Abstract: A surge protection arrangement for protecting against an overvoltage condition in an electrical circuit having a power source and an electrical load includes a reactive component (such as a capacitor or an inductor) and a switching circuit connected to the reactive component. The switching circuit causes surge energy to flow to the reactive component in response to an overvoltage condition in the electrical circuit so that the surge energy is stored in the reactive component.

Abstract: A system for automatically regulating voltage on a distribution-level AC bus having an actual voltage and a nominal voltage includes an electronic power converter connected to the distribution-level AC bus. The system generates a feedback signal representative of the actual voltage of the distribution-level AC bus and produces an input control signal in response to the feedback signal. The input control signal is representative of a commanded level of reactive power. The electronic power converter is responsive to the input control signal to deliver a commanded reactive power output to the distribution-level AC bus, and the commanded reactive power output pushes the actual voltage towards the nominal voltage.

Abstract: A photo-voltaic (PV) power generating system and a control system for PV array string-level control and PV modules serially-connected into strings of PV modules. The system includes plural parallel strings of serially-connected power-generating photovoltaic modules that form a PV array, DC/DC micro-converters that are coupled to a DC voltage buss and to the output of a corresponding photovoltaic module or to the output of a string of photovoltaic modules; a gating or central inverter; and a control system. The control system is structured and arranged to control and manage each string of photovoltaic modules, to ensure that power delivered by the photovoltaic power generating system is not affected by photovoltaic modules or strings of photovoltaic modules that are not operating at maximum power transfer efficiency.

Abstract: An electronic semiconductor package is described. The package has a wide band gap electronic semiconductor device requiring heat removal. On one side of the electronic semiconductor device is a first, thermally-conductive, electrically-insulative substrate having a predetermined electrically-conductive wire pattern affixed thereto. On the other side of the electronic semiconductor device is a second, thermally-conductive, electrically-insulative substrate. A heat removal device is mechanically-coupled to the second substrate. The heat removal device is made of a graphite-metal or metal-matrix composite material and a fin array structure of the same material. The coefficients of thermal expansion of the heat removal device and the first and second substrates are matched to minimize internal and external stresses.

Abstract: A photo-voltaic (PV) power generating system and a control system for PV array string-level control and PV modules serially-connected into strings of PV modules. The system includes plural parallel strings of serially-connected power-generating photovoltaic modules that form a PV array, DC/DC micro-converters that are coupled to a DC voltage buss and to the output of a corresponding photovoltaic module or to the output of a string of photovoltaic modules; a gating or central inverter; and a control system. The control system is structured and arranged to control and manage each string of photovoltaic modules, to ensure that power delivered by the photovoltaic power generating system is not affected by photovoltaic modules or strings of photovoltaic modules that are not operating at maximum power transfer efficiency.

Abstract: A system and method for providing constant-frequency electrical power from variable-speed mechanical power are disclosed. The system includes a wound-rotor induction machine generator (WRIMG), a first power converter, e.g., an inverter or a bridge rectifier, that provides power from the stator assembly of the WRIMG to the load, and a second power converter, e.g., an inverter or a bridge rectifier, that provides power from the rotor assembly of the WRIMG to the load. A controller controls the output stator-current based on comparisons between measured DC load bus data and a reference DC load bus voltage value, measured machine shaft angular position and reference rotor frequency data, and measured stator-current data that is fed-back to the stator-current controller by the power converter device(s).

Abstract: Devices and systems that use an adaptively limited PWM duty-cycle to control a circuit and methods and control programs to operate and to control the devices and systems to adaptively limit the PWM duty-cycle are disclosed. The devices and systems are capable of adjusting the duty-cycle such that the actual inductor current in the next cycle is precisely limited. Specifically, a maximum allowable duty-cycle for time interval N+1 is estimated during time interval N. When the duty-cycle is applied to the circuit at time interval N+1, the peak inductor current is kept below a maximum allowable inductor current level.

Abstract: A device and system for removing heat from a magnetic device such as an electromagnet core section of a magnetic bearing internally by convection. The device includes a ribbon-type conductor portion and an insulator portion that are spirally and coaxially arranged on a coil. The insulating portion includes window portions that provide a fluid passage when the insulating portion is sandwiched between adjacent conductor portions. The device can be disposed in a plenum in the electromagnet core section and at least one opening in the core section, through which a cooling fluid can be introduced into the plenum, can be provided.

Abstract: A device, a system, and a method for preventing power-producing wind turbine generators from tripping due to the detection of a low-voltage condition on a power grid are disclosed. The disclosed device includes a resistor bank that absorbs real power and a control system that maintains the collector bus voltage above a threshold voltage level during the duration of low-voltage condition on the power grid. Collector bus voltage is maintained using gating signals that include phase delay angles to adjust the opening/closing of the switching devices.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat exchange system for conducting heat away from high-power, heat-producing electronic components by conduction and convection. The heat exchange system comprises a metal tube that has been forged and drawn so as to define a flow channel for a cooling fluid, wherein the tube has an inner surface that comprises a plurality of integral fins that are structured and arranged to increase the available surface area of the inner surface of the metal tube exposed to the fluid and an outer surface that is in direct communication with the heat producing components. Coolant fluids are circulated through the flow channel, preferably, at turbulent flow conditions to minimize thermal resistance. The invention further provides a self-cooling, self-supporting electronic assembly that comprising one or more high-power electronic devices, the heat exchange systems, and an attaching system for attaching high-power electronic devices to the heat exchange system.

