Abstract: Active transient suppression apparatus coupleable in series with an electrical pathway into a potentially explosive environment for limiting current, voltage and energy thereto comprises: an impedance element coupleable in series with the electrical pathway; a protection circuit comprising: at least one semiconductor element including a current conduction channel in series with the impedance element in the electrical pathway; and a driver circuit operative in response to a drive signal to switch the at least one semiconductor element to a non-conducting state; and a sense circuit coupled to the impedance element for sensing current conducted therethrough and generating a signal proportionally representative of the sensed current, the generated signal becoming the drive signal as it reaches a threshold level. The active transient suppression apparatus may be embodied in a system for determining a quantity of fuel in a container.

Abstract: Active transient suppression apparatus coupleable in series with an electrical pathway into a potentially explosive environment for limiting current, voltage and energy thereto comprises: an impedance element coupleable in series with the electrical pathway; a protection circuit comprising: at least one semiconductor element including a current conduction channel in series with the impedance element in the electrical pathway; and a driver circuit operative in response to a drive signal to switch the at least one semiconductor element to a non-conducting state; and a sense circuit coupled to the impedance element for sensing current conducted therethrough and generating a signal proportionally representative of the sensed current, the generated signal becoming the drive signal as it reaches a threshold level. The active transient suppression apparatus may be embodied in a system for determining a quantity of fuel in a container.

Abstract: Transient suppression apparatus, which is coupleable in series with an electrical pathway into a potentially explosive environment for limiting current, voltage and energy thereto, comprises: an impedance element coupleable in series with the electrical pathway to conduct current to the potentially explosive environment; at least one first semiconductor element and at least one second semiconductor element coupled in series with the impedance element upstream and downstream of the impedance element, respectively. Both of the first and second semiconductor elements operative to impose a series resistance to the current of the electrical pathway governed by the voltage potential across the impedance element.