Patents by Inventor Rainer Sommer
Rainer Sommer 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).
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Patent number: 10707859Abstract: A control device for controlling a power semiconductor component which includes at least two voltage-controlled power semiconductor devices which are electrically connected in parallel and which have each a control connection is disclosed. The control device includes a driver element which can be used to set electrical voltages at the control connections of the power semiconductor devices. The control device includes a measuring unit configured to capture electrical currents which flow through the power semiconductor devices. The driver element is configured to set a level and/or a temporal profile of the electrical voltages on the basis of the electrical currents.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2018Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Markus Mauersberger, Rainer Sommer
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Publication number: 20190379371Abstract: A control device for controlling a power semiconductor component which includes at least two voltage-controlled power semiconductor devices which are electrically connected in parallel and which have each a control connection is disclosed. The control device includes a driver element which can be used to set electrical voltages at the control connections of the power semiconductor devices. The control device includes a measuring unit configured to capture electrical currents which flow through the power semiconductor devices. The driver element is configured to set a level and/or a temporal profile of the electrical voltages on the basis of the electrical currents.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2018Publication date: December 12, 2019Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: MARKUS MAUERSBERGER, RAINER SOMMER
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Patent number: 10229863Abstract: The invention relates to a phase module (1) for a power converter (2) comprising at least one switching element (10) and a heatsink (13). In order to improve the cooling properties of a phase module (1), it is proposed that the switching element (10) is connected to the heatsink (13), wherein the connection between switching element (10) and heatsink (13) is a non-detachable connection. The invention further relates to a power converter (2) comprising at least one phase module (1) of this type and a method for producing a phase module (1) of this type, wherein in order to produce a connection between the switching element (10) and the heatsink (13), the switching element (10) is soldered, sintered or glued onto the heatsink (13).Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2016Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Roland Lorz, Rainer Sommer
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Publication number: 20180190567Abstract: The invention relates to a phase module (1) for a power converter (2) comprising at least one switching element (10) and a heatsink (13). In order to improve the cooling properties of a phase module (1), it is proposed that the switching element (10) is connected to the heatsink (13), wherein the connection between switching element (10) and heatsink (13) is a non-detachable connection. The invention further relates to a power converter (2) comprising at least one phase module (1) of this type and a method for producing a phase module (1) of this type, wherein in order to produce a connection between the switching element (10) and the heatsink (13), the switching element (10) is soldered, sintered or glued onto the heatsink (13).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2016Publication date: July 5, 2018Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Roland Lorz, RAINER SOMMER
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Patent number: 9088229Abstract: A shaft-driven generator system has a generator connected to a converter. An inverter supplies an AC voltage on a network side. The converter and the inverter are linked via a DC link circuit. The inverter has at least two phase modules, which each have an upper and a lower valve branch, which each have a plurality of two-pole sub-systems connected electrically in series. Each sub-system has a unipolar storage capacitor, to which a series circuit of two gate-controlled turn-off semiconductor switches is connected electrically in parallel. Each semiconductor switch has a diode connected antiparallel therewith. Thus, a shaft-driven generator system is obtained that has a DC-link converter as a static frequency converter for complying with the required network feedback and for managing transient operating states.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2011Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Christoph Brunotte, Marc Hiller, Rainer Sommer
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Patent number: 8994438Abstract: A control voltage is generated at a control input of a semiconductor circuit breaker by an actuation circuit at switching flanks of a switching signal, said control voltage having a profile which is flattened in relation to the profile of the switching signal. With the disclosed method, the switching losses in a semiconductor circuit breaker are reduced. By defining a value for a switching parameter of a control device of the actuation circuit, the switching behavior of the actuation circuit can be influenced by the switching parameter. A specific parameter value of the switching parameter can be varied during operation of the actuation circuit.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2012Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Swen Gediga, Karsten Handt, Rainer Sommer
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Patent number: 8873258Abstract: A method for inhibiting a converter having at least two phase modules is disclosed. Each phase module has an upper and a lower valve branch, with each upper and lower valve branch having a plurality of two-pole submodules which are electrically connected in series and each have a unipolar energy storage capacitor, with a series connection of two turn-off semiconductor switches each being connected in parallel with an antiparallel connected diode. With the method, the submodules in an upper and a lower valve branch in each phase module in the converter are controlled to a switching state III, staggered in time. This considerably reduces the voltage load for the converter and a connected polyphase motor, or a connected power supply system.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2011Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Marc Hiller, Dietmar Krug, Rainer Sommer
