Robert Peter Slack

US Patent:

7437264, Oct 14, 2008

Filed:

Jun 19, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/424907

Inventors:

Kirk Gee Pierce - Simpsonville SC, US
Robert Peter Slack - Greenville SC, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01C 17/00

US Classification:

702151

Abstract:

A method for balancing a rotor of a rotary machine, wherein the rotor includes at least two rotor blades and a rotor shaft, includes receiving at least one measurement of either a load, an acceleration, or a displacement that pertains to at least one bending moment acting on the rotor shaft, determining at least one value of the at least one bending moment acting on the rotor shaft based, at least in part, on the received at least one measurement, and determining a pitch offset angle value of at least one rotor blade that facilitates reducing the at least one bending moment acting on the rotor shaft.

US Patent:

7874797, Jan 25, 2011

Filed:

Oct 10, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/249468

Inventors:

Kirk Gee Pierce - Simpsonville SC, US
Robert Peter Slack - Greenville SC, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

F03D 11/00

US Classification:

416 1, 416 61, 416 43

Abstract:

A method for balancing a rotor of a rotary machine, wherein the rotor includes at least two rotor blades and a rotor shaft, includes receiving at least one measurement of either a load, an acceleration, or a displacement that pertains to at least one bending moment acting on the rotor shaft, determining at least one value of the at least one bending moment acting on the rotor shaft based, at least in part, on the received at least one measurement, and determining a pitch offset angle value of at least one rotor blade that facilitates reducing the at least one bending moment acting on the rotor shaft.

US Patent:

8215905, Jul 10, 2012

Filed:

Dec 31, 2007

Appl. No.:

12/006161

Inventors:

Robert Peter Slack - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

General Electric Corporation - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

F03D 7/04

US Classification:

416 1, 416 35

Abstract:

A method for correcting offsets in sensors includes mounting, on a rotating machine, a first set of sensors in locations selected to measure vector loads in a first set of coordinates. The method further includes mounting, on the rotating machine, a second set of sensors in locations selected to measure vector loads in a second set of coordinates, wherein the first set of coordinates and the second set of coordinates rotate with respect to one another when the rotating machine is operating. The method also includes utilizing measurements from either or both of the two sets of sensors to correct offset errors in vector loads measured by the other set of sensors.

US Patent:

8360722, Jan 29, 2013

Filed:

May 28, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/790130

Inventors:

Till Hoffmann - Osnabrück, DE
Gert Torbohm - Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE
Jignesh Gandhi - Simpsonville SC, US
Robert Peter Slack - Seattle WA, US
Kirk Gee Pierce - Lafayette CO, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

F03D 7/04
F03D 11/00

US Classification:

416 1, 415118, 415119, 416 31, 416 61, 416145, 416500, 73455

Abstract:

A method of validating a wind turbine including a rotor includes intentionally inducing a loading imbalance to the rotor. The method also includes measuring the loading imbalance induced to the rotor, transmitting a signal representative of the measured loading imbalance to a calibration module, and at least one of detecting an error and calibrating at least one component of the wind turbine based on the signal.

US Patent:

20210079891, Mar 18, 2021

Filed:

Sep 17, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/573024

Inventors:

- Schenectady NY, US
Robert Peter Slack - Seattle WA, US

International Classification:

F03D 7/04

Abstract:

A method for adjusting a multi-dimensional operating space of a wind turbine includes receiving, via a central multi-dimensional operating space controller, a plurality of signals from a plurality of requestors of modified operating space. Each of the plurality of signals includes a data structure having requested set points for a plurality of dimensions in the operating space. The method also includes tracking, via the central multi-dimensional operating space controller, current set points for the plurality of dimensions in the operating space. Further, the method includes dynamically determining, via the central multi-dimensional operating space controller, an output signal based on the requested set points, the output signal comprising one or more changes for the current set points for the plurality of dimensions in the operating space. Moreover, the method includes controlling the wind turbine based on the output signal so as to provide a modified multi-dimensional operating space.

US Patent:

20200025170, Jan 23, 2020

Filed:

Jul 17, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/037256

Inventors:

- Schenectady NY, US
Robert Peter Slack - Seattle WA, US
Darren John Danielsen - Simpsonville SC, US
Santiago Tomas - Mollet del Valles, ES

International Classification:

F03D 7/02
F03D 7/04
F03D 17/00

Abstract:

A method for reducing loads of a wind turbine includes determining a wind speed at the wind turbine. Further, the method includes determining an operational state of the wind turbine. The method also includes determining whether a rotor of the wind turbine is imbalanced beyond a predetermined threshold when the operational state corresponds to a predetermined operational state as a rotor imbalance beyond the predetermined threshold is indicative of a pitch fault in one or more of the rotor blades. In addition, the method includes yawing a nacelle of the wind turbine to a predetermined angular position when the wind speed exceeds a predetermined speed threshold and the rotor is imbalanced beyond the predetermined threshold.

US Patent:

20190383266, Dec 19, 2019

Filed:

Jun 14, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/008145

Inventors:

- Schenectady NY, US
Robert Peter Slack - Seattle WA, US
Michael James Rizzo - Rotterdam NY, US

International Classification:

F03D 7/04
F03D 17/00
F03D 7/02

Abstract:

A method for monitoring and controlling a wind turbine to minimize rotor blade damage includes receiving sensor data from one or more sensors indicative of at least one blade parameter of the rotor blade over a predetermined time period. The method also includes trending the sensor data for the predetermined time period with respect to at least one wind parameter. Further, the method includes determining at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data. Moreover, the method includes comparing the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data to an operating threshold. In addition, the method includes implementing a control action if the comparison of the at least one characteristic of the trended sensor data and the operating threshold indicates blade damage is occurring or is likely to occur.

US Patent:

20190113021, Apr 18, 2019

Filed:

Sep 17, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/133019

Inventors:

- Schenectady NY, US
Raveendra Penmatsa - Bangalore, IN
Soeren Georg - Berlin, DE
Ramy Michael Souri - Greer SC, US
Ryan Michael Sunyak - Greenville SC, US
Darren John Danielsen - Simpsonville SC, US
Robert Peter Slack - Seattle WA, US

International Classification:

F03D 7/02
F03D 7/04
F03D 17/00

Abstract:

A method for identifying a blade run-away condition in the event of a pitch system failure of a rotor blade of a wind turbine includes determining, via one or more sensors, an actual rotor loading of the wind turbine. The method also includes determining, via a turbine controller, an estimated rotor loading of the wind turbine based on at least one of one or more operating conditions of the wind turbine or one or more wind conditions of the wind turbine. Further, the method includes determining a difference between the actual rotor loading and the estimated rotor loading. The method also includes determining whether the blade run-away condition is present based on the difference. The method may also include implementing a corrective action that mitigates loads caused by the blade run-away condition.