ABB RESEARCH LTD Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150333966 | DETERMINING THENETWORK TOPOLOGY OF A COMMUNICATION NETWORK - A network management agent, device or module determine the network topology of a communication network based on at least one neighbor network or end device identity and corresponding network link communication delay collected from, determined by, and stored in a Management Information Base of, at least one first network device of the communication network. Neighbor identities and communication delays are determined according to the IEEE 1588 standard. | 11-19-2015 |
20150319630 | A METHOD FOR PROVIDING RELIABLE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION IN A WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK - A method for communication between a wireless device node in a wireless sensor network (WSN) and control apparatus or control processes of an industrial control system is used to determine a method of radio transmission which provides a greater or a lesser measure of transmission quality between nodes. Thus a transmitter node measures a transmission quality metric of at least one packet received from two or more different switching branches, identifies which of the two or more switching branches has the greater transmission quality metric, distributes data packets with a first priority to the switching branch with the greater transmission quality metric, and transmits data packets with the first priority such as real-time data on the switching branch with the greater transmission quality metric. A wireless node, a sensor network system and a computer program for carrying out the method are described. | 11-05-2015 |
20150293550 | LOAD RESTORATION FOR FEEDER AUTOMATION IN ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS - A method and system restores power in a power distribution network. The network includes a plurality of power sources, a plurality of loading zones, a plurality of switching devices interconnected between the plurality of power sources and the plurality of loading zones, and an intelligent electronic device associated with each of the plurality of switching devices to control the switching devices. A base network state is defined and a power restoration logic is created for the base network state. A simulation is run for the power restoration logic and then the power restoration logic is transmitted to a power restoration controller which thereafter monitors and controls the intelligent electronic devices. | 10-15-2015 |
20150280523 | ELECTRICAL MACHINE ROTORS - Rotors for electrical machines and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. Electrical machine rotors may include a hollow non-magnetic shaft, an active region, and a plurality of coolant passages extending within the active region. The hollow non-magnetic shaft may extend along an axis and have an exterior surface that defines a shaft space extending along the axis. At least a portion of the active region may be disposed within the shaft space. | 10-01-2015 |
20150275966 | ROTORS FOR ROTATING MACHINES - Rotating machines and rotors therefor are disclosed. The bearings may be magnetic bearings configured to magnetically levitate the rotor. The rotors may include a hollow fiber-reinforced composite shaft and a magnetic bearing rotor core disposed on the shaft and configured for use with the magnetic bearing. In some examples, the rotating machines may be electrical machines. | 10-01-2015 |
20150270697 | SELF SUPPLIED PROTECTION RELAY WITH A MODULE TO BOOST PERFORMANCE - A protection relay is disclosed that generates a trip signal to operate a circuit breaker in case of a fault condition. A first module provides measurement and analysis of power parameters of the power line connecting the power equipment that is being protected, the protection being provided by generating a first trip signal for operating a circuit breaker connected in the power line. One or more second modules can boost performance of the protection relay by measurement and analysis of power parameters-to generate a second trip signal for operating a circuit breaker connected in the power line. The first trip signal and the second trip signal are logically combined to generate a trip signal that operates the circuit breaker. | 09-24-2015 |
20150248951 | RADIAL WATER BARRIER AND A DYNAMIC HIGH VOLTAGE SUBMARINE CABLE FOR DEEP WATER APPLICATIONS - A radial water barrier is provided for a dynamic high-voltage submarine cable. The water barrier includes a corrugated metal tube having an inner diameter in a range of 50-90 mm and a corrugation pitch in a range of 6-10 mm. The metal tube has a wall thickness in a range of 0.7-1 mm and a corrugation depth of more than 6 mm. | 09-03-2015 |
20150244635 | PACKET PRIORITIZING IN AN INDUSTRIAL WIRELESS NETWORK - A wireless communication device providing a node in the network includes a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, a transmission buffer, and a packet prioritizing unit configured to obtain data relating to packets to be transmitted in the network, obtain indications of the remaining lifetime of the packets, where the indications are based on the time needed for reaching a destination node, prioritize the packets according to the remaining life time indications, where the prioritization is made in ascending order from an indication of a low remaining life time to a high remaining lifetime, and place the packets in the transmission buffer for transmission according to the prioritization. | 08-27-2015 |
20150222520 | LATENCY DETERMINATION IN SUBSTATION NETWORKS - The present disclosure relates to latency determination in a substation network. One aspect relates to a method being performed in a first electronic device of the substation network. Another aspect relates to a method being performed in a relay device of the substation network. Yet another aspect relates to a method being performed in a second electronic device of the substation network. Latency is determined using a precision time protocol, such as the IEEE 1588v2 protocol. However, no GPS based master clock timing is required. Instead at least one data value is included as payload in a message of the precision time protocol. The relay device adds a residence time duration and a link latency to the message. The message is then forwarded to the second electronic device. A corresponding first electronic device, relay device, and second electronic device as well as a computer program and computer program product are also provided. | 08-06-2015 |
20150199842 | VISUALIZATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL POWER DISTRIBUTION DATA - Exemplary methods and systems visualize or contour a power distribution system state by displaying to an operator output data values interpolated at output data locations from input data including distributed input data sensor locations in three dimensions and corresponding dynamically updated input data values. The method includes defining triangles in the volume, and determining, for each triangle, closest input data locations according to a closeness criteria. The method also includes projecting each triangle onto a visualization plane, and determining, for an output data location on the visualization plane at least one triangle, the projection of which includes the output data location. The method interpolates, for the output data location, the input data values of the closest input data locations of each of the at least one determined triangle to generate an output data value corresponding to the output data location. | 07-16-2015 |
20150192918 | OPERATING A PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLER - A programmable logic controller for an industrial control system is disclosed which includes an application logic execution layer and at least one of an update checking layer and an output checking layer. The application logic layer is configured for processing sensor input data to generate an output parameter for an actuator. The output checking layer is configured for outputting only an allowed output parameter to the actuator. The update checking layer is configured for verifying whether application logic update defined by application logic update data corresponds to an application logic update in a list of allowed logic updates, and the application logic is updated only if the update data is allowed application logic update data. | 07-09-2015 |
20150177734 | METHOD AND EAR PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AN INDUSTRIAL PROCESS - A method of monitoring an industrial process by means of an ear protection system having an ear protection unit with a left speaker and a right speaker includes obtaining a direction from which a sound is to be provided based on an angle between a coordinate system defined by the ear protection unit and a coordinate system defined by an industrial process environment of the industrial process, and on a location of the origin of the coordinate system of the ear protection unit in the coordinate system of the industrial process environment relative a location of an industrial process component in the coordinate system of the industrial process environment; obtaining real-time process variable data relating to at least one process variable of the industrial process component; and providing a 3-d sound that simulates an origination from the direction by means of at least one of the left speaker and the right speaker, which 3-d sound is indicative of a state of the industrial process component, wherein the 3-d sound simulates a realistic sound of the at least one process variable, reflecting a real-time state of the at least one process variable. An ear protection system carrying out the method is also presented herein. | 06-25-2015 |
20150177733 | METHOD AND SENSOR NODE NETWORK INTERFACE SYSTEM FOR WIRELESS CONTROL OF AN INDUSTRIAL PROCESS - A method of allocating time slots for sensor node sample transmission from sensor nodes in a wireless sensor node network which forms part of a control system for controlling an industrial process includes receiving a sample from a first sensor node in a first time slot of a superframe, which first sample has a value outside an accepted range of values, obtaining an identification of a second time slot of the superframe in which second time slot the first sensor node is to send a further sample in a subsequent superframe, and providing instructions to the first sensor node to send the further sample in the second time slot of a subsequent superframe. A computer program product and a sensor node network interface system are also disclosed herein. | 06-25-2015 |
20150177718 | PRESENTING PROCESS DATA OF A PROCESS CONTROL OBJECT ON A MOBILE TERMINAL - A method, presentation control arrangement and a computer program product enables a user of a process control system to obtain details of a process control object. Distances between a mobile terminal of the user and process control objects in an area around the mobile terminal are determined as well as the closest process control object to the mobile terminal, process data of this object is obtained and presented together with a representation of the object on a display of the mobile terminal, where the representation of the closest process control object is emphasized compared with the presentation of other process control objects and the amount of process data being presented is dependent on the distance between the mobile terminal and the process control object. | 06-25-2015 |
20150156181 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR SECURITY KEY RENEWAL IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A method is provided for security key renewal performed in a key management device of a communication system. The communication system includes two or more communication devices communicating data packets by using a first security key for transmission and reception. The method includes transmitting, to the two or more communication devices, a second security key for transmission and reception of the data packets; transmitting, to the two or more communication devices, an activation message for activating use of the second security key for reception of the data packets; transmitting, to the two or more communication devices, an activation message for activating use of the second security key for transmission of the data packets; transmitting, to the two or more communication devices; a deactivation message for deactivating use of the first security key for transmission of the data packets; and transmitting, to the two or more communication devices, a deactivation message for deactivating use of the first security key for reception of the data packets. | 06-04-2015 |
20150156070 | DETERMINATION OF COMMUNICATION ROUTES IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK - A network manager device in an industrial wireless network sends a network investigating message to other network nodes for processing and forwarding through the network, the message including a message weight. A wireless communication device providing a node in the network receives the message from another network node, determines a communication weight based on the quality of communication, adds the communication weight to the message weight and compares the sum with the node weight. If the sum is lower than the node weight, it is set as new node weight and as new message weight, whereupon the changed message is sent to other nodes in the network. The network manager device maps the topology of the network based on updated node weights, sets a communication scheduling scheme based on the mapped topology and informs the network nodes of the scheme. | 06-04-2015 |
20150131342 | MULTI TERMINAL HVDC CONTROL - An exemplary Multi-Terminal High Voltage Direct Current (MTDC) system includes at least three terminals, where each terminal including a Voltage Source Converter (VSC) controlled by a VSC controller. A method for controlling the MTDC system includes providing a converter schedule including at least one of a desired power flow value and a DC voltage; determining, by a MTDC master controller, a present state of the MTDC system including a dynamic topology of the MTDC system; determining, by the MTDC master controller, based on the present state of the MTDC system, based on the schedule and based on MTDC system constraints, VSC controller parameters including droop settings for local control by the VSC controllers; and transmitting the VSC controller parameters to the VSC controllers. | 05-14-2015 |
20150129158 | THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM WITH AN INTERMEDIATE STORAGE TANK AND METHOD FOR STORING THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY - A system and method are provided for storing electric energy in the form of thermal energy. A thermoelectric energy storage system includes a working fluid circuit for circulating a working fluid through a heat exchanger, and a thermal storage medium circuit for circulating a thermal storage medium. The thermal storage medium circuit includes at least one hot storage tank, an intermediate temperature storage tank, and a cold storage tank connected together via the heat exchanger. A proportion of the storage medium is redirected to or from the intermediate storage tank from or to the hot or cold storage tank, joining another proportion which flows directly between the cold and hot storage tank. | 05-14-2015 |
20150121084 | SECURE MESSAGE TRANSMISSION - A method and system are provided for securing messages within a communication network of an industrial process control system, such as a substation automation system. A multi-block message to be transmitted via a communication network is secured by a block-based authentication, encryption and/or integrity information. Only residue of the previous block in the form of block-based information is needed to generate the block based information of the next block. Therefore, the previous block can already be transmitted while block-based information of the next block is generated. The method and system of the present disclosure enable on-the-fly authentication of the multi-block message and authentication at an increased rate. | 04-30-2015 |
20150116498 | PRESENTING PROCESS DATA OF A PROCESS CONTROL OBJECT ON A MOBILE TERMINAL - A method, video control arrangement and a computer program product are provided for determining objects present in a process control system. The video control arrangement includes an object determining unit configured to order a group of video cameras, including at least one video camera, to repeatedly scan an area in order to obtain a set of video streams, determine if there are any new objects associated with the process control system in the area through detecting object identifiers of objects in the video streams, determine if a detected new object is stationary or mobile, report the detected object to a process control server and register stationary objects as process control objects. | 04-30-2015 |
20150116482 | OBJECT INSPECTION IN AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT - A method, inspecting device and computer program product enable a user in an industrial plant to inspect an object of the plant. The inspecting device is provided in a mobile terminal equipped with a viewfinder and being configured to guide the user to the location of the object in the plant, and present a reference image of the object in the viewfinder of the mobile terminal when the location of the object has been reached in order to allow the user to capture an image of the object. | 04-30-2015 |
20150115721 | POWER SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING A POWER SYSTEM - A power system includes a power generating plant including a plurality of power generators, and an AC collection grid adapted to interconnect the power generating plant and an HVDC converter station. The AC collection grid is adapted to operate outside network regulations, whereby advantages such as simplified control and electronics are achieved. A method of operating a power system is also provided. | 04-30-2015 |
20150102936 | GUIDING A USER TO SAFETY FROM THE PREMISES OF AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT - A method, safety route guiding device and a computer program product enables users in the premises of an industrial plant to reach safety in case of an emergency, where said users are equipped with mobile terminals, where the safety route guiding device includes a guiding unit that receives alarm data concerning an emergency in a clearance zone of the premises, the alarm data being relevant for a user of a mobile terminal, obtains data of a set of other users affected by the emergency, guides the user from the clearance zone to a security zone outside the premises, obtains status data concerning the other users in the set, and presents the status data to the user via the mobile terminal. | 04-16-2015 |
20150085415 | PASSIVE CIRCUIT FOR IMPROVED FAILURE MODE HANDLING IN POWER ELECTRONICS MODULES - A power electronics module for enhancing short circuit failure mode (SCFM) transitions. The module is adapted to disconnect a gate unit from the module using a first switch, upon a failure of at least one of a plurality of semiconductor chips during which the failed chip enters an SCFM, and connect a passive circuit arrangement, including at least one capacitor and at least one resistor, to the module using a second switch. The passive circuit arrangement is adapted to switch on at least one of the remaining non-failed semiconductor chips. | 03-26-2015 |
