Patents by Inventor Pierluigi Tenca

Pierluigi Tenca has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10811942
    Abstract: A rotating electrical machine including a stator or rotor including a plurality of serially connected switching cells. Each switching cell includes a winding subsection and a current reverser arranged to controllably alter a current direction through the winding subsection, and each current reverser includes a capacitor arranged to form a resonant circuit in cooperation with the winding subsection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Yujing Liu, Pierluigi Tenca
  • Patent number: 10137788
    Abstract: A power electronic device includes at least one inductor configured to couple to a first capacitor and a second capacitor. The power electronic device includes a controller configured to control a first current conducting through the inductor and a second current conducting through the inductor. The first and second currents conduct in opposite directions with respect to each other, and the first and second currents interact with each other through the inductor such that a net direct current (DC) component through the inductor is approximately zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Paolo Soldi, Fabio Carastro
  • Patent number: 9912151
    Abstract: A direct current power system includes a common direct current (DC) bus configured to supply power to a plurality of loads. A plurality of alternating current (AC) to DC converter bridges supply DC power to the common CD bus. Each of the AC to DC converter bridges is connected to the common DC bus by at least one split DC link. The at least one split DC link includes a small capacitor connected across output terminals of the respective AC to DC converter bridge and at least one diode coupled between two terminals of the small capacitor and the large capacitor in a way to block an instantaneous current flow from the common DC bus to the respective AC to DC converter bridge in case of a fault of the AC to DC converter bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Christof Martin Sihler
  • Patent number: 9853451
    Abstract: A direct current (DC) power system includes a plurality of energy sources supplying power to a plurality of loads via a DC bus having at least one positive rail. The DC bus includes two DC bus subsections and a DC bus separator coupled between the two DC bus subsections. The DC bus separator includes a controllable switch with at least one of its terminals coupled with a terminal of an inductor to provide a current path between the two DC bus subsections during normal operation via the inductor. The controllable switch is switched off to break the current path when a fault on the positive rail is detected. Furthermore, the DC bus separator includes a diode connected in parallel to the inductor and arranged to provide a circulating current path to dissipate an inductor current in the inductor when the controllable switch is switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Christof Martin Sihler
  • Publication number: 20170338757
    Abstract: A direct current electrical machine, which includes a rotor that generates a rotor magnetic field, a first commutation cell that includes a winding component, a first switching device, and a second switching device. The first winding component includes a first portion electrically coupled between a first terminal and a second terminal of the first winding component and a second portion electrically coupled between a third terminal and the second terminal of the first winding component. The first switching device is electrically coupled to the first terminal and is closed when a first voltage induced across the first portion by rotation of the rotor magnetic field is positive; and the second switching device is electrically coupled to the third terminal and is closed when a second voltage induced across the second portion by the rotation of the rotor magnetic field is negative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Konrad Roman Weeber
  • Patent number: 9806651
    Abstract: A direct current electrical machine, which includes a rotor that generates a rotor magnetic field, a first commutation cell that includes a winding component, a first switching device, and a second switching device. The first winding component includes a first portion electrically coupled between a first terminal and a second terminal of the first winding component and a second portion electrically coupled between a third terminal and the second terminal of the first winding component. The first switching device is electrically coupled to the first terminal and is closed when a first voltage induced across the first portion by rotation of the rotor magnetic field is positive; and the second switching device is electrically coupled to the third terminal and is closed when a second voltage induced across the second portion by the rotation of the rotor magnetic field is negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Konrad Roman Weeber
  • Publication number: 20170072806
    Abstract: A power electronic device includes at least one inductor configured to couple to a first capacitor and a second capacitor. The power electronic device includes a controller configured to control a first current conducting through the inductor and a second current conducting through the inductor. The first and second currents conduct in opposite directions with respect to each other, and the first and second currents interact with each other through the inductor such that a net direct current (DC) component through the inductor is approximately zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Paolo Soldi, Fabio Carastro
  • Patent number: 9568896
