Patents Assigned to Electricite de France
  • Publication number: 20170090017
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting a floating layer on a surveillance area of the sea surface, a site of interest being placed in or around the surveillance area. The method comprises the following steps: a) satellite measurement of a radar feedback return, the radar signal being emitted by a satellite toward the sea surface of the surveillance area; b) recognition of at least one swell profile of the sea surface in accordance with the satellite measurements; c) identification of the fluid properties corresponding to the recognized swell profiles; and d) emission of a warning when the fluid properties identified for one of the recognized profiles correspond to a sea surface that includes undesirable elements for the site of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventors: Arnaud Lenes, Jean-Benoit Ritz
  • Patent number: 9601794
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of a ceramic of formula Ba2(1?x)M2xIn2(1?y)M?2yO4+?(OH)?? where M represents at least one metal cation with an oxidation number II or III or a combination thereof, M? represents at least one metal cation with an oxidation number III, IV, V or VI or a combination thereof, 0?x?1, 0?y?1, ??2 and 0 <???2, as solid proton-conducting electrolyte in an electrochemical device, in particular a fuel cell, an electrolytic cell, a membrane separating hydrogen from a gas mixture, or also a hydrogen detector, at an operating temperature of said electrochemical device preferably comprised between 200° C. and 600° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE—CNRS
    Inventors: Philippe Stevens, Olivier Joubert, Yves Piffard, Maria Teresa Caldes-Rouillon, Thibaud Delahaye
  • Patent number: 9595832
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control unit for an electrical generation/consumption system including generation sources (200) and consumption units (300) connected by a distribution network (100), including a control center (400) which transmits, to controllable consumption units (310) and to controllable generation sources (210), modulation orders based on warning information received from an external operator (500), on information relating to the potential of the respective suppression of units (310), and on information relating to the respective potential of generation or of a decrease in generation of sources (210), or of the suppression of the latter, at each unit (310), a module (312) which transmits, to the center (400), data updated in real time representing the potential modulation suppression of the unit (310), and at the sources (210), a module (212) which transmits, to the control center (400), data which is updated in real time and which is representative of the potential of generation or of the dec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventors: Pierre-Etienne Delon, Olivier Normand
  • Patent number: 9574461
    Abstract: A method of controlling a thermal power plant for electricity generation, said power plant comprising at least one heat source to supply thermal energy to a working fluid circulation circuit. The circuit comprises a high pressure turbine mechanically connected to an electricity generator, a high pressure regulating valve controlling the steam supply to said high pressure turbine from a high pressure superheater associated with a high pressure storage tank. The fluid supply to said high pressure storage tank from a high pressure steam generator is controlled by a high pressure supply valve, and, in response to a need for additional electrical power, the opening of the high pressure regulating valve is increased the opening of the high pressure supply valve is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventor: Eve Dufosse
  • Publication number: 20170010233
    Abstract: A method of detecting a defect in a weld joining a first surface of a polyethylene-based material and a second surface of a polyethylene-based material, said method comprising the steps of: positioning a first electrode and a second electrode in proximity to the weld, so that at least one electric field line passes through said weld when a potential difference is applied between said first and second electrodes, measuring an electrical capacitance at a measurement frequency between said first electrode and said second electrode, the measurement frequency being higher than 65 MHz and lower than 1 GHz in order to compare the measured electrical capacitance to a reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventor: Frederic Taillade
  • Publication number: 20170005324
    Abstract: An anode compartment for rechargeable lithium or sodium batteries, including: a solid electrolyte; a collector deposited on the solid electrolyte; and an active material made of lithium metal or sodium metal which has been grown between the solid electrolyte and the collector in order to form an electrode made of lithium metal or sodium metal with the collector, in which the collector is made of an amorphous alloy. A method for manufacturing such an anode compartment and a battery including said anode compartment is also presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: Electricite de France
    Inventors: Philippe Stevens, Gwenaelle Toussaint, Laurent Puech, Philippe Vinatier
  • Patent number: 9520712
    Abstract: A method and a system for controlling the switching time of a device that includes a magnetic circuit and a conductive winding. The method includes acquiring a measurement of the magnetic field generated by the residual flux, by a sensor placed near the magnetic circuit; processing the acquired measurements to infer the residual flux in the magnetic circuit; determining, on the basis of the residual flux, the optimal time for switching on the device. The method also includes switching on a three-phase transformer. The transformer includes a primary conductive winding and a secondary conductive winding surrounded by an enclosure. A magnetic field sensor is on the magnetic circuit and/or on one outer surface of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignees: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE, INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE GRENOBLE, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (CNRS)
