Abstract: A method for charging a battery includes coupling an electrical device in a circuit between the battery and an electrical power source. The electrical device having on and off states that are mechanically different. The method includes charging the battery by setting the electrical device to the on state, measuring current flowing through contacts of the electrical device while in the on state, determining current as a function of time flowing through the contacts of the electrical device, using the current as a function of time as a variable in a thermal model based on heating of the contacts and cooling of the contacts, determining by the thermal model a predicted temperature of the contacts based on the current as a function of time and the heating and cooling of the contacts and controlling the on and off state of the electrical device based on the predicted temperature.

Abstract: A method for charging a battery includes coupling an electrical device in a circuit between the battery and an electrical power source. The electrical device having on and off states that are mechanically different. The method includes charging the battery by setting the electrical device to the on state, measuring current flowing through contacts of the electrical device while in the on state, determining current as a function of time flowing through the contacts of the electrical device, using the current as a function of time as a variable in a thermal model based on heating of the contacts and cooling of the contacts, determining by the thermal model a predicted temperature of the contacts based on the current as a function of time and the heating and cooling of the contacts and controlling the on and off state of the electrical device based on the predicted temperature.

Abstract: An electronic power device including transistors formed on a circuit assembly formed of a plurality of layers. The layers include gate drive layers, gate return layers, and power layers. A gate drive circuit is formed on the circuit assembly, and is connected to the gate and source of each of the transistors through the gate drive layers and the gate return layers. A voltage supply connection is provided to each of the plurality of transistors interleaved through the power layers. The circuit assembly includes a multilayer circuit board and/or a multilayer ceramic substrate. The ceramic substrate includes the power layers and transistors. The gate drive and return layers and gate drive circuit may be formed within the ceramic substrate or the circuit board. The ceramic substrate may be located in a modular housing. The circuit board may be outside the modular housing or inside the modular housing.

Abstract: A system for cooling an engine is provided. The system uses a rim driven fan having an electric motor in a frame of the fan to move air through a radiator toward the outside of the vehicle. The electric motor may have the rotor and the stator axially or radially aligned. The plurality of fan blades extends radially inward of a support which is formed integral with or attached to the rotor. Rim driven fans are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling electronic components includes a chassis having a hot side compartment having one or more first electrical components and a cold side compartment having one or more second electrical components. A coolant channel is connected to the cold side compartment. At least one thermoelectric cooler (TEC) is positioned within the cold side compartment. The TEC has a cold plate and a hot plate, the hot plate being connected to the coolant channel and the cold plate being connected to the one or more second electrical components. A method for cooling electronic components using at least one TEC includes identifying an amount of heat to be removed from the one or more second electronic components and determining the TEC with the peak performance based on a best Delta T. The method includes monitoring the Delta T and adjusting the input voltage to maintain the optimum Delta T.

Abstract: A charging system for a vehicle is provided. The charging system is for charging an energy storage system of the vehicle using grid power. The grid power may be an external three-phase AC. The charging system may use field weakening techniques to reduce a peak line-line voltage detected at input terminals of conversion circuitry when a need is determined.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling electronic components includes a chassis having a hot side compartment having one or more first electrical components and a cold side compartment having one or more second electrical components. A coolant channel is connected to the cold side compartment. At least one thermoelectric cooler (TEC) is positioned within the cold side compartment. The TEC has a cold plate and a hot plate, the hot plate being connected to the coolant channel and the cold plate being connected to the one or more second electrical components. A method for cooling electronic components using at least one TEC includes identifying an amount of heat to be removed from the one or more second electronic components and determining the TEC with the peak performance based on a best Delta T. The method includes monitoring the Delta T and adjusting the input voltage to maintain the optimum Delta T.

Abstract: An electronic power device formed by a plurality of FETs formed on a circuit board formed of a plurality of layers, the plurality of transistors being formed on a first surface of the circuit board, the plurality of layers including a plurality of gate drive layers, a plurality of gate return layers, and a plurality of power layers. A gate drive circuit is formed on a second surface of the circuit board, the second surface being opposite the first surface, the gate drive circuit being connected to the gate and source of each of the plurality of transistors through the plurality of gate drive layers and the plurality of gate return layers. A voltage supply is connected to the drain of each of the plurality of transistors, the connections of the voltage supply to each of the plurality of transistors being interleaved through the plurality of power layers.

Abstract: An active anti-islanding architecture where a power converter injects a current component at a harmonic of the fundamental power frequency is injected with a phase sequence opposite to that which normally be present with that harmonic. (For example, a 5th harmonic frequency can be used with a positive phase sequence, or a 7th harmonic frequency with a negative phase sequence.) The injected current component can have a thousandth or less of the power transferred by the converter, since the distinctive phase sequence of the injected signal facilitates recognition of a corresponding term in the observed voltage.

