Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Satcon Technology Corporation

James L Munro

Geoffrey B Lansberry

David L Schantz, Jr

Thomas C Matty

William B Hall

Thomas C Underwood

Beth A Herman

Charles S Kerfoot

Frank E Altoz

Frank A Lindberg

Ngon B Nguyen

Michael J Ankrom

Ronnie L Starling

James H DeOms

Brian H Smith

Patricia A O'Donnell

Eric L Mohler

Richard M Young

Joseph J Springer

Marshall G Jones

Edward T Wagner

William B Winkel

Todd M Zaranski

Brian A DeAbreu

Aaron D Valdivia

A line power unit controls electrical power delivery to a grid from a three phase permanent magnet generator. A line power unit controller receives a power level command and controls a main inverter that draws DC power from a DC bus to deliver the commanded power to a grid. The DC bus is fed DC voltage via a three phase permanent magnet generator and a rectifier. The inverter delivers power to the grid via a filter, transformer and main contactor. The line power unit controller also controls the main contactor to break the connection with the grid. A precharge circuit draws power from the grid to precharge the DC bus to a precharge voltage. Alternatives include a start inverter separate from the main inverter that permits simultaneous delivery of power to the grid and commutation of the permanent magnet generator as a motor to spin an engine connected thereto at a speed sufficient to permit engine starting. Another alternative utilizes a single inverter for engine starting and power delivery which does not permit these operations to be simultaneously performed. Further alternatives include eliminating the transformer by utilizing a high-voltage rated main inverter.

Line power unit for micropower generation

A conventional motor controlling circuit is adapted to control an inverter that drives a permanent magnet generator as a motor to spin an engine to a speed sufficient to permit the engine to start. The commutation frequency is adjusted as a function of speed utilizing an automatic commutation frequency adjustment circuit. This circuit has multiple commutation frequency ranges that overcome a large initial bearing drag during low speed operation while still permitting high speed operation. The automatic commutation frequency adjustment circuit preferably generates first and second voltage ramps that overcome the initial bearing drag and accelerate the generator at a rate fast enough for sufficient back EMF to be generated for a closed-loop commutation phase. A speedup circuit operates during the closed-loop commutation phase to achieve the high speeds typically necessary for engine starting. The inventive circuits even permit a turbine type engine to be successfully started.

Motor starting apparatus for an engine driven generator

An electric vehicle propulsion system having a motor with first and second electrically isolated windings and a system control unit for controlling the motor, wherein the system control unit includes a first power bridge for driving the first windings and a second power bridge for driving the second windings.

Electric vehicle propulsion system employing AC induction motor control

A vector control board for an electric vehicle propulsion system motor controller comprising a microcontroller for generating torque requests, a digital signal processor for receiving the torque requests from the microcontroller and for generating phase voltage signals in accordance with the torque requests, and a digital gate array for receiving the phase voltage signals from the digital signal processor and for generating gate drive signals from the phase voltage signals.

Vector control board for an electric vehicle propulsion system motor

A EMI filter for an electric vehicle propulsion system, comprising a first and second capacitive element electrically connected in parallel with first and second power conductors, an inductive element electrically connected in series with the first power conductor and separating the first and second capacitive elements, and first and second junctions electrically connecting the second capacitive element to an electronic switch, wherein the sum of intrinsic inductances of the first and second junctions is less than the intrinsic inductance of the second capacitive element.

EMI filter topology for power inverters

A pulse width modulator (PWM) circuit for generating pulses to enable a driver control unit to drive a pair of switching circuits for an electric motor including an input section for receiving an N bit digitized input signal to be modulated and a PWM counter for continuously counting up from zero to a predetermined number and back down to zero, the PWM counter generating a digitized triangular waveform having N bits of resolution corresponding to the predetermined number. A compare unit receives and compares the digitized input signal and the digitized triangular waveform to produce an output pulse and a dead-time generator unit produces a first pulse and a second pulse from the output pulse produced from the compare unit. The first and second pulses each drives a corresponding one of the switching circuits and the first and second pulses have different transition times relative to each other. A built-in test (BIT) circuit provides BIT input signals corresponding to the first and second pulses to verify correct operation of the PWM circuit including a feed back path from the driver control unit, the driver control unit having a higher level of integration than the PWM circuit, and the BIT input signals providing individual control of each of the PWM signals.

Digital pulse width modulator with integrated test and control

A fault detection circuit for detecting leakage currents between a DC power source and chassis of an automobile, includes a voltage sensor coupled to the DC power source, the voltage sensor including an analog reference and a chassis ground. A differential amplifier is coupled to the voltage sensor and detects variations in the analog reference and the chassis ground. A voltage comparator unit determines whether the variations detected in the differential amplifier is above a predetermined threshold value. A built-in test circuit tests whether the fault detection circuit is operating correctly.

Fault detection circuit for sensing leakage currents between power

Growing community of inventors

Severna Park, MD, United States of America

James L Munro