EP0901218A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Turbogenerator/motor controller
Assignee: Capstone Green Energy Corp
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Filing: 1998-09-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-09-08
Abstract
Abstract A turbogenerator/motor controller with a microprocessor based inverter having multiple modes of operation. To start the turbine, the inverter connects to and supplies fixed current, variable voltage, variable frequency, AC power to the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor, driving the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor to accelerate the gas turbine. During this acceleration, spark and fuel are introduced in the correct sequence, and self-sustaining gas turbine operating conditions are reached. The inverter is then disconnected from the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor, reconfigured to a controlled frequency mode, and then either supplies regulated three phase voltage to a stand alone load or phase locks to the utility, or to other like controllers, to operate as a supplement to the utility. In this mode of operation, the power for the inverter is derived from the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor via high frequency rectifier bridges. The microprocessor monitors turbine conditions and controls fuel flow to the gas turbine combustor. An energy storage and discharge system including an ancillary electric storage device, such as a battery, can be connected to the generator controller through control electronics. Electrical energy can flow from the ancillary electric storage device to the turbogenerator controller during start up and increasing load and vice versa during self-sustained operation of the turbogenerator. When utility power is unavailable, the ancillary electric storage device can provide the power required to start the turbogenerator. When a load transient occurs, the gas turbine engine and the ancillary electric storage device can provide the power required to successfully meet the transient.
Inventors
- 👤 Everett R. Geis
- 👤 Brian W. Peticolas
- 👤 Joel B. Wacknov
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 14:41
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02P; H02P9/00; H02P9/04; F; F05; F05B; F05B2200/00; F05B2200/10; F05B2200/15
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
comprising the steps of: providing electrical power to the permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor through a pulse width modulated inverter to start the
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor to achieve self sustaining operation; disconnecting the electrical power from the pulse width modulated
inverter once self sustaining operation is achieved; and reconfiguring the pulse width modulated inverter to supply voltage
from the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
of claim 1 wherein the voltage supplied from the permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor is utility frequency voltage.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
comprising the steps of: providing electrical power to the permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor through a pulse width modulated inverter to drive the
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor to accelerate the gas
turbine engine of the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor; providing spark and fuel to the gas turbine engine of the permanent
magnet turbogenerator/motor during this acceleration to achieve self sustaining
operation of the gas turbine engine; disconnecting the electrical power from the pulse width modulated
inverter once self sustaining operation is achieved; and reconnecting the pulse width modulated inverter to the permanent
magnet turbogenerator/motor through a rectifier bridge to reconfigure the
pulse width modulated inverter to supply utility frequency voltage.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
132 words
A method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
comprising the steps of: providing electrical power to the permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor through a first contactor and a pulse width modulated
inverter to drive the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor
through a second contactor to accelerate the gas turbine engine of the
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor; providing spark and fuel to the gas turbine engine of the permanent
magnet turbogenerator/motor during this acceleration to achieve self sustaining
operation of the gas turbine engine; opening the first and second contactors to disconnect the electrical
power from the pulse width modulated inverter once self sustaining operation
is achieved; and reconnecting the pulse width modulated inverter to the permanent
magnet turbogenerator/motor through a rectifier bridge to reconfigure the
pulse width modulated inverter to supply utility frequency voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
of claim 4 and in addition the step of connecting the reconfigured pulse width
modulated inverter to a load by closing a third contactor.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
comprising the steps of: providing electrical power to the permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor through a first contactor and a multiple solid state
switching device channel pulse width modulated inverter to drive the
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor through a second
contactor to accelerate the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor; providing spark and fuel to the gas turbine engine of the permanent
magnet turbogenerator/motor during this acceleration to achieve self sustaining
operation of the gas turbine engine; opening the first and second contactors to disconnect the electrical
power from the multiple solid state switching device channel pulse width
modulated inverter once self sustaining operation is achieved; reconnecting the multiple solid state switching device channel pulse
width modulated inverter to the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
through a high frequency rectifier bridge to reconfigure the multiple solid state
switching device channel pulse width modulated inverter; and connecting the reconfigured multiple solid state switching device
channel pulse width modulated inverter to utility power by closing a third
contactor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
of claim 6 wherein the number of multiple solid state switching device channels
in said pulse width modulated inverter is four, and three of the four solid state
switching device channels are reconfigured to supply utility frequency voltage
and the fourth solid state switching device channels is switched at a fifty
percent duty cycle to create an artificial neutral.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
of claim 7 wherein the four solid state switching device channels are IGBT
channels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
of claim 6 or 7 or 8 wherein the high frequency rectifier bridge is a three phase
rectifier having three diode channels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
of claim 9 wherein each of said three diode channels include a pair of diodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
87 words
A controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor,
