Abstract: Heat energy storage systems described in this disclosure can be used for long-term storage of large amounts of thermal energy. In some cases, such systems receive electrical energy from renewable energy sources such as solar panels or wind turbines. Using novel techniques, the heat energy storage systems covert the electrical energy to thermal energy that is stored in hot materials such as molten silicon, molten salts, or any other material that can store large amounts of heat. The heat energy storage systems incorporate extremely good thermal insulation of the thermal energy storage tank that contains the hot materials. The systems are also configured to release thermal energy in an efficient manner to an electricity-producing steam turbine using novel heat exchanger systems and techniques that are described. The energy storage systems described herein have a higher overall real-world efficiency than energy storage systems currently available.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method (400) for discharging a high-voltage intermediate circuit (110) with a discharge circuit (120), wherein the high-voltage intermediate circuit (110) comprises an intermediate circuit capacitor (130), having the steps of: ascertaining (410) the voltage (U_ZK) of the high-voltage intermediate circuit (110); and actuating (420) the discharge circuit (120) on the basis of the ascertained voltage (U_ZK).

Abstract: An inductor component includes a multilayer body including a magnetic layer; an inductor wiring disposed inside the multilayer body; and an external terminal exposed from the multilayer body. The multilayer body or the external terminal has an overlapping region disposed on the inductor wiring and a non-overlapping region not in contact with the inductor wiring, and reflection spectra of the overlapping region is different from reflection spectra of the non-overlapping region when irradiated with light having a prescribed wavelength from an outer surface side.

Abstract: An industrial locking switch comprises multiple locking tongue entry slots formed on adjacent sides of the locking switch housing, thereby supporting receipt of the corresponding locking tongue from multiple directions of approach without the need to mechanically modify the switch's head or to reorient the switch itself. The locking switch houses locking bolt detection circuity comprising multiple series connected RFID coils configured to detect an RFID tag mounted on the locking tongue when the locking tongue is inserted into any of the entry slots.

Abstract: Various aspects of invention provide portable power manager operating methods. One aspect of the invention provides a method for operating a power manager having a plurality of device ports for connecting with external power devices and a power bus for connecting with each device port. The method includes: disconnecting each device port from the power bus when no external power device is connected to the device port; accessing information from newly connected external power devices; determining if the newly connected external power devices can be connected to the power bus without power conversion; if not, determining if the newly connected external power devices can be connected to the power bus over an available power converter; and if so, configuring the available power converter for suitable power conversion.

Abstract: Solar radiation is collected and converted to microwave energy by means maintained in outer space on one or more platforms in space. The microwave energy is then transmitted to earth and directed to and constantly focused on one or more segments of a generally circular and slowly rotating tropical depression, which is a precursor to a tropical storm and then a hurricane (alternatively called a cyclone or typhoon). The focused microwave energy interrupts the cycle of vertical upward and downward movement of air, water, & water vapor, and destabilizes the developing rotational motion of the tropical depression, causing it to break up and dissipate, and preventing it from ultimately developing into a hurricane. When not focusing microwave energy on a tropical depression, the microwave energy can alternatively be used to create earth based solar energy, which would help alleviate costs of operating the system solely for hurricane prevention.

Abstract: A method of providing power via a plurality of power control systems forming a power network is provided. Each power control system includes a power controller and a power switch operable by the power controller. The method includes defining, by each power controller of the power network, a power allocation schedule for a power cycle using a dynamic load scheduling model based on a members list of the power network. The power cycle is divided into a plurality of power units, and the power allocation schedule identifies one or more designated power control systems from among the plurality of power control systems to provide power to a load during each of the power units. For the power cycle, the method includes providing power to the load by the one or more designated power control systems during a respective power unit based on the power allocation schedule.

Abstract: A tethered aircraft or balloon carrying a communications base station for rapid deployment in emergency situations. Electrical power is delivered from a generator on the ground using a pulsed electrical supply system in which each power pulse is delivered over a cable and acknowledged, and pulses only continue to be delivered whilst such acknowledgements are received by the ground station. This reduces the risks associated with delivering electrical power over an aerial tether, and avoids the need for an earth (ground) connection, reducing the risk from lightning.

Abstract: An airport ground power unit for supplying electric current to an aircraft parked on the ground, a method of operating the ground power unit, a system for supplying electric current to an aircraft parked on the ground, a method of operating such system, and a Y-adaptor.

Abstract: A wireless power transmitter including a power converter configured to transfer a wireless power to a wireless power receiver; and a communicator/controller configured to control the wireless power. Further, the communicator/controller is further configured to transmit, to the wireless power receiver, a bit pattern requesting permission to communicate; receive, from the wireless power receiver, a response packet granting the permission in response to the bit pattern; and transmit, to the wireless power receiver in a power transfer phase in which the wireless power is transferred, an auxiliary data transport (ADT) data packet after receiving the response packet. In addition, a header of the ADT data packet is set to a value informing a retransmission of a previous ADT data packet, based on receiving a not acknowledge (NAK) in response to the previous ADT data packet from the wireless power receiver.

