Power manager for an electrical power generator
An electrical power generator includes a controller for making a full power capacity of the generator available for consumption by at least one intelligent load coupled to an output of the generator. The controller obtains data from which both a present output power of the generator and a power capacity of the generator can be determined. The controller then provides the intelligent load with data indicative of both the present output power and the power capacity of the generator for use by the load in controlling its power consumption.
1. An electrical system comprising:
a plurality of variable loads;
an electrical power generator that provides power to the variable loads via an output terminal;
a plurality of system sensors that sense a plurality of generator parameters related to the operation of the generator, the generator parameters including a voltage at the output terminal of the generator and a current drawn from the output terminal of the generator;
a generator controller that is coupled to the plurality of system sensors for receipt of data indicative of the plurality of generator parameters and that determines therefrom a present generator output power proxy and a generator power capacity; and
at least one load controller that is communicably coupled to the generator controller for receipt of data indicative of the present generator output power proxy and the generator power capacity and that controls a power consumption of at least one of the variable loads as a function the present generator output power proxy and the generator power capacity.
2. The electrical system of claim 1 wherein the generator parameters further comprise at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of ambient temperature, stator temperature, rotor temperature, rotor speed, and output signal frequency.
3. The electrical system of claim 1 wherein the generator parameters further comprise an amount of time the generator has been caused to operate outside of its rated continuous capacity.
4. The electrical system of claim 1 wherein the at least one load controller comprises a plurality of load controllers communicably coupled to each other and to the generator controller via a communications network.
5. The electrical system of claim 4 wherein each load controller evaluates a performance set point of its load, a measured performance of its load, a present power consumed proxy of its load, a power consumption capacity of its load, the present generator output power proxy, and the generator power capacity in determining the power consumption of its load.
6. The electrical system of claim 5 wherein each load controller communicates the present power consumption of its load and the power consumption capacity of its load to both the other load controllers and the generator controller via the communications network.
7. The electrical system of claim 4 wherein the generator controller is responsive to a request from one of the load controllers to adjust the output voltage of the generator.
8. The electrical system of claim 4 wherein the load controllers have priority values associated therewith for determining an order in which the load controllers determine the power consumption of their load.
9. The electrical system of claim 1 and further comprising:
a prime mover that provides a rotational energy to the generator for conversion by the generator into electrical power; and
a prime mover controller that controls a rotation of the prime mover and that is communicably coupled to the generator controller via a communications network, wherein the generator controller is responsive to requests from the prime mover controller to adjust a power generation load of the generator on the prime mover.