Abstract: A fluid cooling device, and a method for manufacturing the fluid cooling device, are disclosed. The fluid cooling device includes a plurality of cold plate members, each having a plurality of imperforate plate portions and perforate portions arranged in a line; and, at least one connector for connecting the plate portions together at one end thereof. The cold plate members are arranged in a stack, wherein respective plate portions of each cold plate member are in registration with perforate portions formed in its adjacent cold plate members in the stack. The fluid cooling device can provide very high heat transfer by close clearance laminar developing flow, thereby increasing the thermal performance of the fluid cooling device while maintaining low pressure drop.

Abstract: A device and method for substantially enhancing the cooling of electric machines, e.g., motors and generators, is described. A hermetically-sealed chamber surrounds electric wire winding end-turns at either end of the stator core, and contains at least one phase-change coolant. The coolant removes heat from the stator winding through the end-turns, where often temperatures are the greatest, through cyclical ebullition, whereby heat generated by the stator winding end-turns boils and, subsequently, vaporizes the liquid coolant. The hot, vaporized coolant is removed through at least one vapor return passage and collects, cools, and condenses on the stator cooling jacket, which removes heat from the vaporized coolant. The liquid condensate precipitates into a wicking matrix, which continuously returns the liquid condensate through capillarity to the liquid coolant pool that partially wets the wicking matrix and winding end-turns.

Abstract: A low-voltage, low-inductance device for storing electrical charge in a snubber circuit and a method of minimizing inductance in the snubber circuit using the device, wherein the device includes a plurality of extended electrodes, in parallel or series, that are joined to a positive conductor terminal at one end spray and at a negative conductor terminal at the other end spray so that end sprays of adjacent extended electrodes are alternately joined to the positive and negative conductor terminals. Accordingly, current flowing though adjacent extended electrodes is of substantially equal intensity but different in direction. As a result, inductance produced effectively cancels out that of adjacent extended electrodes.

Abstract: A grid-linked power supply is described. An inverter, at least one distributed energy source to meet normal, non-peak power demand, a connection to a public utility grid to meet peak power demand requirements, and a converter for regulating delivery of power from the distributed energy source or the public utility grid are connected by bus lines. A topology for the grid-linked power supply has an inverter and a DC/DC converter that is connected to the distributed energy source. The inverter and converter are connected by bus lines, and a bias voltage is provided to select drawing power from the distributed energy source or the public utility grid.

Abstract: An integrated system for comprehensive control of an electric power generation system utilizes state machine control having particularly defined control states and permitted control state transitions. In this way, accurate, dependable and safe control of the electric power generation system is provided. Several of these control states may be utilized in conjunction with a utility outage ride-through technique that compensates for a utility outage by predictably controlling the system to bring the system off-line and to bring the system back on-line when the utility returns. Furthermore, a line synchronization technique synchronizes the generated power with the power on the grid when coming back on-line. The line synchronization technique limits the rate of synchronization to permit undesired transient voltages.

Abstract: An integrated system for comprehensive control of an electric power generation system utilizes state machine control having particularly defined control states and permitted control state transitions. In this way, accurate, dependable and safe control of the electric power generation system is provided. Several of these control states may be utilized in conjunction with a utility outage ride-through technique that compensates for a utility outage by predictably controlling the system to bring the system off-line and to bring the system back on-line when the utility returns. Furthermore, a line synchronization technique synchronizes the generated power with the power on the grid when coming back on-line. The line synchronization technique limits the rate of synchronization to permit undesired transient voltages.

Abstract: Devices and methods for producing mechanical vibration for the purpose of evaluating the durability or vibration response of a test article. More particularly, the devices and methods produce mechanical vibration of a test fixture without mechanical contact, thereby enabling the evaluation of the durability and vibration response of a test article connected to the test fixture. The device and method are particularly suitable for testing disk drives for portable computers and similar articles.

Abstract: A high speed, highly sensitive optical sensing platform and a method for detecting and/or measuring characteristics of a substance in a measurement sample are disclosed. The platform includes at least one pair of optical paths formed in a waveguide, a light source for injecting optical beams along the optical paths, a light modulator for enabling the excitement of a transverse electric and a transverse magnetic guide modes, and a phase detector for detecting phase differences between the beams propagating along the optical paths. One of the optical paths has a target analyte of unknown concentration with a measurement sample bound to its upper surface, while the second optical path has a reference sample containing a known concentration of the target analyte bound to its upper surface. A guided mode modulator causes an optical beam to propagate through the waveguide sequentially as two polarized modes.

Abstract: An integrated system for comprehensive control of an electric power generation system utilizes state machine control having particularly defined control states and permitted control state transitions. In this way, accurate, dependable and safe control of the electric power generation system is provided. Several of these control states may be utilized in conjunction with a utility outage ride-through technique that compensates for a utility outage by predictably controlling the system to bring the system off-line and to bring the system back on-line when the utility returns. Furthermore, a line synchronization technique synchronizes the generated power with the power on the grid when coming back on-line. The line synchronization technique limits the rate of synchronization to permit undesired transient voltages.

Abstract: A high-density, staggered pin fin array, and a method for manufacturing the pin fin array, are disclosed. The pin fin array includes a plurality of fin members, each having a plurality of elongated, pin-shaped fins arranged in a row; and, at least one connector for connecting the fins together, each at one end thereof. The plurality of fin members is arranged in a stack, wherein respective fins of each fin member are in registration with slots formed in its adjacent fin members in the stack. The method for manufacturing the pin fin array includes forming a plurality of fin members from a raw planar, tape, or thin layer stock, positioning the fin members relative to each other so that the respective fins of each fin member are in registration with the slots formed in adjacent fin members, and joining each fin member with the adjacent fin members.