Systems and methods for optimizing the operation of a generator

1. A method for minimizing power loss in a generator, the method comprising:

providing one or more operating parameters for the generator; and

determining an optimal field power and an optimal phase angle, where the optimal field power and the optimal phase angle substantially minimize a power loss in operating the generator at the one or more operating parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the one or more operating parameters are at least one of: power output, rotational speed, temperature, output voltage, output current, and output current ripple.

3. The method of claim 1 , where the power loss is the difference between the power input into the generator, including mechanical and electrical, and the power output from the generator.

4. The method of claim 1 , where the determining comprises searching a look-up table using the one or more operating parameters or executing an algorithm or both for the optimal field power and the optimal phase angle.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising interpolating to additional operational parameters in response to the one or more operating parameters not being present in the table.

6. The method of claim 1 , where the determining comprises providing the power loss and, using a feedback circuit, varying the field power and the phase angle in order to determine the optimal field power and the optimal phase angle.

7. A method for minimizing power loss in an generator, the method comprising:

monitoring a power loss in operating the generator for a set of operating parameters for the generator;

varying a field power and a phase angle using the power loss as feedback to determine an optimal field power and an optimal phase angle that substantially minimize the power loss for the set of operating parameter.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

repeating the monitoring and the varying for additional sets of operating parameters to obtain additional corresponding minimum power losses, additional corresponding optimal field powers, and additional corresponding optimal phase angles; and

recording the additional sets of operating parameters, with the corresponding minimum power losses, the additional corresponding optimal field powers, and the additional corresponding optimal phase angles.

9. The method of claim 7 , where the one or more operating parameters are at least one of: power output, rotational speed, temperature, output voltage, output current, and output current ripple.

10. The method of claim 7 , where the power loss is the difference between the power input, including mechanical and electrical, into the generator and the electrical power from the generator.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising a function configured to receive the operating parameters and in response generate the optimal field power and optimal phase angle.

12. A computer program product stored on a computer operable medium, the computer program product comprising software code being effective to:

receive values for one or more operating parameters for a generator; and

determine an optimal field power and an optimal phase angle, where the optimal field power and the optimal phase angle substantially minimize a power loss in operating the generator at the one or more operating parameters.

13. The product of claim 12 , where the one or more operating parameters are at least one of: power output, rotational speed, temperature, output voltage, output current, and output current ripple.

14. The product of claim 12 , where the power loss is the difference between the power input into the generator, including mechanical and electrical, and the power output from the generator.

15. The product of claim 12 , where the code being effective to determine comprises the code being effective to search a look-up table using the one or more operating parameters or executing an algorithm or both for the optimal field power and the optimal phase angle.

16. The product of claim 15 , the code being further effective to interpolate to additional operational parameters in response to the one or more operating parameters not being present in the table.

17. The product of claim 12 , where the code being effective to determine comprises the code being effective to receive a value for the power loss and, using a feedback circuit, vary the field power and the phase angle in order to determine the optimal field power and the optimal phase angle.

18. A generator, the generator comprising:

a rotor coil configured to receive field electrical power through a regulator;

a stator coil configured to output electrical power through a rectifier having a phase angle, where the stator coil and the rotor coil are configured to rotate relative to each other using mechanical power;

one or more processors coupled to the rotor coil and to the stator coil; and

one or more memory units coupled to the processors, where the processors and the memory units are configured to monitor operating parameters of the generator and are further configured to control the field electrical power and the phase angle and to determine an optimal field power and an optimal phase angle, where the optimal field power and the optimal phase angle substantially minimize a power loss in operating the generator at the one or more operating parameters.

19. The generator of claim 18 , where the one or more operating parameters are at least one of: power output, rotational speed, temperature, output voltage, output current, and output current ripple.

20. The generator of claim 18 , where the power loss is the difference between the power input into the generator, including mechanical and electrical, and the power output from the generator.

21. The generator of claim 18 , where the processors are configured to search a look-up table using the one or more operating parameters or executing an algorithm or both for the optimal field power and the optimal phase angle.

22. The generator of claim 21 , the processors are further configured to interpolate to additional operational parameters in response to the one or more operating parameters not being present in the table.

23. The generator of claim 18 , where the processors are configured to receive a value for the power loss and, using a feedback circuit, vary the field power and the phase angle in order to determine the optimal field power and the optimal phase angle.