A method for storage of excess energy which would otherwise be lost, the regulation of angular velocity, and prevention of excessive velocities is disclosed. The device consists of a bowl shaped container, divided into sections by radially oriented vertical walls, which holds a fluid (any appropriate liquid or set of small solid particles), and spins on its vertically oriented axis at various angular velocities. The floor of the device is formed in successive shapes of bowls and shelves, which allows for a kind of “gearing”. The invention allows more and more energy to be input into the device while the angular velocity is regulated within a particular range. A typical embodiment of the invention would include its attachment by a shaft at the axis to a vertical axis wind turbine.

Provided is a wind turbine brake control device including: an electromagnetic brake for braking at least one of relative rotation between a pinion gear installed in a first structure and a ring gear installed in a second structure or rotation of a motor having the pinion gear mounted thereto, the first structure and the second structure constituting a movable section of a wind turbine; and a contactless relay disposed on a power supply line between a power supply for operation of the electromagnetic brake and the electromagnetic brake and configured to open and close the power supply line.

Systems and method for a hydrokinetic energy device. A hydrokinetic energy device includes a main body including two main wing-shaped spars mounted upon a rotating central hub, and rotatable spar tip turbines mounted at or near an end of each of the main wing-shaped spars, the main wing-shaped spars driving the rotatable spar tip turbines through water, each of the rotatable spar tip turbines including a direct-drive generator and power conversion system that transfers power from a rotating rotatable spar tip turbine to the central hub where the voltage is stepped up and amperage is reduced.

A braking assembly of a wind turbine includes a slewing ring bearing, at least one first drive mechanism having a first motor and a first drive pinion that rotationally engages the slewing ring bearing. The first motor is pre-tensioned in a first direction by a first amount of force. The braking assembly also includes at least one second drive mechanism having a second motor and a second drive pinion that rotationally engages the slewing ring bearing. The second motor is pre-tensioned in a second direction with a second amount of force. The first direction and the second direction are opposite of each other and the first amount of force are substantially equal to the second amount of force. Thus, the first and second amounts of force substantially cancel each other while also allowing dithering of at least one of the first and second motors, thereby preventing substantial rotational movement of the slewing ring bearing.

The invention relates to an assembly and a method of fixing a rotor blade of a wind power plant. The wind power plant comprises a rotor blade, a pitch adjustment means, a bearing for the rotor blade and a brake disk. There is an electro-mechanical brake configured to apply a controlled brake force to the brake disk that is a function of the pitch angle of the rotor blade.

The invention provides a method of shutting down a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a rotor with a plurality of blades; and a generator system coupled to the rotor. The method comprises: operating the generator system to generate electrical power and apply a load torque to the rotor; controlling the electrical power generated with a power reference signal; determining that a shutdown of the wind turbine is required; in response to the determination that a shutdown of the wind turbine is required, changing the power reference signal so as to increase the electrical power generated thereby slowing the rotor; determining that a speed of the rotor has reduced below a threshold; and in response to the determination that the speed of the rotor has decreased below the threshold, changing a pitch of the blades to further slow the rotor.

Embodiments herein describe validating an emergency stop signal before activating a brake within a wind turbine. The emergency stop signal is received from a control node of a plurality of control nodes distributed throughout the wind turbine, and the emergency stop signal indicates that the wind turbine should be shut down. The wind turbine is shut down by transmitting a shutdown signal to the plurality of control nodes. Upon determining there is no indication a person is present within the wind turbine, the emergency stop signal is validated. Additionally, upon determining the emergency stop signal is valid, a brake within the wind turbine is activated to bring the rotor to a stop.

There is presented a method for damping an edgewise vibration of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, wherein the method comprises measuring at the rotor blade a motion parameter of the edgewise rotor blade vibration, generating based on said motion parameter a blade pitch angle control signal, and damping the edgewise vibration of the rotor blade by pitching the rotor blade according to the blade pitch angle control signal, wherein the blade pitch angle control signal is arranged so that a resulting force on a rotor blade pitched according to the blade pitch angle control signal, in a direction of the edgewise vibration of the rotor blade in a coordinate system, which rotates with a rotor of the wind turbine, is opposite and proportional to the edgewise rotor blade vibration velocity.

Provided is a wind turbine including an active yaw system realized to maintain an upwind orientation of the wind turbine aerodynamic rotor during safe operating conditions, which active yaw system includes a number of yaw drive units, and wherein a yaw drive unit includes a negative brake; a principal power supply configured to supply power to the active yaw system during normal operation of the wind turbine; and a dedicated negative brake reserve power supply configured to supply power to the negative brakes in the event of a grid disconnect. A method of operating such a wind turbine is also provided.

A wind turbine system and to a method for operating said system is disclosed. The system further comprises a detection device configured for detecting body waves generated by an earthquake. In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system comprising a wind turbine, in particular to an onshore erected wind turbine, a wind turbine controller for controlling the wind turbine, and at least one detection device, which is connected to the wind turbine controller for transmitting signals. The wind turbine includes at least a rotor having at least one rotor blade, wherein the rotor is rotatably mounted to rotation support means of the wind turbine, and a tower having a top end for supporting the rotation support means and a support end. The detection device is configured to detect and measure earthquake generated primary waves (P-waves). The detection device may include at least one sensor or a plurality of sensors, wherein the sender is configured to detect and/or measure earthquake generated P-waves. Such sensor may be further configured to detect an acceleration caused by the earthquake using a built-in accelerometer and then to calculate and output a synthetic acceleration, and to provide an estimated Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale (shindo scale) value.