A controller for high torque, low RPM wind turbines and ocean current turbines. The turbine consists of a large, input power shaft-mounted, rotating bull-gear with stationary powertrains mounted around its periphery. The gear teeth on the bull-gear rotate past the teeth on pinions, causing the pinions to turn and delivering power to each smaller powertrain. A controller regulates torque experienced by each powertrain to assure that torques are balanced between generators at any given system load. The control method comprises the programmatically continuously looping steps of measuring a system parameter to be controlled, such as torque and/or speed, selecting the optimal number of generators to be connected/disconnected to a utility line, incrementally connecting or disconnecting generators to achieve the point of optimal performance, measuring the parameters, such as current and/or voltage, of the connected generators and adjusting the generator parameters to fine tune the system for optimal performance.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of US Provisional Patent Application No. 60/313,725 Filed: Aug. 21, 2001, and is related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,731,017 entitled "Improved Distributed Powertrain That Increases Electric Power Generator Density" filed Aug. 7, 2002, and granted May 4, 2004, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
