Power generation systems

• US 8,222,756 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powersys LLC
• Original Assignee: Powersys LLC
• Inventors: Koeneman, Douglas Alan, Woods, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US13/170,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20110257805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1.A, 290/7, 290/40.C, 290/40.B, 322/37, 322/44
• US Class Current: 290/40.C
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/00 Applications
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/00 Liquid cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/20 Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine F01P3/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/25 Devices for sensing temperature, or actuated thereby
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1815 structurally associated with reciprocating piston engines general aspects of generating sets, e.g. housing, F02B63/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/19 for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]

Abstract

A power generation system is provided that includes an internal combustion engine configured to provide rotational mechanical energy. A generator is configured to receive the rotational mechanical energy and generate electrical power in response to the rotational mechanical energy. A fluid medium is provided to the internal combustion engine and to the generator for removing thermal energy from the internal combustion engine and from the generator.

Claims

1. A power generation system comprising:

a generator;

a power electronics device coupled to the generator and comprising first and second power application connectors, the first power application connector configured to be coupled to a first power application, the first power application is connected to a first power demand, and the second power application connector configured to be coupled to a second power application, the second power application is connected to a second power demand, the second power demand being different from the first power demand;

the first power application configured to meet the first power demand or the second power demand which is connected to the second power application; and

the second power demand configured to either use or provide power which is different from the first power demand.

2. The system in claim 1 wherein the second power application is configured to use or provide power to the first power application to meet the first power demand based upon an indication of a change in the system.

3. The system in claim 1 wherein the second power application is configured to selectively contribute in proportion to the first power application to meet the first power demand.

4. The system in claim 1 wherein proportions of respective power application contributions are capable of being modified by an external indication to the power generating system, the external indication defining a domain within which the system is selectively configured to operate.

5. The system in claim 4 wherein the external indication is configured to selectively modify the domain to establish relationships between power applications, power application priorities, power application durability and power generating system sustainable designed capability.

6. The system in claim 4 wherein the domain translates the external indication into unique indications for each power application in the generating system which provides the capability to modify the proportion of power application contribution.

7. The system in claim 4 wherein the domain comprises logic for establishing priorities between respective power applications to enable the power generation system to optimize respective proportions of power applications to meet the connected power demands.

8. The system in claim 1 further comprising an interface configured to provide record by time period of:

power demand, utilization of design capacity, estimates of consumption, estimates of consumption or production by power application connection, and of the cumulative power generation system.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a logic control configured to model designed capabilities of respective power applications; and

a mode control configured to combine the design capabilities to create a design capability of the power generating system which is different from the design capabilities of the respective power applications.

10. The system in claim 9 wherein the logic control models:

maximum sustainable available power to a connected power demand; and

maximum intermittent and instantaneous available power.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the logic control is configured to assess the durability of respective power applications within the model and indicates the assessment to the power generation system.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the logic control is configured to change proportions of contributions of the respective power applications to change power available to the respective power demands to another maximum sustainable available power.

13. the system of claim 9 wherein the mode control is configured to:

receive an indication from at least one of the power applications; and

in response to the indication, modify activation and proportion contributions to the respective power applications.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a thermal system connected to components of the power generation system;

a thermal system sensor in sensing relation with the thermal system; and

a thermal component sensor in sensing relation with at least one component of the system.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the thermal system sensor is configured to indicate a temperature of the thermal system that is representative of the maximum sustainable design capability of the power generation system.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising, if the temperature is exceeded, a capability to establish a new maximum sustainable design capability for the power generation system.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising, if the temperature is exceeded, a capability to modify proportions of power application contributions to meet the respective power demands.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the thermal component sensor is configured to indicate a temperature of the at least one component that is representative of the maximum sustainable design capability of the at least one component.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising the capability to establish a different maximum sustainable design capability for the power generation system in response to a temperature differential between the thermal system and the at least one component that exceeds a threshold temperature differential representative of the maximum sustainable design capability of the power generation system.

20. The system of claim 18 further comprising, in response to the different maximum sustainable design capability, the capability to modify proportions of power application contributions to meet the respective power demands.