Nextek Power Systems, Inc.

Other

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

William George Wilhelm

Paul B Savage

An electronic ballast system controls one or more ballasts of HID or fluorescent lamps, which are controlled in an 'on/off' manner by a ultra low power controller that is isolated for a primary power circuit or derives its very low switch power from the ballast itself. The on/off control provides a near lossless control system. This system may be applied to electronic ballast for operates at fractional power levels corresponding to different lighting intensities and with conventional occupancy sensors. The system may also be applied to other electronically compatible end-use devices and applications.

Remote control of lighting

Remote control of electronic light ballast and other devices

A high efficiency lighting system maintains normal lighting conditions by lighting fixtures requiring DC electrical power. A power control device receives AC electrical power from a public utility converts AC power to DC power and delivers low voltage DC electrical power to lighting fixtures. A standby battery is provided to maintain power during power outages. Optionally, a photovoltaic DC electrical power source may be connected to the power control device, to provide alternate DC electrical power. In a further embodiment, a gas driven cogenerator unit may supply DC electrical power.

High efficiency lighting system

An electronic ballast system controls one or more ballasts of HID or fluorescent lamps, which are controlled in an &ldquo;on/off&rdquo; manner by a ultra low power controller that is isolated for a primary power circuit or derives its very low switch power from the ballast itself. The on/off control provides a near lossless control system. This system may be applied to electronic ballast for operates at fractional power levels corresponding to different lighting intensities and with conventional occupancy sensors. The system may also be applied to other electronically compatible end-use devices and applications.

An electrical distribution system and method has storage battery mechanism of very large equivalent capacitance providing excellent ripple filtering and an ideal path to ground, and filter capacitor mechanism of microfarad size providing DC blocking and limited AC path to ground. The storage battery entity is maintained as to its charge by DC supply, which provides regulated DC power in which switching regulation may be involved. The system and method provides dual voltage capability, both DC and AC, in which circuit breakers may be ganged for simultaneous tripping, and in which intrinsic DC circuit(s) may be looped to increase current-carrying capability. A DC isolation capacitor is connected to a common current path, such as to one of the busses, such as, for example, in series with the neutral circuit, as a means for avoiding undesirable DC current paths as may be encountered due to a multitude of established neutral-line connections to earthing grounds established throughout in AC power supply network. This isolation capacitor is of sufficient capacitance to allow the low loss passage of unbalanced AC if the loads connected to the distribution system produce unequal currents in the common wiring.

Balanced modular power management system and method

A DC power system receives AC electrical power and DC electrical power from separate first and second sources simultaneously. The DC power system delivers DC electrical power to an output for use by a load requiring DC power. The DC power system includes a converter to convert AC electrical power to DC electrical power and a power sharing control device to control and distribute the DC electrical power to an output. The first source of DC electrical power includes a storage battery, which provides standby DC electrical power to the DC power system. It also includes a power sharing device, which maintains the storage battery fully charged for use at peak loads, when the DC output electrical power is insufficient to meet the DC load. The second source of DC electrical power is a cogenerator such as a fuel cell, a thermo photovoltaic generator or an internal combustion engine and an alternator for generating and delivering DC electrical power to the power sharing device, while producing and delivering waste heat for use of an external load requiring this heat.

Modular DC cogenerator systems

An receptacle for low voltage DC applications includes a receptacle surface in which are located only one pair of female connections. One of the female connections is a terminal normally connected to the neutral line of an AC power grid, and the other of the female connections is a terminal connected to a ground line of an AC power grid. The two connections are arrayed to correspond with the neutral and positive terminals of a conventional three prong AC receptacle.

Modified receptacle and plug for low voltage DC distribution

An electrical distribution system and method has storage battery mechanism of very large equivalent capacitance providing excellent ripple filtering and an ideal path to ground, and filter capacitor mechanism of microfarad size providing DC blocking and limited AC path to ground. The storage battery entity is maintained as to its charge by DC supply which provides regulated DC power in which switching regulation may be involved. The system and method provides dual voltage capability, both DC and AC in which circuit breakers may be ganged for simultaneous tripping, and in which intrinsic DC circuit(s) may be looped to increase current-carrying capability.

Modular power management system and method

A customer side power management system includes a power transducer coupled to the electric lines from the utility. The power transducer senses stochastic peak power demands from the electric utility, and provides an output signal proportional thereto. The output signal is time averaged and provided to a comparator circuit. A predetermined threshold signal is also provided to the comparator circuit, and the two signals are compared. An AC-to-DC converter or power supply is coupled to the utility's electric line and provides a DC voltage on its output. The amplitude of the DC voltage is controlled by the output signal from the comparator circuit. A power isolation and distribution circuit and a storage battery are also included. The power isolation and distribution circuit is connected between the AC-to-DC converter and the storage battery. The power management system senses peak power demands for electricity, and switches a particular load of the customer from being powered by the AC-to-DC converter to the storage battery. When there is no peak power demand, the AC-to-DC converter powers the particular load.

Customer side power management system and method

This invention pertains to energy absorbers for solar collectors, and more particularly to high performance thin film absorbers. The solar collectors comprising the absorber of this invention overcome several problems seen in current systems, such as excessive hardware, high cost and unreliability. In the preferred form, the apparatus features a substantially rigid planar frame with a thin film window bonded to one planar side of the frame. An absorber in accordance with the present invention is comprised of two thin film layers that are sealed perimetrically. In a preferred embodiment, thin film layers are formed from a metal/plastic laminate. The layers define a fluid-tight planar envelope of large surface area to volume through which a heat transfer fluid flows. The absorber is bonded to the other planar side of the frame. The thin film construction of the absorber assures substantially full envelope wetting and thus good efficiency. The window and absorber films stress the frame adding to the overall strength of the collector.

Thin film absorber for a solar collector

The field of this invention is solar collectors, and more particularly, the invention pertains to a flat plate collector that employs high performance thin films. The solar collector of this invention overcomes several problems in this field, such as excessive hardware, cost and reliability, and other prior art drawbacks outlined in the specification. In the preferred form, the apparatus features a substantially rigid planar frame (14). A thin film window (42) is bonded to one planar side of the frame. An absorber (24) of laminate construction is comprised of two thin film layers (24a, 24b) that are sealed perimetrically. The layers (24a, 24b) define a fluid-tight planar envelope (24c) of large surface area to volume through which a heat transfer fluid flows. Absorber (24) is bonded to the other planar side of the frame. The thin film construction of the absorber assures substantially full envelope wetting and thus good efficiency. The window and absorber films stress the frame adding to the overall strength of the collector.

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Riverhead, NY, United States of America

William George Wilhelm