Sunpower Corporation

Douglas E Keiter

Ezekiel S Holliday

Reuven Z Unger

Reuven Z-m Unger

Nicholas R Van Der Walt

A feedback control method and circuit for inclusion in a control system of an electrical power generating source that comprises a free piston Stirling engine driving a linear alternator. An instantaneous value of a variable, V, is continuously derived from other sensed and computed parameters and used in a negative feedback control loop of the control system to control engine piston stroke in order to maintain the power produced by the engine equal to the power transferred from the engine to the alternator. Vis the sum of the voltage induced on the alternator winding and the voltage across the equivalent circuit lumped resistance of the alternator winding. A switching mode rectifier connects the alternator winding to an energy storage capacitor or battery. A negative feedback, alternator current control loop has an output connected to the pulse width modulator of the switching mode rectifier and has a feedback circuit comprising a current sensor for sensing instantaneous alternator current. A negative feedback, Vcontrol loop has a feedback circuit including a piston position or velocity sensor connected to a computing circuit that the current sensor is also connected to. The computing circuit computes a signal representing Vfor use as the feedback signal of the Vcontrol loop. The output of the Vcontrol loop is connected as the command input to the current feedback control loop.

Electronic controller matching engine power to alternator power and maintaining engine frequency for a free-piston stirling engine driving a linear alternator

A feedback control method and circuit for inclusion in a control system of an electrical power generating source that comprises a free piston Stirling engine driving a linear alternator. An instantaneous value of a variable, V, is continuously derived from other sensed and computed parameters and used in a negative feedback control loop of the control system to control engine piston stroke in order to maintain the power produced by the engine equal to the power transferred from the engine to the alternator. Vis the sum of the voltage induced on the alternator winding and the voltage across the equivalent circuit lumped resistance of the alternator winding and a switching mode rectifier connects the alternator winding to an energy storage capacitor or battery. A negative feedback, alternator current control loop has an output connected to the pulse width modulator of the switching mode rectifier and has a feedback circuit comprising a current sensor for sensing instantaneous alternator current. A negative feedback, Vcontrol loop has a feedback circuit including a piston position or velocity sensor connected to a computing circuit that the current sensor is also connected to. The computing circuit computes a signal representing Vfor use as the feedback signal of the Vcontrol loop. The output of the Vcontrol loop is connected as the command input to the current feedback control loop.

A cryocooler having two operating modes so that its operating range is broadened, its gas bearing system is maintained in an operable state and it can utilize piston stroke modulation for energy efficiency. A piston stroke modulator modulates the piston stroke when the commanded piston stroke exceeds the minimum stroke and maintains the minimum stroke when the commanded stroke is less than the minimum stroke. A heater applies heater power to the thermal load when the commanded piston stroke is less than the minimum piston stroke. A closed loop feedback control system is used which has two branches of its dynamic leg. One branch controls the modulation of the cryocooler and the second, parallel branch controls the modulation of the heater.

Temperature control for free-piston cryocooler with gas bearings

In a free piston machine, initial collisions of the piston with structures at the end of the cylinder are detected and generate a change in the magnitude of a perturbation signal, which is applied to the summing junction of a closed loop feedback control system controlling a piston force. The change is applied in a direction to reduce piston amplitude. In embodiments in which maximization of piston amplitude is desirable, the magnitude of the perturbation signal is also varied in the opposite direction in the absence of collisions to increase piston amplitude of oscillation so that operation then hunts between initial nondestructive collisions and a non-colliding maximum amplitude of piston oscillation.

Control system and method for preventing destructive collisions in free piston machines

In a free piston machine, a coil is mounted to its housing and magnetically linked to a permanent magnet or electromagnet on its piston member to form a linear motor. The coil and magnet are either added to embody the invention or are part of an AC linear alternator or AC linear motor which are a part of the free piston machine. A source of DC electrical current and a switch for connecting the DC source to the coil supply DC current to the coil when the switch is closed so that the coil and magnet temporarily operate as a DC linear motor until the piston is adequately centered for start-up without collision. The DC source voltage is temporarily applied to the coil to move the piston away from an end wall of the cylinder. This is accomplished by applying the DC current to the coil for a predetermined time interval, or by sensing when the piston has reached an adequately centered position.

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Athens, OH, United States of America

Douglas E Keiter