GB2577679A

GB2577679A - Power generating system and method

Info

Publication number: GB2577679A
Application number: GB1815636.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Linton Howe Andrew
Original assignee: WELSENGEN Ltd
Current assignee: WELSENGEN Ltd
Priority date: 2018-09-25
Filing date: 2018-09-25
Publication date: 2020-04-08
Also published as: GB201815636D0

Abstract

A power generating system 10 for providing output power to an electrical power grid 180, wherein the system 10 includes a combustion engine 20, and a generator 40 coupled to receive a mechanical output 30 from the combustion engine 20, wherein the generator 40 generates electrical power that is supplied to an energy storage (for example batteries or capacitors) 100, wherein the generator 40 and the energy storage 100 supply power to an inverter 150 that provides power from the system 10 to the electrical network 180, and wherein the system 10 further comprises a control arrangement 200, for example employing artificial intelligence, that receives signals indicative of an operating state of one or more of the combustion engine 20, the generator 40, the energy storage 100 and the inverter 150, and sends control signals to one or more of the combustion engine 20, the generator 40, the energy storage 100 and the inverter 150 to control their operation.

Description

POWER GENERATING SYSTEM AND METHOD TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to power generating systems, for example to power generating systems that are constructed in a modular 5 manner, that are highly responsive when in operation to electrical power grid demands for power, and that are highly economical when in operation. Moreover, the present disclosure relates to methods for (of) operating aforesaid power generating systems. Furthermore, the present disclosure also concerns software products that are executable upon 10 computing hardware to implement aforesaid methods; optionally, the methods advantageously employ machine learning techniques for determining an optimized operation of the power generating systems.

BACKGROUND

Various combinations of generators, dynamos, rechargeable storage batteries and DC-to-AC inverters are described in the following earlier documents: EP2380768A1 Honda EP2397359A1 Honda US2004/0008009A1 Fukaya US2005/0041404A1 McConnell US2006/0244411A1 Wobben US2008/0157540A1 Fattal US2011/0273148A1 Honda Known state-of-art is represented, for example, in products manufactured by Honda Corp., Japan.

A contemporary problem arising is that many industrialized countries are planning to build new nuclear-fission baseload electrical generating plant to replace existing nuclear plant that has reached an end of its operating lifetime due to corrosion and material embrittlement problems (due to radiation embrittlement). Moreover, many coal-fired power stations are likely to be decommissioned soon, because of Carbon Dioxide emission issues associated with apprehension regarding anthropogenically-forced climate change. However, the cost of new nuclear plant, with increased safety systems, after experience of meltdowns at Fukushima Dai'ichi, makes these new nuclear plant prohibitively expensive in comparison to renewable energy systems. However, renewable energy systems can be intermittent when in operation, depending upon diurnal variations and changing environmental conditions, such that a need arises for highly cost-effective and responsive standby generating capacity to supply power to electrical grids when renewable energy systems are producing insufficient power.

Therefore, in light of the foregoing discussion, there exists a need to 20 overcome the aforementioned drawbacks in existing power generating systems.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure seeks to provide improved power generating 25 systems.

The present disclosure also seeks to provide improved methods of operating aforesaid improved power generating systems.

According to a first aspect, there is provided a power generating system for providing output power to an electrical power grid, wherein the system includes a combustion engine arrangement, and a generator arrangement that is coupled to receive a mechanical output from the combustion engine arrangement, wherein the generator arrangement when in operation generates 10 electrical power that is supplied to an energy storage arrangement, wherein the generator arrangement and the energy storage arrangement are coupled to supply power to an inverter arrangement that provides output power from the system (for example, via a transformer 15 arrangement) to the electrical power grid, and wherein the system further comprises a control arrangement that receives sensed signals indicative of an operating state of one or more of the combustion engine, the generator arrangement, the energy storage arrangement and the inverter arrangement, and sends control signals to one or more of the combustion engine, the generator arrangement, the energy storage arrangement and the inverter arrangement to control their operation.

The invention is of advantage in that the control arrangement is capable of providing the system with improved operating efficiency, improved reliability of operation, and improved longevity of operation between servicing events.

Optionally, in the power generating system, the control arrangement employs when in operation adaptive learning algorithms for adjusting an operation of the system to improve at least one of: an efficiency in converting energy in combustible fuel consumed in the combustion engine to electrical power, a longevity of operation of the combustion engine, a longevity of operation of the energy storage arrangement, a longevity of operation of the generator arrangement.

