Under the present method of generation of electricity, the common practice of the utility companies is to have banks of generators operated by low speed steam turbines that are producing electricity at a regular consumption rate. For the peak demand periods, additional generators are maintained on a standby basis and are employed during the peak periods. The common prime movers for such generators are gas turbines because they can be put on the line on extremely short notice so as to meet the sudden surge in the power demands of the consumers. Low speed turbines strictly controlled to rotate at 3,600 RPM show a productive output per unit of fuel burned (heat generation) of some 34%. A high-speed turbine has a productive output of over 38%. However, gearing a high-speed turbine to provide 3,600 RPM to a generator causes a loss of some 8% in transmission gears. For this reason only low speed turbines are used by utilities. The gas turbines are substantially less efficient putting out some 25% of heat generated as electric energy. Thus, the kilowatt-hour production during peak hours is costing utilities some 136% per kilowatt-hour of the normal production. With the AC Synchronized VSI Generator operating at any speed and capable in the design of producing an increased output of energy through acceleration, the auxiliary generators will no longer be necessary and high-speed turbines can be exploited. To illustrate the difference in figures, if we assume that the current cost of production of one-kilowatt hour is one hundred something... then the peak production will make the cost of power to be 136. So that during the peak hours we will have a combination of 100-kilowatt hour cost and 136 kilowatt cost. If we assume that the increase in production was 30% and lasted four out of twenty-four hours, every day, then the total average production costs per kilowatt-hour will be 103. With the AC Synchronized VSI Generator using a high-speed turbine, which is 11.8% more efficient than the conventional low speed turbine, using the same 100 as the base cost of kilowatt-hour, the cost will be 84.74. With the same generator to generators being capable of an increased output, there will be no need for auxiliary generators and gas turbines so that the increased production during peak hours will maintain the same cost of 84.74 per kilowatt-hour. Thus, disregarding the exotic devices for generating power, such as windmills, geothermal power, etc., if the AC Synchronized VSI Generator were utilized today, in all fossil-fuel plants, and were producing power at current levels, the reduced fuel consumption would mean that the present consumption with the conventional generators would be 21.55% higher than the AC Synchronized VSI Generator. For example: AC Synchronized VSI Generators consuming 100 barrels of oil a day will be producing the same power that the conventional generators would produce with 121.55 barrels of oil. Needless to say that in addition to more economical consumption of fuel, this would substantially effect the importation of foreign oil into the country. The VSI Generator can be applied very easily to conventional oil and gas powered turbines. It will produce a higher output of electrical energy than a conventional generator given the same amount of fuel. The Following graphs are in regard to the question of prime mover (turbine) efficiency:
The VSI Generator increases efficiency, that is it eliminates the need to start an additional unit to produce power when the original unit reaches capacity. For example: In a standard power plant with a capacity of 100kW, if the demand exceeded 100kW the plant would have to put another unit on line to meet the demand. With a 100kW VSI Generator running in the same plant, all the plant would have to do is increase the output speed of the turbine (prime mover) and the VSI Generator would pick up the load to a maximum output capacity of approximately 120kW. This 20% increase in output coupled to the savings to the plant operator of not having to fire up another generator produces the increase in efficiency. |
