Gas-assisted air turbine system for generating electricity

A system for generating electricity comprising:

• a turbine comprising turbine blades, the turbine being configured so that the turbine blades rotate when working fluid is flowing through the turbine;
• a generator coupled to the turbine by a generator shaft so that an armature of the generator rotates when the turbine blades of the turbine are rotating, wherein rotation of the armature produces electricity;
• a compressor selectively coupled to the turbine by a compressor drive assembly, the compressor drive assembly comprising a first drive shaft, a second drive shaft, and a clutch coupled between the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft, an outlet of the compressor being fluidly coupled to the turbine by a plurality of compressor feed valves;
• a reservoir containing compressed air, the reservoir fluidly communicating with the turbine via a combustion chamber and a plurality of reservoir feed valves;
• a pressure sensor capable of providing a stream of signals corresponding to a pressure of the compressed air in the reservoir, the pressure sensor being disposed in fluid communication with the reservoir;
• a fuel valve coupled between the combustion chamber and a supply of fuel gas;
• and
• circuitry operatively coupled to the pressure sensor, the clutch, the plurality of compressor feed valves, the plurality of reservoir feed valves, and the fuel valve, wherein the circuitry comprises one or more processors and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more instruction sets, wherein the one or more instruction sets include instructions configured to be executed by the one or more processors to cause the system to:
• determine the pressure of the compressed air in the reservoir based on the stream of signals from the pressure sensor;
• disengage the clutch, close the plurality of compressor feed valves, open the plurality of reservoir feed valves, and close the fuel valve while the system is operating in a first operating mode;
• disengage the clutch, close the plurality of compressor feed valves, open the plurality of reservoir feed valves, and open the fuel valve while the system is operating in a second operating mode;
• engage the clutch, open the plurality of compressor feed valves, open the plurality of reservoir feed valves, and open the fuel valve while the system is operating in a third operating mode;
• and
• engage the clutch, open the plurality of compressor feed valves, close the plurality of reservoir feed valves, and open the fuel valve while the system is operating in a fourth operating mode.

A system for generating electricity comprising:

• a turbine comprising a plurality of turbine blades, the turbine being configured so that the turbine blades rotate when working fluid is flowing through the turbine;
• a generator coupled to the turbine by a generator shaft so that an armature of the generator rotates when the turbine blades of the turbine are rotating, wherein rotation of the armature produces electricity;
• a compressor selectively coupled to the turbine by a compressor drive assembly, the compressor drive assembly comprising a first drive shaft, a second drive shaft, and a clutch coupled between the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft, an outlet of the compressor being fluidly coupled to the turbine by a plurality of compressor feed valves;
• a reservoir containing compressed air, the reservoir fluidly communicating with the turbine via a combustion chamber and a plurality of reservoir feed valves;
• a fuel valve coupled between the combustion chamber and a supply of fuel gas;
• and
• circuitry operatively coupled to the clutch, the plurality of compressor feed valves, the plurality of reservoir feed valves, and the fuel valve, wherein the circuitry comprises one or more processors and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more instruction sets, wherein the one or more instruction sets include instructions configured to be executed by the one or more processors to cause the system to:
• disengage the clutch, close the plurality of compressor feed valves, open the plurality of reservoir feed valves, and close the fuel valve while the system is operating in a first operating mode, wherein during operation in the first operating mode, the working fluid flowing through the turbine comprises compressed air provided by the reservoir and no fuel gas is burned in the combustion chamber;
• disengage the clutch, close the plurality of compressor feed valves, open the plurality of reservoir feed valves, and open the fuel valve while the system is operating in a second operating mode, wherein during operation in the second operating mode, the working fluid flowing through the turbine comprises compressed air provided by the reservoir and combustion product produced by burning fuel gas in the combustion chamber;
• engage the clutch, open the plurality of compressor feed valves, open the plurality of reservoir feed valves, and open the fuel valve while the system is operating in a third operating mode, wherein during operation in the third operating mode, the working fluid flowing through the turbine comprises compressed air provided by the reservoir, compressed air provided by the compressor, and combustion product produced by burning fuel gas in the combustion chamber;
• and
• engage the clutch, open the plurality of compressor feed valves, close the plurality of reservoir feed valves, and open the fuel valve while the system is operating in a fourth operating mode, wherein during operation in the fourth operating mode, the working fluid flowing through the turbine comprises compressed air provided by the compressor and combustion product produced by burning fuel gas in the combustion chamber.