System, method, rotating machine and computer program product for enhancing electric power produced by renewable facilities

Claim 2

An intelligent coactive converter comprising: an input line configured to receive electric power produced by a renewable facility, said electric power being inadequate to be applied directly to a standard frequency AC power grid due to at least one of insufficient voltage stiffness, and excessive power variability; an output line configured to deliver enhanced electric power to said standard frequency AC power grid at, at least, one point-of-connection in a grid area-of-connection, said enhanced electric power being enhanced with regard to at least one of voltage stiffness and power variability with respect to a delivery to said standard frequency AC power grid of said electric power from said renewable facility; a constant-frequency output, rotating AC machine, yM, electrically coupled to said output line a controller configured to control an operational state of said yM, and corresponding predetermined amounts of active and reactive power provided by, or consumed by, said yM to the standard frequency AC power grid so as to prime the electric power from the renewable facility and enable a delivery of the enhanced electric power to said at least one point-of-connection.

Claim 3

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: said input line is coupled to a collection and transmission grid that collects power generated from the renewable facility and another renewable facility.

Claim 4

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 2 , wherein: said another renewable facility being at least one of a wind turbine facility, a solar cell facility, a fuel cell facility, and a gas turbine facility.

Claim 5

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: said yM is at least one of an xM and a synchronous machine.

Claim 6

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein said controller comprises: a communication mechanism configured to coordinate power production levels between the renewable facility and at least one of a virtual energy storage facility and the constant-frequency output, rotating AC machine.

Claim 7

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: said input line is configured to connect directly to said standard frequency AC power grid in said area-of-connection; and an output of said yM being coupled to said output only.

Claim 8

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 6 , wherein: the point-of-connection at which the output line connects to the standard frequency AC power grid being separate from, but electrically close to, another point-of-connection within said area-of-connection at which said input line connects to said standard frequency AC power grid.

Claim 9

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: the yM is configured to supply and consume power via said output line so as to improve voltage stiffness of the standard frequency AC power grid in the area-of-connection and thus aid in priming the electric power produced by the renewable facility.

Claim 10

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: the yM is configured to supply and consume power via said output line so as to reduce variability in active power fed to the standard frequency AC power grid as compared to a variability in the electric power produced only by the renewable facility.

Claim 11

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 5 , further comprising: a prime mover configured to drive the yM.

Claim 12

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 10 , wherein: the controller is configured to control an operation of the prime mover and coordinate communications with the virtual energy storage facility so as to ensure a predetermined amount of power is delivered to the standard frequency AC power grid on behalf of said renewable facility.

Claim 13

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 10 , wherein: the controller is configured to coordinate a sale of the electric power from the renewable facility on a power exchange.

Claim 14

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 6 , further comprising: a power transformer coupled to the output line.

Claim 15

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 13 , wherein: the power transformer being at least one of a On-Line Tap-Changer transformer, two two-winding 3-Phase (2*3Φ) transformers, a three-winding 3-phase (2*3Φ) transformer, a Phase Shifting Transformer (PST), a Thyristor Controlled Phase-Angle Regulating (TCPAR) Transformer, and a cable-based transformer.

Claim 16

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: the yM is a standard frequency AC synchronous machine.

Claim 17

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 15 , further comprising: a prime mover configured to drive the standard frequency AC synchronous machine, wherein the standard frequency AC synchronous machine has a rotor that is attached to a shaft of the prime mover and having a moment of inertia, said moment of inertia being a source of energy available to aid in priming the electrical power from the renewable facility.

Claim 18

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 15 , wherein: said input line couples directly to said standard frequency AC power grid in said area-of-connection; the standard frequency AC synchronous machine is positioned an electrically short distance from where the input line connects to the standard frequency AC power grid so as to improve a voltage stiffness of said standard frequency AC power grid and reduce a reactive power variability in the electric power produced by the renewable facility as it is applied to the standard frequency AC power grid.

Claim 19

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: the yM is a standard frequency AC constant-frequency machine with a variable speed operation capability, including a multi-phase stator winding coupled to the standard frequency AC power grid, a rotor winding disposed in a rotating magnetic core attached to a shaft, a power semiconductor converter configured as a power converter connected between a multi-phase voltage supply and the rotor winding, and a processor configured to control an operation of the power semiconductor converter.

