Abstract: A rotor brake has a front tube, an upper bearing assembly, a braking device, at least one upper brake cable and at least one spring. The front tube has a top and a tube opening defined in the top of the front tube. The upper bearing assembly is mounted securely on the top of the front tube. The braking device is mounted in the tube opening and has a sliding bracket and an upper rotator. The sliding bracket is slidable and rotatable. The upper rotator is rotatably mounted around the sliding bracket. The at least one upper brake cable is mounted through the upper bearing assembly and is embedded in the upper rotator. The at least one spring is correspondingly mounted compressibly around the at least one upper brake cable and abuts the upper bearing assembly and the upper rotator.

Abstract: A bidirectional active power conditioner includes a DC side, a bidirectional DC/DC power converter, a DC/AC inverter and an AC side. The DC side electrically connects with a DC source while the AC side electrically connects with a load and an AC source. The bidirectional DC/DC power converter is controlled via high-frequency pulse width modulation (PWM) switching so as to generate a predetermined DC voltage or DC current while the DC/AC inverter is controlled to convert the predetermined DC voltage or DC current into a predetermined AC voltage or AC current.

Abstract: A ripple voltage suppression apparatus includes a DC/DC converter and a control circuit. The DC/DC converter has a power electronic switch. The control circuit has a voltage detector detecting a DC output voltage of the DC/DC converter, a ripple voltage suppression circuit receiving the detected DC output voltage to generate an AC control signal for controlling an AC component of a duty ratio of the power electronic switch, an output voltage regulation circuit receiving the detected DC output voltage to generate a DC control signal for controlling an DC component of a duty ratio, an adder adding the AC and DC control signals to form a combined control signal, and a PWM circuit converting the combined control signal into a PWM signal to control the power electronic switch. Only the DC output voltage of the DC/DC converter has to be detected for the control circuit.

Abstract: A bidirectional DC to DC power converter includes two DC sources, two inductors respectively connected to the two DC sources, a first switch and a second switch respectively connected to the two inductors, two capacitors respectively connected to the two switches, and a third switch connected between the two inductors. The first, second and third switches are respectively connected reversely with a diode in parallel. When the third switch is alternately turned on and off and the first and second switches are always turned off, the power converter operates as a boost power converter and electric energy flows from the two DC sources to the two capacitors. When the third switch is always turned off and the first and second switches are synchronously turned on or off, the power converter operates as a buck power converter and electric energy flows from the two capacitors to the two DC sources.

Abstract: An active power conditioner includes a first power electronic switch set, a second power electronic switch set, a third power electronic switch set, an input filter and an output filter. The active power conditioner can supply a stable AC voltage to a load when a voltage variation occurs at an AC power source by controlling either the second power electronic switch set or the third power electronic switch set via high-frequency switching, and the other power electronic switch sets that are not switched in high frequency are controlled to switch in low-frequency switching.

Abstract: A UPS system includes one or more UPS units with identical or different capacities. A control circuit, used to control a DC/AC inverter of the UPS unit, includes a voltage feedback control circuit and a current feedforward control circuit. The voltage feedback control circuit is used to control the amplitude and the waveform of load voltage. The current feedforward control circuit is used to operate the DC/AC inverter of the UPS unit as a virtual fundamental resistor and a virtual harmonic resistor which are serially connected to an output terminal of the DC/AC inverter such that each UPS unit can be distributed to provide an output current according to the capacity ratio of the UPS system.

Abstract: A harmonic-suppressing AC/DC power converter employs a control method for permitting the AC/DC power converter only to detect an input AC current and an output DC voltage. The control method can control the AC side of the AC/DC power converter to generate a voltage which is proportional to the input AC current. Thereby, the AC/DC power converter acts as a virtual resistor having a linear resistance characteristic. Accordingly, the input AC current of the AC/DC power converter can be controlled to approximate nearly as a sinusoidal wave with the performance of high input power factor and low input harmonic current.

Abstract: A diagnosis method for SOH of batteries includes the steps of: providing data of discharge voltages and currents of a battery unit; setting an acceptable value of a predetermined period of time and an acceptable range of variation rate of discharge current for the battery unit; calculating variation rates of discharge voltages and currents of the battery unit within the predetermined period of time by using the data of discharge voltages and currents; recording the data of discharge voltages and currents of the batteries and variation rates thereof; comparing the data of discharge voltages of the batteries and the variation rates thereof if the variation rates of discharge current are fallen within the acceptable range of current variation with selected reference data; and converting results of compared data of discharge voltages of the battery unit and the variation rates thereof into a SOH index.

Abstract: An active power conditioner, connecting with a load and a power source in parallel, includes a DC power capacitor, a power converter, a high-frequency filter and a control circuit. The control circuit detects the voltage of the DC power capacitor and the current of the power source, thereby performing a closed loop control to stabilize the voltage of the DC power capacitor and performing a feed forward control to generate a driving signal for driving the power converter. The power converter actuates the DC power capacitor to supply a current via the high-frequency filter to reduce the reactive and harmonic components of load current. The load is converted to the linear resistance characteristic, observed from the power source side.

Abstract: An active power conditioner includes a first power electronic switch set, a second power electronic switch set, a third power electronic switch set, an input filter and an output filter. The active power conditioner can supply a stable AC voltage to a load when a voltage variation is occurred at an AC power source by controlling either the second power electronic switch set or the third power electronic switch set via high-frequency switching, and the other power electronic switch sets that are not switched in high frequency are controlled to switch in low-frequency switching.

