Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02P—CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS
  • H02P9/00—Arrangements for controlling electric generators for the purpose of obtaining a desired output
  • H02P9/006—Means for protecting the generator by using control
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02P—CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS
  • H02P9/00—Arrangements for controlling electric generators for the purpose of obtaining a desired output
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
  • H02K11/00—Structural association of dynamo-electric machines with electric components or with devices for shielding, monitoring or protection
  • H02K11/30—Structural association with control circuits or drive circuits
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02P—CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS
  • H02P9/00—Arrangements for controlling electric generators for the purpose of obtaining a desired output
  • H02P9/08—Control of generator circuit during starting or stopping of driving means, e.g. for initiating excitation
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
  • H02J3/00—Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a control system and regulation of a generator, and a generator thus equipped.
• a generator is constituted by the assembly of a drive motor and an alternator.
• the alternator is equipped with a voltage regulator whose main role is to maintain the output voltage of the alternator at a given setpoint.
• the voltage regulator can be realized in the form of one or more electronic boards housed in an alternator terminal box, dimensioned accordingly.
• the known generators also comprise a group controller, whose role is to display all the thermal, electrical, and even mechanical parameters of the generator and to ensure on the one hand that it stops when the measurements are taken. outside prefixed limits and secondly its automatic startup or action of the user.
• This controller conventionally comprises a housing or a control cabinet located in a different location of the voltage regulator.
• US 2010/0241283 discloses a generator control system comprising a motor control module interacting with an alternator voltage regulator to provide a control of the level of the electrical charge of the group.
• US 2011/0089911 discloses a controller in communication with a voltage regulator of an alternator in a generator and an alternator ignition circuit, the controller for providing separately energized ignition of an alternator having lost its generator. remnant field.
• the generator set is controlled by a digital control system (DCS).
• DCS digital control system
• US 6555929 B1 discloses a generator controller in communication with an alternator voltage regulator and an engine controller module.
• the group controller calculates the operating parameters of the alternator and sends control signals to the voltage regulator.
• US 5,390,068 discloses a system for controlling the voltage and speed of a generator. Moreover, in most generators controllers, the speed of rotation is measured either through a magnetic sensor called MPU (Magnetic Pick Up), or through the alternator voltage. This measurement of speed is critical for the generator protection needs.
• MPU Magnetic Pick Up
• the invention aims to further improve the control systems and regulation of a generator, in particular to facilitate the integration of the alternator, reduce its size, simplify the manufacture of the generator and offer new opportunities for managing the generator. operation of it.
• the invention aims to meet this need, and it achieves this through a control system and regulation of a generator comprising an alternator mechanically coupled to a drive motor, the alternator comprising a terminal box carried by a casing and in which are present electrical connections connected to the windings of the alternator, the system comprising a controller portion of the generator set and a regulator portion regulating an output voltage of the alternator, the voltage regulator portion being located outside the terminal box and secured to the controller part of the group.
• solidaire it should be understood that the voltage regulator portion is fixed to the controller portion of the group or on the same support or is housed in the same housing as the latter, housing that is different from a box that would contain the group generator as a whole.
• the invention it is possible to reduce the size of the terminal box of the alternator, usually sized to receive the connection terminals and the voltage regulator. Bringing the latter closer to the controller offers the possibility of reducing the size of the terminal box, which lowers the cost and reduces the size of the alternator, making integration into the group easier.
• the physical matching of the controller and the controller for example within the same housing, facilitates the wiring and the possibilities of data exchange between them, which offers new possibilities to optimize the overall cost of the solution. and increase reliability and maintenance.
• the system according to the invention can provide functions traditionally present in a voltage regulator and a controller of the generator. These functions are, among others, the output voltage regulation of the alternator, the display of electrical, thermal and / or mechanical parameters of the generating set, and the electrical, thermal and mechanical protection of the group as a function of parameters read or calculated.
• controller part and the alternator regulator part are located in the same housing, which may or may not be fixed on the alternator or the drive motor, preferably being fixed on a remote support alternator and engine.
• the controller portion of the group and the voltage regulator portion may comprise electronic cards, for example at least two or even three electronic cards, printed circuit.
• controller part of the group and the regulator part comprise at least one power card, a communication card and a control card.
• the power board may include power elements supplying an exciter inductor of the alternator.
• the control card may comprise all or part of the digital components of the system, including calculation cores such as one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers.
• the power card may also include digital components, including those dedicated to the calculation of the controls of the power elements.
