Power generation system and method with resistive braking capability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10050433-B2
Application number	US-201414566749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2014
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A power generation system includes a generator operatively coupled to an engine for generating electrical power and supplying the electrical power to a grid. Further, the power generation system includes a resistive braking system operatively coupled between the generator and the grid. The resistive braking system includes a mechanical switch connected in parallel with a resistor, and a controller for, in response to a grid event, controlling power from the engine and operating the mechanical switch to redirect current between the mechanical switch and the parallel connected resistor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power generation system comprising:
a generator operatively coupled to an engine for generating electrical power and supplying the electrical power to a grid;
a resistive braking system operatively coupled between the generator and the grid, wherein the resistive braking system comprises:
a mechanical switch connected in parallel with a resistor; and
a controller operatively coupled to the engine, wherein the controller, in response to a grid event, is configured to:
send a first control signal to partially or fully switch OFF an ignition of the engine to control mechanical power from the engine to the generator;
send a second control signal to open the mechanical switch before a first predetermined time from an occurrence of the grid event to redirect current from the mechanical switch to the parallel connected resistor;
send a third control signal to partially or fully switch ON the ignition of the engine after the first predetermined time;
send a fourth control signal to close the mechanical switch if the grid event is cleared before a second predetermined time from the occurrence of the grid event; and
send a fifth control signal to switch OFF the ignition of the engine if the grid event is continued after the second predetermined time.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the resistor is sufficiently sized for absorbing a certain amount of the electrical power and energy from the generator when the mechanical switch is opened.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to regulate a speed of the generator based on the controlled mechanical power from the engine.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect the grid event based on an input signal.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the input signal comprises a voltage signal, a current signal, a generator power signal, a speed signal, a rotor angle signal, an engine power signal, an engine torque signal, or any combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the engine comprises a gas turbine, a gas engine, or a wind turbine.

7. A method of supplying electrical power to a grid from a generator coupled to a resistive braking system connected between the generator and the grid, the resistive braking system comprising a mechanical switch connected in parallel with a resistor, the method comprising:
supplying the electrical power to the grid through the mechanical switch under normal operating conditions; and
upon a grid event being detected, (a) sending a first control signal from a controller for partially or fully switching OFF an ignition of the engine for controlling mechanical power from an engine to the generator, (b) sending a second control signal from the controller for opening the mechanical switch before a first predetermined time from an occurrence of the grid event so that current from the generator is redirected from the mechanical switch to the resistor, (c) sending a third control signal from the controller for partially or fully switching ON the ignition of the engine after the first predetermined time, (d) sending a fourth control signal from the controller for closing the mechanical switch if the grid event is cleared before a second predetermined time from the occurrence of the grid event, and (e) sending a fifth control signal from the controller for switching OFF the ignition of the engine if the grid event is continued after the second predetermined time.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the grid event is detected based on an input signal.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the input signal comprises a voltage signal, a current signal, a generator power signal, a speed signal, a rotor angle signal, an engine power signal, an engine torque signal, or any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Panosyan Ara
• Boeld Christoph
• Schaumberger Herbert

Classifications

• H02J2101/10

  Dispersed power generation using fossil fuels, e.g. diesel generators · CPC title

• H02H7/067 Primary

  on occurrence of a load dump (control on sudden change of load H02P9/10) · CPC title

• H02J3/381

  Dispersed generators · CPC title

• H02P9/006

  Means for protecting the generator by using control (control effected upon generator excitation circuit to reduce harmful effects of overloads or transients H02P9/10) · CPC title

• H02P9/04

  Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator · CPC title