Patents Assigned to GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Ltd.
  • Patent number: 10236733
    Abstract: A magnetic mass of an electric machine rotor extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising a plurality of housings, each housing being able to receive a respective electrically conductive bar. The magnetic mass further comprises, on at least one portion of its length along the longitudinal axis, at least one opening extending radially from one of the housings and opening outwards along a radial direction, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Mathieu Bittermann, Graham Derek Le Flem
  • Patent number: 10233892
    Abstract: This hydrokinetic rotor is arranged to be rotated by a flow of a liquid. This rotor comprises of an inner ring, an outer ring and at least one blade extending between the inner ring and the outer ring in a radial direction (R), the inner rings and the external rings being centered on a same longitudinal axis (X). This rotor comprises of at least one radial axis extending radially between the inner ring and the outer ring, and at least one blade is movable around the respective radial axis. The rotor comprises of the limitation means of the movement in rotation of at least one blade mentioned above around its respective radial axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Hugo Duchene, Philippe Cagnin, Antoine Girard-Pecarrere
  • Patent number: 10224829
    Abstract: A drive train comprising an electric machine including a rotor and a stator, the stator being electrically connected to an alternating grid and having a stator frequency, and a bidirectional system for converting an alternating current into another alternating current. The conversion system is connected between the grid and the rotor, and comprises an ac/dc converter connected to the network, and an inverter connected between the ac/dc converter and the rotor, the inverter and the rotor being interconnected at an intermediate point for each phase of the alternating voltage. The drive train comprises a band-stop filter for a target interval of between 0.6 times the stator frequency and 1.4 times the stator frequency, said band-stop filter being connected between the intermediate points and attenuating the voltage at the intermediate point for the frequencies of the target interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventor: Alfred Permuy
  • Patent number: 10179636
    Abstract: This propulsion unit for an aquatic vehicle consists of a mobile casing equipped with an azimuth bearing due to its mounting in a pivot connection in relation to a hull element of the aquatic vehicle, the azimuth bearing having a closed volume provided to contain a hydraulic fluid, the propulsion unit having a drive shaft of a propeller, said shaft being mounted rotatably within the mobile casing by means of at least one bearing having a closed space adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, an electrical machine being adapted to drive the rotary drive shaft in relation to the mobile casing, the propulsion unit having a supply circuit adapted to supply the closed space of the shaft bearing with hydraulic fluid. The supply circuit has a supply duct connecting the closed space of the shaft bearing and the closed volume of the azimuth bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Lionel Julliand, Loïc Vincent
  • Patent number: 10135433
    Abstract: The system (21) includes: a power transistor (22), a data medium (60) including data relating to the manufacturing tolerance (Tol) of at least one electric parameter of the transistor (22), an electric circuit (26) for controlling the transistor adapted so as to operate for a reference value of the parameter (VREF), an electric circuit (64) having an inductance of less than 100 nH and such that the assembly (70) formed with the circuit (64) and the transistor (22) has a value for the parameter, for which the deviation in absolute with the reference value is strictly less than the manufacturing tolerance (Tol).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventors: Stephane Richard, Herve Cara, Jean-Marc Nicolai
  • Patent number: 10103537
    Abstract: Provided is a fault isolation apparatus for an inverter configured for coupling to an external power supply. The apparatus includes a plurality of fault detection devices, each configured to (i) complete an electrical path between the inverter and the external power supply and (ii) detect a fault along its respective electrical path. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to instruct the fault detection device to complete its respective electrical path only when the path is devoid of the detected fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: David Everett Frye, Philip Edgar Crapse Stone, Daniel Francis Opila, Robert Gregory Wagoner, Siddharth Pant, Shrutish Dawande
  • Patent number: 10090776
