbine system, said method comprising: switching a plurality of switching devices in a power conversion component of the wind turbine system in a normal switching mode to provide power flow through the power conversion component; and switching the plurality of switching devices in the power conversion component of the wind turbine system in a short circuit switching mode to prevent power flow through the power conversion component.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the switching devices are within a rotor side converter of the power conversion component.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein switching in the normal switching mode comprises using pulse width modulation switching of the plurality of switching devices.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein switching in the short circuit switching mode comprises switching each of a plurality of first switching devices, corresponding to each of a plurality of phases of power output, to a conducting state, and switching each of a plurality of second switching devices, corresponding to each of the plurality of phases of the power output, to a non-conducting state, the first switching devices connected to a positive capacitive voltage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein switching in the short circuit switching mode comprises switching each of a plurality of second switching devices, corresponding to each of a plurality of phases of power output, to a conducting state, and switching each of a plurality of first switching devices, corresponding to each of a plurality of phases of the power output, to a non-conducting state, the second switching devices connected to a negative capacitive voltage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the switching devices comprise insulated gate bipolar transistors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising monitoring the operating condition of the power conversion component to determine when to switch to the short circuit switching mode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising switching using the short circuit switching mode upon determining an excessive power condition.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising switching using the normal circuit switching mode upon determining a dissipation of an excessive power condition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising switching using the short circuit switching mode when a predetermined voltage threshold is exceeded.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising switching using the short circuit switching mode when a first predetermined voltage threshold is exceeded and switching using the normal switching mode when a voltage level decreases below a second predetermined voltage threshold.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the frequency of switching in the short circuit switching mode is less than the frequency of switching in the normal switching mode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising limiting a current ramp of the plurality of switching devices.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for protecting a wind turbine system from an excessive operating condition, said method comprising: monitoring at least one operating condition of the wind turbine system; determining whether the at least one operating condition has exceeded a first predetermined threshold; switching a plurality of switches in a rotor side converter of a power conversion unit in a normal switching mode if the first predetermined threshold has not been exceeded; and switching the plurality of switches in the rotor side converter of the power conversion unit in a short circuit switching mode if the first predetermined threshold has been exceeded.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for protecting a wind turbine system from an excessive operating condition, said method comprising: monitoring at least one operating condition of the wind turbine system; determining whether the at least one operating condition has exceeded a first predetermined threshold; switching a plurality of switches in a rotor side converter of a power conversion unit in a normal switching mode if the first predetermined threshold has not been exceeded; and switching the plurality of switches in the rotor side converter of the power conversion unit in a short circuit switching mode if the first predetermined threshold has been exceeded.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 further comprising switching again in the normal switching mode after switching in the short circuit switching mode when the at least one operating condition decreases below a second predetermined threshold.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the monitoring comprises monitoring a voltage level at a DC link between the rotor side converter and a line side converter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the normal switching mode comprise switching using pulse width modulation switching and the short circuit switching mode comprises switching all of a first plurality of switching devices to a conducting state and then switching all of a second plurality of switching devices to a conducting state.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
97 words
A wind turbine system comprising: a rotor configured for rotation; a generator for generating power from the rotation of the rotor; a stator bus configured to provide a three-phase power output from a stator of the generator; a rotor bus configured to provide three-phase power from a rotor of the generator; a power conversion component connected to the rotor bus; and a control system configured to switch a plurality of switches devices in the power conversion component of the wind turbine system using a short circuit switching mode to prevent power flow through the power conversion component.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
97 words
A wind turbine system comprising: a rotor configured for rotation; a generator for generating power from the rotation of the rotor; a stator bus configured to provide a three-phase power output from a stator of the generator; a rotor bus configured to provide three-phase power from a rotor of the generator; a power conversion component connected to the rotor bus; and a control system configured to switch a plurality of switches devices in the power conversion component of the wind turbine system using a short circuit switching mode to prevent power flow through the power conversion component.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A wind turbine system in accordance with claim 18 wherein the power conversion component comprises a rotor side converter having the plurality of switches and the generator comprises a doubly fed induction generator.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
A wind turbine system in accordance with claim 18 wherein the plurality of switches are switched between an up conduction state and a down conduction state in the short circuit switching mode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4193005A
Cited
US5083039A
Cited
US5225712A
Cited
US5083039B1
Cited
US5798631A
Cited
US6023152A
Cited
US7095131B2
Cited
US6600240B2
Cited
DE19735742A1
Cited
US6420795B1
Cited
US6856038B2
Cited
US6566764B2
Cited
US6703718B2
Cited
US6750633B2
Cited
US6771903B1
Cited
US7102247B2
Cited
US6853094B2
Cited
US6856040B2
Cited
US6933625B2
Cited
US6850426B2
Cited
US20060192390A1
Cited
US6924565B2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-07-02 | 2011-01-01 | 2011-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-07-02 | 2015-01-01 | 2015-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-07-02 | 2019-01-01 | 2019-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |