Patents by Inventor VIGGO SELCHAU-HANSEN

VIGGO SELCHAU-HANSEN 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).

  • Patent number: 8564916
    Abstract: Various methods and apparatus are described for a photovoltaic system. In an embodiment, a hybrid grounding circuit as well as a ground fault monitoring circuit are in the inverter circuitry with its switching devices that generate three-phase Alternating Current (AC) voltage. The three-phase AC voltage is supplied to a utility power grid interface transformer, where a primary-side common node of the Utility Power grid interface transformer is connected to Earth ground. Each inverter has 1) its own set of isolation contacts to connect as well as isolate this particular inverter from the utility grid interface transformer, and 2) control components in the ground fault monitoring circuit for controlling operation of the isolation contacts based off a presence of the ground fault detected by the ground fault monitor circuit for that inverter. The inverter circuit receives a DC voltage supplied from its own set of ungrounded Concentrated PhotoVoltaic modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Western Gas and Electric Company
    Inventors: Hossein Kazemi, Viggo Selchau-Hansen, Brian Hinman
  • Publication number: 20120026631
    Abstract: In an embodiment, inverter circuitry has switching devices that generate three-phase AC voltage that is supplied to a utility power grid interface transformer. A high impedance circuit as well as a ground fault monitoring circuit couple to the inverter circuit. The high impedance circuit is configured to periodically create a path to Earth ground, and thus, completes the Earth ground electrical path back to the ground fault detection circuit. A set of isolation contacts at the AC 3-phase power output connect as well as isolate this particular inverter from the utility grid interface transformer. Control components in the ground fault monitoring circuit control the operation of the isolation contacts based off a presence of a ground fault in ungrounded solar arrays that supply DC power to this ungrounded inverter circuitry when the ground fault is detected by the ground fault monitor circuit for that ungrounded inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: GREENVOLTS, INC
    Inventors: HOSSEIN KAZEMI, VIGGO SELCHAU-HANSEN
  • Publication number: 20110199707
    Abstract: Various methods and apparatus are described for a photovoltaic system. In an embodiment, a hybrid grounding circuit as well as a ground fault monitoring circuit are in the inverter circuitry with its switching devices that generate three-phase Alternating Current (AC) voltage. The three-phase AC voltage is supplied to a utility power grid interface transformer, where a primary-side common node of the Utility Power grid interface transformer is connected to Earth ground. Each inverter has 1) its own set of isolation contacts to connect as well as isolate this particular inverter from the utility grid interface transformer, and 2) control components in the ground fault monitoring circuit for controlling operation of the isolation contacts based off a presence of the ground fault detected by the ground fault monitor circuit for that inverter. The inverter circuit receives a DC voltage supplied from its own set of ungrounded Concentrated PhotoVoltaic modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: GREENVOLTS, INC
    Inventors: HOSSEIN KAZEMI, VIGGO SELCHAU-HANSEN, BRIAN HINMAN