Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080315805 | CHOPPER CIRCUIT TOPOLOGIES FOR ADAPTING AN ELECTRICAL BRAKING SYSTEM IN A TRACTION VEHICLE - An adaptable electrical braking system for an electrical propulsion system of a traction vehicle is provided. The electrical braking system is configured to dissipate electrical energy in a plurality of resistor grids. The braking system includes a braking system assembly including a baseline chopper circuit topology. The baseline chopper circuit topology includes a first semiconductor-based circuitry in an enclosure for accommodating the first semiconductor-based circuitry. The braking system further includes a second semiconductor-based circuitry electrically coupled to the first semiconductor-based circuitry to produce a chopper including a chopper circuit topology fully contained in the enclosure. The second semiconductor-based circuitry includes a circuit topology selectable to adapt the baseline chopper circuit topology to meet distinct operational requirements to be fulfilled by the braking system. | 12-25-2008 |
20080315806 | KIT AND METHOD FOR RECONFIGURING AN ELECTRICAL BRAKING SYSTEM FOR A TRACTION VEHICLE - A kit and method for reconfiguring an electrical braking system for a traction vehicle are provided. The kit may include a braking system assembly including a chopper having a first chopper circuit topology. The first chopper circuit topology includes a first semiconductor-based circuitry having a footprint that defines at least one cavity in an enclosure for accommodating the first semiconductor-based circuitry. This enclosure constitutes the enclosure for accommodating the semiconductor-based circuitry in the chopper having electromechanical-based circuitry and semiconductor based circuitry. A second semiconductor-based circuitry is arranged in the at least one cavity in the enclosure for accommodating the first semiconductor-based circuitry. The second semiconductor-based circuitry when electrically coupled to the first semiconductor-based circuitry produces a chopper comprising a second chopper circuit topology fully contained in the enclosure. The second chopper circuit topology is operable without any electromechanical-based circuitry. | 12-25-2008 |
20100011875 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO MINIMIZE IMPACT OF SLUG EVENTS - A system for stabilizing flow in a pipeline is provided. The system includes at least one of an internal supply or an external supply configured to provide fluid into the pipeline such that a ratio of liquid to gas in the flow is within an acceptable range. The system also includes one or more sensors configured to indicate the ratio of liquid to gas in the fluid. The system further includes at least one valve configured to regulate a flow of the fluid from the internal supply or the external supply into the pipeline based upon the ratio indicated by the one or more sensors. | 01-21-2010 |
20100011876 | CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD TO DETECT AND MINIMIZE IMPACT OF SLUG EVENTS - A system for detecting and controlling a slug event in a flow through a pipeline is provided. The system includes multiple sensors configured to indicate one or more parameters of the flow for a slug at multiple locations in the pipeline. The system also includes a controller configured to receive one or more response signals corresponding to at least one of the parameters from the sensors. The system further includes a variable speed drive system electrically coupled to the controller and a compressor pumping fluid in the pipeline such that a ratio of liquid to gas is within an acceptable range, wherein the variable speed drive is configured to receive one or more signals from the controller and further configured to regulate at least one of a translational or a rotational speed or a power of the compressor based upon the signals. The system also includes a display unit coupled to the controller, the display unit configured to output the plurality of signals received from the controller. | 01-21-2010 |
20120098374 | VARIABLE-SPEED MAGNETIC COUPLING AND METHOD FOR CONTROL - An apparatus includes a first rotor operatively connected to an output shaft and holding a first array of pole pieces; a second rotor operatively connected to an input shaft coaxially with the first rotor and holding a second array of pole pieces; and an array of field windings disposed coaxially with the first and second rotors. The array of field windings being arranged to interact magnetically with a harmonic frequency of the magnetic field of the first or second array of pole pieces in a magnetically geared manner and being selectively energizable to control electromagnetic coupling of the first array of pole pieces with the second array of pole pieces, and thereby to transfer at least one of torque and speed from the input shaft to the output shaft. | 04-26-2012 |
20120161852 | POWER SWITCH CURRENT ESTIMATOR AT GATE DRIVER - A power switch current estimator for a solid state power switch. The power switch includes a control terminal, an input current power terminal, and an output current power terminal. The power switch is further configured with at least one sense terminal. One or more parasitic elements define an electrical pathway between a power terminal and a corresponding sense terminal. A driver unit that selectively turns the power switch on and off is connected to the control terminal and a sense terminal. A current estimator generates an estimated level of current circulating through the solid state power switch in real time in response to one or more switching events of the power switch. The estimated level of current is based on values of at least one of the parasitic elements such that the estimated level of load current substantially corresponds to an actual level of load current circulating through the solid state power switch. | 06-28-2012 |
20130154711 | METHOD, POWER UNIT, AND POWER SYSTEM HAVING GATE VOLTAGE LIMITING CIRCUIT - A power unit (e.g., inverter module) includes a housing and a switch attached to the housing. The switch may be configured to be electrically coupled to a remotely-mounted drive circuit through two or more wire leads. The power unit also includes a clamping circuit electrically coupled to terminals of the switch and in parallel with the switch. The clamping circuit may be disposed inside the housing or on an outer surface of the housing, and is configured to limit a voltage across the switch. | 06-20-2013 |
20150035585 | REVERSE CONDUCTION MODE SELF TURN-OFF GATE DRIVER - An apparatus includes a switch module, a sense circuit coupled to the switch module and configured to indicate an operating conduction mode of the switch module, and a drive circuit operatively coupled to the switch module to enable and disable forward conducting mode of the switch module. Once the switch module is in forward conducting mode, the drive circuit is configured to maintain enablement of the forward conducting mode even if the sense circuit indicates reverse conduction mode. | 02-05-2015 |