Capstone Turbine Corporation

Borgwarner Inc.

Everett R Geis

Joel B Wacknov

Brian W Peticolas

Mark G Gilbreth

Simon Wall

Todd L King

James R Gary

David McShane

Daljit Singh

Claude Khalizadeh

A turbogenerator/motor controller with a microprocessor based inverter having multiple modes of operation. To start the turbine, the inverterconnects to andsupplies fixed current, variable voltage, variable frequency, AC power to the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor, driving the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor to accelerate the gas turbine. During this acceleration, spark and fuel are introduced in the correct sequence, and self-sustaining gas turbine operating conditions are reached. The inverter is thendisconnected from the permanent magnet generator/motor,reconfigured to a controlled 60 hertz mode, and then either supplies regulated 60 hertz three phase voltage to a stand alone load or phase locks to the utility, or to other like controllers, to operate as a supplement to the utility. In this mode of operation, the power for the inverter is derived from the permanent magnet generator/motor via high frequency rectifier bridges. The microprocessor monitors turbine conditions and controls fuel flow to the gas turbine combustor.

Turbogenerator/motor controller

A continuous power supply may include a turbogenerator to provide power to supply the load and or an energy storage element and possibly also to the primary energy source. Utilizing an isolated DC bus architecture permits bi-directional power flow among interconnected elements.

Continuous power supply with back-up generation

A power generation system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the power generation system includes a fuel source, a turbogenerator coupled to the fuel source, and a power controller coupled to the turbogenerator. The power controller includes an AC/DC power converter that converts AC power generated by the turbogenerator to DC power on output lines for supplying a DC load. The power controller regulates the fuel to the turbogenerator, independent of a DC voltage on the output lines. A capacitor such as an electrochemical capacitor or a hybrid capacitor, coupled across the output lines, sources power to and/or sinks power from the output lines due to load changes by the DC load. In a further embodiment, the power controller includes an additional DC/DC power converter. In yet a further embodiment, the power controller includes a second additional DC/DC power converter to controllably couple the capacitor to a DC bus.

Distributed power system

A hybrid electric vehicle, such as a bus or delivery vehicle, includes batteries and a turbogenerator/motor connected through a double conversion control system. The batteries and the turbogenerator/motor are each connected to a DC bus through bi-directional power converters operating as customized bi-directional switching converters configured, under the control of a power controller, to provide an interface between the DC bus and the batteries and turbogenerator/motor, respectively.

Hybrid electric vehicle DC power generation system

A permanent magnet generator having a winding split into two equal windings with each of the two windings connected to a separate three phase rectifier block of a pulse width modulated inverter The pulse width modulated inverter includes three (3) IGBT channels across the voltage bus with the neutral created between the separate three phase rectifier blocks.

Split generator winding inverter

A turbogenerator/motor controller with a microprocessor based inverter having multiple modes of operation with an energy storage and discharge system including an ancillary electric storage device, such as a battery, connected to the generator controller through control electronics. Electrical energy can flow from the ancillary electric storage device to the turbogenerator controller during start up and increasing load and vice versa during self-sustained operation of the turbogenerator. When utility power is unavailable, the ancillary electric storage device can provide the power required to start the turbogenerator. When a load transient occurs, the gas turbine engine and the ancillary electric storage device provide the power required to successfully meet the transient.

Turbogenerator/motor controller with ancillary energy storage/discharge

A controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor having a pulse width modulated inverter and a rectifier bridge. The pulse width modulated inverter includes a positive section magnetic winding and a separate equal negative section magnetic winding, and the inverter has a positive section connected to the positive section magnetic winding of the pulse width modulated inverter and a negative section connected to the separate negative section magnetic winding of the pulse width modulated inverter.

Turbogenerator/motor pulse width modulated controller

A turbogenerator/motor controller with a microprocessor based inverter having multiple modes of operation. To start the turbine, the inverter connects to and supplies fixed current, variable voltage, variable frequency, AC power to the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor, driving the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor to accelerate the gas turbine. During this acceleration, spark and fuel are introduced in the correct sequence, and self-sustaining gas turbine operating conditions are reached. The inverter is then disconnected from the permanent magnet generator/motor, reconfigured to a controlled 60 hertz mode, and then either supplies regulated 60 hertz three phase voltage to a stand alone load or phase locks to the utility, or to other like controllers, to operate as a supplement to the utility. In this mode of operation, the power for the inverter is derived from the permanent magnet generator/motor via high frequency rectifier bridges. The microprocessor monitors turbine conditions and controls fuel flow to the gas turbine combustor.

Highly reliable and consistent starting is achieved by first initializing the rotor position, namely establishing the rotor in a known starting position. This is accomplished by gating on two pairs of SCRs in sequence and supplying current pulses through the gated SCRs to the stator of the motor to rotate the rotor to a first position and then to a second position, the rotor coming to a complete stop in each of those positions. The rotor aligns itself with the magnetic field created by the stator in each position and any ambiguity in the rotor position is eliminated. Thereafter, the inverter is operated asynchronously in a second mode with predetermined pairs of the inverter SCRs being sequentially gated into conduction at an increasing frequency to current pulse energize the motor to effect step-by-step rotation of the rotor at a faster and faster rate, the motor current being reduced to zero at the termination of each energizing pulse to force commutate the conducting pair of SCRs. After the motor has reached a preset speed, operation in a third mode occurs and the inverter is synchronized with the motor, gating of the SCRs being controlled by the motor voltage in order that the rotor position will be synchronized to the revolving magnetic field created by the stator. During this third operating mode the motor speed continues to increase and the SCRs are forced commutated, as a result of which the rotor follows the stator magnetic field very closely and synchronization will be perfected. When the motor subsequently reaches a given speed sufficiently high to permit motor commutation exclusively, the starting system switches to a fourth and normal running mode wherein the gating of the inverter SCRs continues to be synchronized with the motor and controlled by the motor voltage, but the SCRs will now be commutated only by the motor voltage. Operation in the third mode provides a buffer and ensures a very smooth, reliable, consistent and a relatively short transition from asynchronous, forced-commutation operation to synchronous, motor-commutated operation.

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Trabuco Canyon, CA, United States of America

Everett R Geis