Patents by Inventor Staffan Norrga

Staffan Norrga 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: 11295912
    Abstract: An arrangement for interrupting current comprises a first and a second terminal. First, second, and third parallel circuit branches are arranged between the terminals to electrically connect two power networks. The first parallel circuit branch comprises a mechanical main circuit breaker, the second parallel circuit branch comprises an energy absorbing device, and the third parallel circuit branch comprises a resonant circuit and a voltage control means arranged in series. The voltage control means is controllable to inject energy into the resonant circuit to force a rapid increase of alternating current, wherein the alternating current flows in a loop containing the first and the third parallel circuit branches as the mechanical main circuit breaker is controlled to open to interrupt main current. Zero cross-over of the current through the mechanical main circuit breaker is thereby realized as the alternating current amplitude exceeds the main current amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SCIBREAK AB
    Inventors: Lennart Ängquist, Staffan Norrga
  • Patent number: 11289295
    Abstract: A circuit breaker comprises a switch and an actuator comprising a displaceable shaft mechanically connected to a movable contact in the switch. A Thomson coil is adapted to displace the shaft in a first direction, and a disconnecting device is connected in series with the switch and that is adapted to open during an interval when current is extinguished. An energy storage is provided being a separate part from the shaft and being adapted to store energy when the shaft moves in the first direction and to release energy to displace the shaft in a second direction, comprising a mass-spring arrangement with a body, a first spring between the shaft and one end portion of the body at a side facing the shaft and a second spring at a first end portion connected to a side of the body facing from the shaft and at second end portion being fixed. The movement of the body continues undisturbed to achieve a time interval wherein a current is extinguished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: SCIBREAK AB
    Inventors: Lennart Ängquist, Staffan Norrga, Antoine Baudoin
  • Patent number: 10903642
    Abstract: An arrangement for interrupting current comprising a first and a second terminal adapted to electrically connect two sections of a power system is provided. A voltage control means is controllable in use to inject energy into said loop to force a rapid increase of an alternating current flowing through said main branch while being controlled to open to interrupt a main current, and whereby zero cross-over of the current through the mechanical main circuit breaker is realized as the amplitude of the alternating current exceeds the amplitude of the main current. An energy absorbing device is adapted to limit the voltage across said capacitor and said mechanical breaker when the mechanical breaker is open, and across an inductive element if the voltage across the mechanical breaker breaks down, at or immediately after an opening process, thereby limiting the rate-of-rise and the peak of the current through said loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: SCIBREAK AB
    Inventors: Staffan Norrga, Lennart Ängquist, Tomas Modéer
  • Publication number: 20200251295
    Abstract: A circuit breaker comprises a switch and an actuator comprising a displaceable shaft mechanically connected to a movable contact in the switch. A Thomson coil is adapted to displace the shaft in a first direction, and a disconnecting device is connected in series with the switch and that is adapted to open during an interval when current is extinguished. An energy storage is provided being a separate part from the shaft and being adapted to store energy when the shaft moves in the first direction and to release energy to displace the shaft in a second direction, comprising a mass-spring arrangement with a body, a first spring between the shaft and one end portion of the body at a side facing the shaft and a second spring at a first end portion connected to a side of the body facing from the shaft and at second end portion being fixed. The movement of the body continues undisturbed to achieve a time interval wherein a current is extinguished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: SCIBREAK AB
    Inventors: Lennart ÄNGQUIST, Staffan NORRGA, Antoine BAUDOIN
  • Publication number: 20190013662
    Abstract: An arrangement for interrupting current comprising a first and a second terminal adapted to electrically connect two sections of a power system is provided. A voltage control means is controllable in use to inject energy into said loop to force a rapid increase of an alternating current flowing through said main branch while being controlled to open to interrupt a main current, and whereby zero cross-over of the current through the mechanical main circuit breaker is realized as the amplitude of the alternating current exceeds the amplitude of the main current. An energy absorbing device is adapted to limit the voltage across said capacitor and said mechanical breaker when the mechanical breaker is open, and across an inductive element if the voltage across the mechanical breaker breaks down, at or immediately after an opening process, thereby limiting the rate-of-rise and the peak of the current through said loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Staffan Norrga, Lennart Ängquist, Tomas Modéer
  • Publication number: 20170178844
    Abstract: An arrangement for interrupting current comprises a first and a second terminal. First, second, and third parallel circuit branches are arranged between the terminals to electrically connect two power networks. The first parallel circuit branch comprises a mechanical main circuit breaker, the second parallel circuit branch comprises an energy absorbing device, and the third parallel circuit branch comprises a resonant circuit and a voltage control means arranged in series. The voltage control means is controllable to inject energy into the resonant circuit to force a rapid increase of alternating current, wherein the alternating current flows in a loop containing the first and the third parallel circuit branches as the mechanical main circuit breaker is controlled to open to interrupt main current. Zero cross-over of the current through the mechanical main circuit breaker is thereby realized as the alternating current amplitude exceeds the main current amplitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Lennart ÄNGQUIST, Staffan NORRGA
