Remote power system

Claim 2

A remote power system comprising a slow speed engine, a slow speed alternator adapted to be directly coupled to said engine for producing AC power, a rectifier for converting said AC power to a DC power output, said DC output being adapted to power a load, said engine being adapted to be powered by a fuel, a pressure regulator controlling the supply of said fuel to said engine, redundant independent ignition systems provided for said engine, a cooling system provided for said engine, said cooling system including a heat exchanger, a fan, a fan motor for operating said fan and welded stainless steel cooling pipes for connecting said engine to said heat exchanger, means for sensing the temperature of said engine, the operation of said fan being controlled automatically to maintain said engine at an optimum predetermined temperature in response to said sensed temperature, a lubricating system provided for said engine, said lubricating system including an oversized lubricating oil sump, oil filter, fuel filter, and air filter, a rotary magnetic encoder system for sensing the speed of said engine and for controlling operation of said pressure regulator in response to said sensed speed to maintain engine speed, and redundant safety shutdown systems for shutting down said engine by cutting off said supply of said fuel when the oil pressure for said power system is lower than desired, when said sensed engine temperature is higher than desired or when said sensed speed of said engine is higher than desired, each of said shutdown means being required to be activated in order to shut down said engine.

Claim 3

The remote power system recited in claim 1 wherein said engine is a 10 HP, 600 RPM, horizontal cylinder, large displacement engine.

Claim 4

The remote power system recited in claim 1 wherein said fuel for powering said engine is a low BTU gas such as natural gas, wellhead gas, methane, butane, propane and the like.

Claim 5

The remote power system recited in claim 1 wherein said fuel for powering said engine is obtained directly from a gas pipeline.

Claim 6

The remote power system recited in claim 1 wherein said alternator is a 6 KW, 1200 RPM, three-phase brushless alternator, said alternator being adapted to be operated at 600 RPM.

Claim 7

The remote power system recited in claim 1 wherein said engine is provided with ceramic main bearings.

Claim 8

The remote power system recited in claim 1 wherein an air to fuel ratio for said engine is adapted to be preset, such that said engine does not possess a governor.

Claim 9

The remote power system recited in claim 1 wherein said engine is adapted to be started by means of a hand crank or a portable starter means, such that said engine does not possess a starting system.

Claim 10

The remote power system recited in claim 1 wherein said rectifier is a 24 Volt DC, three-phase bridge rectifier.

Claim 11

The remote power system recited in claim 1 wherein said ignition systems include dual platinum multi-electrode spark plugs.

Claim 12

The remote power system recited in claim 1 wherein said fan is a variable speed fan and said fan motor is a permanent magnet DC fan motor, said operation of said fan being controlled to maintain said engine at a precise 240° F. temperature.

Claim 13

The remote power system recited in claim 1 further comprising a heavy duty oil field skid base.

Claim 14

The remote power system recited in claim 12 wherein said lubricating oil sump is a stainless steel tank built into said base.

Claim 15

A remote power system comprising a 600 RPM slow speed heat engine, a 1200 RPM three-phase alternator adapted to be directly coupled to said engine to operate at 600 RPM for producing AC power, a bridge rectifier for converting said AC power to a DC power output, said DC output being adapted to power a load, said engine being adapted to be powered by a fuel, a modulating type proportional gas fuel pressure regulator for controlling the supply of said fuel to said engine, a three-phase alternator, redundant independent ignition systems provided for said engine said ignition systems including dual platinum spark plugs and dual solid state ignition subsystems, ceramic main bearings provided for said engine, a cooling system provided for said engine, said cooling system including a heat exchanger, a variable speed fan, a permanent magnet DC fan motor for operating said fan and argon-welded stainless steel cooling pipes for connecting said engine to said heat exchanger, electronic means for sensing the temperature of said engine, means for automatically controlling the operation and speed of said fan in response to said sensed temperature to maintain said engine temperature at about 240° F., a lubricating system provided for said engine, said lubricating system including an oversized lubricating oil sump, a forty-gallon oil filter, an air cleaner that is oversized by a factor of approximately twenty and an oversized fuel filter, a rotary magnetic encoder system for sensing the speed of said engine and for controlling operation of said pressure regulator in response to said sensed speed to maintain engine speed, and redundant safety shutdown systems for shutting down said engine by cutting off said supply of said fuel when the oil pressure for said power system is lower than desired, when said sensed engine temperature is higher than desired or when said sensed speed of said engine is higher than desired, each of said shutdown means being required to be activated in order to shut down said engine.