Abstract: Systems and methods for supplying power (both active and reactive) at a medium voltage from a DCSTATCOM to an IT load without using a transformer are disclosed. The DCSTATCOM includes an energy storage device, a two-stage DC-DC converter, and a multi-level inverter, each of which are electrically coupled to a common negative bus. The DC-DC converter may include two stages in a bidirectional configuration. One stage of the DC-DC converter uses a flying capacitor topology. The voltages across the capacitors of the flying capacitor topology are balanced and switching losses are minimized by fixed duty cycle operation. The DC-DC converter generates a high DC voltage from a low or high voltage energy storage device such as batteries and/or ultra-capacitors. The multi-level, neutral point, diode-clamped inverter converts the high DC voltage into a medium AC voltage using a space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) technique.

Abstract: A drum-type magnetic body includes: a pair of flange parts that are facing each other; and a shaft part connecting the pair of flange parts, wherein an outer periphery of a cross section of the shaft part in a direction orthogonal to an axis of the shaft part has an oval shape constituted by a pair of parallel straight parts and a pair of arc parts connecting end parts of the pair of parallel straight parts, and the flange parts each have an outer principal face running orthogonal to the axis of the shaft part, and the pair of parallel straight parts are running in parallel with a longitudinal direction of the principal face of the flange part.

Abstract: A power management system for managing power of a climate control unit (CCU) configured to be used with at least one of an electric vehicle, a trailer, or a transport container and at least partially powered by the electric vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a power distribution system that includes a power input, a power distributor electrically connected to the power input, a fault detecting and isolating circuit electrically connected to the power input, and a connection point for receiving the CCU. The connection point is electrically connected to the fault detecting and isolating circuit. A power controller is electrically connected to the power distribution system. The power controller includes a processor and a memory.

Abstract: In one aspect, an electronic device for continuous and simultaneous powering and data transfer is provided, the electronic device comprising: an inductive power receiver operable to generate a power signal from a sensed magnetic field, the power signal; an LC tank and diode pair electrically coupled to the power receiver and operable to obtain the power signal, the LC tank and diode pair cooperating to generate a corresponding clipped signal thereof; and an antenna comprising a high-pass filter, the antenna electrically coupled to the diode pair and operable to emit a pulse-train by high-pass filtering the clipped signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sander, and a method for disassembling or installing a working head of the sander. The sander includes: a main body, including a housing, a motor disposed in the housing, a switch mechanism for controlling the motor includes a switch, and a drive component driven by the motor to rotate; and a working head adapted to the drive component. The main body further includes an interlocking mechanism, the interlocking mechanism includes an operation member movably disposed relative to the housing, the operation member is operably shifted between a first state and a second state, when the operation member is in the first state, the interlocking mechanism allows the switch to be triggered, when the switch is in a triggered state, the operation member is prevented from being shifted from the first state to the second state; and when the operation member is in the second state, the interlocking mechanism prevents the switch from being triggered.

Abstract: A method includes configuring a high voltage charging system to operate in a wireless charging mode to charge a battery after a power source has been disconnected from the high voltage charging system, wherein the high voltage charging system comprises a rectifier, a first power converter, a second power converter connected in cascade, and a load switch connected between a voltage bus and a power port configured to be connected to the power source, and configuring the high voltage charging system to operate in a wired charging mode to charge the battery after the power source has been connected to the high voltage charging system.

Abstract: System, device and method for exporting power are provided including at least one AC optimizer with plurality of DC inputs each connecting with respective one of plurality of DC sources, and independent maximum power point tracking (MPPT) performed for each respective DC source to extract power from each DC source for output and coupling to AC grid. When multiple AC optimizers are employed, with each AC optimizer having multiple DC inputs, each DC input can be connected to PV module with independent MPPT function. Since, each AC optimizer can serve multiple PV modules, significant cost saving and efficiencies can be achieved. Optionally, on PV sub-module level, each of the multiple DC inputs can be used as an independent MPPT channel for a PV sub-module cell string.

Abstract: This invention presents an electronically configurable architecture where the plurality of photovoltaic panels can be connected to deliver the maximum power output. This architecture provides maximum power point to the maximum number of photovoltaic panels by connecting them in parallel. Under-rated panels are dynamically coupled with over-rated or maximum-rated panels in a series-connected architecture to utilize the under rated power in the final delivery. Notable efficiency improvements may be observed in contrast to the prevailing optimization with minimum power drop out architecture. The architectural modifications are proposed with bi-stable electromagnetic changeover contacts to minimize the power dissipation in control side. Moreover the rearrangement in connection architecture is proposed to be communicated on instance and regular basis through SMS and SPI protocol for easy fault diagnosis by the service personnel from the proposed data mining firmware.

Abstract: A single- or multi-phase DC to AC converter system suited for solar energy installations achieves cost reduction by eliminating low-frequency power transformers. One DC input polarity is selectively switched to an output terminal when the instantaneous AC output from a second output terminal is desired to be of the opposite polarity, while the other DC input polarity is used to form an approximation to a segment of a sine wave of the desired polarity at the second output terminal. The approximation for each phase is built in a multilevel fashion by outputting, at different times, voltage levels that differ by an integer multiple of a predetermined voltage step size, to the respective live AC output terminal through an associated low pass filter. A common-mode AC signal is thereby created on the balanced DC input lines at a frequency which is the AC output frequency times the number of phases, and which is useful for detecting ground faults in the DC circuit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method (400) for discharging a high-voltage intermediate circuit (110) with a discharge circuit (120), wherein the high-voltage intermediate circuit (110) comprises an intermediate circuit capacitor (130), having the steps of: ascertaining (410) the voltage (U_ZK) of the high-voltage intermediate circuit (110); and actuating (420) the discharge circuit (120) on the basis of the ascertained voltage (U_ZK).