20150033772 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COOLING ELECTRIC COMPONENTS - An apparatus is disclosed which includes a generator receiving a heat load from first electric components, an evaporator for receiving a heat load from second electric components, a tight enclosure, and an absorber-condenser arranged outside of the tight enclosure. For efficient cooling of the apparatus, one or more of the generator, evaporator and absorber-condenser is entirely or partly manufactured of aluminum. The inert and refrigerant can be selected such that R134a is used as the inert and butane as the refrigerant fluid, or R32 is used as the inert and cyclopropane is used as the refrigerant, and the absorber is selected to include an alkyl acetamide, a carbonate ester or a glycol ester. | 02-05-2015 |
20140369093 | ADAPTIVE RCD SNUBBER AND METHOD FOR SWITCHING CONVERTER - Exemplary embodiments provide a method and an adaptive RCD snubber circuit for a switching converter having a series-connection of a main inductor and a main switching device. A voltage stress of the main switching device is sensed, and the sensed voltage stress is controlled to a reference level by controlling a snubber capacitor voltage, wherein the snubber capacitor voltage is controlled by adjusting the snubber resistance of the RCD snubber. | 12-18-2014 |
20140352927 | APPARATUS - The present disclosure relates to an apparatus having an evaporator with a base plate having a first surface for receiving a heat load from one or more electric components, tubes that partly penetrate into the base plate via a second surface of the base plate for providing evaporator channels which are embedded into the base plate and condenser channels which are located outside of the base plate. In order to obtain a compact and efficient apparatus, the connecting parts can include hollow sections located within the tubes, each hollow section connecting the channels of a tube to each other in a vicinity of an end of the tube in order to allow fluid to flow between the channels of the tube via the hollow section. | 12-04-2014 |
20140343895 | MONITORING OF PRIMARY DEVICES IN A POWER SYSTEM - For monitoring diagnostic rules of a power system, an exemplary method is disclosed and includes collecting operational diagnostic data from a first primary device; identifying a change of a diagnostic indicator based on the operational diagnostic data; adapting a diagnostic rule to the identified change, wherein the diagnostic rule is applicable to the diagnostic data for determining a diagnostic warning which indicates a diagnostic state of a primary device; and providing a diagnostic warning of a second primary device by applying the adapted diagnostic rule to operational diagnostic data collected for the second primary device. | 11-20-2014 |
20140343732 | DYNAMIC CONFIGURATION OF AN INDUSTRIAL CONTROL SYSTEM - A controller module, method, and a non-transitory computer program product are disclosed for the dynamic configuration of an industrial control system, which can include a current settings receiver configured to receive current configuration and security settings of the industrial control system, a changed settings receiver configured to receive changed configuration settings of the industrial control system, a settings analyzer configured to determine, based on the current configuration and security settings and the changed configuration settings, updated configuration and security settings of the industrial control system, and a dynamic activator configured to dynamically establish at least one communication path in order to activate updated configuration and security settings of the industrial control system. | 11-20-2014 |
20140334207 | CONTROLLING AN ELECTRICAL CONVERTER - A method, a computer-readable medium for controlling an electrical converter, and a controller are disclosed. The method for controlling an electrical converter can include receiving an actual switching state u | 11-13-2014 |
20140329023 | METHOD OF PRODUCING HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL INSULATION - Method of producing a high voltage electrical insulation, in that (i) an ultra-violet radiation as well as thermally curable composition, comprising at least one UV-curable and heat-curable epoxy resin, at least one cationic photo-initiator and at least one cationic thermal-initiator, is provided, and that (ii) ultraviolet radiation as well as heat is applied to the curable composition in any desired sequence for a time long enough until complete curing of the curable composition is obtained and products obtained. | 11-06-2014 |
20140317113 | TABULAR DATA PARSING IN DOCUMENT(S) - One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for parsing tabular data of a document. That is, a document may comprise arbitrarily formatted content (e.g., an equipment inspection report generated by an engineer). Respective rows of the document may be clustered into one or more row clusters based upon row proximity and/or numeric content (e.g., rows having similar numeric content may comprise logically related information). One or more vertical clusters may be generated within respective row clusters based upon vertical overlap. In this way, row clusters and/or vertical clusters may be searched for one or more values that may be assigned to a search term. For example, a row cluster may comprise a search term “Average temp”. One or more vertical clusters within the row cluster may be searched for a word that matches a pattern criteria (e.g., a two digit number), which may be assigned to the search term. | 10-23-2014 |
20140316598 | Method and Apparatus for Managing Demand Response Resources in a Power Distribution Network - In one aspect of the teachings herein, demand responsive loads are selected for involvement in a given DR event using an advantageous approach to selection that is based on using a mathematical network model to evaluate power loss in a power distribution network as a function of different combinations of demand responsive load selections and corresponding load reduction values. The mathematical network model comprises a mathematical representation of the power distribution network as a multi-phase unbalanced distribution network, including mathematical representations of the physical components in the power distribution network and the connecting relationships of those components. As overall power loss in the system is a function of different combinations of demand responsive load selections, the mathematical network model is used to evaluate system power loss under different demand response load selections, in a manner that automatically accommodates mesh networks and other complex network topologies, distributed generation sources, etc. | 10-23-2014 |
20140313796 | CONVERTER VALVE - A converter valve unit including a plurality of parallel connected controllable semiconducting elements. A free-wheeling diode is connected in anti-parallel with each semiconducting element. A control unit is configured to control each semiconducting element. A current sensor is connected to each of the parallel connected semiconducting elements. The current sensor is configured to sense a current of each semiconducting element by measuring a voltage over the current sensor. A differentiator is configured to compare the currents of the semiconducting elements by comparing the voltages. Upon detecting an unbalance in the currents the differentiator sends a turn-on signal to all control units to control all the semiconducting elements of the valve unit into a conducting stage. | 10-23-2014 |
20140313627 | ACTIVE SNUBBER TOPOLOGY - Exemplary embodiments are directed to an snubber circuit and a power converter having an active circuit. The snubber circuit includes a series connection of a first diode and a first inductor connected between a first interfacing point and a first connection point, a second diode connected between a second connection point and a second interfacing point, a series connection of a third diode and a second inductor between a third interfacing point and the second connection point, a switching device connected between the first connection point and the third interfacing point, and a first capacitor connected between the first connection point and the second connection point. The first, the second, and the third diode are forward-biased along a path between the first interfacing point and the second interfacing point and through the third interfacing point. | 10-23-2014 |
20140310435 | RELAY INTERFACE MODULE FOR A DISTRIBUTED CONTROL SYSTEM - A relay interface module that is commutatively connectable to at least one I/O device and a controller, wherein the relay interface module is configured to provide data from the I/O device to at least one controller in a distributed control system (DCS) via a communication interface. An application related to a particular I/O device may then be executed freely on any controller present in a DCS without losing real time connection with the associated I/O device. Data can be transferred from an I/O device to an associated application executed on a controller such that the real time connection between the I/O device and the application being executed is maintained. | 10-16-2014 |
20140304403 | VALIDATION OF A COMMUNICATION NETWORK OF AN INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION AND CONTROL SYSTEM - A unit is disclosed for validating a communication network of an industrial automation and control system. The validation unit can include a planner module configured to store plan data defining a designed communication network of an industrial automation and control system, and a collector module configured to collect effective data defining a deployed communication network of the industrial automation and control system. A difference detector can detect differences between the designed communication network and the deployed communication network using the plan data and the effective data such that faults or errors in a deployed communication network of the industrial automation and control system can be efficiently detected. | 10-09-2014 |
20140303918 | HANDLING RESONANCES IN A POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A method, resonance handling device and computer program product are disclosed for handling resonances in a power transmission system. The resonance handling device can include a resonance frequency determining unit configured to obtain measurements (y | 10-09-2014 |
20140285154 | Systems and Methods for Restoring Service Within Electrical Power Systems - Systems and methods for restoring service within electrical power systems are disclosed. The methods may include identifying a restoration path for an outage area within a power system, selecting a mobile energy resource connection site that is electrically connected to at least one of the restoration path and the outage area, sending power injection requests to a plurality of mobile energy resources, at least some of which may be proximate the connection site, receiving power injection acceptances from participating ones of the plurality of mobile energy resources, and implementing the restoration path. The systems may include a processor and a computer readable storage medium having a plurality of machine-readable instructions embodied thereon and con figured for execution by the processor to carryout the method. | 09-25-2014 |
20140279948 | INDUSTRIAL ASSET EVENT CHRONOLOGY - Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for developing a timeline chronicling events pertaining to an industrial asset. Data is received from a plurality of assets, processed (e.g., to reduce duplicative and/or redundant data), and organized chronologically for presentation in a timeline. The data is further grouped and/or prioritized to display some portions of the data more prominently relative to other portions of the data in the timeline (e.g., which may be hidden). Grouping rules and/or prioritization rules for grouping and/or prioritizing the data may be a function of user interaction with the timeline and/or a function of a machine learning algorithm which may be configured to identify patterns in how users interact with the timeline based upon, among other things, a role the user plays relative to the industrial asset and/or an operating state of the industrial asset. | 09-18-2014 |
20140277674 | SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING PAPER SHEET QUALITY PARAMETERS - A non-contact sensor system and method are disclosed for determining paper sheet quality parameters such as caliper, basis weight and sheet moisture based on THz radiation. The method can include emitting, by an emitter system, a THz radiation signal towards paper sheet material such that the THz radiation interacts with the paper sheet material; detecting, by a detector system, a time and/or frequency dependent response of the THz radiation signal having interacted with the paper sheet material; determining model parameters of a physical model by optimizing the model parameters such that a predicted response of the physical model is fitted to the detected response, the model parameters being indicative of transmission and/or reflection coefficients at interfaces of the paper sheet material with surrounding media; and determining, from the determined model parameters, at least some of the paper sheet quality parameters. | 09-18-2014 |
20140273261 | SENSOR ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR SENSING STATUS CONDITION OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT - A sensor assembly is disclosed for sensing a status condition of a liquid-filled electrical equipment such as a transformer. The sensor assembly can include a light source; a first hydrogen detection section, the first hydrogen detection section being optically coupled to the light source for receiving light from the light source, wherein the first hydrogen detection section has a first hydrogen sensitive layer that changes an optical response with respect to the received light depending on whether an amount of hydrogen at the first hydrogen sensitive layer is above or below a first threshold; and a first output section optically coupled to the first hydrogen detection section for receiving light having interacted with the first hydrogen sensitive layer such that the received light depends on the optical response of the first hydrogen sensitive layer. | 09-18-2014 |
20140241016 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THREE-PHASE CURRENT - Exemplary embodiments are directed to methods and systems for producing a three-phase current to a three-phase output. Switching converters are used to generate a positive current, a negative current, and an intermediate current. The system is configured such that the produced positive current follows a path of a highest phase of a sinusoidal three-phase signal at a given time, the produced negative current follows a path of a lowest phase of the three-phase signal at the given time, and the produced intermediate current follows a path of a phase of the three-phase signal between the highest and the lowest phase at the given time. The produced currents are switched to each phase conductor of the three-phase output in sequence so that phase currents of the three-phase current are formed in the output conductors. | 08-28-2014 |
20140236316 | METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR TUNING MULTIVARIABLE PID CONTROLLER - A method and system are disclosed for tuning a Multivariable Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller in a process plant. The plant can have at least one PID controller for controlling the processes of the plant. The method can include formulating Model Predictive Control (MPC) for the process model of the plant; obtaining a desired (e.g., optimal control) solution for at least one designated (e.g., critical) region in relation to the MPC; determining PID tuning parameters corresponding to the control solution; and tuning the PID controller with the PID tuning parameters. | 08-21-2014 |
20140230485 | COOLING APPARATUS - A cooling apparatus for electric equipment includes a generator configured to receive a heat load from first electric components, a evaporator configured to receive a heat load from second electric components, a closed compartment enclosing the generator and evaporator, and a absorber transferring heat from heated fluid to the outside of the closed compartment. To obtain an efficient and reliable cooling apparatus, the cooling apparatus includes a first expansion device which reduces the pressure of the fluid, and forwards the fluid in a liquid state and with a lower pressure to the secondary cooling element, which transfers heat to the received fluid from the second electric components for evaporating the fluid. | 08-21-2014 |
20140230478 | COOLING APPARATUS - A cooling apparatus includes a generator for receiving a first heat load from first electric components, a evaporator for receiving a second heat load from second electric components, a closed compartment enclosing the generator and evaporator, and a third cooling element arranged outside of the closed compartment for receiving heated fluid from at least one of the generator and evaporator and for transferring heat from the heated fluid to outside of the closed compartment. To obtain an efficient and reliable cooling apparatus, a flow channel of the evaporator is configured to receive a fluid in a liquid state and a fluid in a gas state, where the fluid in the gas state reduces a partial pressure of the fluid in a liquid state and the temperature required for evaporating the fluid in the liquid state, such that the fluid in the liquid state is evaporated. | 08-21-2014 |
20140198533 | Bidirectional Power Conversion with Fault-Handling Capability - A power conversion system includes a unipolar bidirectional power converter with DC terminals and a first controller, and a bipolar bidirectional power converter with DC terminals connected in series with the DC terminals of the unipolar bidirectional power converter and a second controller. The first controller is operable to cause only a positive-valued DC voltage across the DC terminals. The second controller is operable to cause a positive-valued or negative-valued DC voltage across the DC terminals of the bipolar bidirectional power converter so that a total voltage of the power conversion system is the sum of the positive-valued or negative-valued DC voltage across the DC terminals of the bipolar bidirectional power converter and the positive-valued DC voltage across the DC terminals of the unipolar bidirectional power converter. | 07-17-2014 |
20140176936 | SENSOR ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE HYDROGEN AND MOISTURE CONTENT OF TRANSFORMER OIL - A sensor assembly senses hydrogen and moisture content of insulation liquid of a liquid-filled electrical equipment. The sensor assembly includes a radiation source for emitting electromagnetic radiation, a water detection section for receiving a water-containing component of the liquid when the assembly is in operational connection with the electrical equipment and for being illuminated by electromagnetic radiation from the radiation source, a first detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation from the water detection section at a wavelength indicative of an amount of water present at the water detection section, a hydrogen detection section for receiving a hydrogen-containing component of the liquid when the assembly is in operational connection with the electrical equipment and for being illuminated by electromagnetic radiation from the radiation source, and a second detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation from the hydrogen detection section at a wavelength indicative of an amount of hydrogen present at the hydrogen detection section. | 06-26-2014 |
