Patents by Inventor Robert Saers
Robert Saers 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).
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Patent number: 11489356Abstract: One embodiment is a system comprising a medium voltage direct current (MVDC) link electrically coupling a first AC-DC converter and a second AC-DC converter. The first AC-DC converter is electrically coupled with a first alternating current (AC) feeder. The second AC-DC converter electrically coupled with a second AC feeder. A battery charger electrically coupled with the MVDC link via a converterless connection. A first electronic controller is operatively coupled with the first AC-DC converter. A second electronic controller is operatively coupled with the second AC-DC converter. During operation of the battery charger to charge a battery the first electronic controller is configured to control power flow between the first AC feeder and the second AC feeder and the second electronic controller is configured to control the voltage of the MVDC link.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2019Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AGInventors: Bertil Berggren, Ritwik Majumder, Robert Saers, Frans Dijkhuizen
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Publication number: 20220206482Abstract: There is provided mechanisms for monitoring substation equipment. A method is performed by a SCADA system. The method comprises obtaining data/signal values of parameters monitored in the substation equipment. The method comprises associating each data/signal value with at least one attention indicator. The method comprises determining one attention indicator value for each of the attention indicators by processing those data/signal values that are associated with the respective attention indicators. All attention indicators for all monitored parameters have one and the same nominal attention indicator value acting as a threshold for abnormal behavior of the substation equipment. The method comprises providing an alert indication to a human machine interface (HMI) when at least one of the attention indicator values is above the nominal attention indicator value.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2020Publication date: June 30, 2022Inventors: Nilanga ABEYWICKRAMA, Tord BENGTSSON, Subrat SAHOO, Anders BROKVIST, Marko Tapani VIITALA, Robert SAERS
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Patent number: 11163281Abstract: A method can be used for determining resiliency in a microgrid that includes a number of assets. The method includes obtaining status data about devices used to control the assets as well as about communication resources of this control, determining, based on the status data, the health and availability of each asset to assist each of a plurality of functions for handling disruptive events in the microgrid, determining a resiliency index of the microgrid in performing the plurality of functions, providing the resiliency index to a control system of the microgrid, comparing, in the control system, the resiliency index with a least one threshold, and changing the control of the microgrid if any of the thresholds is crossed.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2019Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AGInventors: Ritwik Majumder, Robert Saers, Giovanni Velotto, Ebrahim Shayesteh
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Patent number: 11109507Abstract: A cooling system for a high voltage electromagnetic induction device, includes: at least one duct filled with a first coolant and surrounded by a second coolant, each being routed along a direction of natural convection; at least one group of fans, each fan of the group being mounted along a respective duct of the at least one duct along the direction of natural convection and being configured to blow for the-second-coolant-forced cooling; at least one group of electric motors, each electric motor being configured to operate a respective fan of the at least one group of fans; at least one group of switches, each switch being configured to control a respective electric motor of the at least one group of electric motors. A method of cooling a high voltage electromagnetic induction device is also provided. By using the option of operating fans with higher cooling rate, because of the less fans are operating, the predetermined cooling capacity can be reached with lower power consumption.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2019Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: ABB Power Gnids Switzerland AGInventors: Rongrong Yu, Robert Saers, Tor Laneryd
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Publication number: 20210247732Abstract: A method can be used for determining resiliency in a microgrid that includes a number of assets. The method includes obtaining status data about devices used to control the assets as well as about communication resources of this control, determining, based on the status data, the health and availability of each asset to assist each of a plurality of functions for handling disruptive events in the microgrid, determining a resiliency index of the microgrid in performing the plurality of functions, providing the resiliency index to a control system of the microgrid, comparing, in the control system, the resiliency index with a least one threshold, and changing the control of the microgrid if any of the thresholds is crossed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2019Publication date: August 12, 2021Inventors: Ritwik Majumder, Robert Saers, Giovanni Velotto, Ebrahim Shayesteh
