7449 results about "Energy loss" patented technology

The present invention focuses on the development of a high-performance solar photovoltaic (PV) energy conversion system. The power circuit of the invention is made of a two-stage circuit, connecting a step-up DC-DC converter and a full-bridge inverter in serial. The present invention uses an adaptive perturbation and observation method to increase tracking speed of maximum power position and at the same time reduces energy loss. In addition, the full-bridge inverter's output has to have the same phase with the utility power in order to achieve unit power factor and increase the system efficiency. The present invention uses voltage type current control full-bridge inverter to achieve the goal of merging into utility grid. The present invention provides an active Sun tracking system, by utilizing the character of changing in open circuit output voltage with Sun radiation strength to follow the Sun, and decreases the system cost and increases system effectiveness.

A piezoelectric substrate is fixed to the movable plate or the support substrate directly or through a drive electrode of the piezoelectric substrate. When a pressure on an input operation surface is detected, a drive voltage is impressed on the drive electrodes of the piezoelectric substrate. In response, the piezoelectric substrate vibrates the movable plate or the support substrate, thereby providing tactile feedback to an operator. Because the movable plate or the support substrate directly vibrates without an independent vibrating source, there is no energy loss or transmission delay caused by transmitting the vibration, and finely control of the contraction and expansion of the piezoelectric substrate allows fine control of the vibration. In one embodiment, the drive voltage is modulated with signals dependent on the location of the pressure. In another embodiment, the drive voltage is modulated with audio frequencies to create a speaker.

A photovoltaic panel with multiple photovoltaic sub-strings including serially-connected photovoltaic cells and having direct current (DC) outputs adapted for interconnection in parallel into a parallel-connected DC power source. A direct current (DC) power converter including input terminals and output terminals is adapted for coupling to the parallel-connected DC power source and for converting an input power received at the input terminals to an output power at the output terminals. The direct current (DC) power converter optionally has a control loop configured to set the input power received at the input terminals according to a previously determined criterion. The control loop may be adapted to receive a feedback signal from the input terminals for maximizing the input power. A bypass diode is typically connected in shunt across the input terminals of the converter. The bypass diode functions by passing current during a failure of any of the sub-strings and/or a partial shading of the sub-strings. The bypass diode may be a single bypass diode connected across the parallel-connected DC power source. The DC power converter may convert the input power at high current to the output power at a lower current. The output terminals may be connectible with wire cables to a load, and the DC power converter is configured to reduce energy loss through the wire cables to the load.

An etching apparatus using a neutral beam includes an electron emission unit to convert an ion beam, extracted from plasma by a plurality of grids, into a neutral beam by colliding the ion beam with electrons to prevent the ion beam from physically colliding with the electron emission unit, thus preventing the damage to a neutralization unit and generation of foreign substances with a simple structure. Further, the etching apparatus converts the ion beam into the neutral beam at a high neutralizing efficiency without causing directionality and energy losses, and generates a neutral beam having a large area, thus uniformly etching a semiconductor wafer.

A holographic planar concentrator (HPC) for collecting and concentrating optical radiation is provided. The holographic planar concentrator comprises a planar highly transparent plate and at least one multiplexed holographic optical film mounted on a surface thereof. The multiplexed holographic optical film has recorded therein a plurality of diffractive structures having one or more regions which are angularly and spectrally multiplexed. Two or more of the regions may be configured to provide spatial multiplexing. The HPC is fabricated by: (a) recording the plurality of diffractive structures in the multiplexed holographic optical film employing angular, spectral, and, optionally, spatial multiplexing techniques; and (b) mounting the multiplexed holographic optical film on one surface of the highly transparent plate. The recording of the plurality of diffractive structures is tailored to the intended orientation of the holographic planar concentrator to solar energy. The HPC is mounted in the intended orientation for collecting solar energy and at least one solar energy-collecting device is mounted along at least one edge of the holographic planar concentrator. Examples of suitable solar energy-collecting devices include photovoltaic cells and fiber optic light guides for transmitting collected light into an interior of a building for illumination purposes and for transmitting collected solar radiation into a hot water tank for heating. The HPC permits efficient collection of solar energy without expensive requirements, while minimizing energy losses.

