The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 15, 2006
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2004
Michael J. Ryan, Sherman Oaks, CA (US);
Mark G. Gilbreth, Woodland Hills, CA (US);
Kenneth W. Keller, Reseda, CA (US);
Simon R. Wall, Faversham, GB;
Michael J. Ryan, Sherman Oaks, CA (US);
Mark G. Gilbreth, Woodland Hills, CA (US);
Kenneth W. Keller, Reseda, CA (US);
Simon R. Wall, Faversham, GB;
Capstone Turbine Corporation, Chatsworth, CA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for pre-charging the DC bus of a utility connected power converter. In one embodiment, a full-wave rectifier circuit is coupled to the utility grid through an isolation transformer and circuit protector. The rectifier circuit output is connected to the DC bus of the power converter to provide a pre-charging current to the DC bus capacitors. The output from the rectifier circuit also supplies power to the control circuit power supply for the converter. When the control circuit closes the contactor of the converter system and activates the converter, the voltage across the DC bus capacitors is increased above the level of the rectified power grid voltage provided at the output of the pre-charge circuit. This reverse-biases the rectifier diodes, placing the pre-charge circuit into an inactive state. The impedance of the isolation transformer limits the in-rush current into the DC bus capacitors during the pre-charge.