Claim 16

A remote power system comprising a 600 RPM slow speed heat engine, a 1200 RPM three-phase alternator adapted to be directly coupled to said engine to operate at 600 RPM for producing AC power, a bridge rectifier for converting said AC power to a DC power output, said DC output being adapted to power a load, said engine being adapted to be powered by a fuel, a modulating type proportional gas fuel pressure regulator for controlling the supply of said fuel to said engine, a three-phase alternator, redundant independent ignition systems provided for said engine said ignition systems including dual platinum spark plugs and dual solid state ignition subsystems, ceramic main bearings provided for said engine, a cooling system provided for said engine, said cooling system including a heat exchanger, a variable speed fan, a permanent magnet DC fan motor for operating said fan and argon-welded stainless steel cooling pipes for connecting said engine to said heat exchanger, electronic means for sensing the temperature of said engine, means for automatically controlling the operation and speed of said fan in response to said sensed temperature to maintain said engine temperature at about 240° F., a lubricating system provided for said engine, said lubricating system including an oversized lubricating oil sump, a forty-gallon oil filter, an air cleaner that is oversized by a factor of approximately twenty and an oversized fuel filter, a rotary magnetic encoder system for sensing the speed of said engine and for controlling operation of said pressure regulator in response to said sensed speed to maintain engine speed, and redundant safety shutdown systems for shutting down said engine by cutting off said supply of said fuel when the oil pressure for said power system is lower than desired, when said sensed engine temperature is higher than desired or when said sensed speed of said engine is higher than desired, each of said shutdown means being required to be activated in order to shut down said engine.

Claim 17

The remote power system recited in claim 14 wherein said bearings are made from Syalon.

Claim 18

The remote power system recited in claim 14 wherein an air to fuel ratio for said engine is adapted to be preset, such that said engine does not possess a governor.

Claim 19

The remote power system recited n claim 14 wherein said engine is adapted to be started by means of a hand crank or a portable starter means, such that said engine does not possess a starting system.

Claim 20

The remote power system recited in claim 14 further comprising a heavy duty oil field skid base.

Claim 21

A power system for utilization at a remote gas pipeline comprising a 600 RPM slow speed heat engine, a 1200 RPM three-phase alternator adapted to be directly coupled to said engine to operate at 600 RPM for producing AC power, a three-phase bridge rectifier for converting said AC power to a DC power output, said D output being adapted to power a 24 volt DC load in the range of 500 to 5,000 watts, said engine being adapted to be powered directly by gas from said gas pipeline, said engine being adapted to be started by means of a hand crank or by means of a portable starter whereby said engine does not include a starting system, said engine having a preset air to fuel ratio whereby said engine does not require a governor, a pressure regulator for controlling the supply of said gas to said engine, redundant independent ignition systems provided for said engine, ceramic main bearings for said engine, a cooling system provided for said engine, said cooling system including a heat exchanger, a variable speed fan, a motor for operating said fan and welded stainless steel cooling pipes for connecting said engine to said heat exchanger, said cooling system utilizing a thermo syphon vapor phase type closed cycle cooling process whereby a water pump is not provided, electronic means for sensing the temperature of said engine, means for automatically controlling the operation and speed of said fan in response to said sensed temperature to maintain said engine temperature at about 240° F., a lubricating system provided for said engine, said lubricating system including an oversized lubricating oil sump, oil filter, air cleaner and fuel filter, a rotary magnetic encoder system for sensing the speed of said engine and for controlling operation of said pressure regulator in response to said sensed speed to maintain engine speed, redundant safety shutdown systems for shutting down said engine by cutting off said supply of said fuel when the oil pressure for said power system is lower than desired, when said sensed engine temperature is higher than desired or when said sensed speed of said engine is higher than desired, each of said shutdown means being required to be activated in order to shut down said engine, and an oil field skid base provided for said power system, said remote power system being characterized by a Mean Time Between Failure at least equal to 20,000 hours.

Claim 22

A power system for utilization at a remote gas pipeline comprising a 600 RPM slow speed heat engine, a 1200 RPM three-phase alternator adapted to be directly coupled to said engine to operate at 600 RPM for producing AC power, a three-phase bridge rectifier for converting said AC power to a DC power output, said D output being adapted to power a 24 volt DC load in the range of 500 to 5,000 watts, said engine being adapted to be powered directly by gas from said gas pipeline, said engine being adapted to be started by means of a hand crank or by means of a portable starter whereby said engine does not include a starting system, said engine having a preset air to fuel ratio whereby said engine does not require a governor, a pressure regulator for controlling the supply of said gas to said engine, redundant independent ignition systems provided for said engine, ceramic main bearings for said engine, a cooling system provided for said engine, said cooling system including a heat exchanger, a variable speed fan, a motor for operating said fan and welded stainless steel cooling pipes for connecting said engine to said heat exchanger, said cooling system utilizing a thermo syphon vapor phase type closed cycle cooling process whereby a water pump is not provided, electronic means for sensing the temperature of said engine, means for automatically controlling the operation and speed of said fan in response to said sensed temperature to maintain said engine temperature at about 240° F., a lubricating system provided for said engine, said lubricating system including an oversized lubricating oil sump, oil filter, air cleaner and fuel filter, a rotary magnetic encoder system for sensing the speed of said engine and for controlling operation of said pressure regulator in response to said sensed speed to maintain engine speed, redundant safety shutdown systems for shutting down said engine by cutting off said supply of said fuel when the oil pressure for said power system is lower than desired, when said sensed engine temperature is higher than desired or when said sensed speed of said engine is higher than desired, each of said shutdown means being required to be activated in order to shut down said engine, and an oil field skid base provided for said power system, said remote power system being characterized by a Mean Time Between Failure at least equal to 20,000 hours.

Claim 23

The remote power system recited in claim 19 wherein said sump is a stainless steel tank built into said skid.