Abstract: An active power filter comprises an energy storage capacitor, an inverter, a filtering circuit and a controller. The inverter is controlled to act as a virtual resister at a fundamental frequency for compensating for the power loss of the active power filter, act as a virtual capacitor at a fundamental frequency for compensating for a fundamental reactive power of the load, and/or generate a harmonic current for suppressing the harmonic currents of specific orders of the load.

Abstract: A maximum power point tracking method, applied to a tracking device, employs a DC/DC converter connecting with a solar cell array, and including a controller actuating the DC/DC converter to perform an active resistance characteristic; a maximum power point tracking circuit adjusting the active resistance of the DC/DC converter; monitoring a change of an output power of the solar cell array in determining a direction for adjusting the active resistance of the DC/DC converter; and the maximum power point tracking circuit repeatedly adjusting the active resistance of the DC/DC converter. If the change of the output power of the solar cell array is positive, the active resistance of the DC/DC converter is adjusted in the same direction; but, conversely, if the change of the output power of the solar cell array is negative, the active resistance of the DC/DC converter is adjusted in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A backup power supply system supplies power from a first ac power source in normal condition. Once the first ac power source is abnormal or fails, the system automatically turns off the first ac power source and turns on a second ac power source with null transfer time. When the first ac power source is normal, a dc/ac power inverter is controlled to supply an approximately null current such that a mechanical switch is allowed to be closed and no circulating current is generated between the first ac power source and the dc/ac power inverter. Since the mechanical switch is continuously closed, and requires no switching operation, the backup power supply system can supply the backup power with a null transfer time.

Abstract: A bidirectional active power conditioner includes a DC side, a bidirectional DC/DC power converter, a DC/AC inverter and an AC side. The DC side electrically connects with a DC source while the AC side electrically connects with a load and an AC source. The bidirectional DC/DC power converter is controlled via high-frequency pulse width modulation (PWM) switching so as to generate a predetermined DC voltage or DC current while the DC/AC inverter is controlled to convert the predetermined DC voltage or DC current into a predetermined AC voltage or AC current.

Abstract: A maximum power point tracking method, applied to a tracking device, employs a DC/DC converter connecting with a solar cell array, and including a controller actuating the DC/DC converter to perform an active resistance characteristic; a maximum power point tracking circuit adjusting the active resistance of the DC/DC converter; monitoring a change of an output power of the solar cell array in determining a direction for adjusting the active resistance of the DC/DC converter; and the maximum power point tracking circuit repeatedly adjusting the active resistance of the DC/DC converter. If the change of the output power of the solar cell array is positive, the active resistance of the DC/DC converter is adjusted in the same direction; but, conversely, if the change of the output power of the solar cell array is negative, the active resistance of the DC/DC converter is adjusted in an opposite direction.

Abstract: An active type harmonic suppression apparatus, connected in parallel to a power feeder, supplies a compensation current for injecting into the power feeder such that a utility current of a power source is approached to a sinusoidal wave. The control circuit retrieves a load current, a utility current, an output current of the power converter, a power source voltage and a voltage of the dc power capacitor for calculating and sending a reference signal of compensation voltage to a pulse-width-modulation circuit which generates switching signals for the power converter. Furthermore, the harmonic suppression apparatus can provide a fixed or variable reactive power.

Abstract: A diagnosis method for SOH of batteries includes the steps of: providing data of discharge voltages and currents of a battery unit; setting an acceptable value of a predetermined period of time and an acceptable range of variation rate of discharge current for the battery unit; calculating variation rates of discharge voltages and currents of the battery unit within the predetermined period of time by using the data of discharge voltages and currents; recording the data of discharge voltages and currents of the batteries and variation rates thereof; comparing the data of discharge voltages of the batteries and the variation rates thereof if the variation rates of discharge current are fallen within the acceptable range of current variation with selected reference data; and converting results of compared data of discharge voltages of the battery unit and the variation rates thereof into a SOH index.

Abstract: A power converter for a hybrid power filter includes a power electronic switch set and a DC capacitor. The power converter permits a power line of a power system to directly connect or connect through the passive power filter to a positive or a negative terminal of the DC capacitor of the power converter for free control of the power electronic switches. Consequently, the power converter has a structural configuration that reduces the number of power electronic switches, which can reduce manufacturing costs.

Abstract: An islanding detection apparatus for a distributed generation power system and a detection method therefor operates a power converter to act as a virtual capacitor or inductor at a frequency close to but unequal to that of a utility power system under abnormal condition of the utility power system. When power failure occurs in the utility power system, only the distributed generation power system supplies power to a load so that a load voltage has been changed in at least one of amplitude and frequency which can be immediately detected islanding phenomenon.

Abstract: An active power conditioner, connecting with a load and a power source in parallel, includes a DC power capacitor, a power converter, a high-frequency filter and a control circuit. The control circuit detects the voltage of the DC power capacitor and the current of the power source, thereby performing a closed loop control to stabilize the voltage of the DC power capacitor and performing a feed forward control to generate a driving signal for driving the power converter. The power converter actuates the DC power capacitor to supply a current via the high-frequency filter to reduce the reactive and harmonic components of load current. The load is converted to the linear resistance characteristic, observed from the power source side.