Patents by Inventor Rudolf Kral
Rudolf Kral 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: 11791633Abstract: Various enhancements to grid-interactive inverters in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes input terminals configured to receive a direct current, output terminals configured to provide an alternating output current to the utility grid, a controller, an output current sensor, and a DC-AC inverter stage comprising a plurality of switches controlled by control signals generated by the controller. In addition, the controller is configured to: generate control signals that cause the switches in the DC-AC inverter stage to switch a direct current in a bidirectional manner; measure the alternating output current; perform frequency decomposition of the output current; and generate control signals that cause the switches in the DC-AC inverter stage to switch current in a way that the magnitude of a plurality of unwanted current components is subtracted from the resulting output current.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2020Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: Generac Power Systems, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Richard Jones, Alexandre Rudolf Kral
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Publication number: 20210194347Abstract: Various enhancements to grid-interactive inverters in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes input terminals configured to receive a direct current, output terminals configured to provide an alternating output current to the utility grid, a controller, an output current sensor, and a DC-AC inverter stage comprising a plurality of switches controlled by control signals generated by the controller. In addition, the controller is configured to: generate control signals that cause the switches in the DC-AC inverter stage to switch a direct current in a bidirectional manner; measure the alternating output current; perform frequency decomposition of the output current; and generate control signals that cause the switches in the DC-AC inverter stage to switch current in a way that the magnitude of a plurality of unwanted current components is subtracted from the resulting output current.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2020Publication date: June 24, 2021Applicant: Chilicon Power, LLCInventors: Christopher Richard Jones, Alexandre Rudolf Kral
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Patent number: 9810101Abstract: A method for starting a continuous steam generator is provided. The steam generator includes a combustion chamber provided with a plurality of burners, a water-steam separation device that is mounted downstream of evaporator tubes of the water-steam separation device on a flow-medium side. The amount of water flowing into the water-steam separation device during a starting process is kept to a minimum. The firing power of at least one of the burners is adjusted in accordance with a filling level characteristic value of the water-steam separation device.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2009Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Rudolf Kral, Frank Thomas
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Patent number: 8780592Abstract: Various enhancements to grid-interactive inverters in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes input terminals configured to receive a direct current, output terminals configured to provide an alternating output current to the utility grid, a controller, an output current sensor, and a DC-AC inverter stage comprising a plurality of switches controlled by control signals generated by the controller. In addition, the controller is configured to: generate control signals that cause the switches in the DC-AC inverter stage to switch a direct current in a bidirectional manner; measure the alternating output current; perform frequency decomposition of the output current; and generate control signals that cause the switches in the DC-AC inverter stage to switch current in a way that the magnitude of a plurality of unwanted current components is subtracted from the resulting output current.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2012Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Chilicon Power, LLCInventors: Christopher Richard Jones, Alexandre Rudolf Kral
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Patent number: 8297236Abstract: The invention relates to a steam generator wherein a continuous heating panel of a generator, which is formed from a number of evaporator tubes, and an overheating panel, which is formed from a number of over-heating tubes which are arranged downstream from the evaporator tubes and on the flow side, are arranged in a heating gas channel. According to the invention, a water separating element is integrated into a number of over-flow tubes which are connected on the flow side of one of several evaporator tubes to one or several overheating tubes.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2006Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
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Patent number: 8146540Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous steam generator comprising a surrounding wall which forms a gas draught and whose lower section is configured from gas-tight evaporator tubes that are welded together and whose upper section is configured from gas-tight superheater tubes that are welded together. According to the invention, superheater tubes are connected downstream of the evaporator tubes on the flow medium side by means of a water separator system. The aim of the invention is to provide a system with particularly high degree of operational flexibility even in the start-up and off-peak periods, while keeping the production and installation expenditure relatively low. To achieve this, the water separator system comprises a large number of water separator elements, each of which is connected downstream or upstream of less than ten evaporator tubes, preferably one tube and/or less than ten superheater tubes, preferably one tube on the flow medium side.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2006Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Martin Effert, Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
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Patent number: 7878157Abstract: The invention relates to a fossil-energy heated continuous steam generator, whereby the at least one combustion chamber, viewed in the flow direction of the hot gases, is divided into at least two throughflow segments, formed by evaporator heating surfaces, whereby the evaporator heating surfaces each comprise steam generation tubes welded to each other in a gastight manner and pressurized in parallel with a flow medium. According to the invention, said generator is suitable for operation with high fresh steam parameters, such as for example, steam temperatures of approximately 700° C., with a simple construction and particularly simple assembly, whereby a throughflow segment, arranged after the first through flow segment, viewed in the direction of flow of the hot gases, forms the first evaporator stage for the flow medium, such that the injection of particularly cold flow medium can occur in the region of maximum heating.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2005Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Martin Effert, Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