A device and method is provided for automatically controlling the heating element(s) of an electric hot water heater to minimize electric energy consumption over a prolonged time period by projecting the future need for hot water based on it's use in prior time periods as well as by monitoring the use of hot water during current periods. The device saves energy by switching the heater "off" during times when the projected and current need for hot water is low or nonexistent thereby reducing the tank temperature and therefore energy losses to the ambient, while detecting the instantaneous requirement for hot water through utilization of a flow sensor arrangement, one of which is the utilization of thermistors on the exit pipe and on the tank or body of the heater. The device leaves all existing controls intact and may be adapted by end users to existing heaters or by manufacturers of original equipment (OEMs).

There is provided a method and an apparatus to minimize energy loss of an internal combustion engine during engine warm-up. This includes monitoring engine operating conditions, and estimating a future energy loss. A power loss and a rate of change in the estimated future energy loss are determined. An engine control scheme effective to minimize the power loss and the rate of change in the estimated future energy loss is executed during the engine warm-up.

A multi-motor drive in which the resonance existing between one or more output filter capacitors of a current source inverter and an a.c. induction motor is reduced. The inverter features a switching pattern generator which controls the power switches of the inverter based on a reference current. A control loop, connected to the switching pattern generator, measures the load current or voltage and generates a nominal reference current based on an error therein; determines a damping current based on the voltage at the terminal; and determines the reference current supplied to the switching pattern generator by subtracting the damping current from the nominal reference current. The invention essentially simulates the use of a physical damping resistor connected in parallel with each output filter capacitor, but without the corresponding energy loss. This form of active damping control is also applied to a resonance mode existing between the input filter capacitors of a PWM-based rectifier and the system inductance of a power source.

A circuit board (14) on which the electronic components (2,3) providing power to a series of light sources (6) is positioned as near as possible to light sources in order to minimise parasitic energy losses which would be introduced by lengths of wiring. The light sources (5) are usually elongate tubular Cold Cathode Fluorescent Tubes arranged parallel to one another in a single plane and the circuit board (14) may be mounted directly over the light sources, towards one end of the tubes. Standard PCB board-to-board connectors (12) may be provided at an edge of the circuit board (14) and a further circuit board (10) provided with a series of conductive tracks may provide both a mechanical and electrical connection between the circuit board (14) and the light sources (5). A power distribution method is also disclosed in which both current and temperature of the light sources are monitored and regulated in order to extend the lifetime of the light sources (5) and to stabilise their brightness.

A piezoelectric micro-blower includes an inner case to which a peripheral portion of a vibrating plate including a piezoelectric element is fixed such that a blower chamber is defined between the inner case and the vibrating plate and an outer case arranged to cover an outer periphery of the inner case with a gap therebetween. The inner case is elastically retained in the outer case by a plurality of connecting portions. A first opening is provided in a top plate portion of the inner case that faces a central portion of the vibrating plate, and a second opening is provided in a top plate portion of the outer case that faces the first opening. A central space is provided between the top plate portions, and fluid introduced from the outside is guided to the central space through the gap between the inner and outer cases. The vibrating plate is driven in a bending mode so that air is sucked into the central space and is discharged through the second opening. The connecting portions prevent leakage of vibration of the vibrating plate from the inner case to the outer case, thereby reducing energy loss.

A power supply apparatus having an AC power supply, a transformer, a switching element and a control circuit for controlling an operation of the switching element: where an electrical current is supplied to the primary side of the transformer intermittently when a main unit of an electrical appliance to which the power supply apparatus is applied is in a standby mode so that unnecessary power consumption is reduced. Further, a capacitance is provided between the AC power supply and the control circuit instead of the conventional initializing resistance and the control circuit is driven using an electrical current going through a reactance component of the capacitor, so that the energy loss is not caused any more by the initializing resistance.

A protecting circuit monitors a voltage of a secondary battery and supplies the signal to permit a discharge to a gate terminal of a discharge control FET when the voltage is equal to or more than a lower limit value in a rated voltage range. When the discharge control FET receives this signal, it is connected and passes a discharge current. In the other cases, it shuts off the discharge current. Further, when the voltage is equal to or more than a predetermined value, a signal of a voltage of a battery voltage or more is supplied from a voltage converter to the gate terminal. When the voltage is equal to or less than an upper limit value in the rated voltage range, the protecting circuit supplies the signal to permit a charge to a gate terminal of a charge control FET. Further, when the voltage is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the voltage output from the voltage converter is supplied to the gate terminal. A battery pack in which by applying the voltage of the battery voltage or more to the gate terminal, the discharge control FET and the charge control FET are controlled and an energy loss is suppressed to the minimum is provided.