20140174787 | INSULATOR FOR HIGH-VOLTAGE GAS INSULATED SWITCH GEAR - An insulator for a gas insulated device and method of making and/or producing the insulator are disclosed. The insulator includes an injection molded insulator disc and a conductor. The insulator disc includes a center opening encompassed by an inner bead inside which the conductor is arranged. The insulator disc includes, for example, a first material which is injection molded onto the conductor. | 06-26-2014 |
20140168840 | GATE CONTROL CIRCUIT, POWER MODULE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD - It is presented a gate control circuit comprising: a main gate unit arranged to supply, via a plurality of main gate unit outputs, a gate signal to respective gates of a plurality of power switches, for controlling a main current; and an auxiliary gate unit comprising an optical power converter for converting incoming optical power to an auxiliary electrical gate signal. The auxiliary gate unit is arranged to, when a failure occurs in one of the plurality of power switches, provide the auxiliary electrical gate signal to respective gates of any of the plurality of power switches still being in operation. A corresponding power module and method are also presented. | 06-19-2014 |
20140168838 | Method and Component for Voltage Instability Protection in an Electric Power System - Voltage instability protection for an electric power system is implemented by determining a change in power injected into a region of interest within the electric power system based on synchronized power measurements from different power injection points of the region of interest, and by determining a change in power absorbed by one or more loads in the region of interest based on synchronized power measurements from different load points of the region of interest. A change in power loss for the region of interest is determined based on the difference between the change in power injected into the region of interest and the change in power absorbed by the region of interest. A voltage instability condition is indicated when the change in power loss for the region of interest approximates the change in power injected into the region of interest. | 06-19-2014 |
20140167543 | MAGNETIC THRUST BEARINGS - Rotating machines and magnetic thrust bearings therefor are disclosed. Magnetic thrust bearings may include a rotor core configured to extend coaxially around a shaft of a rotating machine, a non-magnetic element configured to be coaxially disposed on the shaft, and a stator comprising a stator core and a coil, both of which are configured to extend coaxially around the axis. The rotor core may include a substantially radially extending thrust face and a substantially axially extending peripheral surface. The non-magnetic element may radially space the thrust face from the shaft. The stator core may include a substantially radially extending first pole surface and a substantially axially extending second pole surface. The first pole surface may define an axial air gap with the thrust face, and the second pole surface may define a radial air gap with the peripheral surface. | 06-19-2014 |
20140152012 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UTILIZING AN ACTIVE COMPENSATOR TO AUGMENT A DIODE RECTIFIER - The subject matter described herein includes an active compensatory augmented diode bridge rectifier system. According to one aspect, the system comprises a generator unit configured to generate a current flow comprised entirely of active current and a diode rectifier configured to receive the active current from the generator unit, to direct the active current to a connected power grid, and to receive a reactive current. The system further includes an active compensator configured to optimize the generator unit to produce the active current and to generate the reactive power used to facilitate the operation of the diode rectifier. | 06-05-2014 |
20140148529 | CURABLE EPOXY RESIN COMPOSITION - A curable epoxy resin composition including a defined aromatic epoxy resin component and a defined latent catalyst system, and optionally further additives, the curable composition being a single epoxy resin composition having a prolonged pot life at a processing temperature within the range of 40° C. to 70° C., wherein: (a) the epoxy resin component is a compound of formula (I) in monomeric form or in a low polymeric form thereof, or is a mixture of such compounds: | 05-29-2014 |
20140139528 | POWER TRANSMISSION NETWORK STATE VISUALIZATION - A method and system are provided for visualizing and displaying a state of a power transmission network to an operator, for the supervision of the network. The method and system are provided for visualizing or contouring a power transmission network state by displaying to an operator output data values interpolated at output data locations from input data including geographically distributed input data sensor locations and corresponding dynamically updated input data values. The method includes dividing a geographical area of interest into triangles, wherein a triangle vertex is defined at each input data location within the area, determining, for each triangle, closest input data locations according to a closeness criteria, and interpolating by weighting or scaling at each output data location within a triangle the input data values of a number of closest input data locations to generate output data values corresponding to the output data locations. | 05-22-2014 |
20140136002 | METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTED WAVEFORM RECORDING IN A POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM - An exemplary method and apparatus are directed to distributed waveform recording for fault monitoring and analysis of a fault condition in a power distribution system. One or more instrument transformers along with merging units and a plurality of Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) distributed in a plurality of hierarchical levels. The distributed waveform recording corresponds to a fault event at different levels in the power distribution system data is carried out by at least two devices configured to detect an event for recording and perform waveform recording. The data used for waveform recording and the data for detection of the event are based on a single stream of the sampled measured value data and are thereby are time synchronized. | 05-15-2014 |
20140126252 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING HARMONICS AND RESONANCES IN AN INVERTER - In a method based on the MPDTC algorithm for controlling an inverter of an electrical system, the harmonics and resonances in the inverter can be damped by extracting frequency information from predicted data of the MPDTC algorithm and by damping harmonic distortion of the electrical system by reintroducing the extracted frequency information into a control loop of the inverter. | 05-08-2014 |
20140121828 | ULTRA-FLEXIBLE PRODUCTION MANUFACTURING - A manufacturing system has one or more work cells that each performs one or more manufacturing processes. The system also has one or more mobile transport units (“MTUs”) that deliver transportable containers containing workpieces to and from said work cells. The MTUs deliver the containers to the work cells in a manner such that the workpieces are localized in the work cells. The manufacturing system also has a computer system that has status information for each of the one or more MTUs and uses the status information to control each of the one or more MTUs to deliver the transportable containers to and from the one or more work cells. | 05-01-2014 |
20140118099 | GAS-INSULATED DELTA TRANSFORMER - An encapsulated delta transformer for medium to high voltages includes a hermetically sealed housing that encloses a volume, a delta shaped transformer arranged in the housing, and a passageway for a fluid. The passageway protruding through the housing and the volume enclosed by the passageway is in fluidal connection to an outside of the housing. | 05-01-2014 |
20140110342 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MINIMIZING ENERGY CONSUMPTION DURING REVERSE OSMOSIS UNIT OPERATION - A method is disclosed for estimating an optimal individual product water flow rate for a RO train in an RO unit. The RO unit includes a plurality of RO trains. The method can include providing a desired overall product water flow rate for the reverse osmosis unit followed by obtaining one or more dynamic characteristics for each RO train in the plurality of RO trains; estimating a minimal specific energy consumption value for each RO train using the one or more dynamic characteristics; and subsequently obtaining an optimal individual product water flow rate for each RO train. | 04-24-2014 |
20140108851 | Online Protection Coordination for Distribution Management System - A method for automatic protection coordination in a power system network comprises identifying radial source-to-load paths and fault protection devices in the source-to-load paths, for a portion of the power system network to be coordinated. Device settings data for fault protection devices are retrieved, including multiple preconfigured settings for some devices. Fault currents for each of multiple possible electrical faults in said portion of the power system network are predicted, and a selectivity check for each pair of fault protection devices that are adjacent to one another in an identified radial source-to-load path is performed, for each of one or more of the predicted fault currents, taking into account multiple preconfigured settings for remotely controllable fault protection devices. A combination of settings for remotely controllable fault protection devices that minimizes selectivity violations among the pairs is selected, and necessary change-setting commands are sent to remotely controllable fault protection devices. | 04-17-2014 |
20140104788 | COOLED ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY - A cooled electrical assembly is disclosed which includes a plurality of cooled components and a first cooling fan adapted to provide a cooling flow for cooling the cooled components, the first cooling fan including a blade holder and a fan blade, the fan blade having a fixed end stationary mounted to the blade holder and a free end adapted to swing for generating the cooling flow. The plurality of cooled components can include four substantially cylindrical components each having a centre axis, the four substantially cylindrical components being spaced apart and located such that the centre axis of each said substantially cylindrical component passes through a respective vertex of a quadrilateral, the free end of the fan blade being located between the four substantially cylindrical components and inside the quadrilateral. | 04-17-2014 |
20140103850 | REDUNDANT WINDING CONNECTIONS FOR MULTIPHASE ELECTRIC MACHINES - Redundant winding connections for multiphase electric machines are disclosed. According to one aspect, a multiphase machine having redundant winding connections includes: a first set of N coils operating as a first winding group, wherein each coil in the first winding group operates at a different phase from the other coils in the first winding group and wherein N is an integer greater than three; a second set of N coils separate from the first set and operating as a second winding group, wherein each coil in the second winding group operates at a different phase from the other coils in the second winding group and wherein the failure of one of the coils in the first winding group does not affect the function of the second winding group. | 04-17-2014 |
20140100670 | METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR ONLINE AND DYNAMIC DISTRIBUTION AND CONFIGURATION OF APPLICATIONS IN A DISTRIBUTED CONTROL SYSTEM - Exemplary embodiments are directed to a method and system of online and dynamic distribution and configuration of applications in a Distributed Control System (DCS) of a plant. One or more applications of at least one controller of the DCS is divided into a plurality of blocks. The application is changed by managing each of the blocks. The one or more blocks is dynamically distributed to at least one other controller of the DCS. The data distributed to the at least one other controller is synchronized between the other controllers. The application associated with the distributed data is managed based on an operation schedule of the DCS. | 04-10-2014 |
20140070034 | METHOD OF OBSERVING A CHANGE OF MASS INSIDE A GRINDING UNIT - A system and method are disclosed for observing a change of mass inside a grinding unit as a part of a grinding process with a storing unit. The change of mass is derived from a mass balance for the grinding unit and a mass balance for the storing unit. | 03-13-2014 |
20140062426 | Power Distribution System Loss Reduction with Distributed Energy Resource Control - A power distribution system has a plurality of reactive power resources including capacitor banks and distributed energy resources connected to branches of the power distribution system. Power loss is reduced in the distribution system by determining discrete switch states for the capacitor banks and continuous set points for the distributed energy resources, so that the reactive power provided by the reactive power resources reduces power loss while optionally correcting voltage violations in the power distribution system when the capacitor banks are set in accordance with the respective discrete switch states and the distributed energy resources are operated at the respective continuous set points. The range of values for the continuous set points is constrained based on maximum and minimum reactive power limits for each distributed energy resource under consideration. | 03-06-2014 |
20140060051 | THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM - A thermoelectric energy storage system and method are provided for storing electrical energy by transferring thermal energy to a thermal storage in a charging cycle, and for generating electricity by retrieving the thermal energy from the thermal storage in a discharging cycle. The thermoelectric energy storage includes a working fluid circuit configured to circulate a working fluid through a heat exchanger, and a thermal storage conduit configured to transfer a thermal storage medium from a thermal storage tank through the heat exchanger. The working fluid includes a zeotropic mixture. The working fluid is in a mixed vapor and liquid phase and has continuously rising or continuously falling temperature during heat transfer due to the working fluid including the zeotropic mixture. | 03-06-2014 |
20140055888 | POWER MODULE AND METHOD OF OPERATING A POWER MODULE - A power module ( | 02-27-2014 |
20140052295 | Compliant End Of Arm Tooling For A Robot - A robot is used to pick parts from a bin. The robot has a compliant apparatus and one or more tools are connected to the apparatus to perform the picking. The compliant apparatus has mechanisms for monitoring and/or controlling its compliance. The compliant apparatus can have various embodiments. Force sensing can be used during removal of grasped parts from the bin to determine the force exerted on the picking tool(s). The signal indicative of the exerted force can be used by the robot controller to determine the weight of the parts that may be held by the picking tool(s). The robot has one or more devices which can be the picking tool to stir the parts in the bin. | 02-20-2014 |
20140050488 | COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR POWER ELECTRONIC CONVERTERS - Exemplary embodiments of a communication system for a power electronic converter with a plurality of converter modules includes controllable power semiconductor switches and individually mountable onto a converter cabinet or frame. The communication system includes unguided transmission of optical signals between optical elements arranged on a converter module and on the converter cabinet, respectively. The communication system provides a free-space optical signal transmission between two distinct parts of the converter that combines the flexibility offered by radio transmission and the data rate and reliability of optical communication, while at the same time avoiding the complex and expensive cabling of optical fiber solutions. | 02-20-2014 |
20140036963 | CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION FOR LINE DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION - A method and arrangement are provided for time synchronization between two geographically separated stationary clocks, such as first and second clocks located respectively at first and second ends of an AC power line. A first representation of an oscillating power line quantity is produced by measuring or recording the power line quantity at the first end of the power line, and time-stamping the first representation by the first clock. A second representation of the same oscillating power line quantity is produced by measuring the power line quantity at the second end of the power line, and time-stamping the second representation by the second clock. The first and second representations are compared to determine a clock offset between the first and second clocks. Based on the comparison, one or both of the first and second clocks are adjusted to reduce the determined clock offset. | 02-06-2014 |
20140028266 | MODULAR MULTILEVEL CONVERTER WITH CELL-CONNECTED BATTERY STORAGES - The invention concerns a method, voltage source converter and computer program product for supporting an associate AC system and comprising: a number of cells (CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4, CA5, CA6, CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CBS, CB6, CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4, CCS, CC6), each cell comprising a string of switching elements in parallel with a cell capacitor, at least some cells further including a battery module group comprising at least one battery module connectable in parallel with the cell capacitor and a control unit ( | 01-30-2014 |
20140027547 | CANE PREPARATION UNIT AND METHOD OF OPERATION - Operation of a cane preparation unit is disclosed which can include providing a working range for at least one operating variable for a plurality of carriers of a cane preparation unit, estimating energy consumed corresponding to a first plurality of set points for the at least one operating variable, selecting one or more first set points corresponding to reducing (e.g., minimizing) energy consumed for the at least one operating variable as use set points, and operating the cane preparation unit at the use set points. | 01-30-2014 |
20130338945 | Outage Scope Analysis for Electrical Distribution Systems - Outage scope for an electrical distribution system is estimated by generating downstream outage prediction information indicating whether any service area protected by one of the terminal protective devices of the electrical distribution system likely has a power outage based on reported outage information. Upstream outage prediction information is generated which indicates whether any service area protected by one of the non-terminal protective devices of the electrical distribution system likely has a power outage based on the downstream outage prediction information. Each protective device is predicted to be in an open or closed state based on the downstream and upstream outage prediction information so that more than one open protective device can be identified when more than one fault occurs in different parts of the electrical distribution system. | 12-19-2013 |
