Patents by Inventor Silvia Mastellone

Silvia Mastellone 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).

  • Publication number: 20220376605
    Abstract: A hybrid switch for a power converter and a method of operating said hybrid switch, the hybrid switch comprising: at a minimum a first and a second element comprising one or more switching devices of a first semiconductor type, and at a minimum a third element comprising one or more switching devices of a second semiconductor type, wherein the second semiconductor type is different from the first semiconductor type, and wherein each element is independently configurable and connected to a separate respective control terminal; and, a controller connected to the control terminals, wherein the controller is configured to control each element independently through each respective control terminal, and wherein the controller is further configured to activate elements based on a measured or estimated current and/or power as required by an operating condition of the converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Munaf RAHIMO, Renato MINAMISAWA, Silvia MASTELLONE
  • Patent number: 10852336
    Abstract: A method for islanding detection in an electrical power grid supplied by an electrical power source. The method includes measuring an output voltage (Vpcc) and a grid current (Ig) at an interconnection point of the power source with the power grid; estimating at least one grid parameter from the output voltage (Vpcc) and the grid current (Ig) based on optimizing a cost function, which minimizes a difference between the measured output voltage (Vpcc) and an estimated output voltage or a difference between the measured grid current (Ig) and an estimated grid current, which estimated output voltage or estimated output current is a function of the measured grid current (Ig) or the measured output voltage (Vpcc) and the least one estimated grid parameter; and detecting an islanding condition by detecting a jump and/or a deviation in the at least one estimated grid parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Silvia Mastellone, Peter Al-Hokayem, Pietro Raboni
  • Patent number: 10612519
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of operating a wind farm comprising an upstream and a downstream turbine, wherein the upstream turbine is operated with current operation parameters under current wind conditions, wherein the method comprises the steps of: receiving future wind conditions for a time period for the wind farm, and evaluating required operation parameters for minimising wake effect of the downstream turbine under the future wind conditions, and determining a cost coefficient for changing the operation parameters to required operation parameters under consideration of fatigue effect of the wind turbine, calculating power productions P0 and Pc, in the predetermined time period, by the wind farm if operated with the current operation parameters under the current wind conditions and if operated with the required operation parameters under the future wind conditions, respectively, and operating the upstream turbine with the required operation parameters if the cost coefficient is lower than a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Carsten Franke, Kedar Kulkarni, Adrian Timbus, Jan Poland, Silvia Mastellone, Yan Zhang
  • Patent number: 10605229
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an operation of a wind farm with a plurality of wind turbines in view of a dynamic frequency response. According to the invention, dynamic frequency support and power production for all wind turbines in a wind farm are handled concurrently in a single optimization step and taking into account wake effects within the wind farm as well as optional wind forecast information. The dynamic frequency support capability of the entire wind farm is planned in advance according to grid requirements and power system condition changes. While existing methods de-load wind turbines with a static percentage in order to supply additional power when needed, the proposed method incorporates the dynamic frequency support into the optimal operation system of wind farm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Yan Zhang, Jan Poland, Adrian Vasile Timbus, Carsten Franke, Kedar Kulkarni, Silvia Mastellone
  • Publication number: 20190190272
    Abstract: An inverter system for a photovoltaic panel includes: an inverter adapted for transforming a DC voltage from the photovoltaic panel into an AC voltage to be supplied to an electrical grid; a DC link interconnected with the inverter and providing a positive DC link output connectable to a positive pole of the photovoltaic panel and a negative DC link output connectable to a negative pole of the photovoltaic panel; a switch for disconnecting the negative pole of the photovoltaic panel from the DC link; and a controller for controlling the inverter and the switch; wherein the controller is adapted for opening the switch, such that the photovoltaic panel is solely supplyable by the positive DC link output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Ki-Bum Park, Thiago Batista Soeiro, Mario Schweizer, Silvia Mastellone
  • Publication number: 20190049497
    Abstract: A method for islanding detection in an electrical power grid supplied by an electrical power source. The method includes measuring an output voltage (Vpcc) and a grid current (Ig) at an interconnection point of the power source with the power grid; estimating at least one grid parameter from the output voltage (Vpcc) and the grid current (Ig) based on optimizing a cost function, which minimizes a difference between the measured output voltage (Vpcc) and an estimated output voltage or a difference between the measured grid current (Ig) and an estimated grid current, which estimated output voltage or estimated output current is a function of the measured grid current (Ig) or the measured output voltage (Vpcc) and the least one estimated grid parameter; and detecting an islanding condition by detecting a jump and/or a deviation in the at least one estimated grid parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Silvia Mastellone, Peter Al-Hokayem, Pietro Raboni
  • Patent number: 10199915
    Abstract: A method for controlling a modular multi-level converter comprises the steps of: collecting control input variables from the converter; transmitting the control input variables to a controller of the converter via a first communication medium; determining, in the controller, and actual state of the converter and at least one control output variable based on a model of the converter; and transmitting the control output variable to the converter for controlling the converter via a second communication medium. The model of the converter accounts for the first and/or the second communication medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Helfried Peyrl, Silvia Mastellone