    Abstract: A control device for controlling an electric machine with ks windings on a stator and kr windings on a rotor, where ks+kr=n and either ks or kr may be zero, includes an input for receiving commands, an output for outputting control commands to a driver, machine modeling means for modeling behavior of the machine, and decision means connected to the input, output, and machine modeling means for determining the driver control commands. The machine modeling means models behavior of the machine through functional mapping suited for correlating sets of values of electrical and mechanical quantities, sets of values of their total or partial derivatives and/or integral functions with one another. The functional mapping includes an algorithm and/or equation based on at least one state function associated with the electromagnetic field inside the machine and/or based on at least one partial derivative of the state function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Rahul Kanchan
  • Patent number: 9557794
    Abstract: A bus for distributing electrical power to a plurality of sets of electrical devices is disclosed. The bus includes one or more bus separators and a plurality of bus sections. The plurality of bus sections includes at least a first bus section and a second bus section electrically coupled to each other via a bus separator, where the first bus section is electrically connectable to a first set of electrical devices having a first importance metric and the second bus section is electrically connectable to a second set of electrical devices having a second importance metric different from the first importance metric. The bus separator is configured to isolate the first bus section and the second bus section based on occurrence of a fault condition. A Direct Current power distribution system employing the bus and a method for distributing electrical power via the bus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Christof Martin Sihler
  • Publication number: 20170005468
    Abstract: A power supply and distribution system is presented. The power supply and distribution system includes a subsea magnetic device disposed in a predefined pattern along a wall of a subsea vessel. The subsea magnetic device includes a first conductor, a second conductor, and a plurality of cores, where at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor extends through at least one of the plurality of cores. A first geometrical dimension of the subsea magnetic device is substantially larger than a second geometrical dimension or a third geometrical dimension of the subsea magnetic device. Further, the power supply and distribution system includes a power converter coupled to the subsea magnetic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventor: Pierluigi Tenca
  • Patent number: 9537311
    Abstract: A power transmission and distribution system includes a supplying side having a current source and a receiving side. The receiving side includes a modular converter with plurality of direct current (DC)-alternating current (AC) current source converters connected in series with the current source and a plurality of AC-DC rectifiers connected in parallel to supply power to a multiplicity of loads. Each of the DC-AC current source converters supply power to a corresponding AC-DC rectifier and includes a plurality of reverse blocking fully controllable switches having bidirectional voltage blocking capability. Furthermore, a current from the current source flows in at least one reverse blocking fully controllable switch at any instant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Pierluigi Tenca
  • Patent number: 9419536
    Abstract: A DC power transmission system is configured to generate an electric field including components substantially constant with respect to time and varying with time. The DC power transmission system includes an AC stage configured to receive AC electrical power. The AC stage includes a transformer including primary windings and secondary windings configured to be electromagnetically coupled to, and electrically isolated from, each other. The AC stage also includes an AC/AC converter having substantially no insulating features against the at least one substantially constant component of the electric field. The AC/AC converter is electrically coupled to the primary windings. The DC power transmission system also includes an AC/DC conversion stage positioned downstream of the AC stage. The AC/DC conversion stage includes an AC/DC rectifier configured to convert AC electrical power to DC electrical power without external control. The AC/DC rectifier is coupled to the secondary windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Piniwan Thiwanka Bandara Wijekoon, Christof Martin Sihler, Stefan Schroeder, Jie Shen, Pierluigi Tenca
  • Patent number: 9419539
    Abstract: An electrical system includes an AC power source and a power converter including at least one first terminal and at least one second terminal. The first terminal is configured to receive voltages with a DC component and the second terminal is configured to receive voltages that have a non-zero time average value including AC and DC components. The electrical system also includes an AC power transmission subsystem coupled to and extending between the AC power source and the power converter. The electrical system further includes a current diversion system including a plurality of first switching devices coupled to the AC power transmission subsystem. The current diversion system also includes a second switching device including a third terminal coupled to the first terminal and a fourth terminal coupled to the second terminal. The second switching device is configured to transmit current only from the third terminal to the fourth terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Pierluigi Tenca
  • Publication number: 20160226251
    Abstract: A direct current (DC) power system includes a plurality of energy sources supplying power to a plurality of loads and a common DC bus having at least one positive rail. The common DC bus is coupled between the plurality of energy sources and the plurality of loads. The common DC bus includes at least two DC bus subsections with DC power transfer capability therebetween and at least one DC bus separator coupled between the at least two DC bus subsections. The DC bus separator includes at least one positive rail controllable switching with at least one of its terminals coupled with at least one terminal of a positive rail inductor to provide a current path between the at least two DC bus subsections during normal operation via the positive rail inductor. The at least one positive rail controllable switch is controlled to be switched off to break the current path when a fault on the positive rail is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Christof Martin Sihler