Optionally, in the power generating system, the energy storage arrangement includes a switchable arrangement of one or more rechargeable batteries and one or more supercapacitors for storing electrical energy.

Optionally, in the power generating system, the combustion engine includes at least one of: a gas turbine engine, an open cycle gas turbine engine, a diesel engine, an LPG engine, a gasoline (petrol) engine, a Hydrogen-gas engine.

Optionally, in the power generating system, the control arrangement when in operation includes a bias in power flow occurring to and from the energy storage arrangement for controlling a state-of-charge (SoC) of the energy storage arrangement. More optionally, in the power generating system, wherein the state-of-charge (SoC) is controlled to be in a range of 30% to 70% of a maximum state-of-charge (100%, SoCmax) of the energy storage arrangement.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a method of (for) operating a power generating system for providing output power to an electrical power grid, wherein the method includes providing the system to include a combustion engine arrangement, and a generator arrangement that is coupled to receive a mechanical output from the combustion engine arrangement, wherein the generator arrangement when in operation generates electrical power that is supplied to an energy storage arrangement, wherein the generator arrangement and the energy storage arrangement are coupled to supply power to an inverter arrangement that provides output power from the system to the electrical power grid, and wherein the method includes controlling the system by using a control arrangement that receives sensed signals indicative of an operating state of one or more of the combustion engine, the generator arrangement, the energy storage arrangement and the inverter arrangement, and sends control signals to one or more of the combustion engine, the generator arrangement, the energy storage arrangement and the inverter arrangement to control their operation.

Optionally, the method includes arranging for the control arrangement to employ when in operation adaptive learning algorithms for adjusting an operation of the system to improve at least one of: an efficiency in converting energy in combustible fuel consumed in the combustion engine to electrical power, a longevity of operation of the combustion engine, a longevity of operation of the energy storage arrangement, a longevity of operation of the generator arrangement.

According to a third aspect, there is provided a computer program product 5 comprising instructions that are executable upon computing hardware to cause a system of the first aspect to implement a method of the second aspect.

Additional aspects, advantages, features and objects of the present disclosure are made apparent from the drawings and the detailed 10 description of the illustrative embodiments construed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow.

It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended 15 claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The summary above, as well as the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, exemplary constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, like elements have been indicated by identical numbers.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein: FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a power generating system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In the accompanying drawings, an underlined number is employed to represent an item over which the underlined number is positioned or an item to which the underlined number is adjacent. A non-underlined number relates to an item identified by a line linking the non-underlined number to the item. When a number is non-underlined and accompanied by an associated arrow, the non-underlined number is used to identify a general item at which the arrow is pointing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which they can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognize that other embodiments for carrying out or practicing the present disclosure are also possible.

The present disclosure provides a power generating system for providing output power to an electrical power grid, wherein the system includes a combustion engine arrangement, and a generator arrangement that is coupled to receive a mechanical output from the combustion engine arrangement, wherein the generator arrangement when in operation generates electrical power that is supplied to an energy storage arrangement, wherein the generator arrangement and the energy storage arrangement 5 are coupled to supply power to an inverter arrangement that provides output power from the system (for example, via a transformer arrangement) to the electrical power grid, and wherein the system further comprises a control arrangement that receives sensed signals indicative of an operating state of one or more of the combustion engine, the generator arrangement, the energy storage arrangement and the inverter arrangement, and sends control signals to one or more of the combustion engine, the generator arrangement, the energy storage arrangement and the inverter arrangement to control their operation.

The power generating system is of advantage in that the control arrangement is capable of providing the system with improved operating efficiency, improved reliability of operation, and improved longevity of 20 operation between servicing events.