  • Patent number: 10116234
    Abstract: A DC/AC converter is provided with a new control device and method for managing inrush current transients during operation without requiring additional external devices or emergency operating modes forcing the DC/AC converter to shut down. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, aimed at grid connected DC/AC, converters, often subject to inrush current phenomena due to perturbations in the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Pietro Raboni, David Martini, Silvia Mastellone, Stefan Almer
  • Publication number: 20180073486
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an operation of a wind farm with a plurality of wind turbines in view of a dynamic frequency response. According to the invention, dynamic frequency support and power production for all wind turbines in a wind farm are handled concurrently in a single optimization step and taking into account wake effects within the wind farm as well as optional wind forecast information. The dynamic frequency support capability of the entire wind farm is planned in advance according to grid requirements and power system condition changes. While existing methods de-load wind turbines with a static percentage in order to supply additional power when needed, the proposed method incorporates the dynamic frequency support into the optimal operation system of wind farm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Yan Zhang, Jan Poland, Adrian Vasile Timbus, Carsten Franke, Kedar Kulkarni, Silvia Mastellone
  • Publication number: 20170284368
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of operating a wind farm comprising an upstream and a downstream turbine, wherein the upstream turbine is operated with current operation parameters under current wind conditions, wherein the method comprises the steps of: receiving future wind conditions for a time period for the wind farm, and evaluating required operation parameters for minimising wake effect of the downstream turbine under the future wind conditions, and determining a cost coefficient for changing the operation parameters to required operation parameters under consideration of fatigue effect of the wind turbine, calculating power productions Po and Pc, in the predetermined time period, by the wind farm if operated with the current operation parameters under the current wind conditions and if operated with the required operation parameters under the future wind conditions, respectively, and operating the upstream turbine with the required operation parameters if the cost coefficient is lower than a
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Carsten Franke, Kedar Kulkarni, Adrian Timbus, Jan Poland, Silvia Mastellone, Yan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20170187303
    Abstract: DC/AC converter comprising a new control device and method for managing inrush current transients during operation without requiring additional external devices or emergency operating modes forcing the DC/AC converter to shut down. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, aimed at grid connected DC/AC, converters, often subject to inrush current phenomena due to perturbations in the grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Pietro Raboni, David Martini, Silvia Mastellone, Stefan Almer
  • Publication number: 20160344277
    Abstract: A method for controlling a modular multi-level converter comprises the steps of: collecting control input variables from the converter; transmitting the control input variables to a controller of the converter via a first communication medium; determining, in the controller, and actual state of the converter and at least one control output variable based on a model of the converter; and transmitting the control output variable to the converter for controlling the converter via a second communication medium. The model of the converter accounts for the first and/or the second communication medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Helfried Peyrl, Silvia Mastellone
  • Patent number: 9385585
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Tobias Geyer, Georgios Papafotiou, Silvia Mastellone
  • Publication number: 20140126252
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventors: Tobias GEYER, Georgios PAPAFOTIOU, Silvia MASTELLONE
  • Patent number: 8376357
    Abstract: Registering a sheet in a differential drive registration system by identifying observed state values corresponding to a sheet handled by the differential drive registration system. The method also including determining an error vector, wherein the error vector is defined by a difference between the observed state values and reference state values for the sheet. Control input values are also determined based on the error vector, a set of control parameters, and the observed state values. The control input values being determined such that there is a linear differential relationship between the observed state values and the control input values. Additionally the method includes generating drive wheel velocities in the differential drive registration system based on the control input values. The identifying and determining steps being repeated for the sheet in a closed-loop process such that the observed state values substantially track the reference state values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Marina L. Tharayil, Silvia Mastellone, Jack Gaynor Elliot
  • Publication number: 20110175280
    Abstract: Registering a sheet in a differential drive registration system by identifying observed state values corresponding to a sheet handled by the differential drive registration system. The method also including determining an error vector, wherein the error vector is defined by a difference between the observed state values and reference state values for the sheet. Control input values are also determined based on the error vector, a set of control parameters, and the observed state values. The control input values being determined such that there is a linear differential relationship between the observed state values and the control input values. Additionally the method includes generating drive wheel velocities in the differential drive registration system based on the control input values. The identifying and determining steps being repeated for the sheet in a closed-loop process such that the observed state values substantially track the reference state values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marina L. Tharayil, Silvia Mastellone, Jack Gaynor Elliot