초록 ▼

An input shaft rotates at variable rotation rates and is driven by a variable speed source of energy or power such as by the propeller of a wind-driven electrical generator. The input shaft is connected to a first rotor which electromagnetically interacts with a second rotor to create a torque to ca

An input shaft rotates at variable rotation rates and is driven by a variable speed source of energy or power such as by the propeller of a wind-driven electrical generator. The input shaft is connected to a first rotor which electromagnetically interacts with a second rotor to create a torque to cause the second rotor to rotate. The interaction of the first rotor and the second rotor may be varied electrically to vary the torque and in turn the rotation rate of the second rotor. The second rotor interacts with a stator to produce AC electrical power. The rotation rate of the second rotor is controlled so that the generator supplies AC power at an essentially constant frequency.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A generator for producing AC electrical power from a variable speed prime mover, said generator comprising: an input shaft which is rotatable at variable rotational rates;a first rotor connected to said input shaft for rotation at variable rotation rates by said input shaft, said first rotor havi

1. A generator for producing AC electrical power from a variable speed prime mover, said generator comprising: an input shaft which is rotatable at variable rotational rates;a first rotor connected to said input shaft for rotation at variable rotation rates by said input shaft, said first rotor having a perimeter with a plurality of first rotor poles positioned thereabout, said rotor poles being configured to generate a magnetic field;a second rotor having a plurality of second rotor poles configured to magnetically interact with the magnetic field of said first rotor to be urged to rotate in the same direction of rotation of said first rotor;a stator placed concentrically around said second rotor, said stator having a plurality of windings positioned thereabout, said second rotor and said stator each being configured for the second rotor poles to induce an AC electrical power in said stator;a first source of DC electrical power connected to said first rotor to supply a DC electrical current thereto;a second source of DC electrical power connected to said second rotor to supply a DC electrical current thereto;a speed sensor positioned and configured to sense the rotation rate of said second rotor, said speed sensor configured to supply a second rotor rate signal reflective of said rotation rate of said second rotor;a speed adjuster connected to one of said first rotor, said second rotor and said first source of DC electrical power to vary said rotation rate of said second rotor;a speed controller connected to said speed sensor to receive said second rotor rate signal and connected to said speed adjuster to supply a speed control signal to said speed adjuster to vary said rate of rotation of said second rotor:a torque sensor positioned and configured to sense a torque between said first rotor and said second rotor, said torque sensor configured to supply a torque level signal reflective of said torque between said first rotor and said second rotor;a torque adjuster connected to one of said first rotor, said second rotor and said first source of DC electrical power to vary said torque;a torque controller connected to said torque sensor to receive said torque level signal and connected to said torque varying means to supply a torque control signal to said torque adjuster to vary said torquea stator voltage sensor positioned and configured to sense said stator voltage, said stator voltage sensor configured to supply a stator voltage level signal reflective of said stator voltage;a stator voltage adjusted connected to said second rotor and said source of DC electrical power to vary said stator voltage; and,a stator voltage controller connected to said stator voltage sensor to receive said stator voltage level signal and connected to said stator voltage adjuster to supply a stator voltage control signal thereto to vary said stator voltage. 2. The generator of claim 1, wherein said second rotor comprises an inverted squirrel cage rotor. 3. The generator of claim 1, wherein said torque adjuster comprises a DC field adjuster to vary the DC electrical current of at least one of said first source of DC electrical current and said second source of DC electrical current to vary said torque. 4. The generator of claim 1, wherein said speed adjuster comprises a DC field adjuster to vary the DC electrical current of at least one of said first source of DC electrical current and said second source of DC electrical current to vary said rate of rotation of said second rotor. 5. The generator of claim 1, wherein said input shaft has an input shaft axis, said first rotor has a first rotor axis, and said second rotor has a second rotor axis, and where said input shaft axis, first rotor axis, and said second rotor axis are the same axis. 6. The generator of claim 1, wherein at least one of said speed controller, said torque controller, and said stator voltage controller comprises a programmable computer. 7. The generator of claim 1, wherein at least on of said speed controller, said torque controller, and said stator voltage controller comprises an analogue control circuit. 8. The generator of claim 1, further comprising at least one shaft bearing configured to support said input shaft and said first rotor and at least one second rotor bearing configured to support said second rotor. 9. The generator of claim 8, wherein said second rotor bearing is located circumferentially around said input shaft. 10. The generator of claim 1, wherein said speed controller is configured to compare said rotation rate of said second rotor received from said sensing sensor with a selected rotation rate, said speed controller generating said speed control signal to cause said speed adjuster to vary said DC electrical current to said first rotor and thereby urge said second rotor to rotate at said selected rotation rate. 11. The generator of claim 1, wherein said torque controller is configured to supply a control signal to said torque adjuster to vary said torque to maintain said AC power induced in said stator at substantially a selected frequency. 12. The generator of claim 1, wherein said stator voltage controller is configured to compare said stator voltage level signal against a voltage set-point, said stator voltage controller generating said stator voltage control signal to cause said stator voltage adjuster to vary said DC electrical current to said second rotor until said stator voltage matches said voltage set-point. 