ato

Hydrogen generator

A device includes a chemical hydride fuel pellet having a plurality of holes extending from a first end to a second end. A plurality of tubes formed of water vapor permeable and hydrogen impermeable material extend from the first end to the second end through the tubes. A container has an inlet for water vapor containing gas coupled to the first end of the tubes and an outlet coupled to the second end of the tubes. A hydrogen outlet is coupled to the fuel pellet.




ato

Ni-based superalloy, and turbine rotor and stator blades for gas turbine using the same

An object of the present invention is to provide a Ni-based superalloy, especially for a conventional casting, having a good balance among high temperature strength, corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance, as compared to a conventional material. The Ni-based superalloy comprises Cr, Co, Al, Ti, Ta, W, Mo, Nb, C, B, and inevitable impurities, the balance being Ni, the Ni-based superalloy having a superalloy composition comprising, by mass, 13.1 to 16.0% Cr, 11.1 to 20.0% Co, 2.30 to 3.30% Al, 4.55 to 6.00% Ti, 2.50 to 3.50% Ta, 4.00 to 5.50% W, 0.10 to 1.20% Mo, 0.10 to 0.90% Nb, 0.05 to 0.20% C, and 0.005 to 0.02% B.




ato

Accelerator driven sub-critical core

Systems and methods for operating an accelerator driven sub-critical core. In one embodiment, a fission power generator includes a sub-critical core and a plurality of proton beam generators. Each of the proton beam generators is configured to concurrently provide a proton beam into a different area of the sub-critical core. Each proton beam scatters neutrons within the sub-critical core. The plurality of proton beam generators provides aggregate power to the sub-critical core, via the proton beams, to scatter neutrons sufficient to initiate fission in the sub-critical core.




ato

Aneutronic magnetron energy generator

An aneutronic magnetron energy generator that generates microwave energy from a fusion-fission reaction that produces alpha particles in response to a proton colliding with an 11B nucleus. The magnetron energy generator includes a magnetron having an anode resonator including a central chamber and a plurality of radially disposed cavities. A cathode assembly is provided at the center of the chamber and includes a cathode electrode that generates a proton plasma. A series of electrically isolated acceleration rings extend from the cathode electrode and operate to accelerate protons from the proton plasma towards an outer target ring composed of boron eleven (11B). The accelerated protons fuse with the 11B nuclei to generate the alpha particles that then interact with crossed electric and magnetic fields between the target ring and the cavities. The alpha particles resonate with the cavities and generate a current within the resonator that is collected.




ato

Neutron generator

A neutron generator includes an ion source disposed in a pressurized environment containing an ionizable gas. The ion source includes a substrate with a bundle of carbon nanotubes extending therefrom. The ends of the nanotubes are spaced from a grid. Ion source voltage supply circuitry supplies a positive voltage potential between the substrate and the grid of the ion source to cause ionization of the ionizable gas and emission of ions through the grid. An ion accelerator section is disposed between the ion source and a target. The ion accelerator section accelerates ions that pass through the grid towards the target such that collisions of the ions with the target cause the target to generate and emit neutrons therefrom. The ion source, accelerator section and target are housed in a sealed tube and preferably the carbon nanotubes of the bundle are highly ordered with at least 106 carbon nanotubes per cm2 that extend in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the tube. The neutron generator provides gas ionization at much higher atomic to molecular ratio that the prior art, which allows for small compact size designs suitable for logging tools that are used in space-constrained downhole environments.




ato

Electromagnetic flow regulator, system and methods for regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid

Disclosed embodiments include electromagnetic flow regulators for regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid, systems for regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid, methods of regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid, nuclear fission reactors, systems for regulating flow of an electrically conductive reactor coolant, and methods of regulating flow of an electrically conductive reactor coolant in a nuclear fission reactor.




ato

Compact nuclear reactor with integral steam generator

In an illustrative embodiment, a pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR) includes a pressure vessel (12, 14, 16), a nuclear reactor core (10) disposed in the pressure vessel, and a vertically oriented hollow central riser (36) disposed above the nuclear reactor core inside the pressure vessel. A once-through steam generator (OTSG) (30) disposed in the pressure vessel includes vertical tubes (32) arranged in an annular volume defined by the central riser and the pressure vessel. The OTSG further includes a fluid flow volume surrounding the vertical tubes and having a feedwater inlet (50) and a steam outlet (52). The PWR has an operating state in which feedwater injected into the fluid flow volume at the feedwater inlet is converted to steam by heat emanating from primary coolant flowing inside the tubes of the OTSG, and the steam is discharged from the fluid flow volume at the steam outlet.




