Electrical circuit for controlling electrical power to drive an inductive load

• US 8,633,669 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marc Henness
• Original Assignee: Marc Henness
• Inventors: Henness, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Ip, Paul
• Application Number:
  US13/335,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20120161690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 318/400.31, 318/789, 318/795, 318/786, 318/800, 318/139, 320/132, 320/166, 320/167, 320/118, 361/15, 361/16, 361/17
• US Class Current: 318/795
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1555 for the generation of a regulated current to a load whose impedance is substantially inductive
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 23/00 Arrangements or methods for the control of AC motors characterised by a control method other than vector control

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for controlling electrical current through an inductive load. The electrical current is supplied by one of at least three selectable dual capacitor bank electrical circuits. The method includes storing electrical energy during a charge operating state in first and second capacitor banks of a first dual capacitor bank circuit. The stored electrical energy is then used to drive the inductive load when operating the first dual capacitor bank circuit in a drive operating state. After depleting the stored electrical energy from the first and second capacitor banks, the first dual capacitor bank transitions to a collection operating state that includes collecting electrical energy from the inductive load. A second and third dual capacitor circuits simultaneously transition among the charge operating state, the drive operating state, and the collection operating state during operation.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit comprising:

a first dual bank electrical circuit having a grounded first bank of capacitors selectively electrically connected in series and selectively electrically connected in parallel with a second bank of capacitors, the first and second bank of capacitors selectively electrically connected in series to a load and to a power source, and selectively electrically connected in parallel when collecting electrical energy;

a second dual bank electrical circuit having a grounded third bank of capacitors selectively electrically connected in series and selectively electrically connected in parallel with a fourth bank of capacitors, the third and fourth bank of capacitors selectively electrically connected in series to the load and to the power source, and selectively electrically connected in parallel when collecting electrical energy; and

a third dual bank electrical circuit having a grounded fifth bank of capacitors selectively electrically connected in series and selectively electrically connected in parallel with a sixth bank of capacitors, the fifth and sixth bank of capacitors selectively electrically connected in series to the load and to the power source, and selectively electrically connected in parallel when collecting electrical energy.

2. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the load comprises a first end configured to selectively electrically connect to one of the first, second, and third dual bank electrical circuits, and further comprises a second end configured to selectively electrically connect to one of the first, second, and third dual bank electrical circuits.

3. The electrical circuit of claim 2, wherein the first dual bank electrical circuit is electrically connected to the first end of the load and the second dual bank electrical circuit is electrically connected to the second end of the load subsequent to the first dual electrical circuit transitioning to a charged operating state.

4. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third dual bank electrical circuits are configured to transition among a plurality of operating states comprising a drive operating state, a charge operating state, and a collection operating state.

5. The electrical circuit of claim 4, wherein the first, second, and third dual bank electrical circuits are configured to transition among the plurality of operating states based upon electrical power stored within constituent capacitor banks.

6. The electrical circuit of claim 4, wherein each of the first, second, and third dual bank electrical circuits is configured to consecutively transition from the charge operating state to the drive operating state, from the drive operating state to the collection operating state, and from the collection operating state to the charge operating state.

7. The electrical circuit of claim 4, wherein the plurality of operating states further comprises a natural response operating state.

8. The electrical circuit of claim 7, wherein each of the first, second, and third dual bank electrical circuits is configured to consecutively transition from the charge operating state to the drive operating state, from the drive operating state to the natural response operating state, from the natural response operating state to the collection operating state, and from the collection operating state to the charge operating state.

9. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the load is an induction motor.

10. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the load comprises a solenoid.

11. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the electrical power source comprises a current source.

12. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the first and second bank of capacitors are selectively connected in series when the first electrical switch is in a closed position, and selectively connected in parallel when the first and second electrical switches are in a closed position.

13. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the third and fourth bank of capacitors are selectively connected in series when the fourth electrical switch is in a closed position, and selectively connected in parallel when the fourth and fifth electrical switches are in a closed position.

14. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the fifth and sixth bank of capacitors are selectively connected in series when the seventh electrical switch is in a closed position, and selectively connected in parallel when the seventh and eighth electrical switches are in a closed position.

15. The electrical circuit of claim 1, wherein the load is an induction motor.

16. An electrical circuit comprising:

a first dual bank electrical circuit comprising;

a first bank of capacitors, having a first end electrically connected to a ground and a second end connected to a first and second electrical switch, and

a second bank of capacitors having a first end electrically connected to the first electrical switch and a second end electrically connected to the second electrical switch and a third electrical switch;

a second dual bank electrical circuit comprising;

a third bank of capacitors, having a first end electrically connected to a ground and a second end connected to a fourth and fifth electrical switch, and

a fourth bank of capacitors having a first end electrically connected to the fourth electrical switch and a second end electrically connected to the fifth electrical switch and a sixth electrical switch; and

a third dual bank electrical circuit comprising;

a fifth bank of capacitors, having a first end electrically connected to the ground and a second end connected to a seventh and eighth electrical switch, and

a sixth bank of capacitors having a first end electrically connected to the seventh electrical switch and a second end electrically connected to the eighth electrical switch and a ninth electrical switch;

an electrical power source selectively electrically connected to the first, second, and third dual bank electrical circuits; and

wherein the first, second, and third dual bank electrical circuits are each selectively electrically connected to a load via one or more electrical switches.

17. A method for controlling electrical current through an inductive load, said current supplied by one of at least three selectable dual capacitor bank electrical circuits, the method comprising:

storing electrical energy in first and second capacitor banks electrically selectively connected in series of a first dual capacitor bank circuit when operating the dual capacitor bank circuit in a charge operating state;

driving the inductive load with the stored electrical energy in the first and second capacitor banks selectively connected in series when operating the first dual capacitor bank circuit in a drive operating state;

collecting electrical energy from the inductive load with the first and second capacitor banks electrically selectively connected in parallel when operating the first dual capacitor bank circuit in a collection operating state; and

simultaneously transitioning the first dual capacitor bank circuit, a second dual capacitor bank circuit and a third dual capacitor bank circuit among the charge operating state, the drive operating state, and the collection operating state.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

transitioning one of the first, second, and third dual capacitor bank circuits from the drive operating state to a natural response operating state before transitioning to the collection operating state.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a total electrical current communicating through the inductive load during the charge and drive operating states is integrated into a collection capacitor bank of the dual capacitor bank operating in the collection operating state.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

maintaining electrical current through the inductive load by switching between the drive operating state and the natural response operating state at a frequency greater than the circuit'"'"'s angular frequency divided by 2pi.