Patent ID: 6906432

Claim:
A system for generating electrical power for supply to a load, comprising: an air-breathing engine mechanically communicating with a movable shaft, the engine being structured and arranged to receive a mixture of air and fuel and burn the mixture such that the mixture expands and creates mechanical power that is used to drive the shaft; a fuel system coupled with the engine and operable to supply fuel to the engine, the fuel system being responsive to a fuel control signal to vary a rate of fuel flow to the engine; at least one engine sensor operable to measure at least one thermodynamic variable associated with the engine that is indicative of a relative thermodynamic efficiency of the engine; an electrical generator coupled to the shaft such that movement of the shaft by the engine causes the generator to operate to create an alternating electrical current, the engine, shaft, and generator being connected such that a change in speed of the generator causes a corresponding change in speed of the engine and hence a change in rate of air flow through the engine; a power electronics unit coupled to the generator for receiving the alternating electrical current therefrom and operable to synthesize an alternating output current and voltage at a predetermined frequency and relative phase for supply to the load; a generator power sensor operable to measure power output from generator; a load power sensor operable to measure power demanded by the load; and a controller operably connected to the fuel system, to the at least one engine sensor, to the power electronics unit, to the generator power sensor, and to the load power sensor, the controller being operable to control the fuel system so as to cause the power output from the system to substantially match the power demanded by the load, and simultaneously to electrically control the generator to regulate speed thereof so as to control air flow rate through the engine in such a manner that fuel/air ratio of the mixture burned in the engine is controlled to substantially maximize the relative thermodynamic efficiency of the engine.