20130338841 | Parallel Computation of Dynamic State Estimation for Power System - Techniques are disclosed for performing the estimation and/or prediction of the dynamic system state of large power system networks, using a multi-processor approach. More particularly, a large power system network is divided into smaller sub-systems, each sub-system having associated dynamic state variables. Each sub-system is assigned to one or more of a plurality of processing elements, and dynamic state variables for each sub-system are estimated or predicted independently, using the processing elements and sensor measurements. In several embodiments, the dynamic state of each sub-system is computed through the construction of a set of dedicated observers, such as linear parameter-varying (LPV) observers, which are designed to reduce the effects of other sub-systems on the state estimation problem. | 12-19-2013 |
20130328599 | GATE DRIVER UNIT FOR ELECTRICAL SWITCHING DEVICE - An exemplary apparatus and method for using intelligent gate driver units with distributed intelligence to control antiparallel power modules or parallel-connected electrical switching devices like IGBTs is disclosed. The intelligent gate drive units use the intelligence to balance the currents of the switching devices, even in dynamic switching events. The intelligent gate driver units can use master-slave or daisy chain control structures and instantaneous or time integral differences of the currents of parallel-connected switching devices as control parameters. Instead of balancing the currents, temperature can also be balanced with the intelligent gate driver units. | 12-12-2013 |
20130328455 | MAGNETIC BEARING ASSEMBLY AND ARRANGEMENT OF POSITION SENSORS FOR A MAGNETIC BEARING ASSEMBLY - The subject matter described herein includes a magnetic bearing assembly and an arrangement of position sensors for the magnetic bearing assembly. In one example the magnetic bearing assembly includes a rotor for fixedly coupling to a shaft for rotating with the shaft. The assembly further includes at least one stator assembly located adjacent to the rotor and circumferentially surrounding the shaft. The stator assembly includes a control coil for magnetically supporting the rotor. The stator assembly further includes a plurality of position sensors that are circumferentially spaced from each other and that extend radially from the stator assembly for measuring an indication of axial displacement of the rotor. | 12-12-2013 |
20130307331 | INVESTIGATING TIMING RELIABILITY IN RELATION TO CONTROL OF A POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - The disclosure is related to a method, power control device and computer program product for evaluating accuracy of timing provided by time generating equipment in relation to wide area control in a power transmission system, where the wide area control is performed based on time stamped measurements of system data. The power control device can include a timing deviation handling unit that investigates timing used in relation to time based measurements, determines if the timing is reliable or not based on the investigation, and aborts wide area control if the timing is deemed unreliable. | 11-21-2013 |
20130306525 | FROTH FLOTATION CONTROL - A system and method utilize model-based control of a froth flotation process for concentrating a desired target mineral from ground ore. The system and method exploit real time information about a surface tension of a pulp or flotation solution including the minerals. The surface tension represents exemplary additional information about the surface chemistry in the flotation process, and as such enables a refinement of a pulp model used in control of the flotation process. Ultimately, operational efficiency of a froth flotation plant is increased. | 11-21-2013 |
20130292088 | COOLING ASSEMBLY - A cooling assembly is disclosed having a device chamber, a cooling chamber, a heat exchanger, a fan and a controller, the heat exchanger having a first heat exchanger unit and a second heat exchanger unit located above the first heat exchanger unit. The fan includes a first fan adapted to generate a first cooling air flow. The cooling assembly further includes a first dust tray located between the first heat exchanger unit and the second heat exchanger unit, the first cooling air flow being directed towards the first dust tray, the first dust tray being adapted to receive and retain at least part of contaminant particles present in the first cooling air flow, the device chamber being separated from the cooling chamber. | 11-07-2013 |
20130282189 | DISTRIBUTED ELECTRICAL POWER NETWORK MODEL MAINTENANCE - Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for maintaining a distributed electrical power network model associated with a power grid. A global power network model, comprising a global logical representation of the power grid, may be maintained at a network control center configured to manage one or more substations associated with the power grid. The network control center may host grid management applications that may utilize the global power network model. A local power network model, comprising a local logical representation of a power grid territory within the power grid monitored by a substation, may be maintained at the substation. The substation may host one or more local grid management applications that may utilize the local power network model. The global power network model and the local power network model may be synchronized in response to events occurring within the power grid. | 10-24-2013 |
20130282188 | CENTRALIZED CONTROL CENTER FOR ELECTRICAL NETWORK COMPUTATIONAL SERVICES - Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for leasing electrical network computational services to one or more network control centers. A power grid may comprise one or more substations. Network control centers disposed within the power grid may be configured to manage the substations within the power grid. A remote centralized network control center may be configured to lease electrical network computational services to the network control centers (e.g., which may mitigate costs associated with including computational hardware and/or software within respective network control centers for performing such electrical network computational services). In this way, substation data received from a network control center may be processed by the remote centralized network control center according to a level of service subscribed to by the network control center. Computational results may be provided back to the network control center (e.g., in real-time). | 10-24-2013 |
20130258594 | HEAT EXCHANGER FOR TRACTION CONVERTERS - A heat exchanger including a first heat exchanger module with a first evaporator channel and a first condenser channel. The first evaporator channel and the first condenser channel are arranged in a first conduit. The first evaporator channel and the first condenser channel are fluidly connected to one another by a first upper distribution manifold and a first lower distribution manifold such that the first evaporator channel and the first condenser channel form a first loop for a working fluid. The first heat exchanger module includes a first evaporator heat transfer element and a first condenser heat transfer element. The heat exchanger includes a second heat exchanger module coupled to the first heat exchanger module by a fluid connection element for an exchange of the working fluid between the first heat exchanger module and second heat exchanger module. | 10-03-2013 |
20130248444 | METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR SCALING CONTROL IN MEMBRANE SYSTEM OPERATION - A method is disclosed for scaling control in a membrane system operation. The method can be performed by a model in the control system of a plant. The method can include selecting one or more antiscalants corresponding to one or more components of the scale, based on one or more of feed water condition, membrane material, membrane fouling status and a kinetic study relating to a reaction between the antiscalants and the components of the scale. The composition of one or more selected antiscalants can be estimated based on an overall scaling rate constant. | 09-26-2013 |
20130241337 | Electrical Machines and Electrical Machine Rotors - Electrical machine rotors and electrical machines are disclosed. The electrical machine rotors may include a shaft, a pair of permanent magnets arranged to form a magnetic pole on the rotor, a pole iron, and a pair of opposed inter-pole irons. The pole iron may retain the pair of magnets against the inter-pole irons and relative to the shaft. The electrical machine rotors may be assembled into electrical machines that include the rotor and a stator that includes a stator iron and at least one coil. In some examples, the shaft may be hollow, nonmagnetic, fiber-reinforced, and/or fabricated at least partially from a composite material. | 09-19-2013 |
20130235764 | VALIDATING REACHABILITY OF NODES OF A NETWORK OF AN INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION AND CONTROL SYSTEM - A device validates reachability of nodes of a communication network of an industrial automation and control system. The device includes a collector module configured to update a data set including discovered dataflow information by detecting direct neighbour nodes having a physical connection to a selected node, and updating the data set by adding the selected node and those direct neighbour nodes which have configured logical network constraints matching logical network constraints of the selected node. The device includes a repeater module configured to repeat the selecting of a direct neighbour node in the data set and directing the collector module to update the data set using the selected direct neighbour node. The device includes a validation module configured to validate reachability of nodes of the network by comparing the data set with a data set including designed dataflow information which defines reachability requirements for nodes of the communication network. | 09-12-2013 |
20130233014 | HEAT EXCHANGER - The disclosure relates to a heat exchanger including an evaporator with a pair of base plates, each base plate having a first surface with channels extending from a manifold at a first end of the evaporator to a manifold at a second end of the evaporator, some of the channels are embedded into the base plate and some of the channels are arranged outside of base plate, a condenser with channels extending from a manifold at a first end of the condenser to a manifold at a second end of the condenser, at least one riser pipe and at least one return pipe. | 09-12-2013 |
20130229839 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A GRID-CONNECTED CONVERTER - A method and an apparatus for controlling a grid-connected converter which includes a boost converter, a buck converter, and a current source inverter having an output CL filter. An input of the buck converter input is connected to an output of the boost converter, and an input of the current source inverter is connected to an output of the buck converter. The method includes controlling a boost converter input voltage, controlling a boost converter output voltage through control of a buck converter output voltage, and controlling the current source inverter to produce an AC current from the buck converter output voltage. The apparatus implements the method. | 09-05-2013 |
20130226538 | Detecting State Estimation Network Model Data Errors - Methods for detecting network model data errors are disclosed. In some examples, methods for detecting network model data errors may include splitting a network model into a first plurality of portions, executing an algorithm on each of the portions, identifying a portion for which the algorithm is determined to be non-converged, splitting the identified portion into a second plurality of portions, repeating the executing, identifying and splitting the identified portion until a resulting identified portion is smaller than a predefined threshold, and examining the resulting identified portion to identify plausible data errors therein. In some examples, examining the resulting identified portion to identify plausible data errors therein may include executing a modified algorithm, which may include an augmented measurement set, on the identified portion. | 08-29-2013 |
20130221977 | FAULT DIRECTION PARAMETER INDICATOR DEVICE AND RELATED METHODS - A method of determining a fault direction parameter of a fault on an AC transmission line of a power distribution system relative to a measurement location of the transmission line. The method includes measuring a time-dependent AC current of the transmission line at the measurement location to obtain time-domain current data indicative of the measured current, obtaining a time of the fault on the transmission line, identifying first and second times by identifying a periodically re-occurring feature of the current data, such that the fault time is between the first and second times, extracting, from the current data, an offset indicative parameter indicative of a time offset of the current at the fault time and between the first and second times, calculating an offset direction parameter by comparing the offset indicative parameter to a non-offset indicative parameter, and establishing the fault direction parameter based on the offset direction parameter. | 08-29-2013 |
20130221504 | SEMICONDUCTOR MODULE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A SEMICONDUCTOR MODULE - An exemplary semiconductor module includes a substrate formed of a ceramic insulator, and at least one metallic layer formed on the substrate. The metallic layer includes a deepening for placing and fixing a contact element. The contact element is at least partially “L”-shaped and includes a first arm for fixing the contact element at the deepening, and a second arm for interconnecting the contact element with an external device. The deepening has a horizontal dimension which is about ≦0.5 mm bigger than the horizontal dimension of the contact element. | 08-29-2013 |
20130212516 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING A CONTROL SYSTEM USER INTERFACE - A graphical user interface for an industrial control system including a computer. The graphical user interface includes a display device. A plurality of process graphics including at least one software object for controlling and/or monitoring real world objects controlled by the control system are arranged such that elements of at least a portion of at least one software object may be displayed on the interface displayed on the display device. Computer program instructions generate and display in the graphical user interface a main view including a first process graphic in a window. The first process graphic is a member of a predetermined group of process graphics. The main view includes a designated view including at least one tab directly linked to other members of the predetermined group. Selecting one of the tabs allows the user to navigate to one of the predetermined group of process graphics. | 08-15-2013 |
20130203897 | ELECTRICAL INSULATION SYSTEM - Electrical insulation system with improved electrical breakdown strength, including a hardened polymer component having incorporated therein a filler material and a nano-scale sized filler material. The hardened polymer component is selected from epoxy resin compositions, polyesters, polyamides, polybutylene terephthalate, polyurethanes and polydicyclo-pentadiene. The filler material has an average particle size within the range of 1 μm-500 μm, and is present in a quantity within the range of 40%-65% by weight, calculated to the total weight of the insulation system. The nano-scale sized filler material is a pretreated nano-scale sized filler material, having been produced by a sol-gel process. The nano-scale sized filler material is present within the electrical insulation system in an amount of about 1%-20% by weight, calculated to the weight of the filler material present in the electrical insulation system. | 08-08-2013 |
20130200715 | CONVERTER ASSEMBLY AND A POWER PLANT INCLUDING THE CONVERTER ASSEMBLY - A converter assembly includes a DC-DC converter, an inverter, a DC link, an input capacitor, an inductor and a neutral conductor. The DC-DC converter includes at least one DC-DC converter unit. The input capacitor includes an input capacitor unit for each of the at least one DC-DC converter unit, where each of the input capacitor units has a midpoint. The neutral conductor is connected to a neutral point on an output side of the inverter. The inductor includes an inverter side inductor between each output terminal of the inverter means and the neutral point on output side of the inverter. The neutral conductor is connected to the midpoint of each of the input capacitor units. | 08-08-2013 |
20130200714 | MEDIUM VOLTAGE DC COLLECTION SYSTEM - A power generation system includes at least one generator having at least two sets of stator windings, an active rectifier comprising power cell based modular converters associated with each set of generator windings. Each set of windings is connected to an AC voltage side of the associated active rectifier, with each active rectifier having a positive DC voltage output and a negative DC voltage output. The DC voltage outputs of active rectifiers are connected to each other in series. A medium voltage DC (MVDC) collection network comprises positive pole cables and negative pole cables, wherein each positive pole cable is connected to the positive DC voltage output of a first active rectifier and each negative pole cable is connected to the negative DC voltage output of a last active rectifier. A substation receives the negative and positive pole cables of the MVDC collection network for further transformation and transmission. | 08-08-2013 |
20130197704 | DC CONNECTION SCHEME FOR WINDFARM WITH INTERNAL MVDC COLLECTION GRID - Connection schemes for offshore power generation with an internal collection grid include a power generation system which includes a plurality of generator-rectifier subsystems. The scheme further includes a medium voltage DC (MVDC) collection network with positive pole cables and negative pole cables connected to the DC outputs of the generator-rectifier subsystems. At least one offshore substation includes a positive bus bar and a negative bus bar correspondingly connected to the positive pole cables and negative pole cables of the MVDC collection network and a plurality of main DC-DC converters. Each main DC-DC converter includes multiple modules connected to the MVDC bus bars and each module has a positive and a negative output such that the modules' outputs are serially connected to one another. The schemes may also include a high voltage DC (HVDC) transmission system connected to the modules' outputs and at least one DC/AC converter at an onshore substation. | 08-01-2013 |
20130191188 | METHOD FOR ENERGY BENCHMARKING AND DIAGNOSIS THROUGH OPTIMIZATION AND A SYSTEM THEREOF - Exemplary embodiments relate to a method for energy benchmarking a process plant having at least one component, and for diagnosing the process plant thereof. The method includes adapting a process model for the process plant determining energy consumption of the process plant based on design conditions or current operating conditions or both and performing optimization for estimating the energy benchmark. Further, the method also includes calculating indices for gap analysis and diagnosing the gap between the current energy consumption of the process plant and the estimated energy benchmark. | 07-25-2013 |