Abstract: Power converters, and microgrids driven by such a power converter, in which the converter is controlled by a proportional controller which operates directly on AC waveforms, preferably without conversion to a DC type signal; preferably with use of voltage compensation to remove inherent error of proportional controller; and preferably with use of individual phase RMS voltages in the voltage compensation, to allow for normal operation under any load condition. Undervoltage of one or two phases is automatically compensated by adjusting the voltage of all phases, to retain balance. Line-starting of a motor load is automatically detected, and frequency droop is driven, apart from the other control relations in the system, to complete the line-starting operation as quickly as possible.

Abstract: A computer server rack for mechanically supporting and electrically powering computer servers is provided. The rack includes DC-to-DC conversion circuits which are configured to convert a relatively high DC facility voltage (e.g. 380 volts DC provided throughout a data center on busways and/or appropriate wiring) to DC voltage useable directly by a computer server (e.g. 12 volts DC). The conversion circuits are highly efficient and convert substantially all of power input to the circuits at the input voltage and input DC current to a high DC output current at a lower output voltage.

Abstract: Improved electrical power conversion system configured to transfer power between a DC voltage differential occurring between input DC terminals and lower DC voltage differential made up of the output differential voltages between a positive output DC terminal and a system neutral terminal and a negative output DC terminal and the system neutral terminal. The system actively controls the output differential voltages to account for variations in the electrical loading placed on the system. The system also actively controls the neutral voltage differential between the neutral terminal and Earth Ground. The output differential voltages are controlled to be maintained within an acceptable range for the types of electrical loads powered by the system (e.g. computers, servers, LED lighting) and to the extent the differentials vary, the system corrects the variances at frequencies which do not adversely affect system circuit protection or the electrical loading on the system.

Abstract: Improved electrical power conversion system configured to transfer power between a DC voltage differential occurring between input DC terminals and lower DC voltage differential made up of the output differential voltages between a positive output DC terminal and a system neutral terminal and a negative output DC terminal and the system neutral terminal. The system actively controls the output differential voltages to account for variations in the electrical loading placed on the system. The system also actively controls the neutral voltage differential between the neutral terminal and Earth Ground. The output differential voltages are controlled to be maintained within an acceptable range for the types of electrical loads powered by the system (e.g. computers, servers, LED lighting) and to the extent the differentials vary, the system corrects the variances at frequencies which do not adversely affect system circuit protection or the electrical loading on the system.

Abstract: A computer server rack for mechanically supporting and electrically powering computer servers is provided. The rack includes DC-to-DC conversion circuits which are configured to convert a relatively high DC facility voltage (e.g. 380 volts DC provided throughout a data center on busways and/or appropriate wiring) to DC voltage useable directly by a computer server (e.g. 12 volts DC). The conversion circuits are highly efficient and convert substantially all of power input to the circuits at the input voltage and input DC current to a high DC output current at a lower output voltage.

Abstract: A system for controlling a disconnect switch via a network may include a disconnect switch and a drive. The disconnect switch may receive alternating current (AC) power from an AC power supply, and the drive may then receive the AC power via the disconnect switch. The drive may include a processor that may communicatively couple to the disconnect switch. As such, the processor may control a drive operation that corresponds to the drive and control a disconnect operation that corresponds to the disconnect switch.

Abstract: A self-discharging capacitor may include a capacitor and a resistor coupled in parallel to the capacitor. The self-discharging capacitor may also include a housing such that the capacitor and the resistor may be enclosed within the housing. The housing may also enclose a potting material that is thermally conductive and electrically non-conductive.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a motor drive that includes a rectifier module, an inverter module, drive circuitry, and a heat dissipation feature. The heat dissipation feature is at least partially coated with a diamond-like carbon material in accordance with present embodiments. The diamond-like carbon material is configured to cooperate with the heat dissipation feature placement to dissipate heat from the rectifier module, the inverter module, or the drive circuitry.

Abstract: Motor drives, signal conditioning systems and configurable circuit boards are presented in which diode blocking circuits are provided for contemporaneous opening of programming fuses in multiple programmable impedance circuits using a single configuration input signal during manufacturing and for mitigating interference between impedance circuits during system operation.

Abstract: Motor drives, signal conditioning systems and configurable circuit boards are presented in which diode blocking circuits are provided for contemporaneous opening of programming fuses in multiple programmable impedance circuits using a single configuration input signal during manufacturing and for mitigating interference between impedance circuits during system operation.