• the system for example the regulator part, may comprise at least one radiator, preferably two, for cooling the power elements supplying the exciter inductor of the alternator.
• the radiator or radiators are preferably contained in the housing.
• the radiator or radiators are for example fixed on the power card, preferably on the face of the power card opposite the control card, when the power card and the control card are two different cards and contained in the same housing as mentioned above.
• the housing may include a cover that caps the various cards and the radiator or radiators above.
• This hood may have at the rear an extension that substantially matches the shape of the radiator or radiators and has air circulation vents, both on the top and on the sides.
• the cover is advantageously made by molding thermoplastic material. The cover can be arranged to snap onto a front portion of the housing, having a front.
• the system may include a user interface, preferably connected directly to the control card.
• the user interface may comprise a display, for example of the type to
• the user interface may be located on a front face of the system, for example the front of the aforementioned housing.
• the user interface may include one or more control buttons. The buttons, without limitation of number, allow to access various parameters of the system.
• the user interface can be made so that the control button or buttons allow access to a setting menu of the regulator portion.
• the accessible parameters of the regulator part are preferably chosen from all or some of the following parameters:
• the regulator part can thus implement one or more algorithms intended to assist the engine in load impact or load shedding phases.
• the regulator portion controls the voltage of the alternator according to a U / f law, where U is the output voltage of the alternator and f is its rotation frequency, in particular in order to protect the alternator against overheating at sub-speed.
• the interface can be equipped with LEDs to inform the user on a group operating mode and / or electrical installation.
• the one or more cards of the controller part and those of the regulator part are preferably connected to each other by a connection card equipped with connectors, in particular PCI express type or other types of serial local bus.
• the link card allows the exchange of information between the controller part and the regulator part.
• the link card may have no active component, preferably consisting of a printed circuit and link connectors.
• the one or more cards of the controller part of the group and that (s) of the regulating part can be connected to each other by other types of links, wired or not, without the presence of an additional card.
• the link card can be oriented perpendicularly to the other cards and its connectors can engage on printed circuit tracks of these cards.
• At least one of the cards may also include peripheral connectors, in particular of the USB and / or CAN bus type, and / or connectors dedicated to the measurement of electrical, thermal and / or mechanical parameters of the generator set and / or network, including electrical parameters such as voltages and currents.
• peripheral connectors in particular of the USB and / or CAN bus type, and / or connectors dedicated to the measurement of electrical, thermal and / or mechanical parameters of the generator set and / or network, including electrical parameters such as voltages and currents.
• the same physical input can receive a serial bus, preferably a CAN bus (Controller Area Network according to ISO 11898), or an MPU sensor signal.
• the CAN bus can convey information according to the protocol 1939 for example, to provide information on for example the engine coolant temperature, the oil pressure, the fuel level, the starter battery voltage, among others.
• the MPU sensor is a magnetic sensor placed in the vicinity of a toothed wheel fixed on the motor shaft and which reacts to the passage of each tooth, delivering a variable frequency signal representative of the speed of rotation of the shaft. The regulator part thus receives from the same port a signal which is either that of the CAN or that of the MPU, and decodes it by software to extract the useful information.
• the group controller part can provide starting and stopping functions, including preheating, starter drive, pre-shutdown ventilation, shutdown, and group protection functions, for example in the case of excessive coolant temperature.
• the system preferably also provides a monitoring function of an auxiliary alternator charging the battery of the generator set, if the latter is equipped, allowing detection of a failure thereof.
• the cards and the connectors are preferably arranged in a compact manner in order to reduce the bulk.
• all the cards, except the link card, are arranged one above the other.
• the communication card is located between the power card and the control card. This can further distance the power element or elements carried by the power card of the digital components carried by the control card, and thus facilitate the cooling of the latter and reduce the exposure to magnetic fields of strong currents.
• the system may comprise at least one card shared by the controller part and the regulator part.
• the communication card and / or the control card can be shared between the two parties.
• card shared by the controller part and the regulator part is meant a card comprising both components contributing to perform conventional functions of a controller and components contributing to perform conventional functions of a controller.
• the card (s) shared by the controller portion and the controller portion of the group may be between the cards belonging specifically to the controller portion or the controller portion. This can make it possible to minimize the paths of the conductive tracks and make it easier to obtain a compact structure.
• the peripheral connectors and / or the connectors dedicated to the electrical, thermal and / or mechanical parameters of the generator and / or the network are located on the shared card or cards, in particular on the same shared card, for example the communication card if any.