20130187454 | DETECTING ISLANDING CONDITIONS IN POWER NETWORKS - A method is provided for detecting islanding conditions in an electric power network which includes a plurality of sub-networks. The sub-networks include at least one power electrical unit and are separable from each other and a main grid supplying the network by switching devices. The method includes determining topological information of at least one sub-network of interest, detecting islanding conditions in at least one sub-network of interest on the basis of the topological information by using separate detecting devices for each sub-network of interest, and sending, on the basis of the islanding conditions detected by using the detecting devices, a disconnect signal to at least one power electrical unit in at least one sub-network of interest. | 07-25-2013 |
20130185120 | METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR ENERGY BENCHMARKING FOR GAP ANALYSIS FOR A PLANT IN A PAPER INDUSTRY - Methods and systems for energy benchmarking for gap analysis are disclosed, for example, for a plant in a paper industry having at least one equipment. The method can include a) monitoring the performance parameter of one or more equipments of the plant and/or of one or more other plants and/or of the plant or other plants, the performance parameter being evaluated from design data or plant model or historical operating data or current operating data; b) comparing at least one performance parameter against at least one other performance parameter of the at least one equipment of the one plant or other plant, or of the one plant or at least one other plant or a combination thereof; c) selecting one of the performance parameters from the at least one or other performance parameters being compared; d) setting the value of the selected performance parameter as a benchmark; and e) controlling the plant based on the benchmark. | 07-18-2013 |
20130181755 | SYNCHRONIZATION METHOD FOR CURRENT DIFFERENTIAL PROTECTION - A synchronization method for current differential protection comprises: selecting a point on the transmission line protected by the current differential protection; measuring the current and the voltage of each of the terminals of said transmission line; calculating the compensating voltage at the selected point respectively according to the measured current and the voltage of the each terminal; detecting and calculating the synchronization error by comparing all the compensating voltages. | 07-18-2013 |
20130181750 | ACTIVE GATE DRIVE CIRCUIT - Exemplary embodiments are directed to a gate drive circuit and a method for controlling a gate-controlled component. The gate drive circuit includes a PI controller that receives an input reference signal (v | 07-18-2013 |
20130177041 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING IN REAL TIME THE OPERATING STATE OF AN IGBT DEVICE - A system and method are provided for monitoring in real time the operating state of an IGBT device, to determine a junction temperature and/or the remaining lifetime of an IGBT device. The system includes a differential unit configured to receive a gate-emitter voltage characteristic of the IGBT device to be measured and to differentiate the gate-emitter voltage characteristic to obtain pulses correlating with edges formed by a Miller plateau phase during a switch-off phase of the IGBT device. The system also includes a timer unit configured to measure the time delay between the obtained pulses indicating the start and end of the Miller plateau phase during the switch-off phase of the IGBT device, and a junction temperature calculation unit configured to determine at least one of the junction temperature of the IGBT device and/or the remaining lifetime of the IGBT device based on the measured time delay. | 07-11-2013 |
20130173331 | Dispatching Mobile Energy Resources to Respond to Electric Power Grid Conditions - Systems and methods for responding to electric power grid conditions may include identifying a portion of the electric power grid for power response, identifying at least one mobile energy resource and at least one connection site, and dispatching the mobile energy resource to a connection site. | 07-04-2013 |
20130170378 | METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR LOCALIZATION IN INDUSTRIAL WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK - A method and system are disclosed for localization in an industrial wireless sensor network by identifying a sensor node of a field device for localization, and determining the location information of the sensor node associated with the field device. The determined location information is stored in the field device, in one or more modules of the wireless network management component, and/or an operator portal. Operation can be indicated upon the joining of the field device into the network or during the commissioning of the industrial wireless sensor. | 07-04-2013 |
20130163302 | DC-DC CONVERTER SYSTEMS - DC-DC converter systems are disclosed. DC-DC converter systems may include an input, an output, a resonant switched-capacitor DC-DC converter, and a second DC-DC converter. The resonant switched-capacitor DC-DC converter may include a first input side and a first output side. The second DC-DC converter may include a second input side and a second output side. The first input side may be connected to the input, the second input side may be connected to an input voltage, and the first and second output sides may be connected in series to the output. In some examples, the second DC-DC converter may be a buck-boost DC-DC converter. | 06-27-2013 |
20130157805 | DUAL PINION DRIVE SYSTEM - A system and method are disclosed for controlling electrical machines including a controller component which receives a first signal providing a measured parameter of the electrical machine and a second signal providing a reference parameter of the electrical machine, using the first and second signals being used to produce a first control signal. A first filter component receives the first signal from the electrical machine and uses the first signal to produce a second control signal. A second filter component receives a third signal which relates to a reference parameter of a second electrical machine and uses the third signal to produce a third control signal. The system and second control signals are used to produce a first output control signal for provision to the first electrical machine, and the first and third control signals are used produce a second output control signal for provision to the second electrical machine. | 06-20-2013 |
20130154676 | CABLE FATIGUE MONITOR AND METHOD THEREOF - A monitor for determining the operation condition of at least one cable that suffers bending and/or twisting and constitutes an electrical loop and a method thereof are provided. The monitor comprises a test electrical signal generator ( | 06-20-2013 |
20130147944 | VISION-GUIDED ALIGNMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A vision-guided alignment system to align a plurality of components includes a robotic gripper configured to move one component relative to another component and a camera coupled to a processor that generates an image of the components. A simulated robotic work cell generated by the processor calculates initial calibration positions that define the movement of the robotic gripper such that position errors between the actual position of the robotic gripper and the calibration positions are compensated by a camera space manipulation based control algorithm executed by the processor to control the robotic gripper to move one component into alignment with another component based on the image of the components. | 06-13-2013 |
20130141827 | FAULT PARAMETER INDICATOR DEVICE AND RELATED METHODS - A method of determining a fault parameter of a fault on an AC transmission line | 06-06-2013 |
20130134636 | APPARATUS, MOLD AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SHAPED ARTICLES FROM A UV-CURABLE COMPOSITION - A mold for molding a UV cured article in an inner volume thereof, the mold including a mold wall surrounding the inner volume, the mold including a UV-transparent polymer and UV radiation deflecting particles immersed in or adhered to a surface of the mold wall. Also provided is an apparatus including the mold and a process for molding a UV cured article. | 05-30-2013 |
20130132555 | COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS OF NETWORK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - The invention provides a communication system for a power distribution network, which comprises at least two distribution domains, each of the domains includes one management device and at least one electrical device. The management device is configured as connected with the electrical devices within its domain, and is further configured as capable of collect information from the electrical devices. The system also comprises a communication link, which is arranged for the management devices of different domains, and the management devices are configured as capable of directly exchanging information through the link. | 05-23-2013 |
20130128895 | FRAME TRANSMISSION AND COMMUNICATION NETWORK - Exemplary embodiments are directed to a communication network interconnecting a plurality of synchronized nodes, where regular frames including time-critical data are transmitted periodically or cyclically, and sporadic frames are transmitted non-periodically or occasionally. For example, each node can transmit a regular frame at the beginning of a transmission period common to, and synchronized among, all nodes. Another node then receives regular frames from its first neighboring node, and forwards the frames within the same transmission period and with the shortest delay, to a second neighboring node. Furthermore, each node actively delays transmission of any sporadic frame, whether originating from an application hosted by the node itself or whether received from a neighboring node, until forwarding of all received regular frames is completed. | 05-23-2013 |
20130127426 | METHOD AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING POWER FLOW WITHIN A DC POWER TRANSMISSION NETWORK - A method for controlling power flow within a DC power flow within a DC power transmission network includes two or more interconnected converter stations. The method includes the steps of: establishing a common feedback signal (U | 05-23-2013 |
20130123983 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CALIBRATION OF A ROBOT POSITIONED ON A MOVABLE PLATFORM - A method and apparatus for calibration of a robot on a platform and a robot, in relation to an object using a measuring unit mounted on the robot including placing CAD models so that the robot reaches the object, manipulating the CAD models to move the measuring unit to a pose in relation to the platform allowing measurement of a feature on the object, storing the pose, and generating a CAD model of the feature. The real robot is moved to the pose, the real platform is moved where measurements of the feature can be made, 3D measurements of the feature are performed and based thereon generating a second CAD model, performing a best fit between the CAD models, and calculating a 6 degrees of freedom pose difference between the CAD models, and instructing the mobile platform to move to compensate for the pose difference. | 05-16-2013 |
20130121374 | FIBER OPTIC BIREFRINGENT THERMOMETER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A fiber optic thermometer is provided that uses a birefringent polarization maintaining sensing fiber as well as a single-mode transmission fiber for transmitting the optical signals between the sensing head and an optoelectronic module. The optoelectronic module contains two light sources operating at different spectral ranges. The unpolarized light from the light sources is sent through the transmission fiber, sent through a polarizer, and coupled into both birefringence axis of the sensing fiber. The waves are reflected at a reflector at a remote end of the sensing fiber, whereupon it returns through the sensing fiber, the polarizer and the transmission fiber. By analyzing the returned signal for both spectral ranges, a robust temperature signal can be derived. This thermometer design obviates the need for using a polarization maintaining fiber and polarization maintaining connectors between the optoelectronic module and the sensor head. | 05-16-2013 |
20130114302 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING ISLANDING CONDITIONS OF A DISTRIBUTED GRID - An exemplary method and apparatus for detecting islanding conditions of a distributed grid are disclosed, wherein transfer of power through a power electrical unit is controlled on the basis of a control reference. The apparatus includes a first stage and a second stage performing a respective portion of the method. The first stage injects a reactive component to the control reference, and, for at least one electrical quantity of the grid, determines a change in the quantity induced by the injected component, and determines, on the basis of the change in the electrical quantity, whether to move to the second stage of the method. The second stage, for at least one electrical quantity of the grid, determines a value of the electrical quantity, forms a positive feedback term using at the determined value adding a positive feedback term to the control reference, determines a change in an electrical quantity induced by the feedback term, and determines islanding condition on the basis of the change in the quantity induced by the feedback term. | 05-09-2013 |
20130110434 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR DETECTING FREQUENCY AND FUNDAMENTAL WAVE COMPONENT OF THREE-PHASE SIGNAL | 05-02-2013 |
20130099773 | HIGH-VOLTAGE SENSOR WITH AXIALLY OVERLAPPING ELECTRODES - A voltage sensor includes an insulator with mutually insulated electrodes embedded therein. The electrodes are coaxial and cylindrical and overlap axially along part of their lengths. They are mutually staggered and control the surfaces of electric equipotential such that there is a substantially homogeneous electric field outside the insulator and a substantially homogeneous but higher field within a sensing cavity within the insulator. A field sensor is arranged within the sensing cavity to measure the field. This design allows for the production of compact voltage sensors for high voltage applications. | 04-25-2013 |
20130093410 | HIGH-VOLTAGE SENSOR WITH AXIALLY OVERLAPPING ELECTRODES AND LOCAL FIELD SENSORS - A voltage sensor includes an insulator with mutually insulated electrodes embedded therein. The electrodes are coaxial and cylindrical and overlap axially along part of their lengths. They are mutually staggered and control the surfaces of electric equipotential such that there is a substantially homogeneous electric field outside the insulator and a substantially homogeneous but higher field within a sensing cavity within the insulator. A field sensor is arranged within the sensing cavity to locally measure the field. This design allows for the production of compact voltage sensors for high voltage applications. | 04-18-2013 |
20130088802 | FAULT PROTECTION OF HVDC TRANSMISSION LINES - A protection system for high voltage direct current, HVDC, transmission lines is provided. The protection system includes a direct current, DC, bus, a device configured to connect an HVDC transmission line to the bus, at least one DC circuit breaker arranged for disconnecting the transmission line from the bus upon reception of a trip signal, current and voltage sensors, an inductor arranged such that the current through the transmission line passes the inductor, and a fault detection unit. The fault detection unit is arranged for assessing, on the basis of current and/or voltage measurements, whether a fault exists on the transmission line, and sending, if a fault is detected on the transmission line, a trip signal to the circuit breaker. The additional inductance limits the rise in fault current and facilitates a selective fault detection. Further, a method of fault protection for an HVDC transmission line is provided. | 04-11-2013 |
20130087301 | THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY - A thermoelectric energy storage system includes an intercooler for intercooling a working fluid between two compression stages. The intercooling may be carried out by flashing a portion of the working fluid taken from the output of an expander in a flash intercooler and/or by heating a secondary thermal storage with a further heat exchanger. | 04-11-2013 |
20130085624 | Systems and Methods for Integrating Demand Response with Service Restoration in an Electric Distribution System - Systems and methods for integrating demand response with service restoration in an electric distribution system. The electric distribution system may include a plurality of regions, zones, and/or areas including at least an outage area that includes a fault and is not receiving electric current from the electric distribution system and a restoration area that is receiving electric current from the electric distribution system and that may be selectively configured to provide electric current to a selected portion of the outage area. The electric distribution system also includes a plurality of demand responsive loads configured to be selectively isolated from the electric distribution system responsive to a load shed signal. The demand responsive loads may be selectively utilized during service restoration, such as to provide additional excess capacity within the restoration area and/or decrease a magnitude of the electric load applied by the selected portion of the outage area. | 04-04-2013 |
20130077245 | COOLING MODULE FOR COOLING ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS - A cooling module including a condenser, a power module including the cooling module and a method for cooling electric and/or electronic components are provided. The condenser of the cooling module includes at least one panel for cooling electric and/or electronic components. Two sheets of the panel are attached to one another by a process involving roll-bonding such that a conduit is formed between the two sheets. The conduit extends in a direction of a plane formed by the sheets. Cooling may be provided by evaporating coolant in the conduit at an evaporation section of the panel and by condensing the coolant at a condensing section of the panel. A heat load may be transferred from a heat source to a heat receiving unit. The heat receiving unit is adapted to transfer the heat load to the panel which transfers the heat load to an ambient environment by a thermal carrier. | 03-28-2013 |
20130077204 | BREAKER FAILURE PROTECTION OF HVDC CIRCUIT BREAKERS - A breaker failure protection system for a high voltage direct current, HVDC, circuit breaker is provided. The circuit breaker is arranged for interrupting a DC circuit upon reception of a trip signal. The protection system includes a current sensor, at least one inductor, and a breaker failure detection unit. The current sensor is arranged for measuring a current I(t) through the DC circuit. The at least one inductor is connected in series with the DC circuit. The breaker failure detection unit is arranged for assessing, whether the circuit breaker has failed, and sending, if the circuit breaker has failed, a trip signal to an adjacent circuit breaker. The assessment is based on the measured current. The stability of HVDC grids may be improved by sending, in case of a breaker failure, a trip signal to adjacent circuit breakers. Further, a method of breaker failure protection for an HVDC circuit breaker is provided. | 03-28-2013 |
