Method and apparatus for generating power in a wind turbine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsPedro Luis Benito Santiago, Eugenio Yegro Segovia, Miguel Bartolome Lopez
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Abstract
A generator for use in a wind turbine includes a rotor including a plurality of windings. The rotor is configured to be electrically coupled to a wind turbine electrical distribution system. The generator also includes a stator including a plurality of windings. The stator is configured to be magnetically coupled to the rotor and electrically coupled to the wind turbine electrical distribution system. The stator is further configured to switch between a first number of magnetic poles and a second number of magnetic poles.
Claims20
A generator for use in a wind turbine, said generator comprising:
- a rotor comprising a plurality of rotor windings, said rotor configured to be electrically coupled to a wind turbine electrical distribution system;
- a stator comprising a plurality of stator windings, said stator configured to be magnetically coupled to said rotor, and electrically coupled to the wind turbine electrical distribution system;
- and,
- a terminal box coupled to said stator, said terminal box configured to switch said stator between a first number of magnetic poles and a second number of magnetic poles.
A wind turbine comprising:
- a wind turbine electrical distribution system;
- and,
- a generator comprising:
- a rotor comprising a plurality of rotor windings, said rotor configured to be electrically coupled to said wind turbine electrical distribution system;
- a stator comprising a plurality of stator windings, said stator configured to be magnetically coupled to said rotor, and electrically coupled to said wind turbine electrical distribution system;
- and,
- a terminal box coupled to said stator, said terminal box configured to switch said stator between a first number of magnetic poles and a second number of magnetic poles.
A method for generating power in a wind turbine, said method comprising:
- providing a wind turbine electrical distribution system within the wind turbine;
- coupling a generator to the wind turbine electrical distribution system, the generator including a rotor having a plurality of rotor windings and a stator having a plurality of stator windings;
- magnetically coupling the stator to the rotor;
- coupling a terminal box to the stator;
- and,
- configuring the terminal box to switch the stator between a first number of magnetic poles operating during a first range of speeds and a second number of magnetic poles operating during a second range of speeds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.