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Publication number: 20110011090Abstract: A method for starting a continuous steam generator is provided. The steam generator includes a combustion chamber provided with a plurality of burners, a water-steam separation device that is mounted downstream of evaporator tubes of the water-steam separation device on a flow-medium side. The amount of water flowing into the water-steam separation device during a starting process is kept to a minimum. The firing power of at least one of the burners is adjusted in accordance with a filling level characteristic value of the water-steam separation device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2009Publication date: January 20, 2011Inventors: Rudolf Kral, Frank Thomas
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Patent number: 7628124Abstract: The invention relates to a steam generator whose continuously heating evaporator surface is arranged in a hot gas channel for a hot gas passage in a substantially horizontal direction and which comprises a plurality of steam generating pipes passed through by flowing medium, wherein a plurality of output collectors which are mounted downstream of certain steam generating pipes, on the side of flowing medium, are oriented in the longitudinal direction thereof substantially parallel to the hot gas direction. The invention improves the steam generator such that it is possible to attain a high operational flexibility, a particularly reduced start- and load-alternation time, including starting operation or light load phases and to maintain a low-cost production. Each output collector comprises an integrated water separating element by means of which said collector is connected, on the side of flowing medium, to a plurality of downstream arranged overheating pipes of an overheating surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2006Date of Patent: December 8, 2009Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Jan Brückner, Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
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Patent number: 7624708Abstract: The invention relates to a process for operating a continuous steam generator. The aim of the invention is to provide, with little technical complexity and for any operating state, a synchronous variation of the feed-water mass flow passing through the evaporator heating surface and of the heat input into the evaporator heating surface. To this end, a regulating device for the discharge of feed-water is allocated to a device for adjusting the feed-water mass flow. The control variable of said regulating device is the feed-water mass flow, while its set-point value in relation to the feed-water mass flow depends on the set-point value associated to the power of the steam generator. The actual value of the feed-water density at the entry of the pre-heater is fed to the regulating device for the discharge of feed-water as one of the input values.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2005Date of Patent: December 1, 2009Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Axel Butterlin, Rudolf Kral, Frank Thomas
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Patent number: 7587133Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous steam generator provided with an evaporator through flow heating surface which is disposed in a heating gas channel which can be cross flown in an approximately vertical manner in a heating gas device, said evaporator through flow heating surface comprising a plurality of parallel connected steam generating pipes enabling a flow medium to flow through, and an overheating heating surface which is arranged downstream from the evaporator through flow heating surface comprising a plurality of parallel connected overheating pipes enabling the evaporated flow medium to flow through, also enabling production and operational costs to be reduced and enabling the temperature of the steam on the outlet of the overheating heating surface to be controlled in a comparatively simple and flexible manner. The steam end-point of the flow medium is displaced to the overheating pipe, if required.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2004Date of Patent: September 8, 2009Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral, Dieter Schiesser
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Patent number: 7516719Abstract: A steam generator comprising a combustion chamber having funnel-shaped side walls in the bottom area thereof and an encircling wall formed from a plurality of steam generator pipes through which a flow medium can flow, wherein there area as little temperature differences as possible in the flow medium at the output of the steam generator pies. The steam generator pipes are, more particularly, arranged in the lower section forming the funnel-shaped side walls such that they are exposed to heat in as homongenous a manner as possible. According to the invention, the diameter of a number of steam generator pipes in the region of the funnel shaped side walls is different from that in the region of the encircling wall.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2004Date of Patent: April 14, 2009Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Rudolf Kral, Andre Schrief, Frank Thomas
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Publication number: 20090071419Abstract: The invention relates to a steam generator wherein a continuous heating panel of a generator, which is formed from a number of evaporator tubes, and an overheating panel, which is formed from a number of over-heating tubes which are arranged downstream from the evaporator tubes and on the flow side, are arranged in a heating gas channel. According to the invention, a water separating element is integrated into a number of over-flow tubes which are connected on the flow side of one of several evaporator tubes to one or several overheating tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2006Publication date: March 19, 2009Inventors: Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
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Publication number: 20080257282Abstract: The invention relates to a fossil-energy heated continuous steam generator, whereby the at least one combustion chamber, viewed in the flow direction of the hot gases, is divided into at least two throughflow segments, formed by evaporator heating surfaces, whereby the evaporator heating surfaces each comprise steam generation tubes welded to each other in a gastight manner and pressurized in parallel with a flow medium. According to the invention, said generator is suitable for operation with high fresh steam parameters, such as for example, steam temperatures of approximately 700° C., with a simple construction and particularly simple assembly, whereby a throughflow segment, arranged after the first through flow segment, viewed in the direction of flow of the hot gases, forms the first evaporator stage for the flow medium, such that the injection of particularly cold flow medium can occur in the region of maximum heating.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2005Publication date: October 23, 2008Inventors: Martin Effert, Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