20130075076 | APPARATUS - The disclosure relates to an apparatus including a first heat transfer element having a base plate, with a first surface for receiving an electric component and channels for transferring a heat load received via the first surface into a fluid in the channels, at least some of the channels protrude from a second surface of the base plate, and a second heat transfer element for receiving fluid from the first heat transfer element and passing a heat load from said fluid to surroundings. In order to obtain an efficient cooling, a phase change material is arranged at a second surface of the base plate between at least two of the channels, the phase change material absorbing heat by changing phase at a phase change temperature during operation of the electric component. | 03-28-2013 |
20130070495 | AC/DC CONVERTER - The present invention relates to an AC/DC converter comprising at least two phase legs connected in series between first and second DC connection terminals of the AC/DC converter, wherein each phase leg comprises: an AC connection having first and second terminals arranged to connect the phase leg to a phase of an AC system; a phase branch comprising at least one converter cell and having first and second branch end terminals; and a capacitor. The capacitor is connected the between the first branch end terminal and the first AC connection terminal, so that the capacitor forms a DC blocking capacitor. The second AC terminal is connected to the second branch end terminal. The series connection of the phase legs between first and second DC connection terminal is such that a first series connection point in a phase leg is located between the first branch end terminal and the capacitor, while a second series connection point is located between the second branch end terminal and the second AC connection. The invention further relates to a method of operating such AC/DC converter. | 03-21-2013 |
20130062984 | Permanent Magnet Electrical Machine Rotors and Construction Methods Therefor - Permanent magnet electrical machine rotors and construction methods therefor are disclosed. Permanent magnet electrical machine rotors may include at least one magnet and at least one retention element. The at least one magnet may have a surface. An axial relative force maintained between the at least one magnet and the at least one retention element may urge the retention element along the surface to induce a hoop stress in the at least one retention element and a compressive stress within the at least one magnet. | 03-14-2013 |
20130062953 | Reconfigurable Power Converters, Systems and Plants - Reconfigurable power systems, converters and plants are disclosed, along with operating methods therefor. Reconfigurable power systems may include a DC power source, an electrical energy storage device, an AC power grid connection, a first power converter, and a second power converter. The first power converter may be configured to selectively couple two or more of the DC power source, the electrical energy storage device, and the AC power grid connection. The second power converter may be configured to selectively couple the electrical energy storage device to at least one of the DC power source and the first power converter. The second power converter may be configured as a DC-DC converter. | 03-14-2013 |
20130060384 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING MEMBRANE CLEANING PROCESS - A reverse osmosis separation process is disclosed, such as for desalination and waste water reuse process, wherein an effectiveness of membrane cleaning can be estimated. Exemplary embodiments operate the reverse osmosis membrane cleaning process for a controlled time for cleaning and with a controlled value of chemical concentration in a chemical liquor prepared for cleaning the membrane. A method can include estimating fouling status of the membrane and determining a controlled value of chemical concentration in the chemical liquor, and a controlled time for cleaning based on the fouling status of the membrane. | 03-07-2013 |
20130057083 | HIGH-VOLTAGE SWITCHING DEVICE - A high voltage switching device includes a current interruption assembly having at least one vacuum chamber, a fixed contact assembly having a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact positioned inside the vacuum chamber, and first and second movable-contact assemblies including a first movable contact and a second movable contact, respectively. A single mechanism actuates the first and second movable-contact assemblies between a first position and second position. In the first position, the first and second movable contacts are electrically coupled with the first and second fixed contacts, respectively. And in the second position, the first and second moveable contacts are electrically separated the same. The first movable contact and the second movable contact move, along a reference axis, one towards the other or away from the other based on the actuating mechanism. | 03-07-2013 |
20130054211 | UNIT COMMITMENT FOR WIND POWER GENERATION - A method is disclosed for performing stochastic unit commitment for an electric power grid with a first weather dependent power generation unit and a second weather dependent power generation unit and a number of loads. For each of the first and the second power generation units, a plurality of scenarios indicative of future power production is based on weather forecast data: First and second correlated scenarios are identified for the first and second weather dependent power generation units, respectively. The stochastic unit commitment is based on a single combined scenario representing the first and the second scenarios of the pair of correlated scenarios. | 02-28-2013 |
20130041482 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR UPDATING A MODEL IN A MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROLLER - Exemplary embodiments relate to a method and system for updating a model in a model predictive controller. The system executing a method that includes assessing the deviation of the operating performance level from the desired performance level of the process plant, and diagnosing the model predictive control for the model plant mismatch by updating the model in a model predictive controller. The step of diagnosing the model predictive controller includes determining the model prediction error in relation to model plant mismatch, quantifying the model plant mismatch, and updating the model in the model predictive controller. | 02-14-2013 |
20130031164 | METHOD FOR TRANSFER OF CONTROL BETWEEN DEVICES IN A SUBSTATION SYSTEM AND A DEVICE THEREOF - An exemplary method and system are disclosed for coordinated transfer of control in a substation system having IED or logical devices/servers using GOOSE messages with preconfigured data models with logical nodes containing one or more data objects including private data objects (DO) connected in the substation communication network. The method for transfer of control can be illustrated for hot-standby device management and for other applications such as logical isolation of merging unit in a substation and load sharing between IEDs. The method can be used for devices that do not have MMS stack. | 01-31-2013 |
20130030573 | COMPUTER-BASED METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDING CONTROL PARAMETERS FOR A PLURALITY OF COAL MILLS SUPPLYING COAL POWDER TO A PLANT - A method and device are disclosed for automatically providing control parameters for a plurality of coal mills supplying coal powder for example to a furnace of a power plant. An exemplary method includes (a) acquiring a multiplicity of operation variables indicative of a load of an individual coal mill for each of the coal mills; (b) acquiring a demand variable indicative of a coal demand from the plant; (c) supplying the acquired multiplicity of operation variables and the demand variable to a computing system; (d) calculating the control parameters based on the multiplicity of operation variables and the demand variable using a multivariable calculation algorithm; and (e) providing the calculated control parameters for controlling each coal mill individually. | 01-31-2013 |
20130027995 | MODULAR MULTI-LEVEL POWER CONVERTER WITH SECOND AND THIRD ORDER HARMONICS REDUCTION FILTER - A device for converting a DC voltage into an AC voltage includes a passive electronic filter having a first and second energy storage element, a third energy storage element placed between the first and second energy storage elements, a fourth energy storage element connected between a junction of the first energy storage element and the third energy storage element and an AC terminal and a fifth energy storage element connected between a junction of the second energy storage element and the third energy storage element and the AC terminal. The energy storage elements are of two different types, capacitive and inductive, with values selected to provide reduction of frequency components at two times the fundamental frequency of the AC voltage and at three times the fundamental frequency of the AC voltage. | 01-31-2013 |
20130016549 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRICAL CONVERTER - A method is provided for predicting pulse width modulated switching sequences for a multi-phase multi-level converter. With a first predicted switching sequence, due to multi-phase redundancies, equivalent switching sequences are determined. From the equivalent switching sequences, one switching sequence optimal with respect to a predefined optimization goal is selected. The selected switching sequence is used to switch the converter. | 01-17-2013 |
20130016541 | AC/DC CONVERTER STATION AND A METHOD OF OPERATING AN AC/DC CONVERTER STATIONAANM Norrga; StaffanAACI StockholmAACO SEAAGP Norrga; Staffan Stockholm SEAANM Jonsson; Tomas UAACI VasterasAACO SEAAGP Jonsson; Tomas U Vasteras SEAANM Shukla; AnshumanAACI VasterasAACO SEAAGP Shukla; Anshuman Vasteras SE - The present invention relates to an AC/DC converter station for interconnection of a DC transmission line and an AC network, the AC/DC converter station including an AC/DC converter and a control system configured to control the AC/DC converter. The AC/DC converter station comprises a capacitor connected in series between the AC/DC converter and the AC network, and a voltage measurement device arranged to measure the voltage across the capacitor. The AC/DC converter further comprises a control system connected to the voltage measurement device and arranged to receive, from the voltage measurement device, a signal indicative of a measured voltage. The control system is arranged to perform the control of the AC/DC converter in dependence of the signal received from the voltage measurement device. The invention further relates to a method of operating an AC/DC converter station. | 01-17-2013 |
20130008633 | COOLING APPARATUS FOR COOLING A POWER ELECTRONIC DEVICE - Exemplary embodiments are directed to a cooling apparatus for cooling a power electronic device, the apparatus including at least one panel that is adapted to be thermally connected to a heat source in order to receive heat from the heat source. The panel is also adapted to be thermally in contact with an air flow in order to transfer heat from the panel. The panel includes at least one hole between a first side of the panel and a second side of the panel. The hole is adapted to attenuate a vibrating air pressure generated by an acoustic noise source and carried by the air. | 01-10-2013 |
20130006439 | METHOD AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR SCHEDULING LOAD OF A POWER PLANT - A method and control system are disclosed for optimizing load scheduling for a power plant having one or more generation units. The method can include analyzing the operating state of one or more components of generation units in terms of one or more risk indices associated with one or more components of generation units; updating an objective function that reflects the state of one or more components of generation units; solving the objective function to optimize a schedule of the one or more generation units and operating state of one or more components of generation units; and operating the one or more generation units at optimized schedule and operating state. | 01-03-2013 |
20130006429 | PROCESS OPTIMIZATION METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A POWER PLANT - A method and system are disclosed for optimizing load scheduling for a power plant having one or more power generator units. An exemplary method and corresponding system can involve detecting an event indicative of a need for adapting one or more constraints for an objective function used in load scheduling. On such detection, the objective function is analysed to determine adaptive constraint values for the one or more constraints for optimally solving the objective function. These adaptive constraint values can be used to solve the objective function and the solution of the objective function with the one or more adapted constraint values can be used to operate the one or more power generation units of the power plant. | 01-03-2013 |
20130006428 | SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHOD FOR MONITORING AND CONTROLLING A POWER PLANT - A control system for a power plant having a mill for pulverizing material for input into a combustion system of the power plant includes first and second sensors for recording first and second parameter of first and second outputs from the combustion system, respectively, an adjuster system for adjusting and recording at least one variable parameter of the combustion system, and a state estimator component configured to receive a first signal relating to the first parameter, a second signal relating to the second parameter and a third signal relating to the at least one variable system parameter. The state estimator component uses the first to third signals to produce a material parameter indicator signal and a system state indicator signal. The control system includes an output component configured to receive the material parameter indicator system state indicator signals and to combine these signals to produce an output control signal. | 01-03-2013 |
20120304903 | OPTICAL FLAME SENSOR - Exemplary embodiments relates to an optical measurement that determines the temperature in a flame and determines the particle size of the fuel present in the flame. The optical measurement device includes a color camera that measures light information in the flame and outputs measurement results and an evaluation unit that evaluates the measurement results. Further, a coal burning power plant is provided with a multitude of burners that burn milled coal each in a flame and a multitude of optical measurement devices described. | 12-06-2012 |
20120303586 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DATA INTEGRATION OF ENGINEERING TOOLS - Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a system and method for data integration using at least two independent engineering tools including their private database, where all data in the first tool being of interest for the second tool are identified, specified and stored in an electronic data container. Each data item stored in the electronic data container is provided with a link to the original data and with a copy of the stored data items. The electronic data container that includes the data items can be accessed by the target tool or a separate application to obtain a read-only view of the engineering data of the source tool for further use in the target engineering tool and navigation through the data for the engineer as well as for a data import. | 11-29-2012 |
20120299677 | ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER WITH DIAPHRAGM AND METHOD OF COOLING SAME - An electrical transformer is disclosed which includes an enclosure; a magnetic core assembly arranged within the enclosure, the magnetic core assembly having a first core limb, a second core limb and a third core limb; and three coil assemblies having a first coil assembly, a second coil assembly, and a third coil assembly. At least two diaphragms are arranged within the enclosure, the diaphragms being essentially sealed to a first outermost coil of the first coil assembly, and arranged for guiding a cooling fluid in series through a first inner fluid duct, a second inner fluid duct, a third inner fluid duct and an extra-coil volume along outsides of third, second and first outermost coil coils of the third, second and first coil assemblies. | 11-29-2012 |
20120283969 | FIBER-OPTIC CURRENT SENSING USING A SENSOR WITH EXCHANGEABLE SUB-MODULES - A fiber-optic current sensor includes a measuring unit having a light source and a light detector, and a sensing head having a sensing fiber wound around a conductor and a retarder connected to the sensing fiber. The scale factor as a function of current of the fiber-optic current sensor is described by the product of two scaling functions fe′ and fs′ for the measuring unit and the sensing head, respectively. The data describing the scaling functions fe′, fs′ is stored in a memory of the measuring unit, while the data describing the scaling function fs′ is also stored in a memory of the sensing head. Providing two such memory devices allows to store the scaling functions fe′ and fs′ separately, thereby turning the control unit as well as the sensor head into easily replaceable modules. | 11-08-2012 |
20120261999 | RECONFIGURABLE POWER SYSTEMS AND CONVERTERS - Reconfigurable power systems and converters and operating methods therefor are disclosed. Reconfigurable power systems may include a DC power source, an electrical energy storage device, an AC power grid connection, and a power converter configured to selectively couple two or more of the DC power source, the electrical energy storage device, and the AC power grid connection. | 10-18-2012 |
20120253695 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE WEAR ON A CONTACT ELEMENT - A method for determining the wear on a contact element of an electrical switch, for example, of a switching installation for high or medium voltage, includes recording electrical values which represent an electrical variable, which is relevant to an arc occurring at the switch during a switching operation, as a function of time, and calculating a wear value, which represents the wear on the contact element, from a plurality of wear contribution values. The wear contribution values are calculated from a plurality of subsets of the recorded electrical values using a plurality of wear contribution calculation rules, with the result that each of the wear contribution values is calculated from a respective one of the subsets of values according to a respective one of the wear contribution calculation rules. At least two of the wear contribution calculation rules differ from one another. | 10-04-2012 |
20120248874 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING THE OPERATION OF AN AUXILIARY POWER SYSTEM OF A THERMAL POWER PLANT - Apparatus and method for controlling power in an auxiliary power system of a thermal power plant having a generator and one or more auxiliary buses. The apparatus includes adjustable speed drives and capacitance sources for connection to the one or more auxiliary buses and sensors for measuring voltage and reactive power on the one or more auxiliary buses. A controller is operable to control the adjustable speed drives and the capacitance sources to control the power factor of the auxiliary power system, while providing steady state voltage regulation and dynamic voltage support. | 10-04-2012 |
