US2605457A - Current regulator - Google Patents

Current regulator Download PDF

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Publication number
US2605457A
US2605457A US240901A US24090151A US2605457A US 2605457 A US2605457 A US 2605457A US 240901 A US240901 A US 240901A US 24090151 A US24090151 A US 24090151A US 2605457 A US2605457 A US 2605457A
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Prior art keywords
winding
transformer
core
output
capacitor
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Expired - Lifetime
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US240901A
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Peterson Justin
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General Electric Co
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General Electric Co
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Priority to US240901A priority Critical patent/US2605457A/en
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Publication of US2605457A publication Critical patent/US2605457A/en
Priority to GB19911/52A priority patent/GB699606A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • GPHYSICS
    • G05CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05FSYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G05F1/00Automatic systems in which deviations of an electric quantity from one or more predetermined values are detected at the output of the system and fed back to a device within the system to restore the detected quantity to its predetermined value or values, i.e. retroactive systems
    • G05F1/10Regulating voltage or current
    • G05F1/12Regulating voltage or current wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is ac
    • G05F1/32Regulating voltage or current wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is ac using magnetic devices having a controllable degree of saturation as final control devices
    • GPHYSICS
    • G05CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05FSYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G05F1/00Automatic systems in which deviations of an electric quantity from one or more predetermined values are detected at the output of the system and fed back to a device within the system to restore the detected quantity to its predetermined value or values, i.e. retroactive systems
    • G05F1/10Regulating voltage or current
    • G05F1/12Regulating voltage or current wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is ac
    • G05F1/32Regulating voltage or current wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is ac using magnetic devices having a controllable degree of saturation as final control devices
    • G05F1/325Regulating voltage or current wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is ac using magnetic devices having a controllable degree of saturation as final control devices with specific core structure, e.g. gap, aperture, slot, permanent magnet

