Optimization method for power generation systems

• US 20060112688A1
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins Control Technologies, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Athena Technologies (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Russ, Benjamin, Vos, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,854,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/598
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/11 using model predictive control [MPC] strategies, i.e. control methods based on models predicting performance utilising navigation and traffic information in the control strategy B60W20/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/00 Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/44 responsive to the speed of aircraft, e.g. Mach number control, optimisation of fuel consumption
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/48 Control of fuel supply conjointly with another control of the plant with nozzle section control F02K1/17
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/58 with control of a variable-pitch propeller
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0408 Estimation of intake manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/704 Estimation of atmospheric pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/132 creating a vortex or tornado effect
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/1031 Thrust
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/1033 Power (if explicitly mentioned)
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/051 Thrust
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/053 Explicitly mentioned power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

Apparatus for controlling the power output efficiency of a power generation system based on an operator input. A processor is coupled to the input means and (i) receives the generated operator command, (ii) receives a plurality of detected ambient air conditions, (iii) receives a plurality of detected engine performance parameters, (iv) determines first and second engine control commands based on the received pilot thrust command, the detected ambient environmental conditions, and the engine performance parameters, and (v) outputs control commands to optimize the efficiency of the power generation system.

Claims

1-7. -7. (canceled)

8. A wind turbine control apparatus comprising:

a propeller coupled to an electrical generator, the electrical generator being configured to be coupled to a load;

a transmission coupling the propeller to the electrical generator, and

a processor coupled to said wind turbine, for

receiving a plurality of detected ambient air conditions,

receiving a plurality of detected wind turbine performance parameters,

determining control commands based on the detected ambient air conditions and the wind turbine performance parameters, and

outputting control signals corresponding to the control commands.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a pitch servo for receiving one of said control signals and changing a pitch of said wind turbine corresponding to the control commands.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transmission comprises a variable speed transmission for receiving said control signals and changing the rotational speed of said generator corresponding to the control commands.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a load shedder coupled to said generator for receiving the control signal and varying the load coupled to said generator to optimize the performance of the wind turbine relative to grid capacity.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said processor stores plural sets of wind turbine and transmission control parameters which yield output power efficiency for the detected ambient air conditions and selects a set of control commands which corresponds to the minimum power for the detected ambient air conditions.

20. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transmission comprises a continuously variable transmission.

13-19. -19. (canceled)

21. A system for controlling a wind turbine, the system comprising:

a processor configured to be operatively associated with the wind turbine, the processor being configured to

receive at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition and at least one signal indicative of a performance parameter related to the wind turbine, and

output at least one control command for controlling the wind turbine based on the at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition and the at least one signal indicative of a performance parameter related to the wind turbine,

wherein the at least one control command for controlling the system is configured to increase the power output of the wind turbine based on at least one of the at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition and the at least one signal indicative of a performance parameter related to the wind turbine.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a pitch servo configured to change pitch of a propeller of the wind turbine based on the at least one control command.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a variable speed transmission configured to operably couple a propeller and a generator of the wind turbine to one another and change rotational speed of at least one of the propeller and the generator based on the at least one control command.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising a load shedder configured to be operably coupled to a generator, the load shedder being configured to vary a load coupled to the generator relative to capacity of a grid.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to store plural sets of system control parameters that provide higher output power generation based on the at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition, and select a set of control commands that correspond to the detected ambient air conditions, such that a higher power output generation is achieved.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to optimize the power output of the system.

27. A method for increasing the power output of a power generation system comprising a wind turbine, the method comprising:

receiving at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition and at least one signal indicative of a performance parameter related to the power generation system, and

outputting at least one control command for controlling the power generation system based on the at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition and the at least one signal indicative of a performance parameter related to the power generation system, such that the power output of the power generation system is increased.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising optimizing the power output of the power generation system via the at least one control command.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the power generation system comprises a pitch servo for changing pitch of a propeller of the wind turbine, and the method further comprises changing the pitch of the propeller based on the at least one control command.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the power generation system comprises a generator and a propeller operably coupled together via a variable speed transmission, and the method further comprises changing the speed of the propeller and the generator via control of the variable speed transmission based on the at least one control command.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the power generation system comprises a load shedder operably coupled to a generator, and the method further comprises varying the load on the generator via the load shedder based on the at least one control command relative to a grid capacity.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising storing multiple sets of system control parameters corresponding to the at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition, and selecting a set of control commands corresponding to one of the sets of system control parameters based on a signal indicative of at least one detected ambient air condition, such that output efficiency of the power generation system is improved.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising selecting a set of control commands that optimize power output of the power generation system.

