Patent ID: 7078825

Claim:
A microturbine engine system operable in one of stand-alone mode and grid-parallel mode to deliver electrical power to a load, the microturbine engine system comprising: a compressor operable to produce a flow of compressed air; a combustor receiving the flow of compressed air and a flow of fuel, the combustor combusting the flow of compressed air and the flow of fuel to produce a flow of products of combustion; a radial-flow turbine driven by the flow of products of combustion from the combustor; a synchronous generator coupled to the turbine, the synchronous generator driven by the turbine at a speed to produce an electrical power having a frequency, at least a portion of the electrical power delivered to the load; and a control system; wherein the control system is operable to maintain the power delivered to the load within a predetermined load range when operating in grid-parallel mode and is operable to maintain the frequency within a predetermined frequency range when operating in stand-alone mode.