20120248873 | ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS - A method for controlling an energy storage system for connection to a power system, and such an energy storage system are provided. The method makes use of a model based predictive controller to optimize the charging/discharging rates of energy storage elements in a hybrid energy storage system. The method includes determining respective desired charging/discharging rates for the energy storage elements in dependence upon state of charge predictions from respective models of the storage elements, using model predictive control, and adjusting respective charging/discharging rates of the storage elements in accordance with the determined rates. The energy system includes a controller configured to control respective charging/discharging rates of the energy storage elements in accordance with the method. | 10-04-2012 |
20120242152 | METHOD FOR SEARCHING GLOBAL MAXIMUM POWER POINT - An exemplary method is disclosed for searching a global maximum power point in an arrangement comprising a series connection of photovoltaic power sources. The method can include determining a value of a reference by adding an increment to a previous value of the reference, wherein the value of the increment is determined on the basis of the power produced by the power sources. | 09-27-2012 |
20120239601 | Restoration Switching Analysis with Genetic Algorithm - A method for generating switching plans to restore power to out-of-service areas after fault isolation through back feeding. A chromosome architecture is defined to create chromosomes representing candidate post-restoration systems. The chromosomes are evaluated are repeatedly genetically altered until an acceptable solution is identified. The solution identifies a plurality of switching operations that back feed power to the out-of-service areas in the most optimal manner. | 09-20-2012 |
20120239320 | RELIABILITY CALCULATION FOR SUBSTATION AUTOMATION SYSTEMS - A method and device automatically extract, to a maximum extent, reliability-relevant information from a Substation Configuration Description (SCD) file describing an electric power transmission or distribution substation. The information in the SCD file is used to identify the physical topology of a communication network of a Substation Automation (SA) system, and all dataflow relating to a given SA functionality or Logical Node (LN). An LN reliability measure for the latter is calculated, involving reliability indications specific to each element or device participating in the dataflow. A number of LN reliability measures are consolidated to produce an overall reliability for the SA system architecture or communication network topology. The method and tool minimize the engineering effort required to perform a reliability calculation, and thus allow comparing the reliability of different SA architectures with minimal effort and intervention of a reliability engineer. | 09-20-2012 |
20120239215 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING ISLANDING CONDITIONS OF DISTRIBUTED GENERATOR - A method and apparatus are provided for detecting islanding conditions for distributed generators connected to a grid. The method includes estimating a grid impedance, and inducing, on the basis of the estimated grid impedance, a variation on a value of a first electrical quantity of the grid. The method also includes monitoring a grid response to the variations, and determining islanding conditions on the basis of the monitored response. | 09-20-2012 |
20120232713 | Restoration Switching Analysis with Modified Genetic Algorithm - The method of determining back-feed paths is capable of efficiently solving multi-layer restoration problems by minimizing a fitness function using an iterative genetic algorithm. The method optimizes back-feeding of out-of-service areas by minimizing power loss, switching, unserved loads and voltage/current violations. The efficiency of the algorithm is further increased through the use of a reactive Tabu search to prevent duplicate candidate systems. | 09-13-2012 |
20120226367 | REDUNDANT CONTROL FOR A PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM - Exemplary methods and systems are directed to a process control system having a main control device for controlling a primary equipment of the primary system and a backup control device for controlling the primary equipment in case of a failure of the first control device. A command redirection device for the process control system, is adapted to receive a control command destined to the main control device, and to redirect, in the event of a failure of the main control device, said control command to the backup control device. | 09-06-2012 |
20120222423 | THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM HAVING AN INTERNAL HEAT EXCHANGER AND METHOD FOR STORING THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY - Exemplary embodiments are directed to a thermoelectric energy storage system (TEES) and method for converting electrical energy into thermal energy to be stored and converted back to electrical energy with an improved round-trip efficiency are disclosed. The TEES includes a working fluid circuit for circulating a working fluid through a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, a thermal storage medium circuit for circulating a thermal storage medium, the thermal storage medium circuit having at least one hot storage tank coupled to a cold storage tank via the first heat exchanger. The arrangement maximizes the work performed by the cycle during charging and discharging for a given maximum pressure and maximum temperature of the working fluid. | 09-06-2012 |
20120222292 | CONDUCTOR HANDLING TOOL AND A METHOD OF APPLYING AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATING MATERIAL - A conductor handling tool has a plate-shaped tool body. The tool body includes a conductor receiving opening for receiving a conductor portion therein and for holding the conductor portion received therein. Further, an edge of the plate-shaped tool body is shaped convex as a tapered blade edge extending substantially within a y-z-plane. The tapered blade edge is directed away from the conductor receiving opening and is forming an outer circumferential portion of the tool body for splitting a portion of insulating material during winding of the insulating material. | 09-06-2012 |
20120211799 | POWER SEMICONDUCTOR MODULE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A POWER SEMICONDUCTOR MODULE - A power semiconductor module including a semiconductor device (e.g., an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a reverse conductive (RC IGBT), or a bi-mode insulated gate transistor (BIGT)) with an emitter electrode and a collector electrode is provided. An electrically conductive upper layer is sintered to the emitter electrode. The upper layer is capable of forming an eutecticum with the semiconductor of the semiconductor device, and has a coefficient of thermal expansion which differs from the coefficient of thermal expansion of the semiconductor in a range of ≦250%, for example ≦50%. An electrically conductive base plate is sintered to the collector electrode. The semiconductor module includes an electrically conductive area which is electrically isolated from the base plate and connected to the upper layer via a direct electrical connection. The semiconductor module is easy to prepare, has an improved reliability and exhibits short circuit failure mode capacity. | 08-23-2012 |
20120208924 | EPOXY RESIN COMPOSITION - An exemplary curable epoxy resin composition is disclosed which includes at least an epoxy resin component and a hardener component, and optionally further additives, wherein (a) at least a part of the hardener component is a chemically modified polycarbonic acid anhydride; (b) an optional glycol or polyglycol; (c) or a compound containing two carboxylic groups is included; and (d) the chemically modified acid anhydride hardener is present in an amount comprising at least 10% of reactive hardening groups calculated to all the reactive hardening groups contained in the total amount of hardener component present in the epoxy resin composition. | 08-16-2012 |
20120206149 | Method and Apparatus for Ground Distance Protection - The invention relates to a ground distance protection method, which comprises: measure local source impedance based on fault component at both ends (M, N) of the transmission line in the case of a ground distance fault has occurred. Send the measured local source impedance from a first end to a second end. Adjust a protection criterion at the second end based on the measured impedance. And, judge the ground fault as an internal fault or an external fault according to the adjusted protection criterion. The invention also relates to a controller, a piece of software and an apparatus for implementing the same function. | 08-16-2012 |
20120202918 | CURABLE EPOXY RESIN COMPOSITION - A curable epoxy resin composition including at least an epoxy resin component and a hardener component, and optionally further additives, wherein: (a) the epoxy resin component is an epoxy resin compound or a mixture of such compounds; (b) the hardener component includes (b1) an aliphatic and cycloaliphatic or aromatic polycarbonic acid anhydride; and (b2) a polyether-amine of the general formula (I), H | 08-09-2012 |
20120201059 | FAULT CURRENT LIMITATION IN DC POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS - A method, voltage source converter and computer program product for limiting the current in a DC power transmission system are disclosed. The voltage source converter has an AC side and a DC side and a fault current path between these sides. It furthermore includes a control unit and at least one switching unit of a first type provided in the fault current path and that includes a primary switching element together with an anti-parallel secondary controllable rectifying element. Based on a fault being detected in the DC power system when the primary switching elements of the converter are blocked, the control unit changes the control of the controllable rectifying element from acting as a non-controllable rectifying to acting as a controllable rectifying element. | 08-09-2012 |
20120199954 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A semiconductor device which provides a small and simple design with efficient cooling. A first electrically conducting cooling element is in contact with first electrodes of semiconductor elements for forwarding a heat load from the semiconductor elements and for electrically connecting the first electrodes of the semiconductor elements to an external apparatus. A second electrically conducting cooling element is in contact with second electrodes of the semiconductor elements for forwarding a heat load from the semiconductor elements and for electrically connecting the second electrodes of the semiconductor elements to an external apparatus. The semiconductor device includes an interface which is electrically connected to gates of the semiconductor elements for external control of respective states of the semiconductor elements. | 08-09-2012 |
20120194344 | BUS CONDITION MONITORING SYSTEM - A method and system is disclosed for monitoring switchgear. The current supplied to the main bus is measured. The current flowing through a plurality of feeder circuits is also measured. The temperature of the main bus at one or more nodes is measured, wherein a node is a connection point between the main bus and each feeder circuit. The current flowing through one of the nodes is determined by subtracting the current flow through each the feeder circuit upstream from the node, from the current supplied by the input circuit. An alarm condition is determined if the temperature at a node exceeds a predetermined temperature value for a given current flow through the node. The alarm condition is thereafter displayed to a switchgear operator. | 08-02-2012 |
20120191959 | METHOD FOR CONFIGURING AN INTELLIGENT ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND A SUBSTATION AUTOMATION SYSTEM - A method is disclosed for configuring an intelligent electronic device (IED) that includes enabling dynamic capability of the IED by a flexible data modeling technique to dynamically adapt a data model based on an application requirement using a configuration tool. A substation automation system is also disclosed which includes a local system equipment having a plurality of IEDs associated with the local system equipment and an IED configuration tool configured to interact with the firmware of each IED to configure the IED based on application requirements. The application configuration tool can include dynamic capability information of the IED to enable a flexible data model in the IED. | 07-26-2012 |
20120165986 | ROBOTIC PICKING OF PARTS FROM A PARTS HOLDING BIN - A robot system ( | 06-28-2012 |
20120163521 | SECURE CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION - The present disclosure provides a secure one-step IEEE 1588 clock using either a symmetric or asymmetric protection scheme. Clocks of mission-critical or highly-available devices in industrial automation systems connected to a communication network are synchronized by sending, by a master clock, a synchronization message, e.g., a single message of the one-step-clock type according to IEEE 1588, including a time stamp, and by receiving and evaluating, by a slave clock, the synchronization message. A synchronization component or module of the master clock prepares, or composes, prior to a projected send time, a synchronization message including a time stamp of the projected send time, and secures the synchronization message in advance of the projected send time. Securing the synchronization message occurs by suitable cryptographic means allowing for authentication of the time stamp at a receiving slave clock. At the projected send time, the secured synchronization message is transmitted. | 06-28-2012 |
20120161685 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A CONVERTER - Exemplary embodiments are directed to a converter for an electrical system that is controlled in such that switching sequences for the converter, determined with respect to an optimization goal are modified such that by correcting a flux error resulting from assumptions on which the first optimization of the switching sequence is based. | 06-28-2012 |
20120153976 | DEVICE WITH OVERVOLTAGE PROTECTION AND METHOD FOR ITS TESTING - Exemplary embodiments are directed to a device with overvoltage protection that includes a varistor which can be connected by a first connection via a first line to high-voltage potential in a circuit arrangement, while a second connection is connected to ground via a second line. Furthermore, an additional impedance is provided, which can be connected between the second connection and ground or the first connection and the high voltage, or is mounted fixed in this position. The corresponding line can be interrupted by a switching arrangement. In order to test the withstand voltage of the circuit arrangement, at least one of the first and second line is interrupted and an additional impedance is inserted. A test voltage is applied to the circuit arrangement. After the overvoltage test, the interruption in at least one of the first and second lines is removed again. | 06-21-2012 |
20120150507 | ESTIMATING INITIAL STATES OF A SYSTEM MODEL FOR CONTROLLING AN INDUSTRIAL PROCESS - A model-based control of an industrial process using a merged MLD system model is provided for the estimation and subsequent control of the process. An optimization of an objective function is performed. The objective function includes a difference between an observed quantity and an output variable of a Mixed Logical Dynamic (MLD) system model of the process. The optimization is performed as a function of state variables of the MLD system model, over a number of time steps in the past, and subject to constraints defined by the MLD system model's dynamics. The optimizing values of the state variables are retained as estimated initial states for subsequent control of the process in a model-based manner including the same MLD system model. The single MLD system model is a combination or merger of individual MLD subsystem models representing the sub-processes of the process, and may be elaborated during a customization step. | 06-14-2012 |
20120147941 | Method and Apparatus for Detecting Communication Channel Delay Asymmetry - The invention provides a method and apparatus for detecting communication channel delay asymmetry between transmission line protection devices. The method comprises: calculating, repeatedly, clock disparity between clocks of the protection devices and communication delays at different paths of the communication channel; comparing the latest calculated clock disparity and communication delays with previously calculated clock disparities and communication delays, respectively; determining a channel switching has happened if a change of the calculated clock disparity exceeds a first threshold, or a change of the calculated communication delays for any path exceeds a second threshold; and determining the channel delays as asymmetrical if a difference between the calculated communication delays of the different paths after the channel switching exceeds a third threshold. | 06-14-2012 |
20120146749 | DRIVE SYSTEM FOR OPERATING AN ELECTRIC DEVICE - A drive system is disclosed for operating an electric device. The drive system includes an electric motor having a permanent magnet rotor connectable to the electric device for controlling the operation of it by a limited-angle rotation, the electric motor further including a stator winding. The drive system includes a drive circuit connected to the stator winding. The permanent magnet rotor can be arranged to be aligned to a magnetic field created by the stator winding when supplied with current from the drive circuit, so that a maximum torque can be applied to the rotor and thereby to the movable part within an interval of ±25 degrees around a middle position between two end positions of the limited-angle rotation of the rotor. | 06-14-2012 |
20120139483 | COMPOSITE CAPACITANCE AND USE THEREOF - A composite capacitive component includes a plurality of physically distinguishable capacitor modules which are electrically connected to each other. The distinguishable modules allow for an increased electrical and/or geometrical flexibility in designing the capacitive component. Each of the capacitor modules includes a plurality of base capacitors arranged on a module-specific Printed Circuit Board PCB. All the base capacitors from the capacitor modules are of a single type, which simplifies both production and maintenance of the capacitive component. | 06-07-2012 |
20120123603 | SUBSTATION AUTOMATION SYSTEM WITH PROTECTION FUNCTIONS - A Substation Automation (SA) system is configured to perform protection functions for a bay of an electrical power distribution substation, receive, via a communication link, redundancy protection commands from a remote center, and execute the redundancy protection commands for the bay. The SA system is configured to transmit to a redundant protection server of the remote center, process values measured by measurement equipment of the substation, and to receive, from the redundant protection server, and forward, via the process bus, the received redundancy protection commands directed to operating equipment of the substation. Thus, for multiple SA systems, redundant protection functions are implemented and provided cost-efficiently by one common remote central unit. | 05-17-2012 |
20120116542 | PROCESS CONTROL OVERVIEW ON A SUPERVISORY CONTROL SYSTEM DISPLAY UNIT - A method for enabling supervision of a technical system and a supervisory control system for supervising a technical system are provided. An overview picture of the technical system is shown on a display unit and the overview system receives input signals indicating a selection of at least one object of interest shown in the overview picture. In response to these input signals, a detailed information view is displayed at least partly overlapping the overview picture, where the detailed information view is associated with the object and includes detailed information of the object. | 05-10-2012 |
