Abstract: An AC ripple current reduction circuit for an AC converter having: an AC voltage source at the input; a first capacitor across which the circuit output voltage is provided; a first, main inductor in series with the first capacitor and the input; an auxiliary circuit including a second capacitor and a transformer coupled to the main inductor, the secondary of the transformer being in series with the second capacitor; and a means for enabling the flow of a time varying voltage across the first and second capacitors that has a frequency much less than the ripple frequency of the current in the main inductor.

Abstract: A dual coil induction cooking system and method for heating ferrous and non-ferrous cooking vessels. The system includes a first resonant circuit for inducing a current in a ferrous metal cooking vessel at a first frequency and a second resonant circuit, wired in a parallel combination with the first resonant circuit, for inducing a current in a non-ferrous metal cooking vessel at a second frequency. The system also includes a power source for powering the parallel combination, so that one of the first and the second resonant circuits is coupled to supply power through the parallel combination to a respective one of the cooking vessels. A method for coupling power to a load includes sweeping a parallel combination of resonant circuits with a variable frequency power, detecting a resonant frequency response corresponding to a metallic composition of the load, and simultaneously powering the parallel combination of resonant circuits at a frequency corresponding to the detected resonant frequency.

Abstract: A flexible integrated power converter system that connects various types of electrical power sources together and supplies a defined type of electrical energy to a load, such as a standard household mains voltage supply, is provided. Each of the electrical power sources is electrically isolated from the load, as well as each other. A respective input converter is coupled to each power source. Each input converter may include a small high-frequency transformer driven by an efficient soft-switched dc-dc converter. The voltages produced by each of the input converters are combined in parallel and delivered to a single output inverter. The output inverter converts the combined voltages to an ac voltage that may be delivered to a load.

Abstract: Method for purging a furnace comprising a closable processing tube defining in its interior a closable, processing space, a purging gas being flowed along the outer surface of the processing tube separated from the processing gas flow inside the processing tube, wherein said processing gas flow comprises a gas being reactive with air at elevated temperature and said purging gas comprises an inert gas. A furnace assembly for realizing this method is proposed comprising a controller for controlling force connected in a conduit connected to a source of reactive and inert gas respectively. This controller is realized such that only after placing the closure of the processing chamber in the closing position the valve in the supply conduit for reactive gas can be opened and said closure can only be removed from said closing position after said valve in supply conduits for reactive gas has been closed.

Abstract: Method for purging a furnace comprising a closable processing tube defining in its interior a closable, processing space, a purging gas being flowed along the outer surface of the processing tube separated from the processing gas flow inside the processing tube, wherein said processing gas flow comprises a gas being reactive with air at elevated temperature and said purging gas comprises an inert gas. A furnace assembly for realizing this method is proposed comprising a controller for controlling force connected in a conduit connected to a source of reactive and inert gas respectively. This controller is realized such that only after placing the closure of the processing chamber in the closing position the valve in the supply conduit for reactive gas can be opened and said closure can only be removed from said closing position after said valve in supply conduits for reactive gas has been closed.