General Electric Company

Other

Otward M Mueller

Peter B Roemer

William A Edelstein

Michael J Hennessy

Eduard K Mueller

John Norton Park

Harold J Vinegar

Evangelos Trifon Laskaris

Christopher Judson Hardy

Mark Ernest Vermilyea

Lowell Scott Smith

Raymond Albert Fillion

Paul Arthur Bottomley

Bizhan Dorri

Sayed-Amr A El-Hamamsy

Ronald Dean Watkins

Egidijus Edward Uzgiris

Joseph C Borowiec

John F Schenck

Robert Michael Vavrek

James F Burgess

Christopher P Yakymyshyn

William F Wirth

Cecil E Hayes

William McMurray

Chia-Fu Hsu

Thomas G McFarland

Icko T Iben

William B Crockett

An energy efficient data center incorporating superconducting power transmission cables coupled with cryogenically cooled semiconductor inverters and converters, used to supply power to cryogenically operated or room-temperature computers and servers. Other options and features include a lighting system whose performance is enhanced by the cold temperatures, fiber optic connections operated at cryogenic temperatures, integrated renewable energy power sources, advanced energy storage technologies, cryogenically operated computers, and a number of other cryogenic hardware. The operating temperature of the cryogenic components can be anywhere in the range between 0 K and 200 K, with other components operating above 200 K.

Energy efficient data center

An ultra compact ring topology puts the output terminals of solid state switches physically at the center of a circuit with the switches surrounded by voltage busses. The switches are symmetrically arranged around the output bus, the voltage busses are filtered (decoupled) to ground using symmetrically positioned filter components, and lead lengths to and from the switches are minimized. Switch driver circuits are closely integrated with each switch and positioned as close as possible, each to its associated switch, and arranged symmetrically. Switches may be at cryogenic temperatures and busses and lead connectors may be superconductive.

Ring configuration for compact power supply of power electronics

This invention describes a means by which performance characteristics of capacitors can be improved. This is achieved by reducing the temperature, preferably but not exclusively to cryogenic temperatures below 100 K. The dielectric strength, dielectric losses, equivalent series resistance, and plate losses in many capacitors, such as film capacitors, improve as the temperature is decreased. Current carrying capacity is improved. A capacitor bank exhibits energy densities up to four times those of conventional, room-temperature capacitor banks. Cryogenic capacitors can be combined with cryogenically operated semiconductors or with superconductors to reduce the size, weight, and losses of a complete system.

Cryogenic capacitors

Switching losses and conduction losses are isolated by networks which are partially cryogenic and partially at room temperature. Switching losses are independent of temperature. Advantageously the switching losses are taken in a snubber network at room temperature and conduction losses are incurred at cryogenic temperatures, where majority carrier devices like MOSFETs operate with ultra low on-state resistance and corresponding low conduction losses. Low loss leads carry current efficiently from the cryogenic environment to room temperature without adversely affecting refrigeration. Switch and snubber network may both operate cryogenically.

Snubbers for low temperature power electronics

The highest-power switches now available are based on thyristor-type devices: GTOs (Gate turn-off thyristors), MTOs (MOS controlled turn-off thyristors), IGCTs (Integrated gate commutated thyristors), and the new ETOs (Emitter turn-off thyristors). These devices handle kilovolts and kiloamperes for megawatt inverters/converters. Measurements by the inventors show that conduction losses of MOSFETs and switching losses of IGCTs are drastically decreased by cryo-cooling. IGCTs, ETOs, and MTOs, together with many small, low voltage MOSFETs for gate and emitter turn-off circuitry, are cryo-cooled to attain much higher switching speeds and a reduction in size, weight and cost of high-power (megawatt range) equipment.

Efficient thyristor-type power switches

A method and apparatus for reducing conductive thermal losses in high-current cryogenic power electronics systems needing large cables to interface between warm and cold environments. Thermal losses increase with increasing cross-sectional area. The total current at the warm/cold interface is split into many smaller currents by splitting the power buss into a plurality of parallel leads. Respective physical switches in each smaller lead at the interface interrupt current flow, and at the same time open the path for thermal conduction along the lead. When little or no current is flowing through the system, selected smaller leads of the power buss are physically opened by the associated switches to stop the thermal and electrical flow along these leads. Current diverts to another parallel lead in the buss but the cross section for heat flow is reduced at the interface.

Switchable low-loss cryogenic lead system

This invention describes a means by which performance characteristics of capacitors can be improved. This is achieved by reducing the temperature, preferably but not exclusively to cryogenic temperatures below 100 K. This is based on the observation that the dielectric strength, dielectric losses and plate losses in many capacitors, such as film capacitors, improve as the temperature is decreased. A cryogenic capacitor bank is also described, which exhibits energy densities up to four times those of conventional, room-temperature capacitor banks. Cryogenic capacitors can be combined with cryogenically operated semiconductors or with superconductors in such a way as to reduce the size, weight, and losses of a complete system.

Sub-systems and components of a MRI system have enhanced electrical efficiency, faster operation, reduced physical metrics, by operating at cryogenic temperatures and/or incorporating superconducting elements. A plurality of sub-systems and a super-conducting magnet are enclosed in a common Temperature-controlled chamber. Resistive or permanent magnets may be used in place of the superconductive magnet.