Claim 20

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 18 , further comprising: a prime mover having the shaft coupled to the rotor winding configured to drive the shaft of standard frequency AC constant-frequency machine with a variable speed operation capability; and the standard frequency AC constant-frequency machine with a variable speed operation capability is configured to exhibit moment of inertia associated with a magnetic core thereof being attached to a shaft of the prime mover.

Claim 21

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 18 , wherein: the standard frequency AC constant-frequency machine with variable speed operation capability being configured to provide negligible variability in an amount of active power fed to the standard frequency AC power grid, and eliminate the active power variability in the electric power produced by the renewable facility.

Claim 22

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 18 , wherein: the standard frequency AC constant-frequency machine with variable speed operation capability being configured to provide voltage stiffness at a short electrical distance from points-of-connection feeding the electric power from the renewable facilities to the standard frequency AC power grid, and eliminate reactive power variability in the electric power produced by the renewable facility.

Claim 23

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 15 , wherein: the yM is configured to provide short circuit power to the standard frequency AC power grid.

Claim 24

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 15 , wherein the yM is embodied as a power flow controller having a rotating AC machine connected as a shunt machine, and a rotating AC machine connected as a series machine with a common shaft.

Claim 25

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 23 , wherein: at least one of the shunt machine and the series machine includes, a multi-phase stator winding coupled to the standard frequency AC power grid, a rotor winding disposed in a rotating magnetic core attached to a drive shaft, a power semiconductor converter configured as a power converter connected between a multi-phase voltage supply and the rotor winding, and a processor configured to control an operation of the power semiconductor converter.

Claim 26

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 24 , wherein: the controller is configured to determine a timing of when to fire pulses employed in the power semiconductor converter so that the shunt machine supplies at least one of reactive power with standard frequency AC to the AC power grid, and active power with standard frequency AC to the AC power grid.

Claim 27

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 18 , wherein: the controller is configured to determine a timing of when to fire pulses employed in the power semiconductor converter so that the shunt machine supplies at least one of reactive power with standard frequency AC to the AC power grid, and active power with standard frequency AC to the AC power grid.

Claim 28

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 24 , wherein: the controller is configured to determine a timing of when to fire pulses employed in the power semiconductor converter so that the series machine supplies at least one of reactive power with standard frequency AC to the AC power grid, and active power with standard frequency AC to the AC power grid.

Claim 29

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 18 , wherein: the controller is configured to determine a timing of when to fire pulses employed in the power semiconductor converter so that the series machine supplies at least one of reactive power with standard frequency AC to the AC power grid, and active power with standard frequency AC to the AC power grid.

Claim 30

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 15 , wherein: the standard frequency AC synchronous machine includes a multi-phase stator winding coupled to the standard frequency AC power grid, a rotor winding disposed in a rotating magnetic core attached to a drive shaft, a power semiconductor converter configured as a power converter connected between a multi-phase voltage supply and the rotor winding, and a processor configured to determine a timing of when to fire pulses employed in the power semiconductor converter.

Claim 31

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: the electric power produced by the renewable facility is collected and transmitted via a standard frequency AC power grid, the standard frequency AC power grid is at least one of a meshed power grid, a radial power grid, and a mixed meshed and radial power grid.

Claim 32

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: the electric power produced by the renewable facility is collected and transmitted via a low frequency AC power grid, the low frequency AC power grid is at least one of a meshed power grid, a radial power grid, and a mixed meshed and radial power grid.

Claim 33

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: the electric power produced by the renewable facility is collected and transmitted via a DC power grid, the DC power grid is at least one of a meshed power grid, a radial power grid, and a mixed meshed and radial power grid.

Claim 34

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 32 , further comprising: a DC-AC power semiconductor converter configured to convert the electric power produced by the renewable facility from DC to AC.

Claim 35

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: said output line includes a power transformer configured to receive the electric power from the renewable facility and the yM and provide a composite output power to the standard frequency AC power grid at said point-of-connection.

Claim 36

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 34 , further comprising: a prime mover configured to drive the yM, wherein an electrical output of said prime mover being applied as an additional electrical power to said power transformer.

Claim 37

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 35 , wherein: one set of windings in a stator of the rotating AC machine stator and a winding in the power transformer being configured to be stressed by a mix of AC and DC voltage.

Claim 38

The intelligent coactive converter in claim 35 , wherein: the yM includes a stator winding that includes a cable having an insulation system configured for high voltage use and a mix of AC and DC voltage; and a winding of the power transformer being made of a same insulation system as said cable in said stator winding.

