DIGITAL REAL AND REACTIVE LOAD DIVISION CONTROL

• US 20060119325A1
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Mrowiec, David J., Henderson, Eric A., Maddali, Vijay K., Oldenburg, Wayne H., Peterson, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,091,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 322/22
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/44 with means for ensuring correct phase sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/466 Scheduling the operation of the generators, e.g. connecting or disconnecting generators to meet a given demand

Abstract

The present invention is a generator control system where each generator in the system has an associated controller. Each controller communicates generator data or information with the other controllers in the generator control system. Each of the controllers includes a digital signal processor for analyzing the generator signal from the associated generator and information from the other controllers in the generator control system. The controllers each compare their generator signal with a system average and adjust the associated generator until the generators all supply equal amounts of power to the system.

Claims

1. A generator control system comprising:

a multiple of generators each having a controller for controlling at least one generator load characteristic of an associated generator;

a digital signal processor within each controller for determining said at least one generator load characteristic; and

a communications link between all controllers for communicating said at least one generator characteristic to all controllers wherein each controller compares said at least one generator load characteristic to at least one system load characteristic and generates a control signal to adjust a control mechanism of the associated generator when said at least one generator load characteristic varies from said at least one system load characteristic by a predetermined amount.

2. The generator control system of claim 1, wherein said communications link is an interface between each of said controllers.

3. The generator control system of claim 2, wherein each of said controllers includes a communications driver.

4. The generator control system of claim 1, wherein said communications link is connected to a digital signal bus.

5. The generator control system of claim 1, wherein said controllers are digital controllers.

6. The generator control system of claim 1, wherein said at least one system load characteristic is an average system current and said at least one generator characteristic is a generator current of the associated generator.

7. The generator control system of claim 6, wherein said average system current includes an average real current and an average reactive current and said generator current includes a real current and a reactive current.

8. The generator control system of claim 7, wherein said control mechanism is a frequency control circuit and said controller generates said control signal to adjust an associated generator speed when said real current varies from said average real current by the predetermined amount.

9. The generator control system of claim 7, wherein said control mechanism is a frequency control circuit and said controller generates said control signal to adjust an associated generator speed when said reactive current varies from said average reactive current by the predetermined amount.

10. The generator control system of claim 7, wherein said control mechanism is a voltage control circuit and said controller generates said control signal to adjust an associated generator voltage when said reactive current varies from said average reactive current by the predetermined amount.

11. The generator control system of claim 7, wherein said control mechanism is a voltage control circuit and said controller generates said control signal to adjust an associated generator voltage when said real current varies from said average real current by the predetermined amount.

12. The generator control system of claim 1, wherein said at least one system load characteristic is an average power of the system and said at least one generator load characteristic is a generator power of the associated generator.

13. The generator control system of claim 12, wherein said control mechanism includes a speed control mechanism and a voltage control mechanism and said controller generates said control signal to adjust at least one of an associated generator frequency and associated generator voltage when said generator power varies from said average power by the predetermined amount by controlling said speed control mechanism by varying said associated generator frequency with a frequency control circuit and by controlling said voltage control mechanism by varying said associated generator voltage with a voltage control circuit.

14. The generator control system of claim 13, wherein said frequency and said voltage control mechanisms are increased and decreased as necessary.

26. The generator control system of claim 1, wherein said multiple of generators are at least two electrical power generation channels.

27. The generator control system of claim 1, wherein said digital signal processor is a programmable digital device having the capacity to perform real time data calculation and control.

15. A method of generator load control comprising:

a) providing a multiple of generators each having a digital signal processor;

b) calculating at least one generator load characteristic for each generator with the digital signal processor associated with the generator;

c) calculating at least one system load characteristic for all generators with the digital signal processor;

d) comparing the generator load characteristic and the system load characteristic using the digital signal processor; and

e) adjusting a generator control if the generator load characteristic varies from the system load characteristic by a predetermined amount.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step b) includes determining a real current and a reactive current for each generator and said step c) includes determining an average real current and an average reactive current of all of the generators.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step e) includes adjusting a generator voltage with a voltage control circuit.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said step e) includes adjusting a generator speed with a frequency control circuit.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one generator characteristic comprises a generator power signal and wherein said step b) includes determining a real power and reactive power of the generator power signal;

and wherein the at least one system load characteristic comprises a system power signal said step c) includes determining an average real power and an average reactive power of the system power signal.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the generator power signal comprises a plurality of power phases and wherein b) includes determining a real power and a reactive power for each power phase of the generator power signal;

and wherein the system power signal comprises a plurality of power phases and wherein said step c) includes determining the average real power and the average reactive power for each power phase of the system power signal.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said step d) includes comparing the real power and average real power for one of the power phases.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the generator control includes a voltage control mechanism and wherein said step e) includes varying the voltage control mechanism with a voltage control circuit.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the generator control includes a speed control mechanism and wherein said step e) includes varying the speed control mechanism with a frequency control circuit.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said step d) includes comparing the real and reactive components for all of the power phases.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein said step e) includes adjusting the generator control by varying at least one of generator voltage and generator speed until the generator characteristic is approximately equal to the system characteristic.