Distributed generation drivetrain (DGD) controller for application to wind turbine and ocean current turbine generators
US6653744B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 2001 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 31, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/72
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A wind or ocean turbine has an input-power shaft-mounted, rotating bull-gear with smaller stationary pinion-driven powertrains including generators mounted around the periphery of the bull-gear. A controller regulates torque experienced by each powertrain to balance torque between generators at any system load. Regulation includes controlling local voltage at each generator by a transformer configured as a reactor. Coils of the transformers are wired in parallel and actively modulated with an SOR, solid-state, switching device. Each generator output is connected to a respective primary coil of a transformer and a respective secondary coil is connected to an SCR. By using pulse width modulation, the SCR is gated on and off for a portion of a 60 Hz cycle. By adjusting the duty cycle of SCR gating, any voltage between 80% and 100% is attained to satisfy immediate torque requirements.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.