EP1282905A1

EP1282905A1 - Energy dimmer drive and energy pilot

Info

Publication number: EP1282905A1
Application number: EP01921740A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lorenzo Zannini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-05-10
Filing date: 2001-03-19
Publication date: 2003-02-12
Also published as: AU4870501A; JP2003533040A; AU2001248705B2; WO2001086669A1; KR20030022794A; KR100808524B1

Abstract

The invention comprises an energy dimmer drive and energy pilot that controls the amount of current and voltage conveyed from an input to a load, based on values selected by the user. The current and voltage is varied by controlling the spacing between the primary (5) and secondary (6) winding of a variable transformer (11), as well as the movement of a core (18) in the transformer through a minicomputer, relay cards and/or transistors, sensors and readers. The electric energy power variation is continuous, always rephased according to pre-established values and without microswitches, and is controlled instantaneously.

Description

TITLE: ENERGY DIMMER DRIVE AND ENERGY PILOT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a voltage control system for dispensing optimal quantities of electrical

energy from a central source to individual users .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to use energy

produced by any electric generator or by public utilities

or private distribution networks and to dispense it in the

desired optimal quantity to the ultimate user's plant.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the

voltage is controlled by varying the distance between two

6 moving coils of a variable transformer. This is accomplished via an actuating device positioned at the

head of the core. In addition, the core is also moved

between the coils to vary the amount of the core that is

present between the two coils. The variation of reciprocal

1 position between two or more coils can be carried out continuously through pulses generated by a minicomputer

with a suitable control card. In a second embodiment, the primary winding of

the transformer is stationary and the secondary winding is moving. The distance between the two coils is varied by

linked magnetic flux taking place by separating the second

winding from the primary and inserting one or more moving

cores between the columns of the transformer, activated by

a suitable device.

In a third embodiment, both coils of the transformer are stationary and the variation of linked

magnetic flux takes place by inserting one or more moving

cores between the columns of the transformer through a suitable mechanical device.

In all three embodiments, providing for

different methods of control of movement and positions of

the components, a variation of linked magnetic flux of the

transformer is obtained and, therefore, control of the

electromotive force supplied to the load.

The invention consists of continuously

regulating and stabilizing the combined load feed, for control of the power factor on input and output, which favors a reduction of the reactive component of the

electric power and reduces the costs of operation of the

ultimate users' plants. The voltage reducing equipment

can be used for high power values, without using power

contacts or other electromechanical systems, which are

used in other systems for varying voltage .

This system does not produce interruptions of electric power, since it provides solely for continuous variations of the functional parameters and does not

produce microinterruptions of voltage, which in the case

of lighting equipment, is often the cause of sudden

failures of lamps.

The system controls the variation of self-

induced electromotive force in a variable transformer in a

system of moving and/or stationary coils inserted in a

moving or stationary core having a rectangular cross-

section (s) or other variable shape (s), through a

microprocessor and appropriate control cards. The system

allows for a reduction or increase of electromotive force

accompanied by a continuous automatic correction with sensors and/or readers of the quantity of power through

discontinuous variation of the absorbed current of capacitors placed in parallel with the load, in single

phase or in three phases simultaneously.

There is an automatic correction of movement due

to electrodynamic repulsion or attraction exerted by the coils with each other, and stabilization of voltage values

on the output to the load through control of the distance between coils.

The section of the moving core and of the air

gap can be varied through the mechanical insertion of

magnetic lamination columns with their grains or

laminations oriented or not, for control of the useful

section of the magnetic core, involved in coupling between

the coils and the cores themselves.

The insertion of moving cores takes place

between the columns of the transformer and between the

coils (primary and secondary winding for single phase) in

both directions. The voltage can be increased over

network values through a different turn ratio between the coils, with automatic control of output voltage, depending

on the values programmed.

The power can be automatically corrected with values pre-

established by the user for a single phase. The system

offers different structural configurations of the variable

transformer and, therefore, the design choice is a direct

consequence of the specific use application.