    Abstract: A method is disclosed to protect a power converter arrangement with a power converter that has a DC side that is connected to a DC intermediate circuit, an AC side, and controllable switches that can be controllably switched at a high frequency to invert the DC voltage of the DC intermediate circuit into an AC voltage. A protective device that can be activated and deactivated is provided to protect the power converter from overload by connecting an external thyristor rectifier bridge with a brake resistor (Rb ext) to the AC side of the power converter. If a predetermined error situation is detected, the external thyristors are triggered to turn on, to activate the protective device. If it is detected that the predetermined error situation has disappeared, the external thyristors are turned off. A power converter arrangement with a device to protect against overload is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Duro Basic, Kai Alexander Rothenhagen
  • Patent number: 10030520
    Abstract: A blade for a water current turbine rotor, which extends along a radial direction and comprises an outer surface, an inner surface, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The leading edge is the edge of the blade that extends along the radial direction and is disposed upstream in the direction in which the water flows along the blade, while the trailing edge is the edge of the blade opposite the leading edge and is disposed downstream in the direction of flow. At least one portion of the blade has a profile comprising a thick portion and a thin portion, the cross section being perpendicular to the radial direction. The thick portion and the thin portion each have a maximum thickness along a direction perpendicular to the outer surface, the maximum thickness of the thick portion being at least four times greater than the maximum thickness of the thin portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Hugo Duchene, Philippe Cagnin, Antoine Girard-Pecarrere
  • Patent number: 10020650
    Abstract: A battery energy storage system is disclosed, the battery energy storage system comprising a rechargeable battery assembly for storing and providing energy and a protection system including an arc flash protection device to protect against risks due to arc flashes. The arc flash protection device comprises an overcurrent protection unit which detects overcurrent conditions indicating arc flash conditions in case of a low impedance of the battery assembly and an undervoltage protection unit which detects undervoltage conditions indicating arc flash conditions in case of a low impedance of the battery assembly, wherein upon detecting the overcurrent conditions and/or the undervoltage conditions for a predetermined minimum time period, the arc flash protection device initiates protective measures to prevent further operation of the battery assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Robert Roesner, Christoph Rytz
  • Patent number: 10020652
    Abstract: A power distribution system including first and second ac busbars connected to ac generators. A first active rectifier/inverter has ac input terminals electrically connected to the first ac busbar. A second active rectifier/inverter has ac input terminals electrically connected to the second ac busbar. A first dc interface is electrically connected to dc output terminals of the first active rectifier/inverter and a second dc interface is electrically connected to dc output terminals of the second active rectifier/inverter. The dc interfaces include reverse blocking means. A third active rectifier/inverter operates as a drive and has dc input terminals electrically connected in the parallel to dc output terminals of the first and second dc interfaces by means of an interposing dc busbar. An electric motor, that can optionally form part of a marine thruster T1, is electrically connected to ac output terminals of the third active rectifier/inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Ltd
    Inventor: Eric Lewis, III
  • Patent number: 10014238
    Abstract: There are provided methods, systems, and electronic assemblies for efficient thermal management in electronics applications. For example, there is provided an electronic assembly that includes a thermal management system that can include a heat sink having electronic components mounted thereon. The electronic components can be mounted on the heat sink in a staggered pattern along a centerline substantially perpendicular to a direction of flow of a coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventor: Zane Taylor Miller
  • Patent number: 9941772
    Abstract: The present invention provides a marine propulsion system that is suitable for any civilian and military marine vessels and which offers operational flexibility. The marine propulsion system includes a pair of ac busbars, each in parallel connection with a power converter. The respective power converters each connected in parallel to a propulsion motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology LTD.