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Publication number: 20210006085Abstract: One embodiment is a system comprising a medium voltage direct current (MVDC) link electrically coupling a first AC-DC converter and a second AC-DC converter. The first AC-DC converter is electrically coupled with a first alternating current (AC) feeder. The second AC-DC converter electrically coupled with a second AC feeder. A battery charger electrically coupled with the MVDC link via a converterless connection. A first electronic controller is operatively coupled with the first AC-DC converter. A second electronic controller is operatively coupled with the second AC-DC converter. During operation of the battery charger to charge a battery the first electronic controller is configured to control power flow between the first AC feeder and the second AC feeder and the second electronic controller is configured to control the voltage of the MVDC link.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2019Publication date: January 7, 2021Inventors: Bertil Berggren, Ritwik Majumder, Robert Saers, Frans Dijkhuizen
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Patent number: 10763027Abstract: The present application discloses a method to optimize operation of a transformer cooling system, the corresponding cooling system, and a method to determine the capacity of Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) that are used in the transformer cooling system. The method comprises: preprocessing the initial data input by user; collecting the on-line data, and calculating the optimized control command to meet the requirement of the transformer loss, top-oil temperature variation and noise; and executing the control actions by controlling a controllable switch and/or sending a control command to a VFD. Compared with the existing prior arts, the proposed solutions are much more intuitive and practical in the field of the cooling system.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2016Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AGInventors: Zhao Wang, Yao Chen, Robert Saers, Xiaoxia Yang, Rongrong Yu
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Publication number: 20190364692Abstract: A cooling system for a high voltage electromagnetic induction device, includes: at least one duct filled with a first coolant and surrounded by a second coolant, each being routed along a direction of natural convection; at least one group of fans, each fan of the group being mounted along a respective duct of the at least one duct along the direction of natural convection and being configured to blow for the-second-coolant-forced cooling; at least one group of electric motors, each electric motor being configured to operate a respective fan of the at least one group of fans; at least one group of switches, each switch being configured to control a respective electric motor of the at least one group of electric motors. A method of cooling a high voltage electromagnetic induction device is also provided. By using the option of operating fans with higher cooling rate, because of the less fans are operating, the predetermined cooling capacity can be reached with lower power consumption.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2019Publication date: November 28, 2019Inventors: Rongrong Yu, Robert Saers, Tor Laneryd
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Patent number: 10389123Abstract: A method for controlling power in a microgrid that includes power sources, loads and at least one connection to a main grid where a transformer is arranged to transfer electric power between the microgrid and the main grid is disclosed. The method includes: monitoring the power balance within the microgrid; monitoring the transformer, including monitoring the transformer temperature; and detecting a need for overloading the transformer based on the power balance within the microgrid. Especially, the method includes: determining a load profile for the transformer based on the power balance within the microgrid; determining a prognosis of the transformer temperature based on the load profile; and determining a schedule for power control of the microgrid, which determining of a schedule for power control includes analyzing the prognosis of the transformer temperature.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2016Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: ABB Schweiz AGInventors: Robert Saers, Ritwik Majumder, Antonis Marinopoulos
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Patent number: 10309995Abstract: A method of determining phasor components of a periodic waveform, wherein the method includes: a) sampling the periodic waveform, b) determining a frequency spectrum of the sampled periodic waveform by means of a frequency transform utilizing a Gaussian window function, wherein a ratio np defined by the duration of the sampling of the periodic waveform divided by the width parameter of the Gaussian window function is at least 5, c) selecting a region of the frequency spectrum containing a frequency peak defined by a group of consecutive frequency bins each being defined by a frequency value and a magnitude value, and d) determining phasor components of the periodic waveform based on the group of consecutive frequency bins.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2016Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: ABB Schweiz AGInventors: Nilanga Abeywickrama, Robert Saers, Tord Bengtsson, Jonas Hedberg
