Capstone Turbine Corporation

Ed Edelman

Mark G Gilbreth

Jeffrey W Willis

Guillermo Pont

James Brian Dickey

Joel B Wacknov

Simon Wall

A turbogenerator is controlled by a temperature loop that provides fuel to the combustor to maintain a desired turbine exhaust temperature, and by a speed control loop that controls the speed of the turbogenerator to provide a desired power output. When the desired power output is reduced, the turbogenerator speed is reduced accordingly, and the desired turbine exhaust temperature is increased temporarily to maintain sufficient fuel flow to the combustor to prevent combustor flame-out.

Transient turbine exhaust temperature control for a turbogenerator

A system and method for modular control of a multi-fuel turbogenerator include separate controllers for controlling fuel supplied to the combustor and power output from the generator. The power controller generates a fuel command based on the required turbine exhaust temperature, where the fuel command is independent of the particular fuel being used. Fuels may include natural gas, diesel, propane, waste gas, or gasoline, for example. The power controller communicates the fuel command and the airflow or calculated air/fuel ratio to the fuel controller which selects an appropriate mode of operation for the injectors. Injector operating modes include one or more pilot modes where fuel is not mixed with air prior to combustion, and one or more premix modes where fuel is highly mixed with air prior to combustion. The fuel controller implements closed-loop feedback control of a fuel metering device and controls the fuel injectors in the appropriate operating mode based on the fuel command, the energy content of the fuel being used, and the air/fuel ratio.

System and method for modular control of a multi-fuel low emissions turbogenerator

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Agoura Hills, CA, United States of America

Ed Edelman