ato

Friction modifier applicator system for traveling cranes

A friction management system for a traveling crane applies a liquid or solid friction modifier (FM) in precisely controlled quantities to the crane wheels or rail to improve performance and safety during movement of the crane. The friction modifier is applied by a nozzle mounted on a crane truck, which nozzle is opened and closed by a valve. The duration of the valve opening per second, which controls the friction modifier application rate, is approximately proportional to the average current draw, which is detected by current sensors connected to the truck motors.




ato

Refrigerator with stepped liner to hide seam between liner and false wall

A bottom mount refrigerator is provided with refrigerator components housed in a space adjacent the top of the fresh food compartment between a false ceiling and the top wall of the compartment. The top wall includes a stepped portion formed in the liner forming the compartment. The stepped portion is positioned near the top and front of the compartment, and it includes a section that is lower than the remainder of the top wall. The stepped portion includes a rear facing face in the interior of the compartment, and the false ceiling is positioned between the rear facing face and the back wall. The ceiling extends horizontal from the rear wall before angling upward to abut the face of the stepped portion. The false ceiling may also contain apertures to provide access to the components housed between the ceiling and the top wall.




ato

Refrigerator with rotatable shelves

A refrigerator is provided with rotatable shelves for easy food/item access and cleaning. In one embodiment a stationary or fixed shelf includes a rotatable disk mounted on a bearing retainer having bearings therein for manual, three hundred sixty degree (360°) rotation as desired. In another embodiment a quarter-round pivotable shelf is attached to a stanchion to enable the shelf to be manually pivoted ninety degrees (90°) for withdrawing and returning the shelf to the refrigerator food storage compartment as needed.




ato

Shelf assembly for a refrigerator

A shelf assembly is provided for a refrigerator with a food compartment that includes a rear wall and a pair of opposed side walls. The shelf assembly includes a first and second shelf portion with first and second support surfaces. The second shelf portion is slidably moveable relative to the first shelf portion between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, the second shelf portion is arranged such that the second support surface is substantially coplanar with the first support surface and the second support surface is located generally between a first support surface and a side wall of the food compartment. In the retracted position, the second planar support surface is arranged subjacent to the first planar support surface.




ato

Vacuum heat insulating material, heat insulating box using vacuum heat insulating material, refrigerator, refrigerating/air-conditioning apparatus, water heater, equipments, and manufacturing method of vacuum heat insulating material

A highly reliable vacuum heat insulating material having excellent processability, usability and heat insulating performance and a heat insulating box using the vacuum heat insulating material are provided. A vacuum heat insulating material related to the present invention includes: a core material structured by a laminated structure of an organic fiber assembly formed by forming an organic fiber into a sheet shape and cutting an end face with a predetermined length, and having a core material opening portion formed by a through hole or a notch with cutting; a gas-barrier outer cover material containing the core material inside, having a sealing portion for sealing surrounding of the sheet-shaped organic fiber assembly and surrounding of the core material opening portion, and hermetically sealing an inside with almost vacuum status by sealing the sealing portion; and an outer cover material opening portion provided at the outer cover material under a status in which the sealing portion provided at the surrounding of the sheet-shaped organic fiber assembly and the surrounding of the core material opening portion is sealed, being a through hole or a notch which is smaller than the core material opening portion with a sealed amount, and a long fiber being equal to or longer than a length of the sheet is used for the organic fiber.




ato

Railway clip insulator with two stable positions for standby, parked or preloaded position and installed, loaded or final position

A rail seat includes a concrete rail tie; a pair of rail clip support shoulders cast in place in said rail tie each said shoulder having a rail face between its external sides; a pair of shoulder insulators each shaped to lie against the rail face of the rail shoulder; a pair of rail clips each having a base section adapted to seat within the rail clip support shoulder and a toe section adapted to seat on the rail base. The clip and toe insulator assembly is loaded on the shoulder in a vertical direction so that parts of the toe insulator seat within pockets in the shoulder that enable the clip and insulator assembly to move laterally towards the rail but not away from it and the clip base is aligned with the shoulder slot ready to enter it when the clip is moved laterally to the parked position which applies a small downward force to the clip toes and at this stage lie outside the limits of the rail base and finally the clip can be moved laterally into the installed position where the toe insulators sit on top of the rail base and securely hold it down.




