Turbogenerator/motor controller with ancillary energy storage/discharge

A method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor including a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of:

• providing utility electrical power to the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through a pulse width modulated inverter to drive the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor to accelerate the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• providing spark and fuel to the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor during this acceleration to achieve self-sustaining operation of the gas turbine engine;
• disconnecting the utility electrical power from the pulse width modulated inverter once self-sustaining operation of the gas turbine engine is achieved;
• reconnecting the pulse width modulated inverter to the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through a rectifier bridge to reconfigure the pulse width modulated inverter to supply utility frequency voltage;
• and
• providing an energy storage and discharge system for the pulse width modulated inverter to provide electrical energy to the inverter when utility electrical power is unavailable to start the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor and during self-sustained operation when the inverter cannot meet an instantaneous load requirement and to otherwise store electrical energy during self-sustained operation.

A method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor including a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of:

• providing utility electrical power to the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through a first contactor and a pulse width modulated inverter to drive the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor through a second contactor to accelerate the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• providing spark and fuel to the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor during this acceleration to achieve self sustaining operation of the gas turbine engine;
• opening the first and second contactors to disconnect the utility electrical power from the pulse width modulated inverter once self-sustaining operation of the gas turbine engine is achieved;
• reconnecting the pulse width modulated inverter to the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through a rectifier bridge to reconfigure the pulse width modulated inverter to supply utility frequency voltage;
• and
• providing an energy storage and discharge system for the pulse width modulated inverter to provide electrical energy to the inverter, when utility electrical power is unavailable to start the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor, during self-sustained operation when the inverter cannot meet an instantaneous load requirement, after shutdown to continue motoring the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet generator/motor to cool down the permanent magnet generator/motor, and to otherwise store electrical energy during self-sustained operation.

A method of controlling a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor including a gas turbine engine, comprising the steps of:

• providing utility electrical power to the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through a first contactor and a multiple solid state switching device channel pulse width modulated inverter to drive the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor through a second contactor to accelerate the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• providing spark and fuel to the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor during this acceleration to achieve self-sustaining operation of the gas turbine engine;
• opening the first and second contactors to disconnect the utility electrical power from the multiple solid state switching device channel pulse width modulated inverter once self sustaining operation of the gas turbine engine is achieved;
• reconnecting the multiple solid state switching device channel pulse width modulated inverter to the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through a high frequency rectifier bridge to reconfigure the multiple solid state switching device channel pulse width modulated inverter;
• connecting the reconfigured multiple solid state switching device channel pulse width modulated inverter to utility power by closing a third contactor;
• and
• providing an energy storage and discharge system for the pulse width modulated inverter to provide electrical energy to the inverter, when utility electrical power is unavailable to start the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor, during self-sustained operation when the gas turbine engine cannot meet an instantaneous load requirement, after shutdown to continue motoring the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet generator/motor to cool down the permanent magnet generator/motor, and to otherwise store electrical energy during self-sustained operation.

A controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor including a gas turbine engine, comprising:

• a pulse width modulated inverter operably associated with said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• means to provide utility electrical power to said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through said pulse width modulated inverter to start said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor to achieve self sustaining operation of the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• means to disconnect the utility electrical power from said pulse width modulated inverter once self sustaining operation of said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor is achieved;
• and
• means to reconfigure said pulse width modulated inverter to supply voltage from said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• and
• an energy storage and discharge system for the pulse width modulated inverter to provide electrical energy to the inverter, when utility electrical power is unavailable to start the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor, during self-sustained operation when the inverter cannot meet an instantaneous load requirement, after shutdown to continue motoring the gas turbine engine of the permanent magnet generator/motor to cool down the permanent magnet generator/motor, and to otherwise store electrical energy during self-sustained operation.

A controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor having a gas turbine engine, comprising:

• a pulse width modulated inverter operably associated with said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• means to provide utility electrical power to said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through said pulse width modulated inverter to drive said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor to accelerate said gas turbine engine of said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• means to provide spark and fuel to said gas turbine engine of said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor during this acceleration to achieve self sustaining operation of said gas turbine engine;
• means to disconnect the utility electrical power from said pulse width modulated inverter and said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor once self-sustaining operation of said gas turbine engine is achieved;
• a rectifier bridge operably associated with said pulse width modulated inverter and said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• means to reconnect said pulse width modulated inverter to said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through said rectifier bridge to reconfigure said pulse width modulated inverter to supply utility frequency voltage;
• and
• an energy storage and discharge system for the pulse width modulated inverter to provide electrical energy to the inverter when utility electrical power is unavailable to start the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor and during self-sustained operation when the gas turbine engine cannot meet an instantaneous load requirement and to otherwise store electrical energy during self-sustained operation.

A controller for a permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor having a gas turbine engine and a permanent magnet generator/motor, comprising:

• a pulse width modulated inverter operably associated with said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor, said pulse width modulated inverter having a plurality of solid state switching device channels;
• a first contactor operably associated with said pulse width modulated inverter;
• a second contactor operable associated with said the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• means to provide utility electrical power to said pulse width modulated inverter through said first contactor when closed to drive said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor as a motor through said second contactor when closed to accelerate said gas turbine engine of said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• means to provide spark and fuel to said gas turbine engine of said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor during this acceleration to achieve self sustaining operation of said gas turbine engine;
• means to open said first and second contactors to disconnect the utility electrical power from said pulse width modulated inverter once self sustaining operation of said gas turbine engine is achieved;
• a rectifier bridge operable associated with said pulse width modulated inverter and said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor;
• a third contactor operably associated with said pulse width modulated inverter;
• means to reconnect said pulse width modulated inverter to said permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor through said rectifier bridge to reconfigure said pulse width modulated inverter;
• means to connect said reconfigured pulse width modulated inverter to supply utility frequency voltage to a load through said third contactor when closed;
• and
• an energy storage and discharge system for the pulse width modulated inverter to provide electrical energy to the inverter when utility electrical power is unavailable to start the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor and during self-sustained operation when the inverter cannot meet an instantaneous load requirement and to otherwise store electrical energy during self-sustained operation.