Cooling and control of a load bank used in a power generation system

摘要

A power generation system that may include a generator having an alternator and an internal combustion engine configured to drive the alternator to generate power. The alternator may convert the mechanical energy created by the engine to electrical energy, such as alternating current. The generator may supply the electrical energy from the alternator to various devices which may be connected with the alternator. The power generation system may further include a load bank. The load bank may include one or more resistive elements, inductive elements, capacitive elements, or combinations of elements. The power generation system may include a cooling system that may remove heat from one or both the internal combustion engine and the load bank. The cooling system may include a liquid that passes through various components of the internal combustion engine to transfer the heat to or from the engine and the load bank.

主权项

1. A power generation system comprising:
a generator that includes an alternator and an internal combustion engine that drives the alternator to generate power; a load bank configured to selectively absorb power from the generator; a cooling system that includes a liquid, the cooling system configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes; and a controller that manipulates the liquid in the cooling system based on the operating mode of the cooling system , where the operating modes include a warm-up mode, a low load mode and a high load mode; where the liquid receives heat from the load bank and supplies heat to the engine in the warm up mode; where the liquid receives heat from the load bank, receives heat from engine and supplies heat to a heat exchanger in the low load mode; and where the liquid receives heat from engine and supplies heat to the heat exchanger in the high load mode without receiving heat from the load bank.