ato

Insulator for railway fastening clip and railway rail fastening clip for use therewith

An electrical insulator for use with a rail fastening clip comprises a contact member providing on one side a substantially flat rail contact surface for contacting a foot of a rail and on the opposing side a clip contact surface for contacting a rail bearing surface of a bearing portion of the clip, the insulator also having retaining means for retaining the insulator on the clip in such a way as to allow rotation of the insulator about a longitudinal axis of the bearing portion of the clip. The insulator has stop portions for limiting such rotation about the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion of the clip to a desired extent. The clip contact surface of the insulator is convex, in a vertical plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion of the clip, such that, when the insulator is attached to a clip having a flat rail bearing surface, a contact region between the flat rail bearing surface of the clip and the clip contact surface of the insulator is linear. The insulator is rockable about the linear contact region within the extent defined by the stop portions such that, when the rail contact surface of the insulator contacts the surface of a rail foot, the angle of the rail contact surface can conform to the angle of the rail foot surface. A rail fastening clip, suitable for use with the insulator and of the kind driven onto a rail in a direction which is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the rail, has a bearing portion having a flat rail bearing surface, wherein a detent, extending laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion, is formed in the flat rail bearing surface, at a location spaced from a free end of the bearing portion of the clip, for engaging a corresponding abutment surface of the insulator to be retained on the rail bearing portion of the clip.




ato

Actuator arrangement for a vehicle door latch

An actuator arrangement is disclosed herein for an electronically actuatable door latch that controls a door of a vehicle. The actuator arrangement includes, but is not limited to, an actuating member that is connected to the door and that is operatively coupled to the electronically actuatable door latch. The actuating member is configured to actuate the electronically actuatable door latch when the actuating member is pushed in an outboard direction. The actuator arrangement further includes a bracing member that is mounted to the door proximate the actuating member at a position that is inboard of the actuating member. The bracing member permits a user to brace against the bracing member when pushing the actuating member in an outboard direction.




ato

Stroke controller for a key duplicator

A stroke controller is mounted on a key duplicator and has a base, a drive shaft, a knob and a driven shaft. The base has a longitudinal shaft hole and a transverse shaft hole. The drive shaft is mounted rotatably through the transverse shaft hole. The knob is mounted on the drive shaft and has a drive gear. The driven shaft is mounted slidably through the longitudinal shaft hole and has a rack section engaging the drive shaft so that rotating the knob drives the driven shaft to slide relative to the base. The stroke controller precisely controls the movement of an original key and a key workpiece clamped on the key duplicator to manufacture a fine key duplicate.




ato

Propeller windmill for small-sized power generator

Provided is a small-sized propeller windmill which can efficiently generate power even when a wing speed is low, has no possibility that the windmill is broken even when a strong wind blows, can stably ensure a weathercock direction of a base blade, and can suppress an environmental burden, in such a propeller windmill, the blade having a corrugated wing shape is supported in a cantilever manner by way of an elastic body, and the blade and the elastic body are made of paper or plastic. Further, to stably ensure the weathercock. direction of the base blade, a weathercock stabilizing mechanism is arranged behind the base blade.




ato

Wind turbine blade and method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade with vortex generators

A wind turbine for generating electrical energy may include a wind turbine blade including a plurality of vortex generators integrally formed in the outer surface of the blade. The vortex generator includes a first component that defines a portion of the outer surface of the blade and a second component defining the shape of the vortex generator and at least partially surrounded by the first component. A method of manufacturing the wind turbine blade includes disposing a first plurality of layers of structural material over a mold main body and a removable insert member with a shaped cavity. A shaped plug is then pressed into the shaped cavity, and a second plurality of layers of structural material is disposed over the plug and the mold main body to complete manufacture of a wind turbine blade with a vortex generator.




