Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.

Comet Ag

Comet Technologies Usa, Inc.

Jack Gilmore

Eric Seymour

Walter Bigler

Mark Joachim Mildner

Mike Abrecht

Douglas Beuerman

Roland Bieri

Mike Armstrong

A vacuum variable capacitor includes a pre-vacuum enclosure for reducing a pressure differential across the bellows. The vacuum force load on the drive system can thereby be reduced, allowing faster movement of the movable electrode, faster capacitance adjustment of the vacuum variable capacitor and longer lifetimes of the device.

Vacuum variable capacitor

A vacuum variable capacitor includes a pre-vacuum enclosure for reducing a pressure differential across the bellows, wherein a drive is disposed outside the enclosures of the vacuum variable capacitor. The vacuum force load on the drive system can thereby be reduced, allowing faster movement of the movable electrode, faster capacitance adjustment of the vacuum variable capacitor and longer lifetimes of the device.

A photovoltaic system, method and apparatus are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a photovoltaic array, a distribution system that distributes power within a premises of a demand-side energy consumer, an inverter coupled to the distribution system that is configured to convert DC power from the photovoltaic array to AC power and apply the AC power to the distribution system, a damping portion configured to damp high frequency voltages derived from the inverter, and trapping circuitry coupled to the damping portion that is configured to reduce a level of low frequency current traveling through the damping portion.

Common mode filter system and method for a solar power inverter

A plasma processing system may include a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to supply a pulsing process signal to a target in a plasma processing chamber via a RF matching network. A phase and magnitude detector circuit is coupled to the RF generator and configured to sense the pulsing process signal and output a magnitude error signal and a phase error signal. A pulse tracking circuit is electrically coupled to the phase and magnitude detector circuit and configured to receive the magnitude error signal and the phase error signal and output a tracked magnitude signal and a tracked phase signal. A match controller is electrically coupled to the pulse tracking circuit and the RF matching network and configured to receive the tracked magnitude signal and the tracked phase signal and vary an impedance of the RF matching network in response to the tracked magnitude and phase signals.

Plasma pulse tracking system and method

System, methods and apparatus for coupling photovoltaic arrays are disclosed. The apparatus may include a first input adapted to couple to a neutral line of a first photovoltaic array; a second input adapted to couple to a neutral line of a second photovoltaic array; a contactor configured to switchably couple the neutral line of a first photovoltaic array to the a neutral line of a second photovoltaic array, the contactor being controllable by an electric control signal; and a control input adapted to couple the switch to a remotely located controller so as to enable the controller to control the first switch by sending the electric control signal.

System for coupling photovoltaic arrays

A photovoltaic system, method and apparatus are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a power converter configured to convert power from one form to another form, and an interface portion adapted to couple to the power converter, a first photovoltaic array, a second photovoltaic array, and a third photovoltaic array. In variations, the interface portion is configured to modulate an application of a voltage from the first photovoltaic array to the second and third photovoltaic arrays so as to adjust a voltage applied from the three photovoltaic arrays to the power converter.

Device system and method for coupling multiple photovoltaic arrays

A photovoltaic system has a power converter connected by power rails to a plurality of photovoltaic strings, each string has serially connected photovoltaic panels and switches. The switches divide each string into sections, and the strings are distributed in electrical parallel paths over a plurality of arrays with one section per string in each array. A first set of strings to be brought online with the power converter is initialized. A drive signal is sent to switches in the initial set of strings to couple the sections in each string of the initial set so that the set of strings come online with the power converter providing voltage and current to the power converter.

Device, system, and method for sectioning and coupling multiple photovoltaic strings

A system, method, and apparatus for managing an application of power from photovoltaic arrays to power conversion components. The method may include arranging a first array and a second array in series, coupling a positive terminal of a first array to the power conversion component, coupling a negative terminal of a second array to the power conversion component, and modulating an amount of current flowing between a negative terminal of the first array and a positive terminal of the second array so as to ramp up a level of current flowing through the arrays as the arrays are brought online with the power conversion component. A voltage of any terminal on either of the arrays may be limited so that the voltage on any of the terminals does not reach a restricted level.

Device, system, and method for managing an application of power from photovoltaic arrays

System, methods and apparatus for coupling photovoltaic arrays are disclosed. The apparatus may include a first input adapted to couple to a neutral line of a first photovoltaic array; a second input adapted to couple to a neutral line of a second photovoltaic array; a contactor configured to switchably couple the neutral line of a first photovoltaic array to the a neutral line of a second photovoltaic array, the contactor being remotely controllable.

System, method, and apparatus for remotely coupling photovoltaic arrays

System, method, and apparatus for coupling photovoltaic arrays

Fault detection and interruption in connection with photovoltaic technologies are disclosed. An exemplary apparatus for interrupting a photovoltaic energy conversion system that employs a bipolar photovoltaic array includes a fault detector and interrupter configured to be coupled to the first and the second rails of the photovoltaic array, the fault detector and interrupter configured to detect a condition that requires interruption of the photovoltaic energy conversion system and open a PV tie to uncouple two PV arrays of the bipolar photovoltaic array, thereby decoupling the two PV arrays; and a controller configured to, after the PV tie is opened, open a plurality of main DC contactors thereby decoupling the bipolar photovoltaic array from a remainder portion of the energy conversion system.

Energy conversion system with fault detection and interruption

A photovoltaic system, method and apparatus are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a first and second inputs adapted to couple to a first and second rails of a photovoltaic array; an inverter configured to convert DC power from the photovoltaic array to AC power; and an interface portion coupled to the first and second inputs and the inverter, the interface portion configured to isolate at least one of the first and second inputs from the inverter and to modulate an application of a voltage from the photovoltaic array to the inverter so as to increase a load on the photovoltaic array and to reduce the voltage applied from the photovoltaic array to the inverter.

Photovoltaic inverter interface device, system, and method

A ground fault detector and interrupter for a photovoltaic (PV) energy conversion system, method and apparatus are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes first and second inputs adapted to couple to a first and second rails of a PV array. An inverter is configured to convert DC power generated from the PV array to AC power. A ground fault detector and interrupter, which is coupled to the first and second rails and to the inverter, is configured to detect ground fault conditions in the PV array and to decouple the PV array from the remaining portion of the PV energy conversion system upon such detection. A known signal is coupled to the input of the ground fault detector and interrupter, and then sensed at the output of the ground fault detector and interrupter to determine whether components of the ground fault detector and interrupter are operating properly.

System and method for ground fault detection and interruption

A photovoltaic system, method and apparatus are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a first and second inputs adapted to couple to a first and second rails of a first photovoltaic array; a power converter coupled to a first rail of a second photovoltaic array and a second rail of a third photovoltaic array; and an interface portion coupled to (i) the first and second inputs, (ii) a second rail of the second photovoltaic array, and (iii) a first rail of the third photovoltaic array, the interface portion configures to isolate the first photovoltaic array from the second and third photovoltaic arrays and to modulate and application of voltage from the photovoltaic array to the second and third photovoltaic arrays so as to adjust a voltage applied from the three photovoltaic arrays to the power converter.

A voltage and current sensor comprised of a plurality of surface mounted inductors serially connected around the circumference of a current carrying conductor and a plurality of surface mounted resistors each connected in parallel with an inductor wherein an electrical circuit connected to the inductors and resistors provide a measurement of current in the conductor. The inductors and resistors are mounted on a printed circuit board that has a plated aperture for receiving the current carrying conductor there through. An electrical circuit connected to the plated aperture provides a voltage measurement.

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Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

Jack Gilmore