13. A generator for producing AC electrical power from a variable speed input, said generator comprising: an input shaft which is rotatable at variable rotational rates;a first rotor connected to said input shaft for rotation at variable rotation rates by said input shaft, said first rotor having a perimeter with a plurality of first rotor poles positioned thereabout, said rotor poles being configured to generate a magnetic field;a second rotor having a plurality of second rotor poles configured to magnetically interact with the magnetic field of said first rotor to be urged to rotate in the same direction of rotation of said first rotor;a stator placed concentrically around said second rotor, said stator having a plurality of windings positioned thereabout, said second rotor and said stator each being configured for the second rotor poles to induce an AC electrical power in said stator;a first source of DC electrical power connected to said first rotor to supply a DC electrical current thereto;a second source of DC electrical power connected to said second rotor to supply a DC electrical current thereto;a speed sensor positioned and configured to sense the rotation rate of said second rotor, said speed sensor configured to supply a second rotor rate signal reflective of said rotation rate of said second rotor;a speed adjuster connected to one of said first rotor, said second rotor and said first source of DC electrical power to vary said rotation rate of said second rotor;a speed controller connected to said speed sensor to receive said second rotor rate signal and connected to said speed adjuster to supply a speed control signal to said speed adjuster to vary said rate of rotation of said second rotor;a stator voltage sensor positioned and configured to sense said stator voltage, said stator voltage sensor configured to supply a stator voltage level signal reflective of said stator voltage;a stator voltage adjuster connected to said second rotor and said source of DC electrical power to vary said stator voltage; and,a stator voltage controller connected to said stator voltage sensor to receive said stator voltage level signal and connected to said stator voltage adjuster to supply a stator voltage control signal thereto to vary said stator voltage. 14. The generator of claim 13, wherein said speed controller is configured to compare said rotation rate of said second rotor received from said sensing sensor with a selected rotation rate, said speed controller generating said speed control signal to cause said speed adjuster to vary said DC electrical current to said first rotor and thereby urge said second rotor to rotate at said selected rotation rate. 15. The generator of claim 13, wherein said stator voltage controller is configured to compare said stator voltage level signal against a voltage set-point, said stator voltage controller generating said stator voltage control signal to cause said stator voltage adjuster to vary said DC electrical current to said second rotor until said stator voltage matches said voltage set-point. 16. The generator of claim 13, further comprising: a torque sensor positioned and configured to sense a torque between said first rotor and said second rotor, said torque sensor configured to supply a torque level signal reflective of said torque between said first rotor and said second rotor;a torque adjuster connected to one of said first rotor, said second rotor and said first source of DC electrical power to vary said torque; and,a torque controller connected to said torque sensor to receive said torque level signal and connected to said torque varying means to supply a torque control signal to said torque adjuster to vary said torque. 17. A generator for producing AC electrical power from a variable speed input, said generator comprising: an input shaft which is rotatable at variable rotational rates;a first rotor connected to said input shaft for rotation at variable rotation rates by said input shaft, said first rotor having a perimeter with a plurality of first rotor poles positioned thereabout, said rotor poles being configured to generate a magnetic field;a second rotor having a plurality of second rotor poles configured to magnetically interact with the magnetic field of said first rotor to be urged to rotate in the same direction of rotation of said first rotor;a stator placed concentrically around said second rotor, said stator having a plurality of windings positioned thereabout, said second rotor and said stator each being configured for the second rotor poles to induce an AC electrical power in said stator;a first source of DC electrical power connected to said first rotor to supply a DC electrical current thereto;a second source of DC electrical power connected to said second rotor to supply a DC electrical current thereto;a torque sensor positioned and configured to sense a torque between said first rotor and said second rotor, said torque sensor configured to supply a torque level signal reflective of said torque between said first rotor and said second rotor;a torque adjuster connected to one of said first rotor, said second rotor and said first source of DC electrical power to vary said torque;a torque controller connected to said torque sensor to receive said torque level signal and connected to said torque varying means to supply a torque control signal to said torque adjuster to vary said torque;a stator voltage sensor positioned and configured to sense said stator voltage, said stator voltage sensor configured to supply a stator voltage level signal reflective of said stator voltage;a stator voltage adjuster connected to said second rotor and said source of DC electrical power to vary said stator voltage; and,a stator voltage controller connected to said stator voltage sensor to receive said stator voltage level signal and connected to said stator voltage adjuster to supply a stator voltage control signal thereto to vary said stator voltage. 18. The generator of claim 17, wherein said torque controller is configured to supply a control signal to said torque adjuster to vary said torque to maintain said AC power induced in said stator at substantially a selected frequency. 19. The generator of claim 17, wherein said stator voltage controller is configured to compare said stator voltage level signal against a voltage set-point, said stator voltage controller generating said stator voltage control signal to cause said stator voltage adjuster to vary said DC electrical current to said second rotor until said stator voltage matches said voltage set-point. 20. The generator of claim 17, further comprising: a speed sensor positioned and configured to sense the rotation rate of said second rotor, said speed sensor configured to supply a second rotor rate signal reflective of said rotation rate of said second rotor;a speed adjuster connected to one of said first rotor, said second rotor and said first source of DC electrical power to vary said rotation rate of said second rotor; and,a speed controller connected to said speed sensor to receive said second rotor rate signal and connected to said speed adjuster to supply a speed control signal to said speed adjuster to vary said rate of rotation of said second rotor.