• the exchange of information between the controller and the regulator may also allow the implementation of an engine assistance strategy calculation of active power to limit generator voltage drops and overvoltages during load transients.
• the engine aid can be applied when the engine has already dropped in speed and its speed has dropped below a certain value.
• the engine assistance can also be applied as soon as a load is applied and / or the variation of the electric power at the output of the alternator.
• the subject of the invention is also a generator set equipped with a control and regulation system according to the invention.
• the power of the group is preferably greater than or equal to 5 kW.
• FIG. 1 schematically represents an example of a generator set according to the invention
• FIG. 2 represents an example of a user interface
• FIG. 3 represents an exemplary architecture of a system according to the invention
• FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a system according to the invention.
• Figures 5 and 6 show isolation, in perspective, the set of printed circuit boards, according to different angles of view.
• the generator 1 represented in FIG. 1 comprises a heat engine 2 coupled to an alternator 3.
• the latter has a housing 5 provided with a terminal box 4 which contains terminals for connection to the exciter and main armature coils. .
• Group 1 in accordance with the invention, is connected to a control and regulation system 8 which comprises a voltage regulator part and a controller part of the group which are integral with each other, preferably being illustrated in Figure 4, contained in the same housing 10.
• a control and regulation system 8 which comprises a voltage regulator part and a controller part of the group which are integral with each other, preferably being illustrated in Figure 4, contained in the same housing 10.
• This housing 10 is in a different location of the terminal box 4, and can be fixed on a frame remote from the alternator 3 and the motor 2.
• An exemplary architecture of the system 8 is illustrated in FIG.
• the system 8 includes a controller portion 81 of the group and a voltage regulator portion 82.
• the system 8 is fed, for example, via the controller part 81, by an external source, for example from 8 to 35V DC.
• the controller portion 81 of the group preferably has a microcontroller 38 having a computing core, the latter constituting the main digital part of the system. Other microcontrollers can be added, if necessary.
• Analogical inputs 40 and digital 7 of the microcontroller 38 enable the activation of digital commands 34 ensuring the starting, stopping, activation of relays and / or alarms or allowing direct control of the members of the generator 1, by example the starter, the preheating system, ....
• the analog inputs 40 can support voltage sources ranging from 0 to 10V for example, current sources ranging from 4 to 20mA, for example, can enable the connection of potentiometers, and can receive direct information from sensors positioned at different points of the device.
• Group 1 such as oil pressure sensors, coolant temperature, rotation speed.
• the system 8 comprises a user interface 27 comprising, as can be seen in FIG. 2, a display 11, LEDs 30, and control buttons 29 of the system 8.
• the LEDs 30 allow a direct reading of the operating state of the system 8, the generator 1 and the connection between the group and an external electrical network.
• system 8 includes USB 9 and CAN 6 peripheral connectors.
• Other types of peripheral connectors may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.
• the system 8 also comprises, in the illustrated example, a connector 12, for example of the JTAG type, to facilitate debugging, but any other means fulfilling this function is within the scope of the present invention.
• the regulator portion 82 comprises an electronic power element 31, a computing core 32 comprising an electronic circuit, responsible for generating the control signals 39, analog or digital, to the power element 31, to ensure good regulation of the voltage of the alternator 5, and optionally one or more microprocessors respectively providing specific functions of measurement, regulation and / or protection.
• the power element 3 for example consists of a diode rectifier and a controlled chopper for supplying the alternator exciter inductor 5, via a link 23.
• the latter delivers a continuous output current, preferably up to 6A in normal operation and up to 15A for a few seconds, for example 10s.
• the regulator portion 82 is fully or partially controllable by the controller portion via digital signals exchanged between the computational cores of these two portions. These signals 26, conveyed on the printed circuit boards of the electronic cards where appropriate, allow the exchange of information between the two parts 81 and 82 without cumbersome connections.
• the regulator portion 82 has connectors for exchanging information with the alternator and the network, for example connectors intended respectively for current and voltage measurements 36 of the alternator output and voltage measurements. network.
• the controller part 81 may, if necessary, measure the currents 35, the output voltages 36 of the alternator as well as the mains voltages 37.
• the two parties can share a single computing heart.
• the commands can be sent from this calculation heart directly to the power elements as a function of both the information 35, 36, 37 coming from the alternator and the network and the analog inputs 40 and digital inputs 7.
• the regulator portion 82 is compatible with different excitation systems 33 such as SHUNT, AREP and PMG corresponding to a sampling of the energy coming respectively from the output voltage of the alternator, the coils alternator auxiliaries and a permanent magnet generator.