  • Publication number: 20160218512
    Abstract: A direct current power system includes a common direct current (DC) bus configured to supply power to a plurality of loads. A plurality of alternating current (AC) to DC converter bridges supply DC power to the common CD bus. Each of the AC to DC converter bridges is connected to the common DC bus by at least one split DC link. The at least one split DC link includes a small capacitor connected across output terminals of the respective AC to DC converter bridge and at least one diode coupled between two terminals of the small capacitor and the large capacitor in a way to block an instantaneous current flow from the common DC bus to the respective AC to DC converter bridge in case of a fault of the AC to DC converter bridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Christof Martin Sihler
  • Publication number: 20160132089
    Abstract: A bus for distributing electrical power to a plurality of sets of electrical devices is disclosed. The bus includes one or more bus separators and a plurality of bus sections. The plurality of bus sections includes at least a first bus section and a second bus section electrically coupled to each other via a bus separator, where the first bus section is electrically connectable to a first set of electrical devices having a first importance metric and the second bus section is electrically connectable to a second set of electrical devices having a second importance metric different from the first importance metric. The bus separator is configured to isolate the first bus section and the second bus section based on occurrence of a fault condition. A Direct Current power distribution system employing the bus and a method for distributing electrical power via the bus are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Christof Martin Sihler
  • Publication number: 20160056729
    Abstract: An electrical system includes an AC power source and a power converter including at least one first terminal and at least one second terminal. The first terminal is configured to receive voltages with a DC component and the second terminal is configured to receive voltages that have a non-zero time average value including AC and DC components. The electrical system also includes an AC power transmission subsystem coupled to and extending between the AC power source and the power converter. The electrical system further includes a current diversion system including a plurality of first switching devices coupled to the AC power transmission subsystem. The current diversion system also includes a second switching device including a third terminal coupled to the first terminal and a fourth terminal coupled to the second terminal. The second switching device is configured to transmit current only from the third terminal to the fourth terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventor: Pierluigi Tenca
  • Publication number: 20150340860
    Abstract: A power transmission and distribution system includes a supplying side having a current source and a receiving side. The receiving side includes a modular converter with plurality of direct current (DC)-alternating current (AC) current source converters connected in series with the current source and a plurality of AC-DC rectifiers connected in parallel to supply power to a multiplicity of loads. Each of the DC-AC current source converters supply power to a corresponding AC-DC rectifier and includes a plurality of reverse blocking fully controllable switches having bidirectional voltage blocking capability. Furthermore, a current from the current source flows in at least one reverse blocking fully controllable switch at any instant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Pierluigi Tenca
  • Publication number: 20150249402
    Abstract: A DC power transmission system is configured to generate an electric field including components substantially constant with respect to time and varying with time. The DC power transmission system includes an AC stage configured to receive AC electrical power. The AC stage includes a transformer including primary windings and secondary windings configured to be electromagnetically coupled to, and electrically isolated from, each other. The AC stage also includes an AC/AC converter having substantially no insulating features against the at least one substantially constant component of the electric field. The AC/AC converter is electrically coupled to the primary windings. The DC power transmission system also includes an AC/DC conversion stage positioned downstream of the AC stage. The AC/DC conversion stage includes an AC/DC rectifier configured to convert AC electrical power to DC electrical power without external control. The AC/DC rectifier is coupled to the secondary windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Piniwan Thiwanka Bandara Wijekoon, Christof Martin Sihler, Stefan Schroeder, Jie Shen, Pierluigi Tenca
  • Publication number: 20140188254
    Abstract: A control device for controlling an electric machine with ks windings on a stator and kr windings on a rotor, where ks+kr=n and either ks or kr may be zero, includes an input for receiving commands, an output for outputting control commands to a driver, machine modeling means for modeling behavior of the machine, and decision means connected to the input, output, and machine modeling means for determining the driver control commands. The machine modeling means models behavior of the machine through functional mapping suited for correlating sets of values of electrical and mechanical quantities, sets of values of their total or partial derivatives and/or integral functions with one another. The functional mapping includes an algorithm and/or equation based on at least one state function associated with the electromagnetic field inside the machine and/or based on at least one partial derivative of the state function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventors: Pierluigi Tenca, Rahul Kanchan