Active alternator control in a downhole tool string

Abstract

A downhole system includes a drill string having a drilling fluid flow channel and at least one turbine alternator deployed in the flow channel. The turbine alternator is configured to convert flowing drilling fluid to electrical power. A voltage bus is configured to receive electrical power from the turbine alternator and at least one electrical motor is configured to receive electrical power from the voltage bus. An electronic controller is configured to provide active control of the turbine alternator via processing a desired speed of the electrical motor to generate a desired torque current and feeding the desired torque current forward to the turbine alternator. The turbine alternator is responsive to the desired torque current such that it modifies the electrical power provided to the voltage bus in response to the desired torque.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.