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Patent number: 8786450Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying dirt and/or dew on components of a voltage intermediate circuit converter. According to the invention, the temporal curve of a partial discharge pulsed current is detected at least during a precharging process of an intermediate circuit capacitor of the voltage intermediate circuit converter comprising at least one capacitor, wherein a frequency spectrum is calculated from said current pulse, and wherein depending of the result, a dirt warning and/or a dew warning is activated. Thus, the degree of dirt and/or dew of said voltage intermediate circuit converter can be determined at least during a charging process of an intermediate circuit capacitor of a voltage intermediate circuit converter, thereby preventing a breakdown including the consequences thereof.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2010Date of Patent: July 22, 2014Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Christian Dietrich, Werner Fischer, Jörg Hassel, Marc Hiller, Carsten Probol, Rainer Sommer
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Patent number: 8766480Abstract: The invention relates to a wind power plant (4) which consists of a nacelle (12) arranged on a tower (14), a rotor (28), a generator (16), a power converter (20) on the generator side, a power converter (22) on the network side and a transformer (26), the two power converters (20, 22) being electrically connected to each other on the DC voltage side, and the power converter (22) on the network side being connected on the AC voltage side to a feeding point (8) of a destination network (6) by means of the transformer (26). Every phase module (74) of the power converter (22) on the network side has an upper and lower valve branch (T1, T3, T5; T2, T4, T6) having at least two bipolar subsystems (76) that are connected in series and the power converter (20) on the generator side and the power converter (22) on the network side are interconnected on the DC side by means of a DC cable (72).Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2009Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Marc Hiller, Norbert Klaassen, Theodor Salzmann, Rainer Sommer
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Publication number: 20140145520Abstract: A circuit arrangement has a series circuit which includes at least two semiconductor switches, of which each is connected to a respective actuation circuit via its control input. In the case of at least one of the actuation circuits, the switching behaviour thereof can be defined by at least one digital switching parameter. The value of the switching parameter can be varied, and therefore the switching behaviour can be adjusted during operation, that is to say between two switching processes.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2012Publication date: May 29, 2014Inventors: Karsten Handt, Marc Hiller, Rainer Sommer
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Publication number: 20140145779Abstract: A control voltage is generated at a control input of a semiconductor circuit breaker by an actuation circuit at switching flanks of a switching signal, said control voltage having a profile which is flattened in relation to the profile of the switching signal. With the disclosed method, the switching losses in a semiconductor circuit breaker are reduced. By defining a value for a switching parameter of a control device of the actuation circuit, the switching behavior of the actuation circuit can be influenced by the switching parameter. A specific parameter value of the switching parameter can be varied during operation of the actuation circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2012Publication date: May 29, 2014Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Swen Gediga, Karsten Handt, Rainer Sommer
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Publication number: 20130300380Abstract: A shaft-driven generator system has a generator connected to a converter. An inverter supplies an AC voltage on a network side. The converter and the inverter are linked via a DC link circuit. The inverter has at least two phase modules, which each have an upper and a lower valve branch, which each have a plurality of two-pole sub-systems connected electrically in series. Each sub-system has a unipolar storage capacitor, to which a series circuit of two gate-controlled turn-off semiconductor switches is connected electrically in parallel. Each semiconductor switch has a diode connected antiparallel therewith. Thus, a shaft-driven generator system is obtained that has a DC-link converter as a static frequency converter for complying with the required network feedback and for managing transient operating states.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2011Publication date: November 14, 2013Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Christoph Brunotte, Marc Hiller, Rainer Sommer
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Patent number: 8476854Abstract: A power supply device for a variable rotation speed drive includes a free-running converter connected to a land-based power grid, and an inverter connected to the variable rotation speed drive. A direct-current cable electrically connects the DC side of the converter with the DC side of the inverter. The inverter includes a plurality of phase modules having an upper and a lower valve branches with least two series-connected, two-pole subsystems with distributed energy storage devices. The inverter is located on the seabed in immediate vicinity of the variable rotation speed drive. Signal electronics of the inverter is located on land. In this way, the distance between the power supply on land and the drive on the ocean floor can reach several hundred kilometers, with ocean depths of several kilometers.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2009Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Bernd Blöcher, Marc Hiller, Rainer Sommer