20120113555 | FAULT INTERRUPTING DEVICES AND CONTROL METHODS THEREFOR - Fault interrupting devices and methods for controlling the same are disclosed. The fault interrupting devices may include a switch on an electrical power line and a controller configured to operate the switch. The methods for controlling fault interrupting devices may include gathering data, determining from the data that a fault has occurred, opening the fault interrupting device to interrupt the fault, analyzing the data, and determining whether the fault interrupting device can be reclosed based at least partially on the analysis of the data. | 05-10-2012 |
20120111605 | CURABLE SOL-GEL COMPOSITION - Curable sol-gel composition useful for modifying the surface of a conventional electrical insulation system and providing said surface with an improved tracking and erosion resistance, wherein said sol-gel composition includes: (a) cyclo-aliphatic epoxy resin compound containing at least two 1,2-epoxy groups per molecule [component (a)]; (b) a glycidoxypropane-tri(C | 05-10-2012 |
20120098577 | GATE DRIVER UNIT FOR ELECTRICAL SWITCHING DEVICE - An exemplary apparatus and method for using intelligent gate driver units with distributed intelligence to control antiparallel power modules or parallel-connected electrical switching devices like IGBTs is disclosed. The intelligent gate drive units use the intelligence to balance the currents of the switching devices, even in dynamic switching events. The intelligent gate driver units can use master-slave or daisy chain control structures and instantaneous or time integral differences of the currents of parallel-connected switching devices as control parameters. Instead of balancing the currents, temperature can also be balanced with the intelligent gate driver units. | 04-26-2012 |
20120097369 | HEAT EXCHANGER - The disclosure relates to a heat exchanger including at least a first group and a second group of channels arranged to provide fluid paths between a first end and a second end of the heat exchanger. Connecting parts are arranged at the first end and at the second end of the heat exchanger. A first heat transfer element transfers a heat load to fluid, and a second heat transfer element transfers a heat load from the fluid. The channels have capillary dimensions. The connecting parts include fluid distribution elements, and the first and second heat transfer element contact all channels | 04-26-2012 |
20120095707 | Method for Identifying Type of Fault on Power Line - A method for identifying the type of faults occurred on a power line, characterized in that it comprises: calculating a fault point voltage on fault points based on terminal voltage and fault locations of the power line; adopting the fault point voltage corresponding to a maximum transition resistance as a setting value; comparing the fault point voltage on fault points with the setting value; and identifying the type of fault as a permanent type or a transient type based on the result of the comparison. | 04-19-2012 |
20120092904 | COORDINATED CONTROL OF MULTI-TERMINAL HVDC SYSTEMS - Multi-terminal HVDC systems and control methods therefore are disclosed. Methods for controlling multi-terminal HVDC systems having a plurality of converter stations may include receiving a plurality of measurements from a plurality of measurement units disposed on the HVDC system, identifying from the measurements a disruption within the HVDC system, monitoring the measurements to identify a steady-state disrupted condition for the HVDC system, calculating a new set point for at least one of the plurality of converter stations, which new set point may be based on the steady-state disrupted condition and the measurements, and transmitting the new set point to the at least one of the plurality of converter stations. In some examples, the HVDC systems may include an HVDC grid interconnecting the plurality of converter stations and a controller communicatively linked to the plurality of measurement units and the plurality of converter stations. | 04-19-2012 |
20120089262 | INTELLIGENT PROCESS INTERFACE AND SUBSTATION AUTOMATION SYSTEM - This specification discloses an intelligent and digitalized process level interface which is referred to herein as an Intelligent Process Interface (IPI). The input of the IPI includes both analog and digital channels and therefore the IPI can be used for substations in transition or retrofit stages with both conventional and non-conventional primary devices. The IPI acts not only as a digitalized interface, but also as an intelligent supervisory and control unit for switching functions. The architecture of the IPI is flexible and allows for the functionality to be distributed to several devices. | 04-12-2012 |
20120080168 | THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM WITH AN INTERMEDIATE STORAGE TANK AND METHOD FOR STORING THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY - A system and method are provided for storing electric energy in the form of thermal energy. A thermoelectric energy storage system includes a working fluid circuit for circulating a working fluid through a heat exchanger, and a thermal storage medium circuit for circulating a thermal storage medium. The thermal storage medium circuit includes at least one hot storage tank, an intermediate temperature storage tank, and a cold storage tank connected together via the heat exchanger. A proportion of the storage medium is redirected to or from the intermediate storage tank from or to the hot or cold storage tank, joining another proportion which flows directly between the cold and hot storage tank. | 04-05-2012 |
20120069602 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR TRACKING THE MAXIMUM POWER POINT OF A PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE - A method and apparatus of tracking the maximum power point of a photovoltaic module. The method includes measuring an output voltage of the photovoltaic module, determining an output voltage of the inverter connected to the photovoltaic module, and measuring output current of the inverter connected to the photovoltaic module. A variable relating to energy of the capacitor is defined using the measured PV module output voltage, and a second harmonic component is extracted from the defined variable. A second harmonic component of the module output power is estimated using the defined variable, measured output current of the inverter, and the determined output voltage of the inverter. The estimated and extracted second harmonic components are multiplied, and a DC component is extracted from the product. A control signal for controlling the inverter connected to the photovoltaic module is formed by using the extracted DC component in a PI algorithm. | 03-22-2012 |
20120062383 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING OPERATOR CONDITION, DEVICE THEREFROM AND THEIR USE IN ALARM RESPONSE SYSTEM IN A FACILITY - A method is disclosed for alarm distribution, the method including receiving one or more physiological parameters of one or more operators; detecting a condition of the one or more operators based on the one or more physiological parameters; deciding the condition of the one or more operators; and generating an operator alarm response based on the condition of the one or more operators. An intelligent alarm device is also disclosed that can utilize the method described herein. A processor is disclosed for intelligent alarm distribution to one or more operators determined to be in a fit condition. | 03-15-2012 |
20120060501 | THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM HAVING TWO THERMAL BATHS AND METHOD FOR STORING THERMOELECTRIC ENERGY - An exemplary system and method for storing and retrieving energy in a thermoelectric energy storage system is disclosed. The thermoelectric energy storage system includes a working fluid that is circulated through a first and second heat exchanger, and a thermal storage medium that is circulated through the first heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is in connection with a first thermal bath during a charging cycle and with a second thermal bath during a discharging cycle. In this way roundtrip efficiency is improved through minimizing the temperature difference between the first thermal bath and the hot storage tank during charging, and maximizing the temperature difference between the second thermal bath and the hot storage tank during discharging. | 03-15-2012 |
20120059516 | DAMAGE-PREVENTING SYSTEM FOR MANIPULATOR - An industrial robot with a manipulator arm including at least one manipulator element and an electric motor driving the at least one manipulator element. An energy reservoir supplies the electric motor with electricity when a power failure or power loss occurs to move the manipulator element from a working position to a safe parking position. Also a method of parking a manipulator arm of an industrial robot. | 03-08-2012 |
20120043994 | CURRENT BALANCING OF PARALLEL CONNECTED SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS - A method and an arrangement are provided for balancing the switching transient behavior of parallel connected power semiconductor components. The method includes providing a switch signal to the parallel connected power semiconductor components for changing the state of the components, forming control signals for each of the parallel connected components from the switch signal, and determining, during the change of state of the power semiconductor component, the voltage induced to an inductance in the main current path of the component in each of the parallel connected components. The method also includes comparing each of the induced voltages with a predetermined threshold voltage, measuring time differences between the time instants at which the induced voltages crosses the threshold voltage, and modifying one or more of the control signals on the basis of the measured time differences in the respective following state change for balancing the switching transient behavior. | 02-23-2012 |
20120041576 | OPERATOR TERMINAL IN A PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a method of enabling an operator to make control or protection related decisions in a process control system, an operator terminal in a process control system as well as to a computer program product for such an operator terminal. The method includes the steps receiving ( | 02-16-2012 |
20120037599 | CIRCUIT BREAKER - An exemplary high voltage circuit breaker includes an interruption chamber that is filled with an extinguishing agent. The interruption chamber having at least two separable arcing contact pieces that are coaxially arranged and an arcing zone in which an electric arc is producible during an interruption process. The interruption chamber includes at least two inlets and at least one outlet located in between the two inlets. The inlets and the at least one outlet are connected with the arcing zone such that the electric arc is extinguishable in at least three arc interruption zones by means of extinguishing flows streaming out of the at least two inlets into the arcing zone upon pressurization and introduction of a portion of the extinguishing agent in the arcing zone, and leading an amount of the extinguishing flows through the outlet out of the arcing zone. | 02-16-2012 |
20120033461 | CONTROLLING A HIGH-VOLTAGE DIRECT-CURRENT (HVDC) LINK - The present disclosure is directed to a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) link with Voltage Source Converters VSC and interconnecting two power systems. A model-predictive control with a receding horizon policy is employed for controlling the outer loop of a two-loop or two-layer control scheme or setup for the HVDC link. The two-loop control scheme takes advantage of the difference in speed of the dynamics of the various system variables of the HVDC link and the interconnected power systems. Model-based prediction representative of the interconnected power systems' behavior enables comparison of the future effect of different control inputs applied within the control scheme, while taking into account any physical, safety and operating constraints. It is valid for a complete operating range, e.g., it avoids performance degradation when moving away from the nominal operating point of the control scheme for a HVDC link. | 02-09-2012 |
20120025751 | PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM - A photovoltaic system for generating an output voltage that is uninfluenced by varying irradiation, includes a photovoltaic source having an input terminal and an output terminal. The photovoltaic system includes a voltage adding arrangement having a first input terminal and an output terminal. The voltage adding arrangement is connected in series with the photovoltaic source, and includes a first route having a voltage source and a second route as a voltage source bypass. The first and second routes extend between the first input terminal and the output terminal of the voltage adding arrangement. The first and second routes being alternately activateable. | 02-02-2012 |
20120025151 | CURABLE EPOXY RESIN COMPOSITION - Curable epoxy resin composition including an epoxy resin component and a filler component and optionally a hardener component and further additives, wherein (a) the curable epoxy resin composition has been produced by separately mixing together at least a part of the epoxy resin component and at least a part of the filler component and optionally some or all of the optional additives, prior to mixing theses components with the optional hardener component and with any remaining optional additives present in the curable epoxy resin composition, and that (b) the mixing together of at least a part of the epoxy resin component and at least a part of the filler component and optionally some or all of the optional additives has been carried out at a temperature higher than the casting temperature of the curable epoxy resin composition, and electrical insulation systems made therefrom. | 02-02-2012 |
20120023058 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS - Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring operation of an automation system that includes a plurality of interconnected logical objects. The systems and methods may build a fuzzy cognitive map to model an interdependence of the plurality of interconnected logical objects upon one another. In some examples, the systems and methods may identify a non-ideality associated with at least one of the plurality of logical objects and determine from the fuzzy cognitive map an effect of the non-ideality on the operation of the automation system. In some examples, the systems and methods may determine from the fuzzy cognitive map a first one of the plurality of logical objects that affects a second one of the plurality of logical objects to a greater extent than do the remaining ones of the plurality of logical objects. | 01-26-2012 |
20120010830 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CLASSIFYING POWER LINE EVENTS - Systems and methods for classifying power line events are disclosed. Classifying power line events may include receiving measured data corresponding to a signal measured on a power line, such as proximate a substation bus or along the power line, determining from the measured data that the power line event has occurred, extracting at least one event feature from the measured data, and determining at least partially from the at least one event feature at least one probable classification for the power line event. The systems may include an Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) connected to the power line and a processor linked to the IED. | 01-12-2012 |
20120004869 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR POWER LINE EVENT ZONE IDENTIFICATION - Systems and methods for power line event zone identification are disclosed. Power line event zone identification may include receiving measured data corresponding to a signal measured on a power line, determining from the measured data that a power line event has occurred, and identifying a probable one of at least two monitoring zones in which the power line event occurred. The at least two monitoring zones may be defined for an Intelligent Electronic Device (IED). The systems may include an IED connected to the power line and a processor linked to the IED. | 01-05-2012 |
20120004867 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CHARACTERIZING FAULT CLEARING DEVICES - Systems and methods for characterizing a device that operated to clear a fault in a power line, such as a power distribution system feeder, are disclosed. Characterizing the device may include receiving measured data corresponding to a current measured along the feeder proximate a substation bus, determining from the measured data that a fault has occurred in at least one phase and has been cleared, subtracting reference data from the measured data to estimate residual fault data, and estimating from the residual fault data a characteristic of the device that operated to clear the fault. The systems may include an Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) and a processor linked to the IED. | 01-05-2012 |
20120001199 | POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A bipolar power semiconductor device is provided with an emitter electrode on an emitter side and a collector electrode on a collector side. The device has a trench gate electrode and a structure with a plurality of layers of different conductivity types in the following order: at least one n doped source region, a p doped base layer, which surrounds the at least one source region, an n doped enhancement layer, a p doped additional well layer, an additional n doped enhancement layer, an additional p doped well layer, an n doped drift layer and a p doped collector layer. The trench gate electrode has a gate bottom, which is located closer to the collector side than the additional enhancement layer bottom. | 01-05-2012 |
20110316559 | METHOD FOR TESTING A POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND A POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ANALYZER DEVICE - A method and analyzer device are provided for testing a power distribution system of a power supply network. A first electrical signal is transmitted into the power distribution system to be tested, the first electrical signal is propagated along the power distribution system to be tested, and a second electrical signal, which is a portion of the first electrical signal reflected within the power distribution system, is received. A signal variation parameter is measured between the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, and a location of a critical conducting section within the power supply network is obtained from the measured signal variation parameter. A maximum load rating of the critical conducting section is determined, and a control signal for controlling the power supply network such that the power transferred on the critical conducting section does not exceed the maximum load rating. | 12-29-2011 |
20110307936 | NETWORK ANALYSIS - A method and system are provided for analyzing a network. The method and system convert network specification information into a single intermediate representation of the network. The intermediate representation can then be used to determine security parameters as well as expected data traffic parameters. | 12-15-2011 |