Amoco Corporation

Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

James M Ross, Jr

Donald Limuti

Thomas L Churchill

Nonintrusive sensors capable of measuring various storage cell parameters such as voltage, state-of-charge, electrolyte level, internal resistance, and temperature are attached to a monitoring module which gathers and processes signals representative of information concerning the condition of electrolytic storage cells and transmits the information to a central computer for further processing. In response to commands issued by the central computer, appropriate maintenance and/or repair operations can be initiated. Alternatively, the system described can be used to automatically perform such maintenance tasks as checking and adding electrolyte levels, reducing the voltage in cells whose output voltage is too high, and leveling the state-of-charge of each cell in an array of electrolytic storage cells. The system can monitor other functions of the electrolytic storage cells, including the evolution of hydrogen gas and the accumulation of sediments in individual electrolytic storage cells.

Method and apparatus using oscillatory magnetic field to determine state

Electrolytic storage cell monitoring system

A DC to DC converter capable of operating from a power source whose output voltage may change over a 10 to 1 range. A switching modulator is used to convert the DC input voltage into a pulsed voltage. Feed forward control techniques are used to control a switching modulator to rapidly compensate for changes in the amplitude of the input voltage. Feed back techniques are used to maintain the output voltage at the desired value. Isolation between the input and output is provided using a transformer to couple the switching circuits to a rectifier and filter which produces the output voltage. A filter optic link provides isolation for the feed back signal.

DC to DC converter with feed forward and feed back regulation

The air gap between a rotor and a stator in rotating electrical machinery is determined using sonar techniques. An ultrasonic signal transmitter and receiver are mounted on one of the rotor and stator for transmitting ultrasonic signals to the other of the rotor and stator and receiving reflections therefrom. The time between signal transmission and reflected signal reception is determined, and the spacing of the rotor and stator is determined from the time, the velocity of sound, and the speed of rotation of the rotor.

Growing community of inventors

Bothell, WA, United States of America

James M Ross, Jr