Controller for permanent magnet generator
AssigneeColeman Powermate, Inc.
InventorsHarold C. Scott, William Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A generator according to the disclosure includes a control system for regulating the output of the generator. The generator, such as a permanent magnet generator, includes multiple windings. For high current applications, the windings are connected in parallel. For high voltage applications, each three-phase set of windings is connected in series. The various windings may be selectively and individually activated by the control system to achieve a desired output current or voltage.
Claims150
A control system for a generator, said generator having a plurality of substantially magnetically independent windings generating electricity and a connector for connecting a load to the windings, comprising:
- a plurality of switches, wherein each of said switches is connected between one of the generator windings and the load connector such that said switch may connect and disconnect the windings to the load connector;
- and
- a controller connected to said plurality of switches for selectively activating and deactivating said switches to vary the number of windings connected to the load connector in accordance with an operating parameter of the generator.
A control system for a generator having a plurality of windings generating electricity and a connector for connecting a load to the windings to receive the electricity, comprising:
- a plurality of switches, wherein each of said switches is connected to selectively effect a current path between respective windings and the load connector;
- and
- a controller connected to said plurality of switches for selectively activating and deactivating said switches wherein said controller varies the sequence of said selective activation and deactivation of said switches to distribute heat generation among the generator windings.
Apparatus for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy at respective output terminals, comprising:
- a rotor, adapted for selective rotation;
- a stator, including a plurality of groups of stator windings disposed such that rotation of the rotor induces current in the stator windings, the plurality of groups of windings being substantially magnetically independent from each other;
- a switching circuit, responsive to control signals applied thereto, selectively completing current paths between individual groups of stator windings and the output terminals;
- and
- a control circuit for generating control signals to the switching circuit to vary the number of individual groups of stator windings with current paths to the output terminals to achieve a desired output.
A system for generating an electrical output signal responsive to a wide range of input rotational drive speeds, the system comprising:
- a rotor, adapted for selective rotation responsive to the input drive;
- a stator, including a plurality of groups of stator windings disposed such that rotation of the rotor induces current in the stator windings, each of the plurality of groups of windings being substantially magnetically independent from the other groups of windings;
- respective regulators, one associated with each winding group, the regulators including a respective switching device, responsive to control signals applied thereto, associated with each phase,
- a predetermined number of said regulators being connected in series;
- a first sensor for generating a signal indicative of a predetermined system parameter;
- and
- a controller, responsive to the signals indicative of output voltage, and indicia of phase, for generating control signals to the regulator switching devices to effectively connect and disconnect respective windings in the operative circuit and adjust the relative firing angles of the regulators to control output voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.