Dual mode turbine collects energy during low wind conditions
This disclosure describes many innovations including but not limited to systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media for controlling an energy generator. A system for controlling an energy generator includes a detector for sensing an indicator of electrical energy generated by the generator; an energy storage component configured, in a first mode of operation, to store energy generated during operation at a sub-threshold level insufficient for real-time supply to an electrical energy sink; an energy converter configured, in a second mode of operation, to provide energy generated during operation above the threshold level for real-time supply of energy to the electrical energy sink; and a controllable switch, electrically associated with the detector, and configured to alternately toggle between the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation based on the indicator to thereby permit energy generated at the sub-threshold level to be collected and intermittently used.
1. A control system for an energy generator, the control system comprising:
a detector for sensing an indicator associated with a first AC power signal generated by the energy generator;
at least one rectifier for converting the first AC power signal generated by the energy generator to a first DC signal;
a first DC-DC converter associated with at least one energy storage component and a first mode of operation;
a second DC-DC converter associated with the first DC signal an inverter, and a second mode of operation,
wherein in the first mode of operation, the first DC signal generated by the energy generator during operation at a sub-threshold level insufficient for real-time supply of energy to an associated electrical grid is stored in the at least one energy storage component and subsequently released for intermittent use using the first DC-DC converter, and wherein
during the second mode of operation, the first DC signal generated by the energy generator during operation above the threshold level for real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid is converted to a second DC signal using the second DC-DC converter, such that conversion of the second DC signal via the inverter produces a second AC signal in conformance with the electrical grid, and wherein the inverter is configured to provide second AC signal to the associated electrical grid;
during the second mode of operation, in response to the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter being larger than an average energy level, excess energy is diverted to be stored in the least one energy storage component, and in response to the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter being smaller than the average energy level, at least some energy stored in the at least one energy storage component is released to augment the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter, thereby the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter is smoothed; and
a controllable switch, electrically associated with the detector, and configured to alternately toggle between the first DC-DC converter associated with the first mode of operation and the second DC-DC converter associated with the second mode of operation based on the indicator to thereby permit energy generated at the subthreshold level to be collected and intermittently used.
2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy storage component includes a capacitor or a battery.
3. The control system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one energy storage component includes a plurality of capacitors.
4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold is associated with a maximum input voltage rating or a minimum input voltage rating of the inverter.
5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the energy converter includes a charge controller, and the associated electrical energy sink includes a battery bank.
6. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rectifier is configured to convert a first AC power signal generated by the energy generator operating at the sub-threshold level to a first DC power signal compatible for storing energy in the at least one energy storage component.
7. The control system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one rectifier includes a three-phase rectifier.
8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is a measure of electrical output from the energy generator.
9. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is associated with a measure of a rotational speed of a turbine of the energy generator.
10. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the indicator is a measure of fluid velocity of a fluid.
11. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the fluid is air.
12. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the fluid is water.
13. The control system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor configured to control the controllable switch by receiving the indicator from the detector, comparing the received indicator with the threshold, and toggling the controllable switch between the first mode and the second mode based on the comparison.
14. The control system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to intermittently supply energy collected in the at least one energy storage component to the associated electrical energy sink when the energy in the at least one energy storage component reaches a limit.
15. The control system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to intermittently supply energy collected in the at least one energy storage component to smooth power delivered to the associated electrical energy sink in the second mode.
16. The control system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to intermittently supply energy collected in the at least one energy storage component to power circuitry associated with the energy generator.
17. The control system of claim 16 , wherein the circuitry is associated with a brake.
18. The control system of claim 13 , wherein the first DC-DC converter is configured, during the first mode of operation, to convert energy stored in the at least one energy storage component for intermittent supply of the stored energy for powering electronic components associated with controlling operations of the energy generator, and wherein the least one processor is configured to detect a level of energy stored in the at least one energy storage component and activate the at least one first-mode DC-DC converter based on the detected level, thereby discharging the at least one energy storage component.
19. The control system of claim 13 , wherein the detector, the switch, and the at least one processor are integrated within an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).
20. The control system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to select between the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation based on operational parameters of the energy generator.
21. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform operations for controlling an energy generator, the operations comprising:
receiving a sensed indicator associated with an AC power signal generated by the energy generator;
converting the first AC power signal to a first DC signal via at least one rectifier;
comparing the received indicator with a threshold associated with real-time supply of energy to an associated electrical grid;
controlling a controllable switch based on the comparison;
wherein the controllable switch is configured to alternately toggle between a first DC-DC converter associated with at least one energy storage component and a first mode of operation and a second DC-DC converter associated with the first DC signal, an inverter and a second mode of operation;
wherein in the first mode of operation, the first DC signal generated by the energy generator during operation at a sub-threshold level insufficient for realtime supply of energy to the associated electrical grid is stored in at least one energy storage component, and subsequently released for intermittent use using the first DC-DC converter;
during the second mode of operation, the first DC signal generated by the energy generator during operation above the threshold level for real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid is converted to a second DC signal using the second DC-DC converter, such that conversion of the second DC signal via the inverter produces a second AC signal in conformance with the electrical grid, and wherein the second AC signal is provided to the associated electrical grid via the inverter;
during the second mode of operation, in response to the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter being larger than an average energy level, excess energy is diverted to be stored in the least one energy storage component, and in response to the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter being smaller than the average energy level, at least some energy stored in the at least one energy storage component is released to augment the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter, thereby the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter is smoothed;
and
wherein alternately toggling between the first DC-DC converter associated with the first mode of operation and the second DC-DC converter associated with the second mode of operation thereby permits energy generated at the sub-threshold level to be collected and intermittently used.
22. A method for controlling an energy generator, the method comprising:
receiving a sensed indicator associated with an AC power signal generated by the energy generator;
converting the first AC power signal to a first DC signal via at least one rectifier;
comparing the received indicator with a threshold associated with real-time supply of energy to an associated electrical grid;
controlling a controllable switch based on the comparison,
wherein the controllable switch is configured to alternately toggle between a first DC-DC converter associated with at least one energy storage component and a first mode of operation and a second DC-DC converter associated with the first DC signal, an inverter and a second mode of operation;
wherein in the first mode of operation, the first DC signal generated by the energy generator during operation at a sub-threshold level insufficient for realtime supply of energy to an associated electrical grid is stored in the at least one energy storage component, and subsequently released for intermittent use using the first DC-DC converter; and
during the second mode of operation, the first DC signal generated by the energy generator during operation above the threshold level for real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid is converted to a second DC signal using the second DC-DC converter, such that conversion of the second DC signal via the inverter produces a second AC signal in conformance with the electrical grid, and wherein the second AC signal is provided to the associated electrical grid via the inverter;
during the second mode of operation, in response to the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter being larger than an average energy level, excess energy is diverted to be stored in the least one energy storage component, and in response to the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter being smaller than the average energy level, at least some energy stored in the at least one energy storage component is released to augment the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter, thereby the real-time supply of energy to the associated electrical grid supplied by the inverter is smoothed; and
wherein alternately toggling between the first DC-DC converter associated with the first mode of operation and the second DC-DC converter associated with the second mode of operation thereby permits energy generated at the sub-threshold level to be collected and intermittently used.