• the regulator portion 82 may be electrically powered by at least one of these excitation systems.
• the network voltages and / or the alternator are for example three-phase and between 90 and 530VAC and the output current of the alternator, measured by intensity transformers whose secondary is for example between 1 and 5Aac.
• the regulator portion preferably implements one or more algorithms for assisting the motor in loading or unloading impact phases.
• the regulator portion controls the voltage of the alternator according to a U / f law, where U is the output voltage of the alternator and f is its rotation frequency, in particular in order to protect the alternator against overheating at sub-speed.
• the excitation current becomes very important compared to its nominal value. Similarly because of this low rotation speed, the cooling of the alternator becomes less. Controlling the voltage of the alternator according to the U / f law makes it possible to reduce the voltage setpoint, therefore the excitation current and consequently the thermal energy to be dissipated. This prevents overheating related to the excitation current.
• the system 8 may also include dedicated connectors, for example to connect a drive motor controller.
• the regulator portion 82 and the controller portion 81 may be made with printed circuit boards 16, 17, 18 and a link board 19 as shown in FIGS. 4-6.
• the cards 16 to 19 are contained in a housing 10 which has a front portion 21 and a rear cover 22 which can be fixed for example by snapping with tabs 26, on the front portion 21.
• the cover 22 has an extension 24 at the rear which caps the radiators 23 cooling power elements carried by the face 25 of the card 16, opposite the control card 18.
• the radiators 23 may completely cover the power elements on this face 25.
• the extension 24 is perforated, having vents 28 for air circulation both on the top and on the sides.
• the three cards 16, 17, 18 are arranged parallel to each other and connected together by the link card 19 equipped with connectors 20 in the example in question and as visible more particularly in FIG. 4.
• the link card 19 can distribute only small signals to allow the exchange of information between the cards 16, 17, 18 and the internal power supplies of the system 8.
• the card 16 of the regulator portion 82 is on the side of the rear cover 22 and the controller portion 81 is on the side of the front portion 21.
• the front portion 21 includes the user interface 27.
• the power card 16 belonging to the voltage regulator portion 82 comprises the power electronics part and a connector 15, or possibly several, dedicated to the energies of the excitation systems SHUNT and / or AREP and / or PMG and to the power supply of the excitation inductor.
• the communication card 17, located between the power card 16 and the control card 18, is shared by the regulator portion 82 and the controller portion 81, receives the USB port 9 dedicated to the system setting, the CAN bus 6 and the connectors 13 dedicated to alternator and network voltage measurements as well as alternator currents.
• these connectors 15 dedicated to voltage and current measurements can be located in whole or in part on the power card 16 and / or the control card 18.
• the communication card 17 also includes logic outputs and weak signal analog inputs. These signals allow for example a monitoring of certain parameters of the group such as the fuel level and the coolant temperature.
• the control card 18, also shared between the two parts 81 and 82, is assigned to all the commands performed by the buttons 29 from the user interface 27 as well as to the display 11 and to the alarm, for example a buzzer. where appropriate.
• connection of these three cards 16, 17, 18 is performed with the link card 19 equipped with PCI express connectors 20 via printed circuit tracks 14.
• This link card 19 is oriented perpendicularly to the stack of the three cards 16, 17 and 18 and the express PCI connectors 20.
• the physical input corresponding to the CAN bus 6 can also receive the signal of an MPU sensor.
• the user can indifferently connect both types of signals. The selection is made in the product configuration software.
• the regulator part thus receives from the same port a signal which is either that of the CAN or that of the MPU, and decodes it by software to extract the useful information.
• the group controller part preferably also provides the start and stop functions of the group.
• the system preferably also provides a monitoring function of an auxiliary alternator charging the battery of the generator set, if the latter is equipped, allowing detection of a failure thereof.
• the communication card 17 can be deleted.
• the connectors 6, 9, 13 carried by this card are for example distributed on the power card 16 and the control card 17.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Control Of Eletrric Generators (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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Cited By (1)

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• 2014
  • 2014-01-06 FR FR1450058A patent/FR3016247B1/fr active Active
• 2015
  • 2015-01-05 US US15/109,898 patent/US20160329847A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-01-05 CN CN201580007073.6A patent/CN106105014A/zh active Pending
  • 2015-01-05 EP EP15701837.5A patent/EP3092712A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2015-01-05 WO PCT/IB2015/050070 patent/WO2015101956A2/fr active Application Filing

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