The disclosure also provides a method of (for) operating a power generating system for providing output power to an electrical power grid, wherein the method includes providing the system to include a combustion engine arrangement, and a generator arrangement that is coupled to receive a mechanical output from the combustion engine arrangement, wherein the generator arrangement when in operation generates 10 electrical power that is supplied to an energy storage arrangement, wherein the generator arrangement and the energy storage arrangement are coupled to supply power to an inverter arrangement that provides output power from the system to the electrical power grid, and wherein the method includes controlling the system by using a control arrangement that receives sensed signals indicative of an operating state of one or more of the combustion engine, the generator arrangement, the energy storage arrangement and the inverter arrangement, and sends control signals to one or more of the combustion engine, the generator arrangement, the energy storage arrangement and the inverter arrangement to control their operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an illustration of a power generating system indicated generally by 10. The system 10 includes a combustion engine 20 that combusts hydrocarbon fuel when in operation to generate rotational mechanical power at an output shaft 30 of the combustion engine 20. For example, the combustion engine 20 is implemented as a gas turbine or diesel engine, for example the combustion engine 20 is implemented as an open-cycle gas turbine engine. When implemented as an open-cycle gas turbine engine, there is achieved, when in operation, an operating efficiency of at least 30%, more optionally at least 38%, and yet more optionally at least 45%; wherein "operating efficiency" concerns an efficiency of the combustion engine 20 when converting thermal energy produced by hydrocarbon burning into useful mechanical output power at the output shaft 30. The output shaft 30 is beneficially monitored for rotation rate (for example, using a magnetic or optical angular encoder, not shown in FIG. 1) and a torque developed at the output shaft 30, for example, by employing a shaft-mounted torque sensor coupled wirelessly to data processing arrangements providing a computed torque experienced by the output shaft 30, when rotating in operation. Moreover, a rate of hydrocarbon fuel supply to the combustion engine 20 is also measured when the combustion engine 20 is in operation; it is thereby feasible to compute, from angular rotation rate measurements and torque measurements, as well as fuel consumption rate, a mechanical output power of the combustion engine 20, as well as its operating efficiency. Optionally, the combustion engine 20 is housed in a container, for example a contained of standard industrial size, of a type that can be conveniently hauled on a lorry or truck trailer; the combustion engine 20 is thereby potentially portable and can be relocated, for example in emergency situation after an earthquake, flood or similar. Optionally, the combustion engine 20, when in operation, is capable of providing mechanical output power at the output shaft 30 in a range of 0 Watt to 50 MegaWatt (MW), more optionally in range of 1 kiloWatt (kW) to 10 MW, and yet more optionally in a range of 1 kW to 7 MW.

The output shaft 30 is coupled to a generator arrangement 40 including an alternator arrangement 50 coupled to a rectifier arrangement 60 to provide d.c. power, or a dynamo arrangement 60 that provides d.c. power directly, or a combination of the generator arrangement 40 and the dynamo arrangement 60. The d.c. power is coupled to a rechargeable energy storage arrangement 100, for example implemented using one or more rechargeable batteries and/or one or more supercapacitors or ultracapacitors. Beneficially, electrical current flowing to and from the energy storage arrangement 100 is monitored for determining a stateof-charge (SoC) of the energy storage arrangement 100, for example to determine a pattern of temporal degradation of a maximum SoC achievable after repeated charge and discharge cycles of the energy storage arrangement 100. Optionally, the energy storage arrangement 100 includes energy storage devices such as at least one of: Lithium Iron phosphate batteries, Magnesium batteries, flow-cell batteries, Lead acid accumulators, NiMH rechargeable batteries, silica batteries, but not limited thereto. Optionally, the energy storage arrangement 100 is capable of storing sufficient energy for the system 10 to deliver its maximum power to an electrical power grid for at least 10 minutes, more optionally at least 15 minutes, without the combustion engine 20 and its generator arrangement needing to provide power.

An example electrochemical capacitor (supercapacitor), for use in the energy storage arrangement 100, comprises two electrodes separated by an ion-permeable membrane (separator), and an electrolyte ionically connecting both electrodes. When the electrodes are polarized by an applied voltage, ions in the electrolyte form electric double layers of opposite polarity to the electrodes' polarity. For example, when in operation, a positively--polarized electrode will have a layer of negative s ions at an electrode/electrolyte interface along with a charge-balancing layer of positive ions adsorbing onto the layer of negative ions. The opposite pertains for the negatively polarized electrode. Additionally, depending on electrode material and surface shape, some ions may permeate a double layer, thereby becoming specifically adsorbed ions and 10 contributing with pseudo-capacitance to a total capacitance of the supercapacitor.

The energy storage arrangement 100, together with the generator arrangement 40, is coupled to a DC-to-AC inverter arrangement 150 that is connected to a primary winding arrangement 170 of a step-up transformer arrangement 160 whose secondary winding arrangement 175 is coupled to an electrical power grid 180. Optionally, in certain embodiments, the DC-to-AC inverter arrangement 150 feeds directly to the electrical power grid 180, without passing through the step-up transformer arrangement 160. Optionally, DC-to-AC inverter arrangement 150 is a bi-directional inverter, so that power flow is susceptible to occurring from the electrical power grid 180 to recharge the energy storage arrangement 100., for example when providing demand response to the electrical power grid 180, when excess power is being supplied to the electrical power grid 180 from other generators (not shown). Optionally, the DC-to-AC inverter arrangement 150 and the step-up transformer arrangement 160 is implemented using a plurality of transformers and a plurality of single-direction inverters.