comprising: a pulse width modulated inverter operably associated with said
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor; means to provide electrical power to said permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor through said pulse width modulated inverter to start said
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor to achieve self sustaining operation; means to disconnect the electrical power from said pulse width
modulated inverter once self sustaining operation of said permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor is achieved; and means to reconfigure said pulse width modulated inverter to supply
voltage from said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor of claim
11 wherein said pulse width modulated inverter includes a plurality of solid
state switching device channels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
The controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor of claim
12 wherein said plurality of solid state switching device channels in said pulse
width modulated inverter is four, and three of the four solid state switching
device channels are reconfigured to supply utility frequency voltage and the
fourth solid state switching device channels is switched at a fifty percent duty
cycle to create an artificial neutral.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor of claim
13 wherein said four solid state switching device channels are IGBT channels.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor of claim
11 or 12 or 13 or 14 wherein the voltage supplied from said permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor is utility frequency voltage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
164 words
A controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor having a
gas turbine engine, comprising: a pulse width modulated inverter operably associated with said
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor; means to provide electrical power to said permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor through said pulse width modulated inverter to drive
said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor to accelerate said gas
turbine engine of said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor; means to provide spark and fuel to said gas turbine engine of said
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor during this acceleration to achieve
self sustaining operation of said gas turbine engine; means to disconnect the electrical power from said pulse width
modulated inverter and said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor once self
sustaining operation of said gas turbine engine is achieved; a rectifier bridge operably associated with said pulse width modulated
inverter and said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor; and means to reconnect said pulse width modulated inverter to said
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through said rectifier bridge to
reconfigure said pulse width modulated inverter to supply utility frequency
voltage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
237 words
A controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor having a
gas turbine engine and a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor, comprising: a pulse width modulated inverter operably associated with said
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor, said pulse width modulated inverter
having a plurality of solid state switching device channels; a first contactor operably associated with said pulse width modulated
inverter; a second contactor operably associated with said permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor; means to provide electrical power to said pulse width modulated
inverter through said first contactor when closed to drive said permanent
magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor through said second contactor when
closed to accelerate said gas turbine engine of said permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor; means to provide spark and fuel to said gas turbine engine of said
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor during this acceleration to achieve
self sustaining operation of said gas turbine engine; means to open said first and second contactors to disconnect the
electrical power from said pulse width modulated inverter once self sustaining
operation is achieved; a rectifier bridge operably associated with said pulse width modulated
inverter and said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor; a third contactor operably associated with said pulse width modulated
inverter; means to reconnect said pulse width modulated inverter to said
permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through said rectifier bridge to
reconfigure said pulse width modulated inverter; and means to connect said reconfigured pulse width modulated inverter to
supply utility frequency voltage to a load through said third contactor when
closed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
65 words
The controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor of claim
17 wherein the number of solid state switching device channels in said pulse
width modulated inverter is four, and three of the four solid state switching
device channels are reconfigured to supply utility frequency voltage and the
fourth solid state switching device channel is switched at a fifty percent duty
cycle to create an artificial neutral.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor of claim
18 wherein the four solid state switching device channels are IGBT channels.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor of claim
17 or 18 or 19 wherein said rectifier bridge is a three phase rectifier having
three diode channels.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor of claim
20 wherein each of said three diode channels includes a pair of diodes.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
89 words
A method or controller according to any of the preceding claims
comprising an energy storage and discharge system for the pulse width
modulated inverter to provide electrical energy to the inverter when utility
electrical power is unavailable to start the permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor, and/or during self sustained operation when the inverter
cannot meet an instantaneous load requirement, and/or after shutdown to
continue motoring the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor to cool down the permanent magnet
turbogenerator/motor and/or to otherwise store electrical energy during self
sustained operation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
65 words
Control apparatus for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor
comprising: means for electrically powering the turbogenerator/motor to bring it up
to operating speed; means for initiating turbo operation of the turbogenerator/motor as it
approaches operating speed; means for disconnecting the electrical powering of the
turbogenerator/motor once self sustaining turbo operation has been achieved;
and means for deriving electrical energy from the turbogenerator/motor
during self sustaining operation thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
A turbogenerator/motor in operative combination with a control
apparatus as claimed in any of claims 11 to 23.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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