  • Patent number: 9570912
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an AC/DC converter station for interconnection of a DC transmission line and an AC network, the AC/DC converter station including an AC/DC converter and a control system configured to control the AC/DC converter. The AC/DC converter station comprises a capacitor connected in series between the AC/DC converter and the AC network, and a voltage measurement device arranged to measure the voltage across the capacitor. The AC/DC converter further comprises a control system connected to the voltage measurement device and arranged to receive, from the voltage measurement device, a signal indicative of a measured voltage. The control system is arranged to perform the control of the AC/DC converter in dependence of the signal received from the voltage measurement device. The invention further relates to a method of operating an AC/DC converter station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventors: Staffan Norrga, Tomas U Jonsson, Anshuman Shukla
  • Patent number: 9484808
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter (200) comprising a first (201) and a second (202) variable voltage source, a capacitor (203), an alternating current filter (204), and controlling means (205), is provided. A first DC voltage (UDC1) is provided over a series-connection of the first and the second voltage source, and a second DC voltage (UDC2), being lower in magnitude than (UDC1), is provided over the second voltage source. The conversion between (UDC1) and (UDC2) is effected by circulating an alternating current within a circuit comprising the two voltage sources and the capacitor, thereby exchanging power between the two voltage sources. The alternating current is driven by AC voltage components provided by the first and the second voltage source. The controlling means is arranged for controlling the first and the second voltage source so as to maintain a phase difference between the AC components to be close to ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Staffan Norrga
  • Patent number: 9484835
    Abstract: The invention concerns a voltage source converter (26) comprising a group of phase legs, at least three connection terminals (AC1, AC2, AC3, DC+, DC?) for connecting the phase legs to power transmission elements, a first group of cells (C1p1, C2p1, C1n1, C2n1, C1p2, C2p2, C1n2, C2n2, C1p3, C2p3, C1n3, C2n3) in each phase leg and a second group of cells (C3p1, C3n1, C3p2, C3n2 C3p3, C3n3). The cells (C1p1, C2p1, C1n1, C2n1, C1p2, C2p2, C1n2, C2n2, C1p3, C2p3, C1n3, C2n3) in the first group are only capable of providing unipolar voltage contributions to the converter and connected for only being capable of such unipolar voltage contributions, while the cells (C3p1, C3n1, C3p2, C3n2 C3p3, C3n3) in the second group are connected to the corresponding cells of the first group and arranged to have bipolar voltage contribution capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventor: Staffan Norrga
  • Patent number: 9276407
    Abstract: A power system includes a power generating plant including a plurality of power generators, and an AC collection grid adapted to interconnect the power generating plant and an HVDC converter station. The AC collection grid is adapted to operate outside network regulations, whereby advantages such as simplified control and electronics are achieved. A method of operating a power system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventors: Staffan Norrga, Antonis Marinopoulos, Konstantinos Papastergiou, Panagiotis Bakas
  • Patent number: 9172221
    Abstract: A converter building including at least one room having a solid room wall enclosing an interior space and an electrical active part contained in the interior space, the room wall having at least one opening, which is designed such that it allows a human to enter the interior space. The opening is sealable, the room wall encloses the interior space in a gas-tight manner when the opening is sealed, and the interior space contains a dielectric insulation medium including a dielectric insulation component other than air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Peter Terwiesch, Navid Mahdizadeh, Mats Hyttinen, Goran Eriksson, Axel Kramer, Staffan Norrga, Thomas Alfred Paul, Uwe Riechert, Jan Svensson, Frans Dijkhuizen, Ingold Mathias
  • Publication number: 20150115721
    Abstract: A power system includes a power generating plant including a plurality of power generators, and an AC collection grid adapted to interconnect the power generating plant and an HVDC converter station. The AC collection grid is adapted to operate outside network regulations, whereby advantages such as simplified control and electronics are achieved. A method of operating a power system is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventors: Staffan Norrga, Antonis Marinopoulos, Konstantinos Papastergiou, Panagiotis Bakas
  • Patent number: 9019732
    Abstract: It is presented a high voltage DC/DC converter for converting between a first DC connection and a second DC connection. The high voltage DC/DC converter comprises: a first set of DC terminals; a second set of DC terminals); a multiphase transformer device comprising a plurality of primary windings and a corresponding plurality of secondary windings; a first converter arranged to convert DC to AC, comprising a plurality of phase legs serially connected between the first set of DC terminals, wherein each phase leg is connected to an AC connection of a respective primary winding; and a second converter arranged to convert AC from the secondary windings to DC on the second set of DC terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Staffan Norrga, Konstantinos Papastergiou, Sasitharan Subramanian, Tomas Jonsson
  • Patent number: 8942014