Claim 39

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: the yM includes a prime mover; and the controller is configured to the control, an air-gap flux {overscore (Φ)} δ — yM and the stator current {overscore (I)} S — yM in the rotating AC machine to provide at least one of reactive power, with standard frequency AC to the standard frequency AC power grid, according to an equation Q eld — yM =Im{3 jω·{overscore (Φ)} {overscore (δ)} — yM ·{overscore (I)}* S — yM } and active power, from the prime mover, with standard frequency AC to the standard frequency AC power grid according to an equation P eld — yM =Re{ 3 jω·{overscore (Φ)} {overscore (δ)} — yM ·{overscore (I)}* S — yM }.

Claim 40

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 1 , wherein: the renewable facility includes a wind turbine, k; and the controller is configured to control, an air-gap flux {overscore (Φ)} δ — k and the stator current {overscore (I)} S — k in a rotating AC machine in the wind turbine, k, to provide reactive power as Q eld — gen — k =Im{3 jω k ·{overscore (Φ)} δ — k ·{overscore (I)}* S — k } and active power as P eld — gen — k =Re{ 3 jω k ·{overscore (Φ)} δ — k ·{overscore (I)}* S — k } with variable frequency AC (ω k ) to a generator driven by the wind turbine, k.

Claim 41

An intelligent coactive converter coupled to a standard frequency AC power grid and configured to enhance electric power produced by a renewable facility and collected and transmitted via a DC power grid, comprising: an input line configured to receive electric power produced by said renewable facility, said electric power being inadequate to be applied directly to the standard frequency AC power grid due to at least one of insufficient voltage stiffness, and excessive power variability; an output line configured to deliver enhanced electric power to said standard frequency AC power grid at, at least, one point-of-connection in a grid area-of-connection, said enhanced electric power being enhanced with regard to at least one of voltage stiffness and power variability with respect to a delivery to said standard frequency AC power grid of said electric power from said renewable facility; a constant-frequency output, rotating AC machine, yM, electrically coupled to said output line, including a multi-phase stator winding being configured to couple to at least one of the power transformer and the standard frequency AC power grid, a rotor winding located in a rotating magnetic core attached to a shaft, and a power semiconductor converter arranged as a converter connected between a multi-phase voltage supply and the rotor winding; a controller configured to control an operational state of said yM, and corresponding predetermined amounts of active and reactive power provided by, or consumed by, said yM to the standard frequency AC power grid so as to prime the electric power from the renewable facility and enable a delivery of the enhanced electric power to said at least one point-of-connection; a DC-AC power semiconductor converter configured to convert the electric power from the DC power grid from DC to AC; and a power transformer coupled to the standard frequency AC power grid and configured to provide the enhanced electric power to the AC power grid.

Claim 42

An intelligent coactive converter coupled to a standard frequency AC power grid and configured to enhance electric power produced by a renewable facility and collected and transmitted via a DC power grid, comprising: an input line configured to receive electric power produced by said renewable facility, said electric power being inadequate to be applied directly to the standard frequency AC power grid due to at least one of insufficient voltage stiffness, and excessive power variability; an output line configured to deliver enhanced electric power to said standard frequency AC power grid at, at least, one point-of-connection in a grid area-of-connection, said enhanced electric power being enhanced with regard to at least one of voltage stiffness and power variability with respect to a delivery to said standard frequency AC power grid of said electric power from said renewable facility; a constant-frequency output, rotating AC machine, yM, electrically coupled to said output line, including a multi-phase stator winding being configured to couple to at least one of the power transformer and the standard frequency AC power grid, a rotor winding located in a rotating magnetic core attached to a shaft, and a power semiconductor converter arranged as a converter connected between a multi-phase voltage supply and the rotor winding; a controller configured to control an operational state of said yM, and corresponding predetermined amounts of active and reactive power provided by, or consumed by, said yM to the standard frequency AC power grid so as to prime the electric power from the renewable facility and enable a delivery of the enhanced electric power to said at least one point-of-connection; a DC-AC power semiconductor converter configured to convert the electric power from the DC power grid from DC to AC; and a power transformer coupled to the standard frequency AC power grid and configured to provide the enhanced electric power to the AC power grid.

