Method of operating an electrical generator

A control unit for an electrical generator configured to:

• receive a control unit supply voltage;
• determine a control unit supply voltage value of the control unit supply voltage;
• provide a rotor unit with a rotor supply voltage;
• determine a rotation speed of the rotor unit;
• determine an ambient temperature of the electrical generator;
• determine a rotor supply voltage value for the determined rotation speed, and the determined ambient temperature and the determined control unit supply voltage value at which the electrical generator has a maximal permitted thermal load;
• and
• operate the electrical generator at the maximal permitted thermal load by at least one of adjusting and controlling the rotor supply voltage of the rotor unit to the determined rotor supply voltage value.

An electrical generator comprising:

• a rotor unit with at least one rotor coil;
• a stator unit with at least one stator coil, the rotor unit being rotated relative to the stator unit at a given rotation speed;
• and
• a control unit configured to:
• receive a control unit supply voltage;
• determine a control unit supply voltage value of the control unit supply voltage;
• provide the rotor unit with a rotor supply voltage;
• determine a rotation speed of the rotor unit;
• determine an ambient temperature of the electrical generator;
• determine a rotor supply voltage value for the determined rotation speed, and the determined ambient temperature and the determined control unit supply voltage value at which the electrical generator has a maximal permitted thermal load;
• and
• operate the electrical generator at the maximal permitted thermal load by at least one of adjusting and controlling the rotor supply voltage of the rotor unit to the determined rotor supply voltage value.

A computer program comprising instructions to:

• provide an electrical output voltage by rotating a rotor unit relative to a stator unit at a given rotation speed;
• provide a control unit with a control unit supply voltage;
• determine, by the control unit a control unit supply voltage value of the control unit supply voltage;
• provide, by the control unit, the rotor unit with a rotor supply voltage;
• determine, by the control unit, a rotation speed of the rotor unit;
• determine, by the control unit, an ambient temperature of the electrical generator;
• determine, by the control unit, a rotor supply voltage value for the determined rotation speed, and the determined ambient temperature and the determined control unit supply voltage value at which the electrical generator has a maximal permitted thermal load;
• and
• operate, by the control unit the electrical generator at the maximal permitted thermal load by at least one of adjusting and controlling the rotor supply voltage of the rotor unit to the determined rotor supply voltage value.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to:

• provide an electrical output voltage by rotating a rotor unit relative to a stator unit at a given rotation speed;
• provide a control unit with a control unit supply voltage;
• determine, by the control unit a control unit supply voltage value of the control unit supply voltage;
• provide, by the control unit, the rotor unit with a rotor supply voltage;
• determine, by the control unit, a rotation speed of the rotor unit;
• determine, by the control unit, an ambient temperature of the electrical generator;
• determine, by the control unit, a rotor supply voltage value for the determined rotation speed, and the determined ambient temperature and the determined control unit supply voltage value at which the electrical generator has a maximal permitted thermal load;
• and
• operate, by the control unit the electrical generator at the maximal permitted thermal load by at least one of adjusting and controlling the rotor supply voltage of the rotor unit to the determined rotor supply voltage value.