How Wind Turbines Adapt to Icy Weather to Keep Making Power
This patent describes a control system that helps wind turbines manage ice buildup on their blades, allowing them to either keep generating electricity safely or shut down gracefully when conditions get too severe.
Original patent title: “Control system for wind turbines in cold climates”
This patent describes a control system that helps wind turbines manage ice buildup on their blades, allowing them to either keep generating electricity safely or shut down gracefully when conditions get too severe. Granted to University of Minnesota System in 2024 with 23 claims and 2 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2041.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The control system described in this patent helps wind turbines deal with ice. When it determines an "icing event has begun to affect the wind turbine" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1), it shifts the turbine into an "operational-icing phase." In this phase, the system changes the "angle of attack of blades" by adjusting their "blade pitch angles" (Claim 1). This adjustment is based on current wind speed, power output, and historical performance data, allowing the turbine to "continue to generate electrical power" even with some ice. If the power generation drops "below a threshold" (Claim 1), the system then moves the turbine to a "stopped-icing phase," where the blades' rotation is halted. For example, if sensors detect ice causing vibrations or reduced power, the system might adjust blade angles to shed ice or maintain some power, only stopping if power output falls too low.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover de-icing methods that involve heating elements or chemical sprays; it focuses on aerodynamic adjustments and operational phases.
- Does not cover systems that simply shut down a wind turbine immediately upon detecting ice without attempting to continue power generation.
- Does not cover control systems that do not adjust the "angle of attack of blades" by changing "blade pitch angles" during an icing event.
- Does not cover detection of icing events solely through visual inspection or manual input without sensor data or weather forecasts.
- Does not cover stopping the turbine for reasons other than power generation falling below a threshold during an icing event.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in the system's ability to dynamically adjust blade angles to maintain power generation during an icing event, rather than just shutting down. It uses real-time data and baseline performance to find an optimal "modified angle of attack" (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1) that balances ice management with continued electricity production.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Wind farms in cold regions like the Great Lakes area or northern Europe
Modern utility-scale wind turbines with advanced pitch control systems
Turbines designed for arctic or sub-arctic environments
Why it matters
The bigger picture
Wind turbines are a crucial part of renewable energy, but ice buildup in cold climates can severely reduce their efficiency and even damage them. This patent offers a way for turbines to operate more reliably and safely in these challenging conditions. By intelligently adjusting blade angles, turbines can continue to produce power for longer, reducing downtime and making wind energy more viable in regions prone to freezing weather.
Filed
July 13, 2021
Granted
April 2, 2024
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Major wind turbine manufacturers such as Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, GE Renewable Energy, and Nordex are continuously developing and implementing advanced control systems for their turbines. Academic institutions like the University of Minnesota System, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, also contribute to foundational research in this area. These companies and research groups aim to improve turbine resilience and efficiency in diverse environmental conditions, including cold climates.
Market impact
This technology helps improve the reliability and economic viability of wind energy projects in cold climates. Before such systems, ice often forced turbines to shut down completely, leading to significant power loss and operational costs. By enabling continued, albeit reduced, power generation during icing events, this patent contributes to higher uptime and more consistent energy supply from wind farms in challenging environments, making cold-weather wind energy more attractive to investors and grid operators.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The control system described in this patent helps wind turbines deal with ice. When it determines an "icing event has begun to affect the wind turbine" (Claim 1), it shifts the turbine into an "operational-icing phase." In this phase, the system changes the "angle of attack of blades" by adjusting their "blade pitch angles" (Claim 1). This adjustment is based on current wind speed, power output, and historical performance data, allowing the turbine to "continue to generate electrical power" even with some ice. If the power generation drops "below a threshold" (Claim 1), the system then moves the turbine to a "stopped-icing phase," where the blades' rotation is halted. For example, if sensors detect ice causing vibrations or reduced power, the system might adjust blade angles to shed ice or maintain some power, only stopping if power output falls too low.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in the system's ability to dynamically adjust blade angles to maintain power generation during an icing event, rather than just shutting down. It uses real-time data and baseline performance to find an optimal "modified angle of attack" (Claim 1) that balances ice management with continued electricity production.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover de-icing methods that involve heating elements or chemical sprays; it focuses on aerodynamic adjustments and operational phases.
- Does not cover systems that simply shut down a wind turbine immediately upon detecting ice without attempting to continue power generation.
- Does not cover control systems that do not adjust the "angle of attack of blades" by changing "blade pitch angles" during an icing event.
- Does not cover detection of icing events solely through visual inspection or manual input without sensor data or weather forecasts.
- Does not cover stopping the turbine for reasons other than power generation falling below a threshold during an icing event.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
10/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$47K – $150K
Midpoint $94K · 14.8 yr remaining · industry baseline
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
HONG, J., & Gao, L. (2024). How Wind Turbines Adapt to Icy Weather to Keep Making Power (U.S. Patent No. 11,946,452). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11946452/control-system-for-wind-turbines-in-cold-climates
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Wind Turbines Adapt to Icy Weather to Keep Making Power cover?
This patent describes a control system that helps wind turbines manage ice buildup on their blades, allowing them to either keep generating electricity safely or shut down gracefully when conditions get too severe.
Who owns patent US 11946452?
University of Minnesota System owns this patent, granted in 2024.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on July 13, 2041, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 11946452 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
Wind turbines are a crucial part of renewable energy, but ice buildup in cold climates can severely reduce their efficiency and even damage them. This patent offers a way for turbines to operate more reliably and safely in these challenging conditions. By intelligently adjusting blade angles, turbines can continue to produce power for longer, reducing downtime and making wind energy more viable in regions prone to freezing weather.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover de-icing methods that involve heating elements or chemical sprays; it focuses on aerodynamic adjustments and operational phases.
Patent monitoring