ato

Apparatus and method of simulating a somatosensory experience in space

A method of providing a user with an extra-terrestrial somatosensory experience includes equipping the user with an underwater breathing apparatus, having the user occupy an underwater environment, such environment providing buoyancy to the user, and while the user occupies the underwater environment, using a computer-implemented virtual reality system to present to the user a virtual reality environment modeling an extra-terrestrial setting. The virtual reality system inhibits visual perception by the user of items outside of the virtual reality environment so that the user experiences the virtual reality environment under a buoyancy condition provided by the underwater environment. The buoyancy condition enhances the experience of the virtual reality environment.




ato

Indicator apparatus for line casting machines




ato

LINE LENGTH AND JUSTIFICATION INDICATOR FOR TYPESETTING MACHINES

A line length remainder and justification indicator device for use with a line composing machine in which the device employs a continuously rotating drum having preselected values of line remainder and justification information indicated thereon. A controlled intermittent flash illuminates only the desired information.




ato

Phase offset compensator

A phase offset compensator for compensating a phase offset is provided. The phase offset includes a first phase sub-offset and a second phase sub-offset. The phase offset compensator includes a feedback loop comprising a first loop filter, the feedback loop being configured to compensate the first phase sub-offset of the phase offset, and a feed forward loop comprising a second loop filter, the feed forward loop being configured to compensate the second phase sub-offset of the phase offset.




ato

Attenuator

An attenuator includes, on a substrate: a resistor section; an insulating film covering the resistor section; and connection terminals covering the insulating film and connected in part to the resistor section. A total thickness of the insulating film and the connection terminal in a region where the insulating film and the connection terminal overlap with the resistor section is from 50 μm to 200 μm.




ato

Method, system, and apparatus for resonator circuits and modulating resonators

Embodiments of resonator circuits and modulating resonators and are described generally herein. One or more acoustic wave resonators may be coupled in series or parallel to generate tunable filters. One or more acoustic wave resonances may be modulated by one or more capacitors or tunable capacitors. One or more acoustic wave modules may also be switchable in a filter. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.




ato

Unreleased mems resonator and method of forming same

A microelectromechanical (MEM) resonator includes a resonant cavity disposed in a first layer of a first solid material disposed on a substrate and a first plurality of reflectors disposed in the first layer in a first direction with respect to the resonant cavity and to each other. Each of the first plurality of reflectors comprises an outer layer of a second solid material and an inner layer of a third solid material. The inner layer of each of the first plurality of reflectors is adjacent in the first direction to the outer layer of each reflector and to either the outer layer of an adjacent reflector or the resonant cavity.




ato

Adjustable resonator

The adjustable resonator according to the invention has a casing, which is composed of walls, a lid and a bottom, a resonator cavity inside the casing and an internal conductor inside the resonator cavity, which internal conductor is in electric contact with the casing. The resonator further comprises a moveable adjustment piece, which comprises a conductive adjustment member, a conductive upper plate, and a dielectric support member. The adjustment member has a stem, which is vertical, and a cap as an expansion thereof. The adjustment member can be moved downwards so that its stem and the fixed internal conductor connected to the bottom of the resonator go within each other. The movement of the adjustment piece in the coaxial resonator first decreases the resonance frequency and then slowly increases it. Therefore the resonator provides a very wide adjustment area for the resonance frequency.




ato

Surface acoustic wave resonator, surface acoustic wave oscillator, and electronic apparatus

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator and a SAW oscillator and an electronic apparatus including the resonator are to be provided. A SAW resonator includes: an IDT exciting a SAW using a quartz crystal substrate of Euler angles (−1.5°≦φ≦1.5°, 117°≦θ≦142°, 42.79°≦|ψ|≦49.57°); one pair of reflection units arranged so as allow the IDT to be disposed therebetween; and grooves acquired by depressing the quartz crystal substrate located between electrode fingers. When a wavelength of the SAW is λ, and a depth of the grooves is G, “0.01λ≦G” is satisfied.




ato

Parallel circuit of accumulator lines

A circuit for connecting a first accumulator line to a second accumulator line from an accumulator is described. The accumulator is provided for charging and discharging electrical energy via the accumulator lines. Each accumulator line has a positive pole and a negative pole for charging and discharging electrical energy. The circuit has at least one first switch which is provided for disconnecting and connecting two similar poles of the two accumulator lines.




