Parallel hybrid system for generating power

Claim 2

A power plant for supplying electricity to an essentially constant electrical load comprising: (a) a non-fuel consuming power source for intermittently generating power; (b) a battery system for supplying power; (c) an electrical power generator connected to a selectively operable fuel-consuming prime mover for generating power when said prime mover is started and operated; (d) interconnection means for connecting said non-fuel consuming power source, said battery system, and said power generator to said load in parallel; (e) battery condition sensor means for sensing when the charge level of the battery drops below a threshold; (f) power source condition sensor means for sensing night-time conditions; and (g) logic means responsive to the condition sensors for automatically starting up and operating said prime mover only at night and when the charge level of the battery system is below a threshold.

Claim 3

A power plant according to claim 1 wherein said power source is an array of photovoltaic cells, said power source condition sensor means senses night-time conditions by sensing the flow of current produced by said array, and said logic means is responsive to the simultaneous occurrence of less than threshold values of said charge level and said flow of current for operating said prime mover.

Claim 4

A power plant according to claim 2 wherein said prime mover is a closed Rankine cycle power plant whose operating efficiency peaks during non-daylight hours.

Claim 5

A power plant according to claim 3 wherein said Rankine cycle power plant includes an organic fluid turbogenerator.

Claim 6

A power plant according to claim 4 wherein said Rankine cycle power plant includes an air-cooled condenser for effecting the most efficient operation of the last-mentioned power plant during non-daylight hours.

Claim 7

A power plant according to claim 4 wherein said logic means is constructed and arranged to start and operate said prime mover only after a predetermined time delay following said simultaneous occurrences to insure operation of said prime mover only during non-daylight hours.

Claim 8

A power plant according to claim 6 wherein said Rankine cycle power plant includes a burner for burning fuel, and an on/off control for controlling the supply of fuel to said burner, said on/off control being operated by said logic means.

Claim 11

A power plant for supplying electricity to an electrical load comprising: (a) an intermittently operable non-fuel-consuming power generator connected through a control circuit to a battery for charging the latter during operation of the power generator; (b) an electrical power generator connected to a prime mover for charging the battery and supplying current to the electrical load when the prime mover is operated; (c) a sensor circuit for sensing at least one electrical parameter of the power plant and thereby controlling the operation thereof; (d) control means responsive to the sensor circuit for operating the said prime mover; and (e) a delay circuit interposed between the sensor circuit and the control means for preventing the sensor circuit from exerting control over the operation of the prime mover until the lapse of a predetermined time interval after said at least one electrical parameter is sensed.

Claim 12

A power plant for supplying electricity to an electrical load comprising: (a) an intermittently operable non-fuel-consuming power generator connected through a control circuit to a battery for charging the latter during operation of the power generator; (b) an electrical power generator connected to a prime mover for charging the battery and supplying current to the electrical load when the prime mover is operated; (c) a sensor circuit for sensing at least one electrical parameter of the power plant and thereby controlling the operation thereof; (d) control means responsive to the sensor circuit for operating the said prime mover; and (e) a delay circuit interposed between the sensor circuit and the control means for preventing the sensor circuit from exerting control over the operation of the prime mover until the lapse of a predetermined time interval after said at least one electrical parameter is sensed.

Claim 13

A power plant according to claim 9 wherein said prime mover is a closed Rankine cycle vapor turbine.

Claim 14

A power plant according to claim 10 wherein said intermittently operable non-fuel-consuming power generator is an array of photovoltaic cells.

Claim 15

A power plant according to claim 10 wherein said intermittently operable non-fuel-consuming power generator is an array of wind generators.

Claim 16

A power plant according to claim 10 wherein said intermittently operable non-fuel-consuming power generator is an array of ocean thermal electric conversion power generators.

Claim 17

A power plant according to claim 10 wherein said at least one electrical parameter is the absence of current being supplied by the array of photovoltaic cells.

Claim 18

A power plant according to claim 10 wherein said control means is constructed and arranged to control the operation of the said turbine by controlling the fuel supply for the turbine.

Claim 19

A power plant according to claim 10 wherein said at least one electrical parameter is a threshold level of charge on the battery.

Claim 20

A power plant according to claim 16 wherein said threshold battery charge level is a voltage level of the battery.

Claim 21

A power plant for supplying electricity to an electrical load comprising: (a) a non-fuel consuming power source, for intermittently generating power; (b) a battery system for supplying power; (c) an electrical power generator connected to a selectively operable prime mover for generating power when said prime mover is operated; (d) interconnection means for connecting said non-fuel consuming power source, said battery system, and said power generator to said load in parallel; (e) battery condition sensor means for sensing the charge level of said battery which is associated with the ability of the battery system to supply power; (f) power source condition sensor means for sensing the flow of current produced by said power source which is an electrical parameter associated with the ability of the power source to generate power, and (g) logic means responsive to the simultaneous occurrence of less than threshold values of said charge level and said flow of current for operating said prime mover; (h) said logic means being constructed and arranged to operate said prime mover only after a predetermined time delay following said simultaneous occurrences.

Claim 22

A power plant for supplying electricity to an electrical load comprising: (a) a non-fuel consuming power source, for intermittently generating power; (b) a battery system for supplying power; (c) an electrical power generator connected to a selectively operable prime mover for generating power when said prime mover is operated; (d) interconnection means for connecting said non-fuel consuming power source, said battery system, and said power generator to said load in parallel; (e) battery condition sensor means for sensing the charge level of said battery which is associated with the ability of the battery system to supply power; (f) power source condition sensor means for sensing the flow of current produced by said power source which is an electrical parameter associated with the ability of the power source to generate power, and (g) logic means responsive to the simultaneous occurrence of less than threshold values of said charge level and said flow of current for operating said prime mover; (h) said logic means being constructed and arranged to operate said prime mover only after a predetermined time delay following said simultaneous occurrences.

Claim 23

A power plant according to claim 18 wherein said prime mover is a closed Rankine cycle vapor turbine.

Claim 24

A power plant according to claim 18 wherein said non-fuel consuming power source is an array of photovoltaic cells.

Claim 25

A power plant according to claim 18 wherein said non-fuel consuming power source is an array of wind generators.

Claim 28

Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said prime mover is a closed Rankine cycle vapor turbine.

Claim 29

Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said non-fuel consuming power source is an array of photovoltaic cells.

Claim 30

Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said non-fuel consuming power source is an array of wind generators.