Dual voltage switching in power generation

• US 7,541,784 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Endurance Wind Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Endurance Wind Power, Inc.
• Inventors: Davis, Dean Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko; Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cuevas; Pedro J
• Application Number:
  US11/753,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20070273336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 322/8, 322/22, 320/123
• US Class Current: 322/22
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2101/15 for wind-driven turbines
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/007 Control circuits for doubly fed generators

Abstract

A system and method for switching from one voltage to another voltage are disclosed. The system relates to an induction generator or motor that switches between a first voltage and a second voltage. The method comprises transitioning between two or more voltage levels by inserting and removing resistance and capacitance following a systematic timing scheme. The generator/motor may have one or more windings, such as a primary and auxiliary winding.

Claims

1. A dual voltage generator having a first leg variably connected to a first hot line and a second leg switched between a second hot line and a neutral line, the dual voltage generator comprising, for switching from a low voltage to a high voltage:

a module configured to insert a resistor between the first leg and the first hot line and to disconnect a neutral line from a second leg;

a module configured to close a first switch, after the first period of time to connect the second hot line to the generator; and

a module configured to open a second switch, after a second period of time and close a third switch to remove the resistor from being between the first leg and the first hot line.

2. The dual-voltage generator of claim 1, wherein the dual voltage generator is driven by a variable power source.

3. The dual-voltage generator of claim 2, wherein the variable power source is one of a wind turbine, a solar powered engine or a variable flow hydroelectric plant.

4. The dual-voltage generator of claim 1, wherein the dual-voltage generator generates one of single phase power or three phase power.

5. The dual-voltage generator of claim 1, wherein when the first line is one of a 120V, 230V or 460V line.

6. The dual-voltage generator of claim 1, wherein the module configured to insert a resistor, the module configured to close the first switch and module configured to open the second switch, switch the dual-voltage generator from a lower voltage to a higher voltage.

7. The dual-voltage generator of claim 1, further comprising for switching from high voltage to a low voltage:

a module configured to insert the resistor between the first leg and the first hot line and to remove a run capacitance from between the first hot line and a connection to an auxiliary winding;

a module configured to connect the neutral line to the second leg after a period of time;

a module configured to remove the resistor from between the first hot line and the first leg after a period of time; and

a module configured to insert the run capacitance back in between the first hot line and the connection to the auxiliary winding.

8. A dual-voltage generator having a first leg always connected to a first hot line and a second leg switched between a second hot line and a neutral line, the dual-voltage generator comprising:

a first module configured to switch the dual-voltage generator from lower voltage to a higher voltage, the first module performing the steps;

inserting a resistor between the first hot line and the first leg;

disconnecting the neutral line from the second leg of the dual-voltage generator;

after a first period of time, connecting the second hot line to the second leg; and

after a second period of time, removing the resistor.

9. The dual-voltage generator of claim 8, further comprising a second module configured to switch the dual-voltage generator from a higher voltage to a lower voltage, the second module performing the steps:

inserting the resistor in between the first hot line and the first leg;

removing a run capacitance between the first hot leg and an auxiliary winding;

removing the hot line from the second leg;

connecting the neutral line to the second leg after a third period of time;

removing the resistor after a forth period of time;

inserting the run capacitance back into the system after a fifth period of time.

10. The dual-voltage generator of claim 9, wherein the first, second, third, forth and fifth periods of time may or may not be the same.

11. The dual-voltage generator of claim 9, wherein the steps of inserting the resistor between the first hot leg and connecting the neutral line further comprises opening a first switch between the needed line and the second leg, closing a second switch and opening a third switch to insert the resistor.

12. The dual-voltage generator of claim 11, wherein the step of connecting the second hot line to the second leg further comprises closing a fourth switch between the second hot line and the second leg.

13. The dual-voltage generator of claim 12, wherein:

inserting the resistor between the first line and the first leg further comprises opening the fourth switch, closing the second switch and opening the third switch; and

removing the run capacitance comprising a fifth switch.

14. The dual-voltage generator of claim 13, wherein:

connecting the neutral line to the second leg further comprises closing the first switch; and

removing the resistor comprises opening the same switch; and

inserting the run capacitance further comprises closing the fifth switch.

15. The dual-voltage generator of claim 8, wherein the dual-voltage generator switches between at least two of 120V, 230V, 240V and 460V.

16. The dual-voltage generator of claim 8, wherein the dual-voltage generator is driven by a variable power source.

17. The dual-voltage generator of claim 16, wherein the variable power source is one of a wind turbine, a variable hydroelectric plant or a solar powered generator.

18. In a dual-voltage generator having a first leg always connected to a first hot line and a second leg switched between a second hot line and a neutral line, a method of switching from one voltage to another voltage, the method comprising:

switching from a first voltage to a second voltage by;

inserting a resistor between the first hot line and the first leg;

disconnecting the neutral line from the second leg of the dual-voltage generator;

connecting the second hot line to the second leg after a first period of time; and

removing the resistor after a second period of time; and

inserting the resistor in between the first hot line and the first leg;

removing a run capacitance between the first hot leg and auxiliary winding;

connecting the neutral line to the second leg after a third period of time;

removing the resistor after a fourth period of time; and

inserting the run capacitance back into the system after a fifth period of time.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the dual-voltage generator is one of a wind turbine, a variable hydroelectric plant, or a solar power generator.

20. A dual-voltage generator comprising:

means for transitioning from a first voltage level to a second voltage level by inserting a first resistance and/or a first capacitance and removing a second resistance and/or a second capacitance according to a timing scheme.

21. A method of switching from one voltage to another voltage in an induction generator/motor, the method comprising:

transitioning between two or more voltage levels by inserting and/or removing resistance and/or capacitance following a systematic timing scheme.