    Abstract: A cascaded electric power converter and a method of operating a cascaded electric power converter are disclosed. The cascaded converter includes: a converter cell including a cell capacitor and at least one phase leg having at least two electric valves, the at least one phase leg being connected in parallel to the cell capacitor; and a control system for controlling the switching of the electric valves of the at least one phase leg. The control system is configured to, upon detection of a need to by-pass the converter cell, control the switching of the electric valves in a manner so that the cell capacitor is short circuited via a phase leg, so as to obtain a current surge through the phase leg, thereby creating a permanent current path through the converter cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Staffan Norrga, Frans Dijkhuizen, Tomas Jonsson, Thomas Setz
  • Patent number: 8847664
    Abstract: A gate control circuit including: a gate input arranged to receive an input gate feed signal; a gate output arranged to be connected, during normal operation, to at least one switching module for controlling current through a main circuit, the gate output being connected to the gate input; a power supply; and a switch connected between the power supply and the gate output, the switch being arranged to close as a response to a failure. A corresponding power module and method are also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Filippo Chimento, Willy Hermansson, Staffan Norrga
  • Patent number: 8830708
    Abstract: A method, voltage source converter and computer program product for limiting the current in a DC power transmission system are disclosed. The voltage source converter has an AC side and a DC side and a fault current path between these sides. It furthermore includes a control unit and at least one switching unit of a first type provided in the fault current path and that includes a primary switching element together with an anti-parallel secondary controllable rectifying element. Based on a fault being detected in the DC power system when the primary switching elements of the converter are blocked, the control unit changes the control of the controllable rectifying element from acting as a non-controllable rectifying to acting as a controllable rectifying element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Bertil Berggren, Staffan Norrga, Tomas U. Jonsson
  • Publication number: 20140160812
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter (200) comprising a first (201) and a second (202) variable voltage source, a capacitor (203), an alternating current filter (204), and controlling means (205), is provided. A first DC voltage (UDC1) is provided over a series-connection of the first and the second voltage source, and a second DC voltage (UDC2), being lower in magnitude than (UDC1), is provided over the second voltage source. The conversion between (UDC1) and (UDC2) is effected by circulating an alternating current within a circuit comprising the two voltage sources and the capacitor, thereby exchanging power between the two voltage sources. The alternating current is driven by AC voltage components provided by the first and the second voltage source. The controlling means is arranged for controlling the first and the second voltage source so as to maintain a phase difference between the AC components to be close to ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: ABB TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventor: Staffan Norrga
  • Publication number: 20140140104
    Abstract: It is presented a high voltage DC/DC converter for converting between a first DC connection and a second DC connection. The high voltage DC/DC converter comprises: a first set of DC terminals; a second set of DC terminals); a multiphase transformer device comprising a plurality of primary windings and a corresponding plurality of secondary windings; a first converter arranged to convert DC to AC, comprising a plurality of phase legs serially connected between the first set of DC terminals, wherein each phase leg is connected to an AC connection of a respective primary winding; and a second converter arranged to convert AC from the secondary windings to DC on the second set of DC terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: ABB TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Staffan Norrga, Konstantinos Papastergiou, Sasitharan Subramanian, Tomas Jonsson
  • Patent number: 8711591
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an AC/DC converter comprising at least two phase legs connected in series between first and second DC connection terminals of the AC/DC converter, wherein each phase leg comprises: an AC connection having first and second terminals arranged to connect the phase leg to a phase of an AC system; a phase branch comprising at least one converter cell and having first and second branch end terminals; and a capacitor. The capacitor is connected the between the first branch end terminal and the first AC connection terminal, so that the capacitor forms a DC blocking capacitor. The second AC terminal is connected to the second branch end terminal. The series connection of the phase legs between first and second DC connection terminal is such that a first series connection point in a phase leg is located between the first branch end terminal and the capacitor, while a second series connection point is located between the second branch end terminal and the second AC connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomas U Jonsson, Anshuman Shukla, Staffan Norrga, Kalpesh Hirjibhai Bhalodi, Praveen Kumar Barupati, Subhasish Mukherjee, Sasitharan Subramanian
  • Patent number: 8643323
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system for generating an output voltage that is uninfluenced by varying irradiation, includes a photovoltaic source having an input terminal and an output terminal. The photovoltaic system includes a voltage adding arrangement having a first input terminal and an output terminal. The voltage adding arrangement is connected in series with the photovoltaic source, and includes a first route having a voltage source and a second route as a voltage source bypass. The first and second routes extend between the first input terminal and the output terminal of the voltage adding arrangement. The first and second routes being alternately activateable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Panagiotis Bakas, Georgios Demetriades, Frans Dijkhuizen, Staffan Norrga, Konstantinos Papastergiou, Bengt Stridh, Stefan Thorburn, Lennart Ängquist