Patents by Inventor Leonardo-Augusto Serpa

Leonardo-Augusto Serpa 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: 9331486
    Abstract: An exemplary method and apparatus for detecting islanding conditions of a distributed grid are disclosed, wherein transfer of power through a power electrical unit is controlled on the basis of a control reference. The apparatus includes a first stage and a second stage performing a respective portion of the method. The first stage injects a reactive component to the control reference, and, for at least one electrical quantity of the grid, determines a change in the quantity induced by the injected component, and determines, on the basis of the change in the electrical quantity, whether to move to the second stage of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventors: Gerardo Escobar, Sami Pettersson, Leonardo-Augusto Serpa, Ngai-Man Ho, Antonio Coccia, Alexandre Oudalov, Adrian Timbus
  • Patent number: 9257848
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling single-phase DC/AC converters, along with a converter arrangement having at least two single-phase DC/AC converters. A controller is provided which can control the at least two single-phase DC/AC converters, and an isolation transformer, wherein outputs of the at least two single-phase DC/AC converters are cascade-connected with each other and an input of the isolation transformer. The controller is configured to control the at least two single-phase DC/AC converters to deliver power from their inputs to their outputs by turns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: ABB RESEARCH LTD.
    Inventors: Antonio Coccia, Francisco Canales, Leonardo-Augusto Serpa, Mikko Paakkinen
  • Patent number: 8751177
    Abstract: An exemplary method and arrangement for estimating the frequency and the positive sequence of a fundamental component of a measured three-phase voltage are disclosed (???).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Gerardo Escobar, Antonio Coccia, Leonardo-Augusto Serpa, Sami Pettersson, Yales De-Novaes
  • Patent number: 8553434
    Abstract: A method of controlling the grid-side current of a single-phase grid-connected converter having an LCL filter connected between the output of the converter and the grid includes measuring a grid voltage and at least one signal in a group of signals consisting of a grid-side current, a converter-side current and a capacitor voltage, estimating the fundamental component of the grid voltage, forming a grid-side current reference, a converter-side current reference and a capacitor voltage reference for the grid-side current of the LCL filter, forming estimates for the non-measured signals in the group of signals, forming a grid-side current difference term, a converter-side current difference term and a capacitor voltage difference term, and controlling the output voltage of the converter based on the grid voltage, a formed injection term and a formed estimate of the harmonic distortion term to produce a grid side current corresponding to the current reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Antonio Coccia, Gerardo Escobar, Leonardo-Augusto Serpa, Mikko Paakkinen, Sami Pettersson
  • Patent number: 8488351
    Abstract: An exemplary non-isolated DC-DC converter for a solar power plant, can be adapted to connect to a full-bridge inverter. The converter includes positive and negative input terminals, and positive and negative output terminals. A plurality of switches, diodes, inductors and capacitors are connected in a circuit configuration to the input and output terminals. A control means is connected to the circuit for controlling the switching of a first, second, and third switch between an open and closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Leonardo-Augusto Serpa, Francisco Canales, Ngai-Man Ho, Antonio Coccia
  • Publication number: 20120242152
    Abstract: An exemplary method is disclosed for searching a global maximum power point in an arrangement comprising a series connection of photovoltaic power sources. The method can include determining a value of a reference by adding an increment to a previous value of the reference, wherein the value of the increment is determined on the basis of the power produced by the power sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Gerardo ESCOBAR, Ngai-Man Ho, Sami Pettersson, Leonardo-Augusto Serpa, Antonio Coccia
  • Publication number: 20120239215
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for detecting islanding conditions for distributed generators connected to a grid. The method includes estimating a grid impedance, and inducing, on the basis of the estimated grid impedance, a variation on a value of a first electrical quantity of the grid. The method also includes monitoring a grid response to the variations, and determining islanding conditions on the basis of the monitored response.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventors: Adrian Timbus, Alexandre Oudalov, Gerardo Escobar, Leonardo-Augusto Serpa
  • Publication number: 20110241652
    Abstract: An exemplary method and arrangement for estimating the frequency and the positive sequence of a fundamental component of a measured three-phase voltage are disclosed (???).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Gerardo Escobar, Antonio Coccia, Leonardo-Augusto Serpa, Sami Pettersson, Yales De-Novaes
  • Publication number: 20110228578
    Abstract: An exemplary non-isolated DC-DC converter for a solar power plant, can be adapted to connect to a full-bridge inverter. The converter includes positive and negative input terminals, and positive and negative output terminals. A plurality of switches, diodes, inductors and capacitors are connected in a circuit configuration to the input and output terminals. A control means is connected to the circuit for controlling the switching of a first, second, and third switch between an open and closed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Leonardo-Augusto Serpa, Francisco Canales, Ngai-Man Ho, Antonio Coccia
  • Publication number: 20110221420
    Abstract: A method of controlling the grid-side current of a single-phase grid-connected converter having an LCL filter connected between the output of the converter and the grid. The method includes measuring a grid voltage (vS) and at least one signal in a group of signals consisting of a grid-side current (i0), a converter-side current (i1) and a capacitor voltage (vC0).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Antonio COCCIA, Gerardo Escobar, Leonardo-Augusto Serpa, Mikko Paakkinen, Sami Pettersson
  • Publication number: 20110103118
    Abstract: A non-isolated DC-DC converter assembly includes a boost converter and a ?uk converter connected together in a specific way. The non-isolated DC-DC converter assembly allows for grounding of a source and load at the same time, and provides a complete adjustability of the output voltage of the non-isolated DC-DC converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Leonardo-Augusto SERPA, Mikko Paakkinen, Francisco Canales, Gerardo Escobar, Antonio Coccia
  • Publication number: 20100244575
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling single-phase DC/AC converters, along with a converter arrangement having at least two single-phase DC/AC converters. A controller is provided which can control the at least two single-phase DC/AC converters, and an isolation transformer, wherein outputs of the at least two single-phase DC/AC converters are cascade-connected with each other and an input of the isolation transformer. The controller is configured to control the at least two single-phase DC/AC converters to deliver power from their inputs to their outputs by turns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Antonio Coccia, Francisco Canales, Leonardo-Augusto Serpa, Mikko Paakkinen