Granted Patent B1

US 7,109,600 · App. 11/419,299 · Granted Sep 19, 2006

Abstract

Claims (26)

1. A method for transferring electrical power from a wind turbine comprising the steps of:

rotating blades using wind;

rotating a generator;

generating electricity with said generator;

supporting said generator with a tower;

suspending a transformer adjacent said generator;

damping the movement of said tower by contacting said transformer;

transmitting said electricity through said transformer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said damping is accomplished by contacting said transformer with said tower.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said damping is accomplished by contacting said transformer with a viscous fluid connected to said tower.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of converting the frequency of said electricity.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of rotating said wind turbine such that said blades are facing into the wind.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of applying a brake to said generator opposite said blades.

7. A method for operating a wind turbine comprising the steps of:

rotating a plurality of blades;

generating variable frequency electrical power by the rotation of said plurality of blades;

converting said variable electrical power from a first electrical characteristic to a second electrical characteristic;

transferring said electrical power with said second electrical characteristic to a transformer suspended from a nacelle bedplate;

damping the oscillations of said wind turbine with said transformer.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said first electrical characteristic is a frequency between 10 and 30 Hz.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said second electrical characteristic is a frequency between 50 and 60 Hz.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said oscillations are damped by the contacting of said transformer against the wall of a tower.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said oscillations are damped by the movement of said transformer in a viscous fluid.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of transforming said variable electrical power from an alternating current to a direct current.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of transforming said direct current to an alternating current.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said transformer is either a dry-type or oil-filled transformer.

Assignments (10)