System, method and apparatus for a redundant prime mover system

• US 7,042,111 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Energy Transfer Group LLC (Energy Transfer Operating, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: Enevsy Transfer Group LLC
• Inventors: Poteet, Darrell, Warren, Kelcy Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US10/992,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20050116473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 700/22, 700/75, 700286-288, 700/291, 318/141, 318/148, 318/153, 475 1- 6, 477 2- 6, 180 652- 654, 180/243, 180/304, 180/242, 290/45, 290/51, 290/52, 290/55, 290 31- 34, 290/36.R, 290/38.R, 606/45, 606/52, 123/179.3, 123/179.4
• US Class Current: 290/52
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/06 Controlling transfer of power between connected networks; Controlling sharing of load between connected networks

Abstract

The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for a redundant prime mover system to drive a machine having an engine coupled to the machine, and a motor/generator coupled to the machine and an electrical network connection. The controller operates the engine and the motor/generator in three or four operating modes. The first operating mode drives the machine with the engine. The second operating mode drives the machine with the motor/generator. The third operating mode drives the machine and the motor/generator with the engine such that the motor/generator generates electricity for delivery to the electrical network connection. Alternatively, the third operating mode drives the machine with both the engine and the motor/generator. This alternate operating mode can also be included as a fourth operating mode.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a redundant prime mover system comprising

a motor/generator suitable for connecting to an external electrical network connection of a transmission or distribution system;

an engine mounted adjacent to the motor/generator such that a shaft of the engine is substantially parallel to a shaft of the motor/generator;

a coupling device connected to the shaft of the motor/generator with a first coupling and to the shaft of the engine with a second coupling; and

a third coupling connected to the coupling device and suitable for connecting to a machine, such that the machine can be operated in at least three operating modes including a first operating mode wherein the engine and the machine are running, a second operating mode wherein the motor/generator and the machine are running, and a third operating mode wherein the engine, the motor/generator and the machine are running.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the machine is a compressor or a pump.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the engine is a turbine or a variable speed engine.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the third coupling is positioned such that the machine is mounted substantially inline with the engine, the motor/generator or between the two inline positions.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the first, second and third couplings comprise a clutch, a magnetic coupling, a transmission or a gearbox, and the coupling device comprises a gearbox, a transmission, a chain drive or a belt drive.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is stationary during operation.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the engine, the motor/generator and the coupling device are mounted on one or more skids.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the engine drives the machine and the motor/generator such that the motor/generator generates electricity for delivery to the external electrical network connection when operating in the third operating mode.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the engine and the motor/generator drive the machine when operating in the third operating mode.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a controller communicably coupled to at least the engine and the motor/generator.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the controller is manually operated or automated.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the controller is a programmed logic controller, a computer or a processor.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the controller selects one of the operating modes based on one or more parameters comprising an estimated operational cost for the engine, an estimated operational cost for the motor/generator, a selling price for electricity, a fuel cost for the engine, an electricity cost for the motor/generator, a time period, an emission limit, and/or an audible noise limit.

14. A system for a redundant prime mover system comprising:

a motor/generator connected to an external electrical network connection of a transmission or distribution system;

an engine mounted adjacent to the motor/generator such that a shaft of the engine is substantially parallel to a shaft of the motor/generator;

a compressor connected to a pipeline; and

a coupling device connected to the shaft of the motor/generator with a first coupling, to the shaft of the engine with a second coupling, and to the compressor with a third coupling, such that the compressor can be operated in at least three operating modes including a first operating mode wherein the engine and the machine are running, a second operating mode wherein the motor/generator and the machine are running, and a third operating mode wherein the engine, the motor/generator and the machine are running.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the compressor is mounted substantially inline with the engine, the motor/generator or between the two inline positions.

16. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the first, second and third couplings comprise a clutch, a magnetic coupling, a transmission or a gearbox, and the coupling device comprises a gearbox, a transmission, a chain drive or a belt drive.

17. A method for controlling a redundant prime mover system comprising an engine, a motor/generator and a machine, the motor/generator connected to an external electrical network connection of a transmission or distribution system and a shaft of the motor/generator coupled to a coupling device with a first coupling, the engine mounted adjacent to the motor/generator such that a shaft of the engine is substantially parallel to the shaft of the motor/generator, the shaft of to engine coupled to the coupling device with a second coupling and to machine coupled to the coupling device with a third coupling, the method comprising:

selecting a first operating mode, a second operating mode or a third operating mode based on one or more parameters;

driving the machine with the engine whenever the first operating mode is selected;

driving the machine with the motor/generator whenever the second operating mode is selected; and

driving the machine with the motor/generator and the engine or driving the machine and the motor/generator with the engine whenever the third operating mode is selected.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of obtaining the one or more parameters.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the engine is a turbine or a variable speed engine.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of monitoring the one or more parameters.

21. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of determining whether to change the selected operating mode based on one or more changes in the one or more parameters.

22. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of storing the one or more parameters.

23. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more parameters include an estimated operational cost for the engine, an estimated operational cost for the motor/generator, a selling price for electricity, a fuel cost for the engine, an electricity cost for the motor/generator, a time period, an emission limit and/or an audible noise limit.

24. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the engine is mounted adjacent to and substantially parallel with the motor/generator.

25. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the machine is mounted substantially inline with the engine, the motor/generator or between the two inline positions.

26. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the redundant prime mover system is stationary during operation.

27. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the redundant prime mover system is mounted on one or more skids.

28. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the machine is a compressor or a pump.

29. An apparatus for controlling a redundant prime mover system comprising an engine, a motor/generator and a machine, the motor/generator connected to an external electrical network connection of a transmission or distribution system and a shaft of the motor/generator coupled to a coupling device with a first coupling, the engine mounted adjacent to the motor/generator such that a shaft of the engine is substantially parallel to the shaft of the motor/generator, the shaft of the engine coupled to the coupling device with a second coupling and the machine coupled to the coupling device with a third coupling, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicably coupled to the processor;

an engine control interface communicably coupled to the processor;

a motor/generator control interface communicably coupled to the processor; and

wherein the processor selects a first operating mode, a second operating mode or a third operating mode based on one or more parameters, the processor controls the engine via the engine control interface to drive the machine whenever the first operating mode is selected, the processor controls the motor/generator via the motor/generator control interface to drive the machine whenever the second operating mode is selected, and the processor controls the engine via the engine control interface and the motor/generator via the motor/generator control interface to drive the machine and the motor/generator with the engine or drive the machine with the engine and the motor/generator.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the processor obtains the one or more parameters.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the processor monitors the one or more parameters.

32. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the processor determines whether to change the selected operating mode based on one or more changes in the one or more parameters.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the processor stores the one or more parameters in the memory.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the machine is a compressor or a pump.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the engine is a turbine or a variable speed engine.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 29 wherein the processor selects a first operating mode, a second operating mode, a third operating mode or a fourth operating mode based on one or more parameters.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 36, wherein the one or more parameters include an estimated operational cost for the engine, an estimated operational cost for the motor/generator, a selling price for electricity, a fuel cost for the engine, an electricity cost for the motor/generator, a time period, an emission limit, and/or an audible noise limit.