Claim 43

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein: said yM is at least one of an xM and a synchronous machine.

Claim 44

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein said controller comprises: a communication mechanism configured to coordinate power production levels between the renewable facility and at least one of a virtual energy storage facility and the constant-frequency output, rotating AC machine.

Claim 45

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein: the yM is configured to supply and consume power via said output line so as to improve voltage stiffness of the standard frequency AC power grid in the area-of-connection and thus aid in priming the electric power produced by the renewable facility.

Claim 46

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein: the yM is configured to supply and consume power via said output line so as to reduce variability in active power fed to the standard frequency AC power grid as compared to a variability in the electric power produced only by the renewable facility.

Claim 47

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein: the yM is a standard frequency AC synchronous machine.

Claim 48

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 45 , further comprising: a prime mover configured to drive the standard frequency AC synchronous machine, wherein the standard frequency AC synchronous machine has a rotor that is attached to a shaft of the prime mover and having a moment of inertia, said moment of inertia being a source of energy available to aid in priming the electrical power from the renewable facility.

Claim 49

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 45 , wherein: the yM is configured to provide short circuit power to the standard frequency AC power grid.

Claim 50

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 45 , wherein: the standard frequency AC synchronous machine includes a multi-phase stator winding coupled to the standard frequency AC power grid, a rotor winding disposed in a rotating magnetic core attached to a drive shaft, a power semiconductor converter configured as a power converter connected between a multi-phase voltage supply and the rotor winding, and a processor configured to determine a timing of when to fire pulses employed in the power semiconductor converter.

Claim 51

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein: the yM is a standard frequency AC constant-frequency machine with a variable speed operation capability, including a multi-phase stator winding coupled to the standard frequency AC power grid, a rotor winding disposed in a rotating magnetic core attached to a shaft, a power semiconductor converter configured as a power converter connected between a multi-phase voltage supply and the rotor winding, and a processor configured to control an operation of the power semiconductor converter.

Claim 52

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 49 , further comprising: a prime mover having the shaft coupled to the rotor winding configured to drive the shaft of standard frequency AC constant-frequency machine with a variable speed operation capability; and the standard frequency AC constant-frequency machine with a variable speed operation capability is configured to exhibit moment of inertia associated with a magnetic core thereof being attached to a shaft of the prime mover.

Claim 53

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 49 , wherein: the standard frequency AC constant-frequency machine with variable speed operation capability being configured to provide at least one of negligible variability in an amount of active power fed to the standard frequency AC power grid, and voltage stiffness at a short electrical distance from points-of-connection feeding the electric power from the renewable facilities to the standard frequency AC power grid.

Claim 54

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein: one set of windings in a stator of the rotating AC machine stator and a winding in the power transformer being configured to be stressed by a mix of AC and DC voltage.

Claim 55

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein: the yM includes a stator winding that includes a cable having an insulation system configured for high voltage use and a mix of AC and DC voltage; and a winding of the power transformer being made of a same insulation system as said cable in said stator winding.

Claim 56

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein: the yM, and the power transformer each being 2*3Φ.

Claim 57

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein: the yM includes a prime mover; and the controller is configured to the control, an air-gap flux {overscore (Φ)} δ — yM and the stator current {overscore (I)} S yM in the rotating AC machine to provide at least one of reactive power, with standard frequency AC to the standard frequency AC power grid, according to an equation Q eld — yM =Im { 3 jω·{overscore (Φ)} {overscore (δ)} — yM ·{overscore (I)}* S — yM }. and active power, from the prime mover, with standard frequency AC to the standard frequency AC power grid according to an equation P eld yM =Re {3 jω·{overscore (Φ)} {overscore (δ)} — yM ·{overscore (I)}* S — yM }.

Claim 58

The intelligent coactive converter of claim 40 , wherein: the renewable facility includes a wind turbine, k; and the controller is configured to control, an air-gap flux {overscore (Φ)} δ — yM and the stator current {overscore (I)} S — k in a rotating AC machine in the wind turbine, k, to provide reactive power as Q eld — gen — k =Im{ 3 jω k ·{overscore (Φ)} δ — k ={overscore (I)}* S — k } and active power as P eld — gen — k =Re {3 jΦ k ·{overscore (Φ)} δ — k ·{overscore (I)}* S — k } with variable frequency AC (Φ k ) to a generator driven by the wind turbine, k.