    Inventors: Didier Cavallera, Jean-Louis Coulomb, Olivier Chadebec, Bruno Caillault, Francois-Xavier Zgainski
  • Patent number: 9487097
    Abstract: A method of optimized recharging of the electric battery of at least one electrical system by an electrical recharging device, in which the electric battery is recharged during at least one time interval by applying a charging power level associated with this time interval, this time interval belonging to an available charging time period initiated by the connecting of the recharging system of the electric battery to the electrical recharging device, and the charging power level being determined as a function of a charging curve associated with the electrical recharging device and of the residual electrical energy contained in the electric battery upon the connecting of the electric battery charging system to the electrical recharging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignees: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE, ELECTRICITE RESEAU DISTRIBUTION FRANCE
    Inventors: Mélaine Rousselle, Gaizka Alberdi
  • Patent number: 9481994
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal insulation device comprising at least one panel (100) defining a gas-tight chamber (104) containing at least two flexible films (150, 160) suitable for being selectively switched between two states: one of thermal conduction wherein said flexible films (150, 160) are at least partially in mutual contact, and the other of thermal insulation wherein the flexible films (150, 160) are separated, under the influence of pressure variations in said gas-tight chamber (104), applied by fluid control means (170), characterized in that, in the thermal insulation state, the distance separating the flexible films (150, 160) is shorter than the average free path of the gas molecules in the space (158) defined between said flexible films (150, 160). The invention also relates to a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventors: Thierry Duforestel, Pierre-Henri Milleville
  • Patent number: 9481996
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal insulation device comprising at least one panel (100) provided with two walls (110, 120) separated by a peripheral main spacer (102) in order to define a gas-tight chamber (104) containing a partial vacuum, and at least two flexible films (150, 160) locally attached to secondary spacers (140) at intermediate points between the two walls (110, 120) and defining tight secondary compartments (158) between each other. As a result of applying successive potentials of selected polarity between the walls (110, 120) and the flexible films (150, 160), the flexible films (150, 160) are moved between a first thermal insulation position wherein the films (150, 160) are separated from each other and a second position wherein the films (150, 160) are in mutual contact at least on a substantial part of the surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventors: Thierry Duforestel, Diane De Cacqueray, Pierre-Henri Milleville
  • Publication number: 20160312364
    Abstract: A method of treating a metal substrate with an anti-corrosion coating comprising at least the following steps: preparing a solution comprising particles of a precursor of the oxide, dipping at least one surface of the metal substrate into the prepared solution and then removing it from the solution, heat treating the surface of the metal substrate in order to generate oxide nanocrystals from the particles of the precursor and form the anti-corrosion coating, and forming a natural oxide layer between the metal substrate and the anti-corrosion coating, the natural oxide layer being enriched with elements from the oxide nanocrystals of the anti-corrosion coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventors: Xavier Crozes, Didier Noel, Julie Monget, Abdelhafed Taleb, Michel Cassir
  • Patent number: 9478321
    Abstract: The method for filling water into and changing the air of a main circuit of a water-cooled nuclear reactor includes a step of placing a connection and fluid isolation device which is connected to a hot leg of each cooling loop of the main circuit so as to substantially insulate, from inside the vessel, the assembly of hot legs. The method also includes a step of injecting water through an injection circuit on at least one hot leg until each cooling loop is filled with water having changed the air from a steam generator and until the water level in the vessel reaches above the side openings of the vessel that correspond to the loops, after which the connecting device is taken out of the vessel. The connecting device is capable of using telescopic connection elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Electricite de France
    Inventor: Christophe Legendre
  • Patent number: 9471769
    Abstract: A device for controlling access to a computer system, the device comprising at least one multifunctional port capable of being connected to various categories of peripherals and an access interface capable of being connected to the computer system, wherein the device comprises access management means connected between the multifunctional port and the interface, the access management means being physically configured to authorize the interface access by means of a peripheral connected to the multifunctional port, only if said peripheral belongs to a category of peripherals specifically and permanently associated with the multifunctional port to which same is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Electricite de France
    Inventors: Pascal Sitbon, Arnaud Tarrago, Pierre Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9463923