    Inventor: Eric Anthony Lewis
  • Patent number: 9887697
    Abstract: A drive circuit including a first transformer unit in connection with a pulse amplifier module and a second transformer unit in connection with a plurality of power semiconductor groups, each group containing one or more power devices. The first transformer unit includes at least one primary transformer configured to receive a current pulse at a primary winding from a current pulse generation module, the current pulse being reflected to a secondary winding. The second transformer unit includes a plurality of secondary transformers where each secondary transformer is configured to receive the current pulse at a primary winding thereof, the current pulse being reflected to a secondary winding coupled to a pulse receiver module. The first and second transformer units reduce parasitic coupling between the pulse receiver module and the control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Christopher Joseph Lee, Luke Anthony Solomon, Alfred Permuy
  • Patent number: 9831653
    Abstract: Provided is a cable twist allowance system for a wind turbine system. The system includes a sun gear disposed within a tower of wind turbine, a pivot disk connected with the sun gear, a plurality of lever members, each including a plurality of cables and spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other, the plurality of level members being pivotably connected with a surface of the pivot disk and rotatable about the sun gear; and a plurality of compression members, each compression member corresponding to each lever member and adjusting a position of a respective lever member based on a radial force applied to the plurality of cables of the respective lever member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventor: Allen Michael Ritter
  • Patent number: 9825518
    Abstract: An exemplary power conversion system includes a power conversion device and a control system. The power conversion device converts electrical power from one form to another. The power conversion device includes at least one switching element capable of being turned off to block an electrical current flowing through the at least one switching element. The control system is electrically coupled to the power conversion device for monitoring an electrical current flowing through the at least one switching element and for monitoring at least one parameter in association with the operation of the power conversion system. The control system further generates an over-current threshold value that is variable with respect to at least one monitored parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Jie Shen, Stefan Schroeder, Kunlun Chen, Laigui Qin
  • Patent number: 9825523
    Abstract: A converter control arrangement (18) for regulating the output current of a dc source power converter (16) comprises a current regulator (20) for regulating the output current based on a comparison of an output current value (Iout) of the dc source power converter (16) with a desired target current value (Itgt). When the output voltage value (Vout) of the dc source power converter (16) is within a normal operating voltage range between minimum and maximum voltage values (Vmin, Vmax) defined with respect to a voltage reference value (Vref) of the dc source power converter (16), the converter control arrangement (18) controls the target current value (Itgt) so that it is equal to a desired reference current value (Iref).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology LTD
    Inventors: Lihua Hu, Richard Ian Stephens, Martin Samuel Butcher
  • Patent number: 9812922
    Abstract: An active magnetic bearing comprising a plurality of electromagnetic actuators, each actuator receiving for control thereof an input current and being able to exert a radial force on a shaft of a rotary machine, with respect to the rotation axis of said shaft, the shaft being able to be held without contact between the electromagnetic actuators and to undergo radial motion when it is in rotation, means for supplying input current of each actuator, the supply means comprising means for controlling the input current of each actuator, according to the position of the shaft with respect to the actuators. The supply means comprise means for damping the radial motion of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventor: Alfred Permuy
  • Patent number: 9806599
    Abstract: A short-circuit device and a protection method for a submodule for a power converter are disclosed. The submodule includes a bridge circuit having at least one power semiconductor branch extending between a first and a second DC voltage node and at least one controllable power semiconductor switch disposed therein to which a freewheeling diode is connected in anti-parallel, and a capacitor connected in parallel to the bridge circuit. The short-circuit device has at least one selected of the freewheeling diodes anti-parallel to the power semiconductor switches of the bridge circuit, wherein the at least one selected freewheeling diode is manufactured in press pack design and rated such that, when a fault occurs in the submodule, the at least one selected freewheeling diode breaks down due to the fault conditions and provides a durable, stable, low-impedance short circuit path between a first and a second AC voltage connection of the submodule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Martin Geske, Joerg Janning, Thomas Brueckner, Roland Jakob
  • Patent number: 9800161
    Abstract: A power converter arrangement is described. The power converter includes a dc link and a power converter. The dc link is operably connected between a generator, or other power source, that provides an output voltage in use and a dc network. The power converter includes an inverter connected across the dc link in parallel with the generator, an isolation transformer having a primary tap changer and a secondary tap changer, and a rectifier. The rectifier has ac terminals connected to the secondary tap changer, a first dc terminal connected to the dc link, and a second dc terminal connected to the dc network. The dc terminal voltage of the rectifier is therefore summated with the output voltage of the generator to provide a converter output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Allan David Crane, Warren Mark Blewitt
  • Patent number: 9793819
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention relates to a method for controlling operation of a parallel converter system. The parallel converter system includes multiple parallel power converters, and each of the parallel power converters is coupleable to a corresponding controller. The method includes: generating, via each of the controllers, a channel reference signal, transmitting each of the generated channel reference signals to a corresponding one of the parallel power converters, and adjusting an output current of each of the parallel converters responsive to the corresponding channel reference signals received, the adjusting controlling a combined output current of the parallel converter system. The channel reference signals of these parallel power converters are generated in response to the participation factors of each of the parallel power converters, and a net converter output reference current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Shyam Sunder Ramamurthy, Luke Anthony Solomon, Brian Babes Venus, Christopher Joseph Lee