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Patent number: 7428374Abstract: Disclosed is a steam generator in which a continuous evaporating heating area is disposed within a heating gas duct that is penetrated in a nearly horizontal direction by a heating gas. Said continuous evaporating heating area comprises a number of steam-generating pipes that are connected in parallel and are penetrated by a flowing medium and is configured such that a steam-generating pipe which is heated more than another steam-generating pipe of the same continuous evaporating heating area has a higher throughput of the flowing medium than said other steam-generating pipe. The aim of the invention is to create a steam generator which provides a particularly high degree of stability of flow during operation of the continuous evaporating heating area while keeping the structural complexity and design comparatively simple.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2003Date of Patent: September 23, 2008Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral, Eberhard Wittchow
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Publication number: 20080190382Abstract: The invention relates to a steam generator whose continuously heating evaporator surface is arranged in a hot gas channel for a hot gas passage in a substantially horizontal direction and which comprises a plurality of steam generating pipes passed through by flowing medium, wherein a plurality of output collectors which are mounted downstream of certain steam generating pipes, on the side of flowing medium, are oriented in the longitudinal direction thereof substantially parallel to the hot gas direction. The invention improves the steam generator such that it is possible to attain a high operational flexibility, a particularly reduced start- and load-alternation time, including starting operation or light load phases and to maintain a low-cost production. Each output collector comprises an integrated water separating element by means of which said collector is connected, on the side of flowing medium, to a plurality of downstream arranged overheating pipes of an overheating surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2006Publication date: August 14, 2008Inventors: Jan Bruckner, Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
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Patent number: 7406928Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous steam generator provided, in a duct for hot gas circulating in a substantially horizontal direction, with a continuous heating surface of an evaporator comprising a plurality of steam generator tubes which are mounted in parallel for circulating a fluid flow. The inventive device requires exceptionally low construction expenditures and ensures a high degree of safety and a high efficiency. For this purpose, the continuous heating surface of the evaporator is characterized in that it comprises a segment of the heating surface through which a moving fluid flows in an opposite direction with respect to the heated gas direction is positioned in such a way that a saturated steam temperature which is adjusted during operation at the exit from the continuous heating surface deviates from the predetermined maximum value of the temperature of the gas prevailing during operation at the outlet of the segment of the heating surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2004Date of Patent: August 5, 2008Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
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Patent number: 7383791Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous steam generator wherein an evaporator throughflow heating surface is disposed in a gas duct which can be cross flown in an approximately vertical manner in a heating gas device, said evaporator throughflow heating surface comprising a plurality of parallel connected steam generating pipes enabling a flow medium to flow through, also enabling particularly high operating stability and security during the supply of the flow medium having a comparatively high mass flow density.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2004Date of Patent: June 10, 2008Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
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Publication number: 20080115743Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous steam generator comprising a surrounding wall which forms a gas draught and whose lower section is configured from gas-tight evaporator tubes that are welded together and whose upper section is configured from gas-tight superheater tubes that are welded together. According to the invention, superheater tubes are connected downstream of the evaporator tubes on the flow medium side by means of a water separator system. The aim of the invention is to provide a system with particularly high degree of operational flexibility even in the start-up and off-peak periods, whilst keeping the production and installation expenditure relatively low. To achieve this, the water separator system comprises a large number of water separator elements, each of which is connected downstream or upstream of less than ten evaporator tubes, preferably one tube and/or less than ten superheater tubes, preferably one tube on the flow medium side.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2006Publication date: May 22, 2008Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Martin Effert, Joachim Franke, Rudolf Kral
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Publication number: 20080066695Abstract: The invention relates to a process for operating a continuous steam generator. The aim of the invention is to provide, with little technical complexity and for any operating state, a synchronous variation of the feed-water mass flow passing through the evaporator heating surface and of the heat input into the evaporator heating surface. To this end, a regulating device for the discharge of feed-water is allocated to a device for adjusting the feed-water mass flow. The control variable of said regulating device is the feed-water mass flow, while its set-point value in relation to the feed-water mass flow depends on the set-point value associated to the power of the steam generator. The actual value of the feed-water density at the entry of the pre-heater is fed to the regulating device for the discharge of feed-water as one of the input values.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2005Publication date: March 20, 2008Inventors: Axel Butterlin, Rudolf Kral, Frank Thomas