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A method for protecting an electrical generator which includes providing an electrical generator which is normally synchronously operated with an electrical power grid; providing a synchronizing signal from the electrical generator; establishing a reference signal; and electrically isolating the ele

A method for protecting an electrical generator which includes providing an electrical generator which is normally synchronously operated with an electrical power grid; providing a synchronizing signal from the electrical generator; establishing a reference signal; and electrically isolating the electrical generator from the electrical power grid if the synchronizing signal is not in phase with the reference signal.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method for protecting an electrical generator, comprising: providing an electrical generator which is electrically coupled to and normally synchronously operated with an electrical power grid; providing a synchronizing signal from the electrical generator; deriving a period

What is claimed is: 1. A method for protecting an electrical generator, comprising: providing an electrical generator which is electrically coupled to and normally synchronously operated with an electrical power grid; providing a synchronizing signal from the electrical generator; deriving a periodic time function reference signal from historical system information having a time duration, and relating to the electrical generator and/or the electrical power grid; and electrically isolating the electrical generator from the electrical power grid if the synchronizing signal is not in phase with the reference signal. 2. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the step of providing a synchronizing signal includes providing a synchronizing voltage signal, and wherein the step of establishing a reference signal includes establishing a reference voltage signal. 3. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the step of providing a synchronizing signal includes providing a synchronizing current signal, and wherein the step of establishing a reference signal includes establishing a reference current signal. 4. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the time duration is greater than about two cycles. 5. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the time duration is about two cycles to about 120 cycles. 6. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the time duration is about six cycles to about 60 cycles. 7. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the synchronizing signal is a time function with an amplitude and a frequency, and wherein the historical information is a time function with an amplitude and a frequency, and wherein the step of deriving a reference signal time function from the historical system information time function further comprises: multiplying the amplitude of the historical system information time function over the time duration by (x-1)/x, and wherein x is a number that lies within a range of about 4 to about 1000; multiplying the amplitude of the synchronizing signal time function over the time period by 1/x; summing the synchronizing signal time function multiplied by 1/x to the historical system information time function multiplied by (x-1)/x; setting the summed time function to be equal to the historical system information time function. 8. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the step of providing a synchronizing signal comprises providing a synchronizing signal time function, and wherein the step of deriving a reference signal time function from the historical system information further comprises: providing a global positioning system which supplies time information; and creating a timing signal based upon the global positioning system time information, and which is in the form of a periodic time function having a frequency which is substantially equal to the frequency of the synchronizing signal time function. 9. A method for protecting an electrical generator, comprising: providing an electrical generator, which is electrically coupled to and normally synchronously operated with an electrical power grid; providing a synchronizing voltage signal from the electrical generator, and wherein the synchronizing voltage signal is sinusoidal, and which has a frequency fs; establishing historical system information having a time duration, and which relates to the electrical generator and/or the electrical grid; deriving a reference voltage signal from the historical system information, and wherein the reference voltage signal is a periodic time function having a frequency substantially similar to the frequency of the synchronizing voltage signal; determining a phase angle difference between the synchronizing voltage signal and the reference voltage signal; and electrically isolating the electrical generator from the electrical power grid if the magnitude of the phase angle difference is greater than a predetermined value. 10. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the time duration is greater than about two cycles. 11. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the time duration is about two cycles to about 120 cycles. 12. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the time duration is about six cycles to about 60 cycles. 13. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the step of deriving a reference voltage signal from the historical system information comprises: multiplying the amplitude of the historical system information over the time duration by (x-1)/x, and wherein x is a number that lies within a range of about 4 to about 1000; multiplying the amplitude of the synchronizing signal time function over the time period p by 1/x; summing the synchronizing signal time function multiplied by 1/x to the historical system information time function multiplied by (x-1)/x; setting the summed time function to be equal to the historical system information time function. 14. