General Electric Company

Otis Elevator Company

Mark Eugene Shepard

Robert Gregory Wagoner

Allen Michael Ritter

Alan Carroll Lovell

Todd David Greenleaf

Andrew David McArthur

Qin Chen

Fred Henry Boettner

David Grey Smith

Richard N Fargo

Daryl J Marvin

Luis Jose Garces

Ravisekhar Nadimpalli Raju

Rajib Datta

Harold Terry

Richard S Zhang

Daniel Milton Alley

Alberto Vecchiotti

Cyrus David Harbourt

William Robert Pearson

Christopher S Czerwinski

Benjamin David Laskowski

Jordan Brantley Casteel

John Andrew Leonard

Talha Haque

John Robert Booth

John Noel Cunningham

Dennis Brian King

Craig William Moyer

Robert R Kirby

Donald F Cominelli

Douglas Gregg Fowley

Gary Kraterfield

Ahmed My Cheta

Todd A Simonds

Seth Andrew Hendrickson

Vladan Petrovic

Patrick Nkrumah Adasa

Allen Michel Ritter

Mohamed Ahmed Aljahmi

Raj Kantesaria

Stephen J Sullivan

David Smith

Systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling power semiconductor devices are described. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, there is disclosed a system. The system may include a serial communication link between a controller and a power electronics module, where a continuous bit stream passes through the serial communications link.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling power semiconductor devices

A device includes a printed circuit board (PCB). The device may also include a high voltage coil disposed on the PCB and a low voltage coil disposed on the PCB. Further, a conductive shield forms a three-dimensional enclosure around the high voltage coil and confines an electric field generated by the device to the PCB.

System and method for reducing partial discharge in high voltage planar transformers

A system may include a controller that may control operations of a device according to a control loop and characterize a frequency response of the device while the device is operating. The controller may characterize the frequency response by adding a perturbation signal to any signal in the control loop. The controller may then determine a first transformed signal by performing a first discrete Fourier transform on a first signal in the control loop at a frequency of the perturbation signal and determine a second transformed signal by performing a second discrete Fourier transform on a second signal in the control loop at the frequency of the perturbation signal. The controller may then determine the frequency response at the frequency by comparing a first amplitude and a first phase of the first transformed signal to a second amplitude and a second phase of the second transformed signal.

Online frequency response characterization system and method

A method for detecting a grid event is provided. The method includes sampling grid voltage and grid current over a fixed period of time; determining grid impedance at one or more frequencies using the sampled grid voltage and the sampled grid current; comparing the grid impedance at the one or more frequencies to a known expected grid impedance at the one or more frequencies; and detecting a grid event based on the comparison.

System and method for detecting a grid event

A power converter includes a first phase leg including a first di/dt reactor and a first control section, the first di/dt reactor and the first control section being coupled between an active line and a neutral line. The power converter also includes a first current crowbar coupled between the active line and the neutral and a controller coupled to the first di/dt reactor, the control section and the first current crowbar and configured to activate the current crowbar based on a voltage across the first di/dt reactor.

Power converter and method of operation

Systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling power semiconductor devices are described. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, there is disclosed a system. The system may include at least one power source for selectively providing power to one or more power semiconductor devices controlled by a gate driver. The gate driver may include at least one controller coupled to at least one power semiconductor device interface via a first channel and a second channel configured to provide galvanic isolation of information communicated between the controller and the at least one power semiconductor device interface.

A power converter includes a plurality of power conversion modules. At least one power conversion module includes a plurality of power conversion devices defining a three-level bridge. A first power conversion module includes four terminals including one of a positive terminal and a negative terminal, an output terminal, a first neutral terminal, and a second neutral terminal. The first neutral terminal is coupled to a direct current (DC) link and the second neutral terminal is coupled to a second power conversion module.

Power converter and method of assembling the same

An apparatus and method for improved current shunt sensing in an electrical system, such as a renewable energy electrical system, is disclosed. A current shunt according to aspects of the present disclosure includes a conductive portion that is placed in series with an electrical system The current shunt includes a sensing element that is used to measure the voltage across the conductive portion of the current shunt. The sensing element has an increased width relative to the width of the conductive portion of the shunt. The increased width of the sensing element provides for improved current shunt sensing that results in more accurate voltage (and thus current) measurements across a wide range of frequencies.

Apparatus and method for improved current shunt sensing

A phase leg for a three-level power converter includes a heat sink device that includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The phase leg also includes a first portion including at least one semiconductor switching device coupled to the first surface. The phase leg further includes a second portion including at least one semiconductor switching device coupled to the second surface.

Three-level phase leg for a power converter

A heat sink assembly includes a base plate coupled to a first side of an electronic device. A plurality of fins extend from the base plate and are positioned within a housing. The housing includes a first manifold defining a plurality of first passages and a second manifold defining a plurality of second passages in fluid communication with the plurality of first passages. At least one of the plurality of first passages extends between an adjacent pair of the plurality of second passages and is oriented to channel fluid toward at least one of the plurality of fins.

High performance liquid cooled heatsink for IGBT modules

Disclosed is a mechanical layout for a half-bride power module that is optimized for low inductance. In one embodiment, a first power module and a second power module are mounted on each side of a heat sink. An inductance cancelling bus bar is wrapped around the heat sink, the first power module and the second power module in a loop.

Mechanical layout for half-bridge power module that is optimized for low inductance

Embodiments provide systems and methods for controlling electronic circuitry. A system can include at least a first controller and a second controller and at least one power electronic circuitry module. The first controller can be in electrical communication with the power electronic circuitry module via a first high-speed serial link (HSSL). The second controller can be in electrical communication with the power electronic circuitry module via a second HSSL.

Systems and methods for controlling electronic circuitry with separated controllers

A power conversion system for providing power to an electrical grid is described. The system includes a boost converter coupled to a photovoltaic (PV) array and configured to control a PV array voltage. The system also includes an inverter coupled to the boost converter by at least one conductor and configured to regulate a voltage drop across the at least one conductor. The system also includes a system controller configured to control operation of the boost converter and the inverter.

Methods and systems for operating a two-stage power converter

An isolated highway addressable remote transfer (HART) interface with programmable data flow is provided. The isolated HART interface includes a HART channel having at least one pair of terminals configured to connect with a HART device via a current loop. The HART channel is programmable to have each pair of terminals assigned as a current loop input or a current loop output.

Isolated HART interface with programmable data flow

Growing community of inventors

Roanoke, VA, United States of America

Mark Eugene Shepard