Method for starting up a system for generating electrical power

• US 8,212,534 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Converteam Technology Ltd. (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Converteam Technology Ltd. (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Moehlenkamp, Georg, Bocquel, Aurélie
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohandesi, Iraj A
• Application Number:
  US12/155,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20090278350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 322/90, 322/91
• US Class Current: 322/91
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 1/46 for starting an individual synchronous motor H02P27/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/08 Control of generator circuit during starting or stopping of driving means, e.g. for initiating excitation

Abstract

Described is a method for starting up a system for generating electrical power. The system includes a turbine that is mechanically connected to a generator, while the generator is electrically connected via a converter to a load, in particular to a power supply grid. The generator includes a total number of windings. With at least one embodiment of the method, a number of generator windings are combined at low rotational speeds of the turbine, wherein the combined number of windings is less than the total number of windings.

Claims

1. A method for operating a system for generating electrical power, the system including a turbine that is mechanically connected to a generator, the generator being electrically connected via a converter to a an electrical power supply grid, and the generator including a total number of windings, the method comprising:

operating the generator as a generator at operating speed of the turbine for generating electrical power; and

operating the generator as a motor at low rotational speed of the turbine for starting up the turbine, in so doing combining a number of the generator windings, wherein the number of combined generator windings is lower than the total number of windings of the generator, and wherein with an increasing rotational speed of the turbine, the magnetic flux of the generator is first kept constant and is then reduced.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the number of windings are combined at rotational speeds of the turbine that correspond approximately to 30% to 50% of the operating speed for the turbine.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the number of windings are combined during a first time interval.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the number of windings are combined starting with the standstill of the turbine.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generator includes polygonal-shaped windings and wherein the windings are combined in an essentially symmetrical arrangement within the generator.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the converter includes a plurality of switching devices, in particular thyristors, and wherein the generator windings are combined by blocking corresponding switching devices.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the non-blocked switching devices are commutated in dependence on the load.

13. The method according to claim 2, wherein the number of windings are combined at rotational speeds of the turbine that correspond approximately to approximately 40% of the operating speed.

14. The method according to claim 2, wherein the number of windings are combined during a first time interval.

15. The method according to claim 2, wherein the number of windings are combined starting with the standstill of the turbine.

16. The method according to claim 6, wherein the switching devices are thyristors, and wherein the generator windings are combined by blocking corresponding thyristors.

17. The method according to claim 7, wherein the load is an energy supply grid and wherein the non-blocked switching devices are commutated in dependence on the energy supply grid.

8. A method for operating a system for generating electrical power, the system including a turbine that is mechanically connected to a generator, the generator being electrically connected via a converter to a an electrical power supply grid, and the generator including a total number of windings, the method comprising:

operating the generator as a generator at operating speed of the turbine for generating electrical power; and

operating the generator as a motor at low rotational speed of the turbine for starting up the turbine, in so doing combining a number of the generator windings, wherein the number of combined generator windings is lower than the total number of windings of the generator, and, wherein for the start-up of the system, the converter is commutated at higher rotational speeds of the turbine in dependence on the generator.

9. A system for generating electrical power, comprising:

a turbine, mechanically connected to a generator, the generator being electrically connected via a converter to an electrical power supply grid, the generator including a total number of windings, wherein the generator operates as a generator at operating speed of the turbine for generating electrical power, and the generator also operates as a motor at low rotational speed of the turbine for starting up the turbine, in so doing combining a number of the generator windings, and, wherein the combined number of generator windings is lower than the total number of windings of the generator, and, wherein with an increasing rotational speed of the turbine, the magnetic flux of the generator is first kept constant and is then reduced.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the generator is embodied as synchronous generator.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the converter is embodied as a matrix converter.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein a transformer is provided, for which the windings have intermediate taps, and wherein a switch is assigned to the transformer, by which the converter is connectable to the intermediate taps.

18. The system according to claim 10, wherein the generator is embodied as synchronous generator with polygonal-shaped windings.

19. The system according to claim 10, wherein the converter is embodied as a matrix converter.

20. A system for generating electrical power, comprising:

a turbine, mechanically connected to a generator, the generator being electrically connected via a converter to an electrical power supply grid, the generator including a total number of windings, wherein the generator operates as a generator at operating speed of the turbine for generating electrical power, and the generator also operates as a motor at low rotational speed of the turbine for starting up the turbine, in so doing combining a number of the generator windings, and, wherein the combined number of generator windings is lower than the total number of windings of the generator, and, wherein for the start-up of the system, the converter is commutated at higher rotational speeds of the turbine in dependence on the generator.