Power converter with degraded component alarm

• US 20090072983A1
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Astec International Limited (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Astec International Limited (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Wang, Zhe, Wang, Lin Guo, Jiang, Huai Gang, Cheng, Wing Ling
• Granted Patent: US 7,817,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/645
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/343 in operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/64 Testing of capacitors

Abstract

A power converter including a processor, at least one component whose health in the power converter will degrade over time, and at least one alarm is disclosed. The processor is configured for monitoring the health of the component over time, and for activating the alarm when the monitored health of the component reaches a threshold level.

Claims

1. A power converter comprising a processor, at least one component whose health in the power converter will degrade over time, and at least one alarm, the processor configured for monitoring the health of said component over time, and for activating the alarm when the monitored health of said component reaches a threshold level.

2. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the alarm is a visual alarm.

3. The power converter of claim 2 wherein the visual alarm includes an LED.

4. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the alarm is an audible alarm.

5. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured for monitoring the health of said component by monitoring at least one performance characteristic of the power converter that represents the health of said component.

6. The power converter of claim 5 wherein the component is a capacitor.

7. The power converter of claim 6 wherein the processor is configured for monitoring a ripple voltage across the capacitor and for activating the alarm when the monitored ripple voltage reaches a predetermined threshold level.

8. The power converter of claim 5 wherein the component is a fan.

9. The power converter of claim 8 wherein the processor is configured for monitoring a control signal provided to the fan and a speed of the fan, and for activating the alarm when the monitored speed of the fan is less than a fan speed corresponding to said control signal.

10. The power converter of claim 8 wherein the processor is configured for monitored a speed of the fan and a temperature, and for activating the alarm when the monitored speed of the fan is less than a predetermined fan speed corresponding to said temperature.

11. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the power converter is configured for activating the alarm only when the monitored health of said component reaches the threshold level.

12. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the power converter comprises a plurality of components whose performances in the power converter will degrade over time, and a plurality of alarms, each alarm corresponding to a different one of said components, the processor configured for monitoring the health of each component over time, and for activating one of the corresponding alarms when the monitored health of one of said components reaches a threshold level.

13. The power converter of claim 12 wherein the plurality of alarms each include an LED.

14. The power converter of claim 13 wherein each LED has a different color.

15. The power converter of claim 13 wherein the plurality of components include a bulk capacitor, an output capacitor and a fan.

16. The power converter of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to store data concerning the health of said component over time.

17. The power converter of claim 16 wherein the processor is further configured to store alarm history data.

18. A power converter comprising a processor, at least one component whose health in the power converter will degrade over time, the processor configured for monitoring the health of said component over time and for storing data concerning the health of said component over time.