Control device for a power distribution system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9487284-B2
Application number	US-201113702092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2011
Priority date	Jun 8, 2010
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

In a marine power distribution and propulsion system with a medium voltage distribution busbar (MVAC 1 ) and a low voltage distribution busbar (LVAC 1 ) then a rectifier (SC) is controlled, optionally to provide active filtering and static compensation benefits. A common power supply system incorporating ac generators (G 1 -G 4 ) supplies power to the medium and low voltage distribution busbars. The rectifier (SC) is connected to the medium voltage distribution busbar (MVAC 1 ). A controller (Co) uses feedback signals indicative of electrical quantities of the distribution voltages carried by both the medium voltage and low voltage distribution busbars (MVAC 1 , LVAC 1 ) to control the rectifier (SC) to regulate electrical quantities at the ac terminals of the rectifier (SC) in order to achieve desired electrical quantities of the distribution voltage carried by the low voltage distribution busbar (LVAC 1 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control device configured for connection to a propulsion drive system including a rectifier (i) coupled to an AC generator via a busbar, and a DC motor and (ii) configured to provide a plurality of functions for controlling drive system power characteristics, the control device comprising:
a controller including (i) a regulator configured to provide a modulation reference signal to the rectifier and (ii) an estimation function block configured to receive AC feedback signals from the propulsion drive system;
wherein the regulator provides the modulation reference signal responsive to a feedback loop including the AC feedback signals and a received voltage reference signal; and
wherein the modulation reference signal facilitates control of each of the plurality of functions simultaneously.

2. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the busbar is a medium voltage busbar; and
wherein the regulator is configured to receive a DC feedback signal.

3. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the DC motor includes a field converter.

4. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of functions include at least one of modulation depth, modulation angle, and harmonic control.

5. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the power characteristics include at least one of power flow control and power factor control.

6. The control device of claim 5 , wherein the power characteristics are applied to at least one of medium voltage and low voltage distribution voltages.

7. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls pulse width modulation.

8. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the modulation reference signal controls at least one of modulation depth, selective harmonic elimination angles, and a firing delay angle.

9. The control device of claim 1 , wherein the AC feedback signals include current and voltage signals.

10. The control device of claim 9 , wherein the current signals are output from the AC generator.

11. A method for controlling drive system power characteristics via a control device configured for connection to a propulsion drive system including a rectifier (i) coupled to an AC generator via a busbar, and a DC motor and (ii) configured to provide a plurality of functions, the method comprising:
providing, via a controller including a regulator, a modulation reference signal to the rectifier; and
receiving, in the controller via a controller estimation function block, AC feedback signals from the propulsion drive system;
wherein the regulator provides the modulation reference signal responsive to a feedback loop including the AC feedback signals and a received voltage reference signal; and
wherein the modulation reference signal facilitates control of each of the plurality of functions simultaneously.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of functions include at least one of modulation depth, modulation angle, and harmonic control.

13. The control device of claim 12 , wherein the power characteristics include at least one of power flow control and power factor control.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the modulation reference signal controls at least one of modulation depth, selective harmonic elimination angles, and a firing delay angle.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the AC feedback signals include current and voltage signals.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the current signals are output from the AC generator.

17. A non-transitory computer readable media storing computer executable instructions wherein said instructions, when executed, control drive system power characteristics via a control device configured for connection to a propulsion drive system including a rectifier (i) coupled to an AC generator via a busbar, and a DC motor and (ii) configured to provide a plurality of functions, with a method comprising:
providing, via a controller including a regulator, a modulation reference signal to the rectifier; and
receiving, in the controller via a controller estimation function block, AC feedback signals from the propulsion drive system;
wherein the regulator provides the modulation reference signal responsive to a feedback loop including the AC feedback signals and a received voltage reference signal; and
wherein the modulation reference signal facilitates control of each of the plurality of functions simultaneously.

Assignees

• Crane Allan David
• Smith Nicholas Simon
• Maltby Ralph Edwin
• Ge Energy Power Conversion Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Crane Allan David
• Smith Nicholas Simon
• Maltby Ralph Edwin

Classifications

• B63H21/17

  by electric motor · CPC title

• H02J4/00

  Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) · CPC title

• B63J3/04

  from power plant other than propulsion power plant · CPC title

• B63H23/24 Primary

  electric {(dynamo-electric machines H02K)} · CPC title

• H02J3/46 Primary

  Controlling the sharing of generated power between the generators, sources or networks · CPC title