Energy harvesting systems and methods that use multiple piezoelectric generators connected to the same energy harvesting circuit with minimal or no energy loss. The piezoelectric energy harvesting system may include individual diode bridge circuits electrically connected to the outgoing wires from each piezoelectric generator. The piezoelectric energy harvesting system may include multiple subsystems each having one or more individual diode bridges electrically connected to the outgoing wires from multiple piezoelectric generators. Multiple subsystems, each having multiple piezoelectric generators and a diode bridge, may be electrically connected to the same energy harvesting circuit. The use of multiple piezoelectric generators connected to the same energy harvesting circuit results in improved energy harvesting capabilities, and a simplified and low cost energy harvesting system.

A multilayer film useful for capacitive applications comprises a high energy density layer and a dielectric blocking layer. In some embodiments, a conducting film is located between the high energy density layer and the blocking layer. The high energy density layer may be a fluoropolymer, such as a polymer or copolymer of poly-1,1-difluoroethene or a derivative thereof. The multilayer film may have high energy density (for example,. >8 J/cm³) and low dielectric loss, for example less than 2%, and preferably less than 1%.

A battery self heating system for batteries that experience battery impedance or internal battery resistance when temperature drops. The system comprises an energy storage element applied to the battery terminals to draw energy from the battery. The energy is stored in a magnetic or capacitive storage device. The system is self-resonant so that energy transfer from the storage device to the battery will occur at a frequency and load level that is compatible with the current state of the battery. Internal heating of the battery is accomplished by a cycle comprising the out flux and influx of energy through the impedance of the battery. Energy losses due to battery impedance are converted to heat thereby heating the battery internally.

Disclosed are systems, devices and methodologies relating to proton computed tomography. In some implementations, detection of protons can yield track information before and after an object for each proton so as to allow determination of a likely path of each proton within the object. Further, measurement of energy loss experienced by each proton allows determination that a given likely path results in a given energy loss. A collection of such data allows characterization of the object. In the context of energy loss, such a characterization can include an image map of relative stopping power of the object. Various reconstruction methodologies for obtaining such an image, including but not limited to superiorization of a merit function such as total variation, are disclosed. In some implementations, various forms of total variation superiorization methodology can yield excellent results while being computationally efficient and with reduced computing time. In some implementations, such a methodology can result in high quality proton CT images using relatively low dose of protons.

A ball-hitting portion is integrally coated with an elastic body, and thus a bat with durability that can carry the ball far can be obtained. The baseball or softball bat includes a tip portion, a ball-hitting portion, a tapered portion and a grip portion. A depression in the ball-hitting portion is integrally coated with the elastic body having a high rebound property value as a physical property. Thus, when hitting the ball, the elastic body will be compressed and deform, and energy loss due to the ball deformation will be suppressed. Moreover, the ball is carried additionally with a restoring force of the elastic body. Consequently, the bat has rebound property superior to a conventional one, and can carry the ball farther.

The invention discloses a variable air volume air-conditioner control system with a variable frequency fan and a digital air valve for adjusting tail end air volume and an implementation method, belonging to the technical field of the control of a variable air volume air-conditioner system. The variable air volume air-conditioner control system structurally comprises a master station DDC (direct digital control) controller, a tail end temperature controller, a filed bus, a tail end variable air volume box (VAV-BOX) and an air valve driver, comprises mater station DDC control and tail end temperature controller control in control types, and adopts a strategy of collective processing at first and decentralized control later. Through a method for adjusting the tail end air volume by the variable frequency fan and the digital air valve, the variable air volume air-conditioner system eliminates throttle energy loss of the air valve without a device for measuring the air volume, has simple control type and no influence on the operation of the whole variable air volume system, and has the advantages of good system stability and obvious energy-saving effect; and the fault on the variable air volume tail end device of certain node has no influence on the normal operation of other variable air volume tail end devices.