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the step of deriving a reference voltage signal from the historical system information comprises: providing a global positioning system which supplies time information; creating a timing signal based upon the global positioning system time information, and which is in the form of a periodic time function having a frequency which is substantially equal to the frequency of the synchronizing voltage. 15. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein step of determining the phase angle difference Φ further comprises: detecting a zero crossing of the synchronizing voltage signal; detecting a zero crossing of the reference voltage signal; measuring a time difference Δt between the zero crossing of the synchronizing voltage signal and the zero crossing of the reference voltage signal; and calculating a phase angle difference Φ between the synchronizing voltage signal and the reference voltage signal using the formula: description="In-line Formulae" end="lead"Φ=360��fs��Δt. description="In-line Formulae" end="tail" 16. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the predetermined value is about 20 to about 60 degrees. 17. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the step of electrically isolating the generator from the electrical power grid further comprises: energizing a relay if the magnitude of the phase angle difference is greater than the predetermined value; introducing a time delay of about 1/60 second to about 5 seconds; and causing the relay to open one or more circuit breakers after the time delay so as to isolate the electrical generator from the electrical power grid. 18. The method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the step of providing a synchronizing voltage signal from the electrical generator further comprises: providing a phase A voltage, a phase B voltage, and a phase C voltage from the electrical generator; and calculating a positive sequence voltage from the phase A, phase B, and phase C voltages. 19. The method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the step of providing a synchronizing voltage signal from the electrical generator further comprises providing a single phase voltage signal from the electrical generator. 20. The method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 9, and wherein the step of providing a synchronizing voltage signal from the electrical generator further comprises: providing a phase A voltage, a phase B voltage, and a phase C voltage from the electrical generator; and calculating an alpha voltage from the phase A, phase B, and phase C voltages using the formula: description="In-line Formulae" end="lead"Vα=⅔��[VA-(V B+VC)/2]=Vs. description="In-line Formulae" end="tail" 21. A method for protecting an electrical generator, comprising: providing an electrical generator, which is electrically coupled to and normally synchronously operated with an electrical power grid; providing a synchronizing signal time function from the electrical generator, and wherein the synchronizing signal time function is sinusoidal, and which has a frequency fs; deriving a reference signal time function having a time duration of greater than about two cycles, and which is a periodic time function with a frequency substantially similar to fs, and which is calculated by multiplying the amplitude of a previously calculated reference signal time function over the time duration by (x-1)/x, and wherein x is a number that lies within a range of about 4 to about 1000, and multiplying the amplitude of the synchronizing signal time function over the time period by 1/x, and summing the synchronizing signal time function multiplied by 1/x to the previously calculated reference signal time function multiplied by (x-1)/x; determining a phase angle difference between the synchronizing signal time function and the reference signal time function during the time duration; and electrically isolating the electrical generator from the electrical power grid if the magnitude of the phase angle difference is greater than a predetermined value. 22. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 21, and wherein the step of providing a synchronizing signal time function includes providing a synchronizing voltage signal, and wherein the step of deriving a reference signal time function includes deriving a reference voltage signal. 23. A method for protecting an electrical generator as claimed in claim 21, and wherein the step of providing a synchronizing signal time function includes providing a synchronizing current signal, and wherein the step of deriving a reference signal time function includes deriving a reference current signal. 24. A method for protecting an electrical generator, comprising: providing an electrical generator which is electrically coupled to and normally synchronously operated with an electrical power grid; providing a synchronizing voltage signal Vs(t) from the electrical generator, and wherein the synchronizing voltage signal is sinusoidal, and which has a frequency fs, and which is derived from a single phase of the electrical generator; calculating a reference voltage signal Vr(t) using the formula: description="In-line Formulae" end="lead"Vr(t)=[Vr(t-1)��( x-1)/x]+[Vs(t)��1/x], description="In-line Formulae" end="tail" and wherein x is a number that lies within a range of about 4 to about 1000; detecting a zero crossing of the synchronizing voltage signal, and detecting a zero crossing of the reference voltage signal, and measuring a time difference Δt between the zero crossing of the synchronizing voltage signal and the zero crossing of the reference voltage signal; calculating a phase angle difference Φ between the synchronizing voltage signal and the reference voltage signal using the formula: description="In-line Formulae" end="lead"Φ=360��fs��Δt; description="In-line Formulae" end="tail" comparing the calculated phase angle difference to a predetermined value of about 20 to about 60 degrees; energizing a relay if the calculated phase angle difference is greater than the predetermined value; introducing a time delay of about 1/60 second to about 5 seconds following the determination that the calculated phase angle difference is greater than the predetermined value; and causing the relay to open one or more circuit breakers after the time delay so as to isolate the electrical generator from the electrical power grid.