ato

Electricity generation device and permanent-magnet electric generator

An electricity generation device includes a permanent-magnet electric generator with three or more phase windings each having an output terminal and connected to a neutral point, and bidirectional semiconductor switching circuits capable of interrupting connections between the respective phase windings and the neutral point. Each switching circuit allows current to flow in both directions. A gate signal generation circuit outputs to one of the switching circuits during a period including the time at which the AC voltage excited in the corresponding phase winding turns from positive to negative and during a period including the time at which the AC voltage excited in the corresponding phase winding turns from negative to positive. A startup gate signal output circuit outputs a startup gate signal to all of the bidirectional semiconductor switching circuits when the permanent-magnet electric generator is to be started.




ato

Automatic start/stop device for engine-driven power generator

Starting and stopping an engine is automatically controlled based on a load without using a relay. An inverter engine-driven power generator has an alternator, a rectifying circuit, a DC/DC converter, and an inverter circuit. A load detection circuit is connected to an output of the inverter circuit in parallel. A load detection line of the load detection circuit is connected to an output line of the inverter circuit in parallel via resistors. A power supply formed of a battery is connected to the load detection line. A decision circuit outputs a load detection signal when a current having a preset value or more flows through the load detection line. A drive/stop CPU starts the engine in response to the load detection. The resistors are set at a resistance value which does not influence a load to which a generator output is supplied.




ato

Doubly-fed generator and doubly-fed electric machine

The excitation overcurrent detection unit for the doubly-fed electric machine is provided with a function to determine an excitation current magnitude relationship among three phases. The firing pulse is held to on-state or off-state to cause the largest-current phase and the second-largest-current phase to charge the DC capacitor by the operation of diodes. The conduction ratio of the third-largest-current phase or minimum current phase is controlled according to the detected current value to protect against a possible short-circuit across the DC capacitor. When the voltage of the DC capacitor exceeds a preset value, the voltage is suppressed by operating active or passive power devices.




ato

System and method for non-sinusoidal current waveform excitation of electrical generators

An electrical generator includes a stator having fractional-slot concentrated windings and a rotor having field windings. A drive is provided having a circuit to control current flow to the field windings and a controller to input an initial DC field current demand to the circuit to cause the circuit to output an initial DC field current representative of a DC field current demand that would cause an electrical generator having sinusoidal stator windings to output a desired AC power. The controller receives feedback on the magnetic field generated by the initial DC field current, isolates an ideal fundamental component of the magnetic field based on the feedback and to generate a modified DC field current demand, and inputs the modified DC field current demand to the circuit, thereby causing the circuit to output an instantaneous non-sinusoidal current to the field windings to generate a sinusoidal rotating air gap magnetic field.




ato

Control system of wind power generator, wind farm, and method for controlling wind power generator

A wind power generator generates power through a rotation of a rotor and is interconnected, and operated with its power generation output previously limited in order to be able to further supply the power to a power system in response to a decrease in system frequency. Thus, a concentrated control system derives a required restricted amount corresponding to a power generation output required to respond to the decrease in system frequency, derives a value by subtracting an amount corresponding to a latent power generation output with which the power generation output can be increased, from the required restricted amount, and sets a restricted amount of the power generation output in each wind power generator to perform the operation with the power generation output previously limited to respond to the decrease in system frequency, based on the above value.




ato

EPGS architecture with multi-channel synchronous generator and common unregulated PMG exciter

A generator system includes a generator having a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The generator includes a permanent magnet based exciter with permanent magnets disposed on the stationary portion. A first channel includes a first main field winding and a first main field power converter disposed on a rotating portion. The first main field power converter selectively delivers voltage from the exciter winding to the first main field winding. A second channel includes a second main field winding and a second main field power converter disposed on the rotating portion. The second main field power converter selectively delivers voltage from the exciter winding to the second main field winding. A generator control unit is connected to the first channel and the second channel. The generator control unit monitors an output voltage at each of the first channel and the second channel and generates the first and second control signals based on the output voltage.




ato

Inverter generator

An inverter generator used in combination with a motor and an ECU generating a pulse at each predetermined rotation angle of the motor is comprised of: an electric generator driven by the motor configured to generate alternating current electric power; estimating means for estimating an electrical angle of alternating voltage of the alternating current electric power from the pulse, the estimating means being electrically connected with the ECU; a converter configured to convert the alternating current electric power into direct current electric power, the converter electrically connected with the electric generator and the estimating means; and an inverter configured to convert the direct current electric power into alternating current output electric power, the inverter electrically connected with the converter.




