[time-nuts] Optical time sync

[Hal Murray]

> I assume that this would have to be locked to the grid frequency
> somehow  - can't see all that power being rectified then sent out
> through a  grid-locked inverter. 

Why not?

Diesel-electric locomotives do electrical conversions because it's more 
efficient than mechanical gears.

Some high voltage transmission lines are DC.  The conversion sites on each 
end must be interesting.

This article
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbine_design#Generating_electricity
says:

Older style wind generators rotate at a constant speed, to match power line 
frequency, which allowed the use of less costly induction generators. Newer 
wind turbines often turn at whatever speed generates electricity most 
efficiently. This can be solved using multiple technologies such as doubly 
fed induction generators or full-effect converters where the variable 
frequency current produced is converted to DC and then back to AC, matching 
the line frequency and voltage. Although such alternatives require costly 
equipment and cause power loss, the turbine can capture a significantly 
larger fraction of the wind energy.


-- 
These are my opinions, not necessarily my employer's.  I hate spam.