The electrical power grid 180 is optionally a spatially extensive network that provides power to a geographical region, for example a national power grid. Alternatively, electrical power grid 180 is optionally a local network, for example at an isolated off-shore oil rig, at a remote mining location, and likewise. Beneficially, a power flow occurring through the DC-to-AC inverter arrangement 150 is monitored using sensors (not shown).

The system 10 also includes a control arrangement 200 for managing operation of the system 10. The control arrangement 200 employs a data processing arrangement (not shown) that executes a software product when in operation or is implemented in dedicated digital hardware (e.g. as an ASIC or a custom Silicon integrate circuit arrangement), or a combination of the data processing arrangement and the dedicated digital hardware.

The control arrangement 200 is coupled to receive a measure of an a.c. operating frequency (f) of the electrical power grid 180, a magnitude of a.c. voltage (when single phase) or voltages (when multi-phase) of the the electrical power grid 180, and optionally a prediction (for example, provided remotely from an operator of the electrical power grid 180) of anticipated load absorbing power to be taken from the electrical power grid 180 and an electrical supply capacity providing power to the electrical power grid 180. Moreover, the control arrangement 200 receives sensor information regarding power flows into and out of the energy storage arrangement 100 for determining its state-of-charge (SoC) and also for determining changes in a maximum storage capacity (SoCmax) of the energy storage arrangement 100. Moreover, the control arrangement 200 receives sensor information of the combustion engine 20 from which its operating efficiency is computed. Furthermore, the control arrangement 200 controls a mechanical power output of the combustion engine 20, for example by controlling its fuel feed rate, as well as an amount of power being coupled through the inverter arrangement 150, for example by controlling PWM drive applied to its semiconductor power switching devices (for example, MOSFET's, Silicon Carbide transistors, Silicon controlled rectifiers (SCR's), thyristors, and so forth.

When the system 10 provides demand response to the electrical power grid 180, for example in response to temporal variations in real-time of the operating frequency (t) of the electrical power grid 180, the energy storage arrangement 100 in combination with the inverter arrangement 150 can provide demand response within a few cycles of a.c. of the electrical power grid 180, for example within 10 cycles, namely within 200 mSec, more optionally within 5 cycles. Moreover, when providing demand response to the electrical power grid 180, the control arrangement 200 operates the inverter arrangement 150 or the combustion engine 20, or both, to add a bias to power flows occurring to and from the energy storage arrangement 100 to maintain its state-ofcharge (SoC) in a range of 30% to 70% of its maximum state-of-change SoCmax). A use of such bias in connection with the energy storage arrangement 100 is of benefit, in that it avoids a need for a separate recharge circuit for adjusting a state-of-charge of the energy storage arrangement 100, thereby enabling the energy storage The state-ofcharge of the energy storage arrangement 100 is beneficially determined by the control arrangement 200 performing a temporal integration of power flow to and from the energy storage arrangement 100, and/or determining a droop or creep in the energy storage arrangement output voltage as a function of power flow to or from, or both, the energy storage arrangement 100. The energy storage arrangement 100 beneficially provides an output voltage, as presented to the inverter arrangement 150, in a range of 1 kV to 2 kV, more optionally in a range of 1200 Volts to 1600 Volts, and yet more optionally substantially 1400 Volts.

Optionally, the energy storage arrangement 100, the generator arrangement 40 and the inverter arrangement 150 are housed in aforementioned containers that can be transported on a lorry trailer or truck, thereby enabling rapid deployment of the system 10 at remote locations, for example in an event of failure of a portion of the electrical power grid 180, or providing a local spatial support of the electrical power grid 180 whereat an usually high power consumption is likely to occur, for example for fast charging a fleet of electrical vehicles in a depot or vehicle park at a spatially remote location provided with only a modest cable connection to the electrical power grid 180.

Optionally, the control arrangement 200 employs artificial intelligence ("Al"), namely "deep learning", to improve, for example to optimize, an operation of the system 10. Artificial intelligence algorithms are algorithms that adapt their parameters in response to data being processed through the algorithms, just as a human brain learns through experience when doing tasks. The artificial intelligence algorithms beneficially employ iterative techniques when controlling operation of the system 10, for example by monitoring an operating efficiency of the combustion engine 20 when variations of operating method are used in the system 10, wherein the control system 200 for substantially same operating conditions of the electrical power grid 180 tries the variations to determine which is a best variation, for example in respect of at least one of: (a) longevity of the energy storage arrangement 100 when subjected to discharge and recharge cycles; (b) wear-and-tear experienced by the combustion engine 20 as its operating conditions are dynamically temporally varied, for example time 5 between service being required; (c) an operating efficiency of the combustion engine 20; and (d) an availability factor of the system 10 (for example, for achieving a reduction in "downtime" experienced by the system 10 required for servicing or repair).