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plug for closing and isolating a pipe (9) having an inner wall forming a substantially cylindrical cavity with a so-called first diameter, the plug comprising: a main body (110) having substantially a shape of a cylinder with a so-called second diameter, the second diameter being smaller than the first diameter to allow the plug to be inserted into the cavity; and sealing joint elements (120) that project around the side wall of the cylinder (110) defining the shape of the main body, so as to seal a free space formed between the main body (110) and the inner wall of the pipe (9), in which the main body (110) comprises several assembly elements forming the cylinder (110), each assembly element having a shape inscribed within a parallelepiped volume defined by three orthogonal dimensions, where at least two of the three dimensions have a length smaller than the second diameter, and the plug further comprising a position holding system comprising several non-slip pads (140; 340) de
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventor: Emmanuel Noyon
  • Patent number: 9461348
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrochemical device, in particular a lithium-air battery with an aqueous electrolyte, comprising: a negative electrode compartment containing lithium metal; a positive electrode compartment comprising at least one positive air electrode making contact with an aqueous solution containing lithium hydroxide; and a solid electrode separating, in a gas and fluidtight manner, the negative electrode compartment from the positive electrode compartment, characterized in that the aqueous solution containing the lithium hydroxide furthermore contains at least one additive decreasing the solubility of the lithium ions. The invention also relates to a method for storing and releasing electrical energy using a lithium-air battery according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventors: Philippe Stevens, Gwenaelle Toussaint, Florian Moureaux, Marian Chatenet
  • Publication number: 20160276116
    Abstract: A cable section detection circuit breaker and a method of control making it possible notably to automatically calibrate the circuit breaker according to the section detected. For this purpose, the circuit breaker, provided for the protection of at least one electrical line comprising at least one electrical cable, comprises: an electrical cable diameter sensor; and a data processing unit connected to the diameter sensor for receiving a value of said diameter. The processing unit is capable of verifying that the value of said diameter is greater than or equal to a limit value determined from an assigned current of said circuit breaker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventors: Daniel Pignier, David Menga
  • Publication number: 20160244890
    Abstract: A process for controlling a high temperature electrolyzer in which the one or more stacks of cells are arranged in an enclosure pre-heated to a high temperature and thermally insulated, where the electrolyzer is connected to an electric energy source for its power supply in order to implement an electrolytic reaction and where the process includes: monitoring of the power supplied by the energy source; redirecting upstream of the electrolyzer a portion of the power supplied by the energy source in order to heat the one or more stacks of cells when the value of the power supplied becomes lower than a previously set limit value; otherwise, no redirecting. A process for production of hydrogen or syngas incorporating the above driving process, where a driving system implements the above driving process and a hydrogen production system implements the corresponding hydrogen production process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE
    Inventors: Floriane Petipas, Annabelle Brisse, Chakib Bouallou
  • Patent number: 9398643
    Abstract: Provided is an induction heating method implemented in a device for heating a metal part, the device including magnetically coupled inductors. Oscillating circuits of the device have at least approximately the same resonance frequency, each inverter is controlled by a control unit to vary amplitude and phase of current passing through the corresponding inductor, the device also including a means for determining said current and an actual temperature profile of said part. The method includes: a) comparing said actual temperature profile with a reference temperature profile and calculating a reference power density profile; b) calculating target currents which the inverters must produce in order for the currents of the inductors to reach suitable target values; c) determining the currents passing through the inductors to compare said currents with said target values and determine correction current deviations, and sending correction instructions to said control units in accordance with said current deviations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignees: Electricite de France, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique—CNRS, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse
    Inventors: Olivier Pateau, Yves Neau, Yvan Lefevre, Philippe Ladoux, Pascal Maussion, Gilbert Manot
  • Publication number: 20160197480
    Abstract: The invention relates to a simulation circuit of an alternating electric grid, the circuit having at least one alternating port, a bank of first resistances that can be selectively connected to the alternating port by connecting means. According to the invention, the circuit comprises a reversible AC-DC converter comprising an alternating side connected to the alternating port and a direct side connected to a sub-circuit for dissipating energy into direct current connected to an electric battery able to be charged with direct current and discharged with direct current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Applicant: Electricite De France
    Inventors: Franck ARAGNOU, Denis CARDOSO-RODRIGUES
  • Patent number: 9371006
    Abstract: A method for the optimized recharging of the electric battery of at least one electric system, particularly an electric vehicle, using an electric recharging device, in which the electric battery is recharged during at least one charging time interval which is part of an available charging time period initiated by connection of the electric battery recharging system to the electric recharging device and which is determined as a function of a charging curve associated with this electric recharging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignees: Electricite de France, Electricite Reseau Distribution France
    Inventors: Mélaine Rousselle, Gaizka Alberdi