ato

Control system, method and program, and floating wind turbine generator provided therewith

The control system of this floating wind turbine generator is a control system of a floating wind turbine generator in which the control system controls a pitch angle control section by a pitch angle instruction value calculated on the basis of signals detected by a second sensor detecting a relative angle between a nacelle and a tower and a third sensor detecting a yaw angle from a reference position of the tower so that a signal detected by a first sensor detecting wind direction deviation relative to a vertical direction of a rotation plane of wind turbine blades indicates an angle within a predetermined range from the vertical direction of the rotation plane of the wind turbine blades, and controls a yaw driving device by a yaw driving instruction value calculated on the basis of the signals detected by the second sensor and the third sensor.




ato

DC chopper and DC chopping method for doubly fed induction generator system

A DC chopper comprising a control unit and a power circuit and a DC chopping method for a DFIG (doubly fed induction generator) system are provided. The input terminal of the control unit is coupled to a DC capacitor of a converter to detect a DC voltage. The power circuit includes input terminals, an overvoltage protection module, a rectifier module and output terminals. The overvoltage protection module comprises at least one discharge unit formed from a discharge resistor and a switch element, and the rectifier module is coupled in parallel to the overvoltage protection module. When a grid voltage drops, the control unit outputs a corresponding control signal to drive the switch element to be ON or OFF, and the output terminal of the power circuit absorbs a portion of rotor inrush current, so as to impose over-current protection.




ato

Multiple voltage generator and voltage regulation methodology for power dense integrated power systems

An integrated power system suitable for simultaneously powering marine propulsion and service loads. The system includes: (a) at least one generator configured with at least first and second armature windings configured to output respective first and second alternating current power signals of different voltages, the at least two armature windings positioned within the same stator slots so that they magnetically couple; (b) at least first and second rectifier circuits coupled to said generator to convert said first and second alternating current power signals into first and second direct current power signals; and (c) a first load to which said first direct current power signal is coupled and a second load to which said second direct current power signal is coupled.




ato

Magnetic controlled power generator

A magnetic controlled power generator provides a magnetic controlled loading device, power generator and flywheel device to form two independent modules which are easily assembled and disassembled for easy manufacture and maintenance. Besides, the magnetic controlled power generator has simple installation and lightweight components to generate a radial displacement for magnetic flux control, achieving continuous adjustment of the load resistance, thereby having the effect of reducing the cost and weight.




ato

Method of controlling speed of a variable speed generator

Some embodiments relate to a method of controlling speed of a variable speed generator. The method includes detecting a load of the variable speed generator and determining a target speed for the variable speed generator based on the load supplied by the variable speed generator. The method further includes using a controller to adjust the speed of the variable speed generator based on the target speed. The method may further include correcting the target speed by calculating a correction factor that corrects the target speed based on a voltage produced by the variable speed generator.




ato

Method and device to compensate for a dip in the output voltage of a motor-vehicle alternator

A dip in the output voltage of a motor-vehicle alternator, owing to a connecting of a load or a change in speed, is compensated with the aid of an alternator regulator which provides a control signal that has a duty factor and increases the excitation current of the motor-vehicle alternator. After the occurrence of the voltage dip, in a first step, the duty factor of the control signal is increased by a differential amount, and in a subsequent second step, the rate of correction is limited. After the occurrence of the voltage dip, parameters describing the instantaneous working point of the motor-vehicle alternator are determined, and in the first step, the differential amount is set as a function of the working point.




ato

Acyclic exciter for an alternator

A self-excited alternator for generating electrical energy. The alternator includes a stator, a rotor, and an exciter. The rotor includes conductors which are integrated within the rotor via one of a casting process, a welding process, or a fastening process. The exciter includes a magnet producing a static magnetic field, and a rotatable conductive member coupled to the shaft and electrically coupled to the one or more conductors. The rotatable conductive member is operable to output the direct current to the one or more conductors upon rotation within the static magnetic field, thus exciting the alternator.




ato

Methods and systems for monitoring excitation of a generator based on a faulty status of a generator breaker

Systems and methods for monitoring excitation of a generator based on a faulty status of a generator breaker are provided. According to one embodiment, a system may include a controller and a processor communicatively coupled to the controller. The processor may be configured to receive, from a contact associated with a generator breaker, a reported status of the generator breaker, receive operational data associated with one or more parameters of a generator associated with the generator breaker, and correlate the reported status of the generator breaker and the operational data. Based on the correlation, the processor may establish an actual status of the generator breaker, and, based on the actual status, selectively modify a mode of excitation of the generator.