For example, such artificial intelligence can be used to determine a best arrangement to employ for the energy storage arrangement 100 when providing certain types of demand response pattern to the electrical power grid 180, for example by using a greater percentage of supercapacitors relative to rechargeable batteries for the energy storage arrangement 100 (for example, by selectively switching in or switching out banks of rechargeable batteries or selectively switching in or switching out banks of supercapacitors, or both).

Modifications to embodiments of the present disclosure described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as "including", "comprising", "incorporating", "have", "is" used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a nonexclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A power generating system (10) for providing output power to an electrical power grid (180), wherein the system (10) includes a 5 combustion engine arrangement (20), and a generator arrangement (40) that is coupled to receive a mechanical output (30) from the combustion engine arrangement (20), wherein the generator arrangement (40) when in operation generates 10 electrical power that is supplied to an energy storage arrangement (100), wherein the generator arrangement (40) and the energy storage arrangement (100) are coupled to supply power to an inverter arrangement (150) that provides output power from the system (10) to 15 the electrical power grid (180), and wherein the system (10) further comprises a control arrangement (200) that receives sensed signals indicative of an operating state of one or more of the combustion engine (20), the generator arrangement (40), the energy storage arrangement (100) and the inverter arrangement (150), and sends control signals to one or more of the combustion engine (20), the generator arrangement (40), the energy storage arrangement (100) and the inverter arrangement (150) to control their operation.
2. A power generating system (10) of claim 1, wherein the control arrangement (200) employs when in operation adaptive learning algorithms for adjusting an operation of the system (10) to improve at least one of: an efficiency in converting energy in combustible fuel consumed in the combustion engine to electrical power, a longevity of operation of the combustion engine (20), a longevity of operation of the energy storage arrangement (100), a longevity of operation of the generator arrangement (40).
3. A power generating system (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the energy storage arrangement (100) includes a switchable arrangement of one or more rechargeable batteries and one or more supercapacitors for storing electrical energy.
4. A power generating system (10) of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the combustion engine (20) includes at least one of: a gas turbine engine, an open cycle gas turbine engine, a diesel engine, an LPG engine, a gasoline (petrol) engine, a Hydrogen-gas engine.
5. A power generating system (10) of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the control arrangement (200) when in operation includes a bias in power flow occurring to and from the energy storage arrangement (100) for controlling a state-of-charge (SoC) of the energy storage arrangement (100).
6. A power generating system (10) of claim 5, wherein the state-of-charge (SoC) is controlled to be in a range of 30% to 70% of a maximum state-of-charge (100%, SoCmax) of the energy storage arrangement 25 (100).
7. A method of (for) operating a power generating system (10) for providing output power to an electrical power grid (180), wherein the method includes providing the system (10) to include a combustion engine arrangement (20), and a generator arrangement (40) that is coupled to receive a mechanical output (30) from the combustion engine arrangement (20), wherein the generator arrangement (40) when in operation generates electrical power that is supplied to an energy storage arrangement (100), wherein the generator arrangement (40) and the energy storage 10 arrangement (100) are coupled to supply power to an inverter arrangement (150) that provides output power from the system (10) to the electrical power grid (180), and wherein the method includes controlling the system (10) by using a control arrangement (200) that receives sensed signals indicative of an operating state of one or more of the combustion engine (20), the generator arrangement (40), the energy storage arrangement (100) and the inverter arrangement (150), and sends control signals to one or more of the combustion engine (20), the generator arrangement (40), the energy storage arrangement (100) and the inverter arrangement (150) to control their operation.
8. A method of claim 7, wherein the method includes arranging for the control arrangement (200) to employ when in operation adaptive learning algorithms for adjusting an operation of the system (10) to improve at least one of: an efficiency in converting energy in combustible fuel consumed in the combustion engine to electrical power, a longevity of operation of the combustion engine (20), a longevity of operation of the energy storage arrangement (100), a longevity of operation of the generator arrangement (40).
9. A computer program product comprising instructions that are executable upon computing hardware to cause a system of any one of claims 1 to 6 to implement a method of claim 7 or 8.