SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING A BATTERY SOURCE ASSOCIATED WITH A MICROTURBINE POWER GENERATING SYSTEM
First Claim
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1. A microturbine power generating system, comprising:
- a turbine engine for generating mechanical energy;
an electrical generator that converts the mechanical energy produced by the turbine engine into electrical energy to be supplied to a utility grid;
a battery source that provides dc power;
a voltage boosting circuit coupled to the battery source, wherein the voltage boosting circuit increases a voltage of the battery source to produces a boosted dc power operable in a startup mode and a transient load mode;
a power converter coupled to the electric generator and the voltage boosting circuit, wherein the power converter is operable to convert the boosted dc power from the voltage boosting circuit to ac power used to cause the electrical generator to turn the turbine engine in the startup mode, and to convert ac power from the electrical generator to dc power that is added to the boosted dc power from the voltage boosting circuit in the transient load mode;
a main inverter coupled to the power converter by a dc link, wherein the main inverter converts dc power on the dc link into ac power;
a transformer selectively coupled to the main inverter by an ac link, wherein the transformer couples the ac power output of the main inverter to the utility grid; and
a battery charging circuit coupled to the ac link and the battery source, wherein the charging circuit converts ac power on the ac link to dc power to charge the battery source in a charging mode when the turbine engine is not generating mechanical power.
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Abstract
A microturbine power generating system and associated method for managing a battery source associated with a microturbine power generating system is disclosed. The system and methods enable charging the battery source from the utility grid when the turbine is not running and providing load support when the microturbine engine is unable to support a transient load.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A microturbine power generating system, comprising:
- a turbine engine for generating mechanical energy;
an electrical generator that converts the mechanical energy produced by the turbine engine into electrical energy to be supplied to a utility grid;
a battery source that provides dc power;
a voltage boosting circuit coupled to the battery source, wherein the voltage boosting circuit increases a voltage of the battery source to produces a boosted dc power operable in a startup mode and a transient load mode;
a power converter coupled to the electric generator and the voltage boosting circuit, wherein the power converter is operable to convert the boosted dc power from the voltage boosting circuit to ac power used to cause the electrical generator to turn the turbine engine in the startup mode, and to convert ac power from the electrical generator to dc power that is added to the boosted dc power from the voltage boosting circuit in the transient load mode;
a main inverter coupled to the power converter by a dc link, wherein the main inverter converts dc power on the dc link into ac power;
a transformer selectively coupled to the main inverter by an ac link, wherein the transformer couples the ac power output of the main inverter to the utility grid; and
a battery charging circuit coupled to the ac link and the battery source, wherein the charging circuit converts ac power on the ac link to dc power to charge the battery source in a charging mode when the turbine engine is not generating mechanical power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- a turbine engine for generating mechanical energy;
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14. A method of providing transient load support in a microturbine power generating system, the system including a turbine engine and an electrical generator, wherein the electrical generator produces variable frequency ac power that is converted to dc power by a power converter, and the dc power output is provided on a dc link to an inverter that converts the dc power to single frequency ac power, the method comprising:
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detecting a transient load condition during normal operation of the turbine engine;
boosting the dc power from a battery source to a desired value; and
combining the boosted dc power with the dc power output of the converter to support the transient load. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of charging a battery source in a microturbine power generating system, the system including a turbine engine and an electrical generator, wherein the electrical generator produces variable frequency ac power that is converted to single frequency ac power on an ac link, and the single frequency ac power is coupled from the ac link to a utility grid by a transformer, the method comprising:
when the utility grid is energized and the electrical generator is not running, performing the steps of;
opening the ac link to isolate the electrical generator;
providing ac power from the utility grid that is on the ac link to a single phase transformer, which converts the ac power from the ac link to a single phase ac power;
providing an output of the single phase transformer to a power converter to convert the single phase ac power output to dc power;
reducing the dc power output of the power converter to a desired voltage using a down chopper circuit; and
charging the battery source with the reduced dc power from the down copper circuit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
Specification