Method for regulating the reactive power generated or absorbed by a synchronous electric generator and synchronous electric generator

1. A method for regulating the reactive power generated or absorbed by a synchronous electric generator, the method comprising:

regulating a quantity of coils disposed in line with a stator winding;

regulating a generator operating point of the generator; and

operating the generator at least temporarily at a leading power factor, wherein the regulating of the quantity of coils is performed during the operation of the generator at the leading power factor such that a number of coils in line with the stator winding is reduced or increased; and

wherein the regulation of the quantity of coils reduces the number of coils in line with the stator winding when the generator operates at the leading power factor to absorb reactive power such that the generator has less coils in line with the stator winding when the generator operates at the leading power factor as compared to when the generator operates at a lagging power factor and wherein the regulating of the quantity of the coils increases the number of coils in line with the stator winding when the generator is operating at the lagging power factor as compared to when the generator operates at the leading power factor.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the regulating of the quantity of coils includes adjusting the quantity by one coil.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the regulating the quantity of coils is performed for each phase of the generator.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the regulating the quantity of coils is performed for each pole of the generator.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the regulating of the generator operating point includes regulating to a rated operating point so as to operate the generator at a lagging power factor.

6. A synchronous electric generator, comprising:

at least one switch configured to regulate a quantity of coils disposed in line with a stator winding; and

a device configured to regulate a generator operating point of the generator;

the switch configured to regulate the quantity of the coils when the generator is operating at a leading power factor such that a number of coils in line with the stator winding is reduced or increased when the generator is operating at the leading power factor,

wherein the switch is configured to regulate the quantity of the coils when the generator is operating at a leading power factor such that a number of coils in line with the stator winding when the generator is operating at the leading power factor is less than the number of coils in line with the stator winding when the generator is operating at a lagging power factor so that the generator is configured to absorb reactive power when operating at the leading power factor.

7. The generator of claim 6 , wherein the switch is also configured to regulate the quantity of the coils when the generator is operating at the lagging power factor so that the quantity of coils in line with the stator winding is greater than the quantity of coils in line with the stator winding when the generator operates at the leading power factor.

8. The generator of claim 7 , wherein the switch is configured to increase the quantity of coils in line with the stator winding when the generator is to operate at the lagging power factor to decrease a short circuit ratio of the generator and the switch is configured to decrease the quantity of coils in line with the stator winding when the generator is to operate at the leading power factor to increase the short circuit ratio.

9. The generator of claim 6 , wherein the stator winding is comprised of three phases.

10. The generator of claim 6 , wherein the at least one switch is comprised of a plurality of switches.

11. A method for regulating the reactive power generated or absorbed by a synchronous electric generator, the method comprising:

regulating a quantity of coils disposed in line with a stator winding;

regulating a generator operating point of the generator; and

operating the generator at least temporarily at a leading power factor, wherein the regulating of the quantity of coils is performed during the operation of the generator at the leading power factor such that a number of coils in line with the stator winding is reduced or increased; and

wherein the quantity of the coils is regulated so that the quantity of coils in line with the stator winding when the generator operates at the lagging power factor is greater than the quantity of coils in line with the stator winding when the generator operates at the leading power factor so that a short circuit ratio of the generator is larger when the generator operates at the leading power factor as compared to when the generator operates at the lagging power factor such that the generator is configured to absorb reactive power when operating at the leading power factor.

12. A method for regulating the reactive power generated or absorbed by a synchronous electric generator, the method comprising:

regulating a quantity of coils disposed in line with a stator winding;

regulating a generator operating point of the generator; and

operating the generator at least temporarily at a leading power factor, wherein the regulating of the quantity of coils is performed during the operation of the generator at the leading power factor such that a number of coils in line with the stator winding is reduced or increased; and

wherein all the coils are in line with the stator winding when the generator operates at a lagging power factor and the quantity of the coils in line with the stator winding are reduced when the generator operates at the leading power factor such that a short circuit ratio of the generator is a smaller value when the generator operates at the lagging power ratio as compared to the value of the short circuit ratio when the generator operates at the leading power factor so that the generator is configured to absorb reactive power when operating at the leading power factor.