The picture shows the last big task in the installation of an Enercon E-82 wind generator. This is not a really big one, the rotor diameter is only 82 meters (270 feet), but it has a neat new feature. Enercon generators have no gears. The turning motion of the rotor is directly transferred into electricity via a nearly frictionless annular generator. The moving part of the generator consist of perma magnets and the static part, the stator, is a ring of copper wires. When the rotation of the perma magnets induces energy into the stator a part of the energy also heats the copper wires. This effect is undesired as it reduces the electricity generation capacity. The wind generator pictured above has a new feature. Its stator is water-cooled in a closed loop system and in the picture above one can see the heat exchangers on top of the front top of the machine house.
The picture shows the last big task in the installation of an Enercon E-82 wind generator. This is not a really big one, the rotor diameter is only 82 meters (270 feet), but it has a neat new feature.
Enercon generators have no gears. The turning motion of the rotor is directly transferred into electricity via a nearly frictionless annular generator. The moving part of the generator consist of perma magnets and the static part, the stator, is a ring of copper wires. When the rotation of the perma magnets induces energy into the stator a part of the energy also heats the copper wires. This effect is undesired as it reduces the electricity generation capacity.
The wind generator pictured above has a new feature. Its stator is water-cooled in a closed loop system and in the picture above one can see the heat exchangers on top of the front top of the machine house.
Normal E-82's have 2 megawatts output. This water-cooled version will generate 3 megawatts. That is quite a jump in output for adding a relative simple feature.
This feature is only available for much stronger wind sites, as no matter the make-up of the generator, the max power available is dependent upon the swept area of the blades (the interceded energy content). Deutsche WindGuard has an E-82 powering its dedicated wind tunnel in Bremerhavn.
Moon says that it's not as big as many modern turbines, but in fact, the 80-90m rotor range is the largest considered commercial. Current 100m rotors are for low wind areas. The project J is financing (i only write J because i haven't figured out how to make proper accents, and wish to do him justice) has bigger turbines which are called the largest commercial turbines at 126 meters diameter, though one could argue it's only the very beginning of serial production.
Moon also references why Enercon turbines, the best in the world, are not available in the US. And that's only the surface of the sordid story. I fought Kenetech most of my career, because of precisely these kinds of actions. Their bankruptcy was a vindication of sorts for me personally, and my credibility in the industry. In actuality, GE now holds the old Kenetech patents, which expire in 2010, and Enercon has already made a royalty deal with them. But for political reasons, they have no wish to do business in the US. Such things happen in a privately controlled company led by an eccentric genius, Dr. Aloys Wobben. "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
You will not find Enercon wind generators in the United States. As wikipedia writes: Enercon was prohibited from exporting their wind turbines to the US until 2010 due to infringement of U.S. Patent 5,083,039. [...] Enercon claims their intellectual property was stolen by Kenetech (US Windpower, Inc.) and patented in the US before they could do so. Kenetech made similar claims against Enercon. According to the European Parliament: "Kenetech seeking evidence for legal action against Enercon for breach of patent rights on the grounds that Enercon had obtained commercial secrets illegally. According to an NSA employee, detailed information concerning Enercon was passed on to Kenetech via ECHELON." It is a longer story going back to the early 1990s. It is alleged, though not proven, that the CIA 'aquired' the technical information which was patented in the U.S. by Kenetech. Later the NSA was involved to 'prove' that Enercon was in breach of that Kenetech patent. The NSA listened in to Enercon communication and 'aquired' codes needed to enter and shut down Enercon wind generators. Some folks on Kenetech's payroll used these codes and then climbed up into the machine house of one Enercon generator in Germany. There they took plenty of pictures. These pictures were used against Enercon in the U.S. patent case by Kenetech. Who needs enemies when one has such allies?
As wikipedia writes:
Enercon was prohibited from exporting their wind turbines to the US until 2010 due to infringement of U.S. Patent 5,083,039. [...] Enercon claims their intellectual property was stolen by Kenetech (US Windpower, Inc.) and patented in the US before they could do so. Kenetech made similar claims against Enercon.
According to the European Parliament: "Kenetech seeking evidence for legal action against Enercon for breach of patent rights on the grounds that Enercon had obtained commercial secrets illegally. According to an NSA employee, detailed information concerning Enercon was passed on to Kenetech via ECHELON."
It is a longer story going back to the early 1990s. It is alleged, though not proven, that the CIA 'aquired' the technical information which was patented in the U.S. by Kenetech. Later the NSA was involved to 'prove' that Enercon was in breach of that Kenetech patent.
The NSA listened in to Enercon communication and 'aquired' codes needed to enter and shut down Enercon wind generators. Some folks on Kenetech's payroll used these codes and then climbed up into the machine house of one Enercon generator in Germany. There they took plenty of pictures. These pictures were used against Enercon in the U.S. patent case by Kenetech.
Who needs enemies when one has such allies?
Normal E-82's have 2 megawatts output. This water-cooled version will generate 3 megawatts. That is quite a jump in output for adding a relative simple feature. You will not find Enercon wind generators in the United States.
You will not find Enercon wind generators in the United States.
Pretty interesting stuff. Arguably, the executive branch of the US Government deploys NSA for industrial espionage against companies operating in Germany and then provides the fruits of that espionage to agents of a US corporation so as to thwart the German company from selling its products in the USA. It would be interesting to see if there was any involvement by executive branch figures, (Cheney?), with Kenetech, the beneficiary of the information. It could be that they were just concerned that a 50% increase in output from the windmills would so improve the life cost analysis as to pose a threat to Powder Basin, Wyoming coal sales.
Also a new low for the US Dept. of Patents and Trademarks, effectively a co-conspirator. I have long accused them of functioning about like a ruptured anus when it came to protecting the public against bogus patents. They have approved patents so obviously based on well known prior art in my field alone that I am amazed no one has patented Ohm's Law--or breathing air, for that matter. Of course, the patent is just a license to sue and unless you enforce it you loose it. I learned that the hard way. As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