ato

Switched reluctance generator integrated controls

A method of controlling a generator (110) of an electric drive (104) associated with an engine (102) is provided. The method may determine an operational state of the electric drive (104) based on a speed of the engine (102), and selectively engage one of a map-lookup control scheme (150) and a fixed-theta off control scheme (152) for operating the generator (110) based on the operational state of the electric drive (104).




ato

Power supply system for motor vehicle provided with control device of voltage applied to field coil of generator

A power supply system for a motor vehicle includes a generator that includes a rotor having a field coil and a stator having an armature coil; a rectifier that rectifies AC power generated in the armature coil; an excitation control circuit that takes control of a voltage applied to the field coil; a capacitor that is connected to the DC side of the rectifier, and receives and transfers the rectified power; a battery connected to an electric load of the motor vehicle; a DC-DC converter that is connected between the capacitor and the battery and capable of converting unidirectionally or bidirectionally an input DC voltage into any DC voltage; and a selection switch which connects the capacitor or the battery to the excitation control circuit as a power supply source.




ato

Regulator/brush-holder assembly for a motor-vehicle alternator, manufacturing process and corresponding alternator

The regulator/brush-holder assembly (1) comprises a support (2) and an electrical circuit (5, 6) comprising a regulating element (5) connected by microwires to a trace circuit (6). The electrical circuit further includes a filtering circuit (10) separate from the regulating element and connected by microwires to the trace circuit. According to one particular embodiment, the filtering circuit comprises an insulating substrate (11) and surface-mounted components (C1, C2, S1, S2, V). A ground plane (19) and/or one or more ground pads may be provided for connection to a ground trace of the trace circuit. The filtration frequencies of the filter circuit extend from 100 kHz to 1 GHz.




ato

Thermionic generator

A thermionic generator for converting thermal energy to electric energy includes: an emitter electrode for emitting thermal electrons from a thermal electron emitting surface when heat is applied to the emitter electrode; a collector electrode facing the emitter electrode spaced apart from the emitter electrode by a predetermined distance, and receiving the thermal electrons from the emitter electrode via a facing surface of the collector electrode; and a substrate having one surface. The emitter electrode and the collector electrode are disposed on the one surface of the substrate, and are electrically insulated from each other. The thermal electron emitting surface and the facing surface are perpendicular to the one surface.




ato

Rotary electrical machine with excitation provided with a digital regulator device

The rotary electrical machine is capable of functioning as a generator and outputs a continuous output voltage (Ub+) that is adjustable by an excitation current. The digital regulator (2) of the machine comprises an excitation current control means (7) and a control loop (6) that includes a device (10) for measurement, by sampling, of the output voltage (Ub+), the measurement device generating a signal sampled at a predetermined first sampling frequency (F1 e). The machine has a bandwidth that is limited by a predetermined first cutoff frequency (F1 c). The measurement device includes an apparatus for oversampling such that the first sampling frequency (F1 e) is greater than twice the first cutoff frequency (F1 c), and the control loop also includes an apparatus (12) for decimating the sampled signal.




ato

Doubly-fed induction generator wind turbine system having solid-state stator switch

Wind turbine systems and methods are provided. An exemplary system includes a wind driven doubly fed induction generator having a rotor and a stator, the stator providing AC power to a stator bus. The system further includes a power converter coupled to the rotor of the doubly fed induction generator, the power converter providing an output to a line bus, and a transformer coupled to the stator bus. The system further includes a solid-state switch coupled between the stator bus and the transformer.




ato

Generator drive system for an internal combustion engine

A generator drive system for the generator (3) of an internal combustion engine (1), including a flexible drive having a traction mechanism (5) which is guided across a generator pulley (6) driving the generator (3). The generator (3) is configured and electrically wired such that the generator (3) can be temporarily driven as a motor, and the generator (3) is coupled to the generator pulley (6) or the crankshaft pulley (7) is coupled to the crankshaft (8) via an overrunning clutch (4) which allows the generator (3), when operated as a motor, running faster than the generator pulley (6) or, taking into consideration a gear ratio, the crankshaft (8).