The design choice makes possible the use of

three different systems for energy control:

(a) stationary coils, and a variable section of

moving core that is horizontally inserted between the

coils with a mechanical actuator;

(b) a stationary primary winding and a movable

secondary winding, with a variable section of core that is

inserted between the columns with a mechanical actuator;

or

(c) movable primary and secondary windings with

a movable core inserted between the coils.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying

drawing. It is to be understood, however, that the

drawing is designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

The Figure shows a schematic view of the system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now in detail to the drawing, there is

shown a controller 1 in the form of a microprocessor, having eight-output multiple relay cards and/or

transistors 3 for control of equipment components, each

dedicated to specific use for control and operation of

equipment. Controller 1 has an alphanumeric display with keyboard 2 for insertion and control of data and functions

by the user. There is a telecontrol station 4 for control

room data transmission.

There is a transformer 11 with a magnetic flux

divider, operable with cores of different shapes and dimensions. Transformer 11 supplies power, either single phase, two phase or three phase, to a user's load through

a control of electromotive force which is continuously

variable on the basis of values selected by the user.

Transformer 11 transforms energy from a feeder

line with network voltage to an output line with variable

current voltage by varying the magnetic flux, which occurs

by varying the horizontal distance between centers of moving coils 5, 6. This is accomplished by a combination

of the turn ratio between the primary moving coil 6 and secondary moving coil 5, and by the regulation of magnetic

flux. The magnetic flux is also regulated by controlling the section and position of a core 18 inserted in air gaps

between the coils 5, 6 of the transformer.

There are mechanical/electrical actuators in the form of motors 12 with endless screw (s) 10 placed on the

axis of variable core 18, for displacement of the moving

coils along the axis on the longitudinal plane of the

core. There are a series of relays and/or transistors 15

for on/off control of timed motor operation. There is a

control switch 9 for automatically boosting the voltage. The coils can be driven on two different

mechanical actuators or motors 12, the first placed at the

head of the primary winding 5 and the second placed at the

head of the secondary winding 6. .Moving core 18 can be

moved with a mechanical or electrical actuator system in

the form of a motor 17 placed perpendicular to core 18,

which is driven horizontally inside the columns of

transformer 11. Switches 16 allow for manual and automatic

drive and control of the motors 12 and 17.

There are capacitors 7, 8, which are single-

phase or three-phase, that are automatically inserted

parallel to the load and are capable of compensating for

or optimizing the power in a single phase or three phases.

The invention provides a device for measuring and

signaling the principal electric quantities and possible

operating anomalies. Ammeter 13 allows for automatic

on/off insertion of capacitors 7, 8 and for controlling of

instantaneous currents by the operation of endless screw

10.

The loads that are connected to receive the power can be an internal and external illumination load L,

an electric heating and/or ventilation load R, a load of

motors with speed control M, or a load of air conditioning compressors C.

The energy dimmer drive system according to the

invention makes it possible to use electrical devices

while conserving absorbed power at the ultimate user's

plant in the following individual or simultaneous applications: industrial plant motors in general, air

conditioning compressors; outdoor, indoor and street lighting; industrial refrigeration compressors and motors;

asynchronous motor starting; or pumping systems with

electric motors. The shape and design of the system allows for a wide range

of power, in single-phase and two-phase as well as three-

phase systems, with the presence of balanced and unbalanced loads without presenting any type of operating

problem.

Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the

present invention have been shown and described, it is

obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of

the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A system for controlling the amount of voltage transferred from an input to a load, comprising:

a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, separated from each other by a space;

a movable core disposed in the space between the primary and secondary windings;

a device connected to the core for moving the core longitudinally within the space; and

a controller for automatically signalling

said device to move the core, to vary the voltage

transferred to the load according to preprogrammed

parameters.

2. The device according to claim 1, further

comprising at least one actuator connected to at least one

of the primary and secondary windings for varying the

space between the primary and secondary windings, and

wherein the controller signals said at least one actuator to vary the space between the windings according to

preprogrammed parameters .

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein

the primary and secondary windings are each connected to a

separate actuator that moves both windings to vary the

space between the windings .

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein

the actuator comprises a motor with an endless screw

connected to one of said windings.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the device comprises a motor with an endless screw

connected to said core.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller comprises a microprocessor attached to an

alphanumeric display and keyboard for inputting selected

parameters to control the movement of the windings and the

core.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the controller further comprises eight-output multiple

control and power cards.

8. The system according to claim 1, further

comprising at least one capacitor connected to said system

for optimizing the power transferred to the load.