Command and control system and method for multiple turbogenerators

• US 6,169,334 B1
• Filed: 10/27/1998
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Capstone Turbine Corp.
• Original Assignee: Capstone Turbine Corp.
• Inventors: Edelman, Edward C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ENAD, ELVIN GENARGUE
• Application Number:
  US09/181,389
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 290/40, 290/46, 290/42, 290/52, 318/140
• US Class Current: 290/52
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers

Abstract

A command and control system and method for multiple turbogenerators in a grid parallel system includes a master controller to start, sequence, coordinate power commands, and provide fault handling to each of the individual turbogenerators and the specific control modes. A bi-directional power meter, that measures the load consumption (or production when a turbogenerator system is installed) in a building or application, may also be utilized. This power meter can provide a reference or setpoint to the master controller for controlling the individual turbogenerators.

Claims

1. A command and control system for a plurality of permanent magnet turbogenerators, comprising:

a plurality of individual permanent magnet turbogenerators, each of said plurality of individual permanent magnet turbogenerators having a controller;

a command and control system bus, each of said plurality of individual permanent magnet turbogenerator controllers operably connected to said command and control system bus;

a plurality of disconnect switches, a disconnect switch provided in each operable connection of an individual permanent magnet turbogenerator controller to said command and control bus;

a bi-directional power meter;

a master controller operably connected to each of the permanent magnet turbogenerator controllers and with said bi-directional power meter to control the individual permanent magnet turbogenerators in a selected control mode; and

a junction box operably connecting an electric utility, said power meter, the output of the plurality of individual permanent magnet turbogenerators, and a load.

2. The command and control system of claim 1, and in addition:

a timed relay operably connected to said command and control system bus, said bi-directional power meter, and said junction box to prevent the feedback of electrical power to the electric utility.

3. The command and control system of claim 1 wherein said selected control mode is a utility load following mode in which utility power consumption and permanent magnet turbogenerator power generation are compared to produce an error signal which is integrated over a defined specified time to produce a power demand signal.

4. The command and control system of claim 1 wherein said selected control mode is a utility base load mode in which a defined utility power signal and the power meter signal are compared to produce an error signal which is integrated over a defined specified time to produce a power demand signal.

5. The command and control system of claim 1 wherein said selected control mode is a base load mode in which the power meter signal and a base load demand signal are compared to produce an error signal which is integrated over a defined specified time to produce a power demand signal.

6. The command and control system of claim 1 wherein said selected control mode includes the starting, shutting down and loading of each of said plurality of individual permanent magnet turbogenerators.

7. The command and control system of claim 6 wherein said starting, shutting down, and loading of said plurality of individual permanent magnet turbogenerators is based on the time of operation of each of said plurality of individual permanent magnet turbogenerators.

8. The command and control system of claim 7 wherein the permanent magnet turbogenerator with the least time of operation is started first.

9. The command and control system of claim 7 wherein the permanent magnet turbogenerator with the most time of operation is shut down first.

10. The command and control system of claim 6 wherein the starting of the permanent magnet turbogenerators is staggered to minimize total power draw requirements.

11. The command and control system of claim 6 wherein a permanent magnet turbogenerator is automatically restarted in the event of a fault shutdown.

12. The command and control system of claim 6 wherein an inactive permanent magnet turbogenerator is automatically restarted in the event of a fault shutdown of an active permanent magnet turbogenerator.

13. The command and control system of claim 1 wherein said master controller includes a sequencing and control logic system.

14. The command and control system of claim 13 wherein said sequencing and control logic system includes a proportional-plus-integrated control to regulate power demand.

15. The command and control system of claim 1 wherein said selected control mode includes power hysterisis bands, rate limits and power setpoints integrated over time.

16. A method of commanding and controlling the operation of a plurality of individual permanent magnet turbogenerators, each with a permanent magnet turbogenerator controller, comprising the steps of:

connecting each of the plurality of individual permanent magnet turbogenerators to a system bus;

measuring the production of power from the plurality of permanent magnet turbogenerators with a bi-directional power meter;

sequencing the operation of the individual permanent magnet turbogenerators with a master controller to meet a power demand; and

preventing the feedback of electrical power to the electric utility with a timed relay connected to the system bus and the bi-directional power meter.

17. The method of commanding and controlling the operation of a plurality of permanent magnet turbogenerators of claim 16 wherein said sequencing step is to meet a user defined power setpoint.

18. The method of commanding and controlling the operation of a plurality of permanent magnet turbogenerators of claim 16 wherein said sequencing step includes preventing repeated starting and stopping of individual permanent magnet turbogenerators with hysterisis bands, rate limiting, and power setpoint integration.

19. The method of commanding and controlling the operation of a plurality of permanent magnet turbogenerators of claim 16 wherein said sequencing step includes limiting start attempts of a failed permanent magnet turbogenerator with a fault counter.

20. The method of commanding and controlling the operation of a plurality of permanent magnet turbogenerators of claim 16 wherein said sequencing step includes balancing the time of operation of each individual permanent magnet turbogenerator.

21. The method of commanding and controlling the operation of a plurality of permanent magnet turbogenerators of claim 16 wherein said sequencing step includes running an individual permanent magnet turbogenerator in an idle state to optimize transient response.

22. The method of commanding and controlling the operation of a plurality of permanent magnet turbogenerators of claim 16 wherein said sequencing step includes regulating the load output of each individual permanent magnet turbogenerator to maximize efficiency of the system.

23. The method of commanding and controlling the operation of a plurality of permanent magnet turbogenerators of claim 16 wherein said sequencing step includes operating the load output of all permanent magnet turbogenerators, except for the last to start permanent magnet turbogenerator, at maximum output, and regulating the last to start permanent magnet turbogenerator to maintain the power demand setpoint.