Power distribution/generation system
First Claim
1. A power distribution/generation system for supplying electrical power to a number of sites, at least some of the sites comprising a generator, at least some of which are Stirling engines capable of generating electrical power, the generators being linked together on a local network, the local network being connectable to an external power grid, and a controller to control the distribution of power so that a site is supplied with electrical power from the local network if its demand exceeds the power generated by that site'"'"'s generator, and so that power is drawn from the grid if the total power demand of all of the sites exceeds the power generated by all of the generators.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power distribution/generation system is disclosed for supplying electrical power to a number of sites (32, 33, 34), one or more of which has a generator (53, 1) such as a Stirling engine (1) which is capable of generating electrical power. The generators (53, 1) are linked together on a local network that is connectable to an external power grid (31). A controller (35) can hold the distribution of power so that a site is supplied with electrical power from the local network if its power demand exceeds the power generated by the generators in that network. However, if the total power demand of all the sites in the network exceeds the total power available from the generators in that network, then the controller (35) causes power to be drawn from the grid (31) instead.
98 Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A power distribution/generation system for supplying electrical power to a number of sites, at least some of the sites comprising a generator, at least some of which are Stirling engines capable of generating electrical power, the generators being linked together on a local network, the local network being connectable to an external power grid, and a controller to control the distribution of power so that a site is supplied with electrical power from the local network if its demand exceeds the power generated by that site'"'"'s generator, and so that power is drawn from the grid if the total power demand of all of the sites exceeds the power generated by all of the generators.
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12. In a power distribution/generation system for supplying electrical power to a number of sites, at least some of the sites comprising a generator at least some of which are Stirling engines capable of generating electrical power the generators being linked together on a local network, the local network being connectable to an external power grid, and a controller to control the distribution of power, a method comprising the steps of monitoring the power generated by each generator;
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monitoring the power demand at each site; and
controlling the distribution of power so that a site is supplied with electrical power from the local network if its demand exceeds the power generated by that site'"'"'s generator, and drawing power from the grid if the total power demand of all of the sites exceeds the power generated by all of the generators. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A power distribution/generation system for supplying electrical power to a number of sites, at least some of the sites comprising a generator, at least some of which are Stirling engines capable of generating heat and electrical power, the heat generated by each Stirling engine being supplied to its respective site only, the generators being linked together on a local network, the local network being connectable to an external power grid, and a controller to control the distribution of power so that a site is supplied with electrical power from the local network if its demand exceeds the power generated by that site'"'"'s generator, so that power is drawn from the grid if the total power demand of all of the sites exceeds the power generated by all of the generators, and so that the power outputs of the generators on the network are adjusted to maintain the local network voltage within preset limits, save that the power output of a Stirling engine on the network is not reduced, where to do so would result in a reduction in the desired heat output from the Stirling engine at that site, below a demanded level there.
Specification