Low-cost magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Cryo-system

A cryogenic power conditioning system for fuel cells is proposed which is cooled by liquid hydrogen or liquid natural gas (methane) used to power these fuel cells, or by liquid nitrogen supplied by high-temperature superconducting cables. The main applications are in large vehicles such as transit buses. The result is a combined motor and motor-drive system exhibiting higher efficiency, lower weight, smaller size and lower cost.

Cryogenic power conversion for fuel cell systems especially for vehicles

Commercially available diode lasers are operated immersed in liquid nitrogen (LN2, 77 K), in another cryo-fluid, or are cryo-cooled (77 K-250 K) by conduction in all high-power (>0.1 W) applications. The result is higher output power per diode chip area, higher conversion efficiency, lower cost per watt of laser power, longer lifetime, higher reliability, smaller thermal gradients inside the laser chip and therefore better thermal management due to the higher thermal conductivity of the semiconductor and substrate material. The cryo-diode lasers are driven by cryogenically cooled and integrated power electronics ciruitry using Cryo-MOSFETs or Cryo-CMOS ICs. Applications of the Cryo-Diode Laser/Cryo-Driver assembly include generation of hyperpolarized He-3 or Xe-129 gases for inert gas magnetic resonance imaging of the airways in human beings, metal and materials working and processing with laser tools, &ldquo;pumping&rdquo; solid-state lasers and many others. In high-power laser applications, the invention makes use of the &ldquo;load shedding&rdquo; capability of liquid nitrogen. The Cryo-Diode Laser/Cryo-Driver assembly can also be supplied with cooling fluid from an LN2 distribution system provided by a HTS cable. MLI is used for energy storage in laser pulse power applications.

Diode-laser system for hyperpolarized He-3 and Xe-129 gas generation and other applications

Energy distribution and conversion system suitable for high-rise structures, large building complexes, factories, ships, airplanes, city blocks, etc., based on: High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS) and Cryogenic Power and Energy Conversion (CPEC) using Low-Temperature Operated Semiconductor Devices (LOTOS). Energy from an AC source is converted to DC by LOTOS, distributed as DC, and reconverted at low temperatures to AC at levels and fequencies to satisfy individual end-users of energy. The DC energy is distributed via a plurality of super-conductive leads that are submerged in cryogenic liquid. Substantial savings in energy, cost, size, weight are produced. Additionally, load shedding, power quality, and fire protection are provided. The new system supports air conditioning/cooling systems. Expensive floor space is saved; electrical energy savings of 5-10% are achieved.

Cryogenic power distribution system for large structure

A power device component package includes a substrate supporting a drain lead, a source lead, and a gate lead. Each of the leads comprises an electrically conductive material having a thickness sufficient to form a high current contact. A power device component with component pads has an electrically conductive backside supported by and electrically coupled to the drain lead. A dielectric layer overlies at least portions of the component, the source lead, and the gate lead and has a plurality of vias therein aligned with predetermined ones of the component pads and predetermined portions of the source and gate leads. A pattern of electrical conductors extends through selected ones of the vias, with a first portion of the pattern coupling selected ones of the component pads to the source lead and a second portion of the pattern coupling at least one other of the component pads to the gate lead.

Wireless radio frequency power semiconductor devices using high density

A circuit for amplifying signals received by the receive coil of a magnetic resonance (MR) system includes a preamplifier employing an active circuit device, such as a GaAs-MESFET or HEMT. The preamplifier is located proximate to the receive coil in order to maintain as high a signal-to-noise ratio as possible for the preamplifier output signals. A capacitance is coupled to the receive coil to form an input impedance matching network for the input of the preamplifier. The preamplifier output is coupled through a fiber optic cable to remotely located MR signal processing electronics, which further processes signals received by the MR receive coil and amplified by the preamplifier.

Preamplifier circuit for magnetic resonance system

An in-situ method of extracting contaminants from a soil volume comprises applying a radiofrequency (RF) excitation signal to heat the soil with an array of electrodes. The electrodes are inserted into the contaminated volume or inserted into a matrix of holes drilled into the volume. A first row of electrodes is electrically coupled to a shield of a coaxial cable, with a second row electrically coupled to the central conductor of the coaxial cable. RF energy is applied to pairs of electrode rows through the coaxial cable and a matching network is installed in front of the electrode-row pair to maximize power flow into the electrode-row pair. This results in very evenly distributed voltages which results in even heating. A balanced-to-unbalanced transformer (balun) is installed at the input to the matching network to prevent the deposition of RF energy outside the target volume and creation of voltages that could be hazardous to personnel. The electrodes are perforated and connected to collection tubes which collect volatilized contaminant vapors and pass the vapors to a vapor treatment unit for neutralization.

Radiofrequency ground heating system for soil remediation

This invention relates to refrigerated superconducting MR magnets having integrated cryogenic gradient coils. In particular, the amount of eddy currents produced by the magnet are substantially reduced while reducing the size and weight, and, therefore, the cost of the superconducting magnet required to produce an acceptable MR image.

Growing community of inventors

Ballston Lake, NY, United States of America

Otward M Mueller