34. A vehicle comprising:

at least one driving wheel;

a power source;

a transmission operably associated with the power source and configured to provide torque to the at least one of driving wheel; and

a single input power control apparatus comprising

an input device configured to generate an output power command, and

a processor operably associated with the input device,

wherein the processor is configured to receive the output power command, to receive a plurality of detected ambient air conditions, to receive a plurality of detected power source performance parameters, to determine first and second power source control commands based on at least one of the received output power command, the plurality of detected ambient air conditions, and the plurality of power source performance parameters, and to output first and second output signals corresponding to the first and second power source control commands, respectively.

35. The vehicle of claim 34, wherein the detected ambient air conditions comprises air pressure.

36. The vehicle of claim 34, wherein the first power source control command comprises a power source speed command, and wherein the second power source control command comprises a power source load command.

37. The vehicle of claim 36, wherein the power source speed command comprises a transmission speed command.

38. The vehicle of claim 36, wherein the power source load command comprises a manifold air pressure command.

39. The vehicle of claim 34, wherein the plurality of detected power source performance parameters comprises transmission speed and manifold air pressure.

40. The vehicle of claim 34, wherein the processor is configured to store plural sets of first and second power source control parameters yielding a highest output power based on previous sets of detected ambient air conditions and received output power commands, and to select one set of first and second power source control commands corresponding to the detected ambient air conditions and the received output power command.

41. The vehicle of claim 34, wherein the vehicle comprises one of a hybrid electric vehicle, a fuel-cell powered vehicle, and a battery-powered vehicle.

42. The vehicle of claim 41, wherein the vehicle comprises a hybrid electric vehicle comprising a power generation system comprising an electric generator and a transmission operably associated with the electric generator and the power source.

43. The vehicle of claim 42, wherein the single input power control apparatus is configured to optimize the power output of the power generation system via controlling at least one of power source speed, power source load, electric generator speed, and electric generator load.

44. The vehicle of claim 42, wherein the transmission configured to provide torque to the at least one driving wheel comprises a variable speed transmission, and the single input power control apparatus is configured to optimize the power output of the power generation system via control of the variable speed transmission.

45. The vehicle of claim 34, wherein the power source comprises at least one of an internal combustion engine and a high speed turbine engine.

46. A hybrid electric vehicle comprising:

at least one driving wheel;

a power source;

an electric generator operably associated with the power source;

a transmission operably associated with the power source and configured to provide torque to the at least one of driving wheel; and

a single input power control apparatus comprising

an input device configured to generate an output power command, and

a processor operably associated with the input device,

wherein the processor is configured to receive the output power command, to receive a plurality of detected ambient air conditions, to receive a plurality of detected power source performance parameters, to determine first and second power source control commands based on at least one of the received output power command, the plurality of detected ambient air conditions, and the plurality of power source performance parameters, and to output first and second output signals corresponding to the first and second power source control commands, respectively.

47. The vehicle of claim 46, wherein the detected ambient air conditions comprises air pressure.

48. The vehicle of claim 46, wherein the first power source control command comprises a power source speed command, and wherein the second power source control command comprises a power source load command.

49. The vehicle of claim 48, wherein the power source speed command comprises a transmission speed command.

50. The vehicle of claim 48, wherein the power source load command comprises a manifold air pressure command.

51. The vehicle of claim 46, wherein the plurality of detected power source performance parameters comprises transmission speed and manifold air pressure.

52. The vehicle of claim 46, wherein the processor is configured to store plural sets of first and second power source control parameters yielding a highest power output based on previous sets of detected ambient air conditions and received power output commands, and to select one set of first and second power source control commands corresponding to the detected ambient air conditions and the received power output command.

53. The vehicle of claim 52, further comprising a power generation system comprising an electric generator and a transmission operably associated with the electric generator and the power source.

54. The vehicle of claim 53, wherein the single input power control apparatus is configured to optimize the power output of the power generation system via controlling at least one of power source speed, power source load, electric generator speed, and electric generator load.

55. The vehicle of claim 53, wherein the transmission configured to provide torque to the at least one driving wheel comprises a variable speed transmission, and the single input power control apparatus is configured to optimize the power output of the power generation system via control of the variable speed transmission.

56. A method for increasing the power output of a vehicle via a single input power control apparatus, the vehicle comprising a power generation system comprising a power source, the method comprising:

generating an output power command via an input device of the single input power control apparatus;

receiving the output power command via the single input power control apparatus;

receiving a plurality of detected ambient air conditions via the single input power control apparatus;

receiving a plurality of detected power source performance parameters via the single input power control apparatus;

determining first and second power source control commands based on at least one of the received output power command, the plurality of detected ambient air conditions, and the plurality of power source performance parameters via the single input power control apparatus;

outputting first and second output signals corresponding to the first and second power source control commands, respectively, via the single input power control apparatus; and

controlling operation of at least the power source via the first and second power source control commands to increase the power output of the power generation system.