Fault-tolerant power distribution systems for a modular power plant
First Claim
1. A fault-tolerant power distribution system for locally distributing electrical power generated in a power plant to the power plant, wherein the power plant includes a thermal source that produces thermal energy, the system comprising:
- a first generator that converts a portion of the thermal energy produced by the thermal source into a first power signal;
a first feed and a second feed for a first distribution module that corresponds to the first generator;
a first transmission path that when coupled to the first generator, transmits a first portion of the first power signal to the first feed, wherein the first feed provides the first portion of the first power signal to the first distribution module and the first distribution module distributes electrical energy included in the first portion of the first power signal to the power plant;
a first switch that selectively couples and decouples the first transmission path to the first generator;
a second transmission path that when coupled to the first generator, transmits the first portion of the first power signal to the second feed, wherein the second feed provides the first portion of the first power signal to the first distribution module; and
a second switch that selectively couples and decouples the second transmission path to the first generator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Fault-tolerant power distribution systems for modular power plants are discussed. The systems enable the transmission of a portion of the power generated by a modular power plant to remote consumers. The systems also enable the local distribution of another portion of the generated power within the power plant. The various fault-tolerant systems enable the plant to continuously, and without degradation or disruption, transmit power to remote consumers and distribute power within in the power plant in the event of one or more faults within the distribution system. The various embodiments include redundant power-transmission paths, power-distribution module feeds, switchgear, and other hardware components. Such redundant transmission paths and hardware enable the systems to continuously, and without degradation or disruption, transmit power to remote consumers and locally distribute power to the power plant when one or more faults occur within one or more of the redundant power-transmission paths and/or hardware components.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fault-tolerant power distribution system for locally distributing electrical power generated in a power plant to the power plant, wherein the power plant includes a thermal source that produces thermal energy, the system comprising:
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a first generator that converts a portion of the thermal energy produced by the thermal source into a first power signal; a first feed and a second feed for a first distribution module that corresponds to the first generator; a first transmission path that when coupled to the first generator, transmits a first portion of the first power signal to the first feed, wherein the first feed provides the first portion of the first power signal to the first distribution module and the first distribution module distributes electrical energy included in the first portion of the first power signal to the power plant; a first switch that selectively couples and decouples the first transmission path to the first generator; a second transmission path that when coupled to the first generator, transmits the first portion of the first power signal to the second feed, wherein the second feed provides the first portion of the first power signal to the first distribution module; and a second switch that selectively couples and decouples the second transmission path to the first generator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A fault-tolerant power distribution system for locally distributing electrical power generated in a power plant to the power plant, the system comprising:
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a first turbine that generates a first power signal; a second turbine that generates a second power signal; a first switchgear module that when coupled to the first turbine, transmits the first power signal and when coupled to the second turbine, transmits the second power signal; a second switchgear module that when coupled to the first turbine, transmits the first power signal and when coupled to the second turbine, transmits the second power signal; a first switch that when in a first state, couples the first turbine to the first switchgear module and when in a second state, decouples the first turbine from the first switchgear module; a second switch that when in a first state, couples the first turbine to the second switchgear module and when in a second state, decouples the first turbine from the second switchgear module; a third switch that when in a first state, couples the second turbine to the second switchgear module and when in a second state, decouples the second turbine from the second switchgear module; a fourth switch that when in a first state, couples the second turbine to the first switchgear module and when in a second state, decouples the second turbine from the first switchgear module; a first feed for a first distribution module, wherein the first feed is selectively coupled to the first switchgear module, wherein when coupled to the first switchgear module and the first switchgear module transmits the first power signal, the first feed provides the first power signal to the first distribution module and the first power distribution module distributes a portion of the first power signal to the power plant; a second feed for the first distribution module, wherein the second feed is selectively coupled to the second switchgear module, wherein when coupled to the second switchgear module and the second switchgear module transmits the first power signal, the second feed provides the first power signal to the first distribution module and the first distribution module distributes the portion of the first power signal to the power plant; a third feed for a second distribution module, wherein the third feed is selectively coupled to the second switchgear module, wherein when coupled to the second switchgear module and the second switchgear module transmits the second power signal, the third feed provides the second power signal to the second distribution module and the second distribution module distributes a portion of the second power signal to the power plant; and a fourth feed for the second distribution module, wherein the fourth feed is selectively coupled to the first switchgear module, wherein when coupled to the first switchgear module and the second switchgear module transmits the second power signal, the fourth feed provides the second power signal to the second distribution module and the second distribution module distributes the portion of the second power signal to the power plant. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A fault-tolerant power distribution system for locally distributing electrical power generated in a power plant that includes a first generator that generates a first power signal, a second generator that generators a second power signal, and a third generator that generates a third power signal, the system comprising:
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a first front-end module that selectively transmits at least a portion of each of a first, the second, and the third power signals from an input of the first front-end module to an output of the first front-end module; a second front-end module that selectively transmits the portion of the second power signal from an input of the second front-end module to an output of the second front-end module; a third front-end module that selectively transmits the portion of each of the first and the third power signals from an input of the third front-end module to an output of the third front-end module; a backend bus that is coupled to the outputs of each of the first, the second, and the third front-end modules and to an input of each of a first feed and a second feed for a first distribution module that corresponds to the first generator, a first feed and a second feed for a second distribution module that corresponds to the second generator, and a first feed and a second feed for a third distribution module that corresponds to the third generator, such that when the first front-end module is selected to transmit the portion of the first power signal, the backend bus transmits the portion of the first power signal to the first feed for the first distribution module, when the third front-end module is selected to transmit the portion of the first power signal, the backend bus transmits the portion of the first power signal to the second feed for the first distribution module, when the second front-end module is selected to transmit the portion of the second power signal, the backend bus transmits the portion of the second power signal to the first feed for the second distribution module, when the first front-end module is selected to transmit the portion of the second power signal, the backend bus transmits the portion of the second power signal to the second feed for the second distribution module, when the third front-end module is selected to transmit the portion of the third power signal, the backend bus transmits the portion of the third power signal to the first feed for the third distribution module, and when the first front-end module is selected to transmit the portion of the third power signal, the backend bus transmits the portion of the third power signal to the second feed for the third distribution module. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification