Installation for converting hydraulic energy into electrical energy, provided with a fixed speed hydraulic machine comprising a pump-turbine (2) linked to a generator (20) by a shaft.

The installation further comprises: an electrical torque actuator (34) to establish a circuit with the generator (20), electrical torque actuator connection means (35) for connecting the generator (20) the electrical torque actuator, and command means (29) for detecting a disconnection of the generator (20) from the grid, and for commanding the electrical torque actuator connection means (35) to connect the generator (20) to the electrical torque actuator (34).

Systems and methods for operating an energy storage system in a wind turbine system are provided. A wind turbine system can include a wind turbine, a power conversion system operably coupled to the wind turbine and an AC line bus, and an energy storage system coupled to the AC line bus. The energy storage system can include a transformer, a power converter, and an energy storage device and can be configured to store and provide power generated by the wind turbine. The method can include operating the wind turbine system to generate power, determining one or more operating parameters for the wind turbine system, determining an operating mode based on the one or more operating parameters, and controlling the wind turbine system based at least in part on the operating mode. Controlling the wind turbine can control a power flow into or out of the energy storage system.

For each of actuators, the partial load ratio is output. An output device for a drive device of a wind turbine includes an obtaining unit for obtaining information relating to a load applied to each of a plurality of actuators, where the actuators are included in the drive device of the wind turbine and configured to cooperate with each other, a processing unit for, based on the information obtained by the obtaining unit, calculating a partial load ratio, where the partial load ratio represents a ratio of a load on each of the actuators to a total load and the total load is a sum of the loads on the respective actuators, and an output unit for outputting the partial load ratio.

Disclosed is an apparatus that adapts the rate of its computational work to match the availability of energy harvested from a stochastic energy source; and, with respect to some types of energy harvesting, regulates the rate of energy capture, the rate of energy conversion, and the rate of consumption of stored potential energy, through its alteration, regulation, and/or adjustment, of that same computational work load.

A generator-gearbox arrangement for a wind turbine includes a generator having a stator and a rotor interacting with one another, a functional component arranged on an end side of the generator and including an extension which points toward the rotor, and a magnetic rail brake arrangement including component parts fastened to the extension. The magnetic rail brake arrangement is designed to apply a braking action which is based on an operating principle of electromagnetic attraction between the magnetic rail brake arrangement and at least one of the rotor and the functional component.

The invention concerns a method of operating a wind power installation in which the rotor is brought to a halt and fixed, comprising the steps: braking the rotor, positioning the rotor at a stopped position, and fixing the rotor in the stopped position. According to the invention it is provided that an end position is predetermined, the rotor is braked in regulated fashion to a stopped position associated with the end position, and for positioning for the predetermined end position the rotor is braked in an automated procedure until stopped at the stopped position, and for fixing in the stopped position a mechanical fixing device is applied, in particular automatically.

A system for controlling pitch angle of a blade of a wind turbine is provided. The system may comprise a switched reluctance motor and an inverter. The motor may be configured to be positioned at a hub of the wind turbine and coupled to the blade. The motor may have a stator and a rotor. The stator may have: (i) multiple stator poles and (ii) coil windings around each of the multiple stator poles. The rotor may be rotatably mounted with respect to the stator. The rotor may have multiple rotor poles and a rotor shaft configured to be coupled to the blade to control the pitch angle of the blade. The inverter may be configured to supply electrical power to the coil windings to control motion of the rotor shaft in response to receiving a pitch angle control signal from a pitch angle control system of the wind turbine.

A braking force measuring method for a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a ring gear, a yaw drive device driving a pinion meshing with the ring gear to make the wind turbine turn, and a brake device that prevents the nacelle from turning in the yaw direction by pressing a friction body against the ring gear. The method includes: braking the ring gear by the brake device; measuring a load on a rotating shaft of the pinion that mesh with the braked ring gear; determining a maximum value of the load during a time period when input torque is applied to the pinion, the input torque being applied with the nacelle held still and until the friction body begins to slip and the nacelle begins to turn in the yaw direction; and converting the determined load to the braking force.

A vibration absorber which, in the broadest sense, is based on a pendulum device for dampening undesirable vibrations which occur in a very slender structure, such as a wind turbine. The undesirable vibrations are caused by an acting force, in particular wind force. The invention thereby relates to vibration absorbers in which the pendulum mass can be temporarily stopped or braked, either entirely or partially, by an electromagnetic brake. The power supply or the current regulation of the electromagnetic brake correspondingly controls the braking function of the electromagnetic brake.

A method for operating an electrical power system includes disabling bridge switching of one of the rotor-side converter or line-side converter. The method further includes gating on the dynamic brake after the disabling occurs, comparing a power converter input variable to a primary predetermined variable threshold, and forcing the gated-on dynamic brake to a 100 percent duty cycle when the power converter input variable exceeds the primary predetermined variable threshold.