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Publication number: 20190027932Abstract: A method for controlling power in a microgrid that includes power sources, loads and at least one connection to a main grid where a transformer is arranged to transfer electric power between the microgrid and the main grid is disclosed. The method includes: monitoring the power balance within the microgrid; monitoring the transformer, including monitoring the transformer temperature; and detecting a need for overloading the transformer based on the power balance within the microgrid. Especially, the method includes: determining a load profile for the transformer based on the power balance within the microgrid; determining a prognosis of the transformer temperature based on the load profile; and determining a schedule for power control of the microgrid, which determining of a schedule for power control includes analyzing the prognosis of the transformer temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2016Publication date: January 24, 2019Applicant: ABB Schweiz AGInventors: Robert SAERS, Ritwik MAJUMDER, Antonis MARINOPOULOS
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Patent number: 10177557Abstract: A passive electronic fuse for protecting a DC application in the event of a fault includes a first leg including a first winding of a mutual inductor and a switch device connected in series, a second leg including a second winding of the mutual inductor. The first leg and the second leg are connected in parallel and a self-inductance of the second winding is lower than a self-inductance of the first winding. The second leg further includes a capacitor connected in series with the second winding of the mutual inductor, and the switch device is a thyristor or a switch device with switching properties of a thyristor.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AGInventors: Robert Saers, Lars Liljestrand, Tomas Tengner, Jesper Magnusson
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Publication number: 20180321290Abstract: A method of determining phasor components of a periodic waveform, wherein the method includes: a) sampling the periodic waveform, b) determining a frequency spectrum of the sampled periodic waveform by means of a frequency transform utilizing a Gaussian window function, wherein a ratio np defined by the duration of the sampling of the periodic waveform divided by the width parameter of the Gaussian window function is at least 5, c) selecting a region of the frequency spectrum containing a frequency peak defined by a group of consecutive frequency bins each being defined by a frequency value and a magnitude value, and d) determining phasor components of the periodic waveform based on the group of consecutive frequency bins.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2016Publication date: November 8, 2018Applicant: ABB Schweiz AGInventors: Nilanga Abeywickrama, Robert Saers, Tord Bengtsson, Jonas Hedberg
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Publication number: 20180183229Abstract: A passive electronic fuse for protecting a DC application in the event of a fault includes a first leg including a first winding of a mutual inductor and a switch device connected in series, a second leg including a second winding of the mutual inductor. The first leg and the second leg are connected in parallel and a self-inductance of the second winding is lower than a self-inductance of the first winding. The second leg further includes a capacitor connected in series with the second winding of the mutual inductor, and the switch device is a thyristor or a switch device with switching properties of a thyristor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2015Publication date: June 28, 2018Applicant: ABB SCHWEIZ AGInventors: Robert SAERS, Lars LILJESTRAND, Tomas TENGNER, Jesper MAGNUSSON
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Patent number: 9148011Abstract: An apparatus is arranged to break an electrical current. The apparatus includes: a mechanical switch leg including a first winding of a mutual inductor and a mechanical switch connected in series; a semiconductor switch leg including a second winding of the mutual inductor and a semiconductor switch connected in series; and an overvoltage protection circuit. The mechanical switch leg and the semiconductor switch leg are connected in parallel and a self inductance of the second winding is lower than a self inductance of the first winding. A corresponding DC circuit breaker and AC current limiter are also presented.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2012Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: ABB TECHNOLOGY LTDInventors: Jesper Magnusson, Lars Liljestrand, Robert Saers
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Publication number: 20150222111Abstract: An apparatus is arranged to break an electrical current. The apparatus includes: a mechanical switch leg including a first winding of a mutual inductor and a mechanical switch connected in series; a semiconductor switch leg including a second winding of the mutual inductor and a semiconductor switch connected in series; and an overvoltage protection circuit. The mechanical switch leg and the semiconductor switch leg are connected in parallel and a self inductance of the second winding is lower than a self inductance of the first winding. A corresponding DC circuit breaker and AC current limiter are also presented.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2012Publication date: August 6, 2015Applicant: ABB TECHNOLOGY LTDInventors: Jesper Magnusson, Lars Liljestrand, Robert Saers