Patent ID: 6960840

Claim:
A turbogenerator system, comprising: a turbine; a compressor; a motor/generator; a common shaft on which the turbine, compressor and motor/generator are mounted for rotation; a primary combustor downstream of said compressor, said primary combustor having an exhaust gas outlet applied to the turbine to rotate the common shaft, the compressor and motor/generator, said primary combustor being a flame combustor; a source of fuel for providing fuel to the primary combustor; a catalytic reactor downstream of said turbine for reducing unburned hydrocarbons in said exhaust gases; a recuperator for transferring heat from said exhaust gases to compressed gas applied by said compressor to said primary combustor; a DC bus connected between said motor/generator and a load; and a power controller for independently controlling a speed of said common shaft, an operating temperature of said turbogenerator and a voltage on said DC bus, wherein said power controller further comprises: a bi-directional generator power converter connected between said motor/generator and said DC bus for converting AC power from said motor/generator for application to said DC bus and for converting DC power from said DC bus for application to said motor/generator; and a speed control loop responsive to a measured value related to a rotational speed of said common shaft and the turbine, compressor and motor/generator mounted thereon for controlling said rotational speed at a predetermined speed set point by operating said bi-directional generator power converter to apply power from said motor/generator to said DC bus and from said DC bus to said motor/generator.