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Patent number: 8385086Abstract: A converter has a network-side and a load-side power converter that are connected together on the DC side in an electrically conductive manner. An upper and a lower valve branch of each phase module, respectively, of the load-side power converter has at least one two-poled subsystem. At least one multiphase network-controlled power converter is provided as the network-side power converter. In this way, a converter is obtained, in particular an intermediate voltage circuit converter for intermediate voltages, which combines a simple and cost-effective feed circuit on the network side with a modular multilevel converter on the load side.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2009Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Marc Hiller, Rainer Sommer
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Publication number: 20120147636Abstract: A method for inhibiting a converter having at least two phase modules is disclosed. Each phase module has an upper and a lower valve branch, with each upper and lower valve branch having a plurality of two-pole submodules which are electrically connected in series and each have a unipolar energy storage capacitor, with a series connection of two turn-off semiconductor switches each being connected in parallel with an antiparallel connected diode. With the method, the submodules in an upper and a lower valve branch in each phase module in the converter are controlled to a switching state III, staggered in time. This considerably reduces the voltage load for the converter and a connected polyphase motor, or a connected power supply system.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2011Publication date: June 14, 2012Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: MARC HILLER, DIETMAR KRUG, RAINER SOMMER
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Publication number: 20120105235Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying dirt and/or dew on components of a voltage intermediate circuit converter. According to the invention, the temporal curve of a partial discharge pulsed current is detected at least during a precharging process of an intermediate circuit capacitor of the voltage intermediate circuit converter comprising at least one capacitor, wherein a frequency spectrum is calculated from said current pulse, and wherein depending of the result, a dirt warning and/or a dew warning is activated. Thus, the degree of dirt and/or dew of said voltage intermediate circuit converter can be determined at least during a charging process of an intermediate circuit capacitor of a voltage intermediate circuit converter, thereby preventing a breakdown including the consequences thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2010Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Christian Dietrich, Werner Fischer, Jörg Hassel, Marc Hiller, Carsten Probol, Rainer Sommer
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Patent number: 8138632Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a power converter having at least two phase modules, which each have an upper and a lower valve branch, each having at least three series-connected two-pole subsystems, in the event of failure of at least one subsystem of a valve branch of a phase module. According to the invention, the valve branch (T1, T6) with the failed subsystem (10) is determined, and in each case a subsystem (10) of a valve branch (T1, T6), which corresponds to the faulty valve branch (T1, T6), of any fault-free phase module (100) is driven such that its terminal voltages (UX21) are in each case zero. A polyphase power converter with distributed energy stores (9) is therefore operated with redundancy.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2006Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Rainer Sommer, Marc Hiller
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Publication number: 20110089873Abstract: A power supply device for a variable rotation speed drive includes a free-running converter connected to a land-based power grid, and an inverter connected to the variable rotation speed drive. A direct-current cable electrically connects the DC side of the converter with the DC side of the inverter. The inverter includes a plurality of phase modules having an upper and a lower valve branches with least two series-connected, two-pole subsystems with distributed energy storage devices. The inverter is located on the seabed in immediate vicinity of the variable rotation speed drive. Signal electronics of the inverter is located on land. In this way, the distance between the power supply on land and the drive on the ocean floor can reach several hundred kilometers, with ocean depths of several kilometers.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2009Publication date: April 21, 2011Inventors: Bernd Blöcher, Marc Hiller, Rainer Sommer
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Patent number: 7924585Abstract: The invention relates to a pulse resistor for a frequency converter in the higher voltage and capacity range. The inventive pulse resistor is characterized by comprising at least two bipolar subsystems (24) and a resistor element (14), said subsystems (24) and said resistor element (14) being connected in series. The inventive pulse resistor is devoid of the drawbacks of known pulse resistors, it can be finely controlled by a brake current (iB) and can be adapted to any medium voltage by simple means.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2006Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Rainer Sommer
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Publication number: 20110049994Abstract: The invention relates to a wind power plant (4) which consists of a nacelle (12) arranged on a tower (14), a rotor (28), a generator (16), a power converter (20) on the generator side, a power converter (22) on the network side and a transformer (26), the two power converters (20, 22) being electrically connected to each other on the DC voltage side, and the power converter (22) on the network side being connected on the AC voltage side to a feeding point (8) of a destination network (6) by means of the transformer (26).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2009Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Marc Hiller, Norbert Klaassen, Theodor Salzmann, Rainer Sommer