Definitions

  • s My invention relates to current regulators
  • I provide upon a single 'magnetizable core having a plurality of legs, a plurality of elements of a constant current regulating system.
  • Upon one leg I provide an input auto-transformer winding, and upon another leg I provide output transformer windings of the isolated secondary winding type, the primary winding of which is arranged to be connected through a capacitor across selectable points on the input auto-transformer.
  • the core is provided with a leakage flux path, and the reactance of the capacitor is made equal to the sum of the leakage reactance of the output transformer primary winding and the equivalent leakage reactance of the input winding referred to in the output transformer primary winding.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic-circuit diagram of a resonant constant current regulating apparatus embodying my invention
  • Fig. 2 is a simplified circuit diagram of the same apparatus showing the fundamental relationship of the various windings.
  • I have there illustrated a resonant regulating apparatus for supplying substantially constant current to a variable impedance load I froma substantially constant voltage source 2 of alternating electric current supply.
  • the load l is shown for simplicity as a variable resistor, and such resistor may, for example, be taken to represent a series light- 'in load wherein the number of lamps in the series circuit is variable.
  • the regulating apparatus itself is mounted upon a single three-legged magnetizable core 3 having two integral legs 4 and 5 and a third high reluctance shunt leg 6 provided with an air gap 6a. No windings are mounted upon the high reluctance shunt leg 6, but this leg serves as a leakage path for magnetic flux in the legs 4 and -5'.
  • the integral core leg 4 there is mounted an input auto-transformer winding I having a pair of input terminals 8 and 9 which are adapted to be'connected to theconstant voltage supply sourc 2.
  • the input terminal 9 is connected through a selector switch H! to any one of a.
  • a winding ll one end of which is connected to the input terminal 8 and the other end of which is connected to one terminal of a capacitor l2.
  • the leakage reactance of the winding ll together with the equivalent leakage reactance of the winding 1 referred to the winding 1 I are selected to be substantially equal to the reactance of the capacitor l2, and the winding II and capacitor I2 are arranged to be connected in series circuit relation across selectable portions of the input autotransformer winding 1.
  • a selector switch I 3 arranged to connect the other terminal of the capacitor l2 to any desired one of a plurality of taps l3a on the output side of the auto-transformer winding 1.
  • winding M in inductive relation with the winding H, and constitutingwith the winding ll an isolated secondary winding of an output transformer, of which the winding ll forms the primary winding.
  • the ends of the winding M are connected to a pair of output terminals l5 which are thus fixedly inductively coupled to the winding H and are adapted to be connected to the variable impedance load I.
  • the current in the output transformer secondary winding M for any predetermined setting of the selector switches l0 and I3 is substantially constant and is independent of the impedance of the load I below the saturation limit of the core leg 6.
  • the particular desired value of this constant current may be adjusted by changing the position of the selector switch l3, thereby to vary the input voltage applied to the resonant circuit ll, I2.
  • a current regulator for supplying substantially constant current of selectable value to a variable impedance load from a substantially constant voltage source of alternating electric current supply comprising a magnetizable core forming a closed magnetic circuit and a shunt flux path thereacross, an auto-transformer winding mounted on said core to embrace said closed magnetic circuit and having input terminals adapted to be connected to said constant voltage supply source, a second winding mounted on said core to embrace said closed magnetic circuit, a capacitor having a reactance substantially equal to sum of the leakage reactances of both said windings referred to said second winding, switching means for connecting said second winding and capacitor in series circuit relation across selectable portions of said autotransformer winding, and output terminals fixedly coupled to said second winding.
  • a current regulator for supplying substantially constant current of selectable value to a variable impedance load from a substantially constant voltage source of alternating electric current supply comprising a magnetizable core forming a closed magnetic circuit and a shunt flux path thereacross, an auto-transformer winding mounted on said core to embrace said closed magnetic circuit and having input terminals adapted to be connected to said constant voltage supply source, a second winding mounted on said core in inductive relation with and connected at one end to said auto-transformer winding, a capacitor having one terminal connected to the other end of said second winding and having a reactance substantially equal to the sum of the leakage reactance of both said windings referred to said second winding, switching means for connecting the other terminal of said capacitor to selectable spaced apart points on said auto-transformer winding, and output terminals fixedly coupled to said second winding.
  • a current regulator for supplying substantially constant current of selectable value to a variable impedance load from a substantially constant voltage source of alternating electric current supply comprising a magnetizable core forming a closed magnetic circuit and a shunt flux path thereacross, an auto-transformer winding mounted on said core to embrace said closed magnetic circuit and having input terminals adapted to be connected to said constant voltage supply source, a second winding mounted on said core to embrace said closed magnetic circuit, a capacitor having a reactance substantially equal to the sum of both the leakage reactances of said windings referred to said second windin switching means for connecting said second winding and capacitor in series circuit relation across selectable portions of said auto-transformer winding, and output terminals fixedly inductively coupled to said second winding.
  • a current regulator for supplying substantially constant current of selectable value to a variable impedance load from a substantially constant voltage source of alternating electric current supply comprising a three-legged magnetizable core having an air gap in one leg thereof, an auto-transformer winding mounted on a second leg of said core and having input terminals adapted to be connected to said constant voltage supply source, a second winding mounted on a third leg of said core in inductive relation with and connected at one end to said autotransformer winding, a capacitor having one terminal connected to the other end of said second winding and having a reactance substantially equal to the sum of the leakage reactances of both said windings referred to said second winding, switching means for connecting the other terminal of said capacitor to selectable spaced apart points on said auto-transformer winding, an output winding on the third core leg in inductive relation to said second winding, and output terminals fixedly connected to said output winding.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Control Of Electrical Variables (AREA)
  • Transformers For Measuring Instruments (AREA)

Description

y 29, 1952 J. PETERSON 2,605,457
' CURRENT REGULATOR Filed Aug. 8, 1951 Fig.1.
Inventor: Justin Peterson,
His Attorney.
Patented July 29, 1952 Justin Peterson, Swampscott, Mass., assig-nor to General Electric Company,-a-corporation of New Yorkv Application August s, 1951, Serial No. 240,901
, s My invention relates to current regulators, and
more particularly to static constant current regulators of the series resonant type.
In series lighting circuit, it is frequently necessary in order to accommodate a large number of lamps, that the output voltage of a constant current regulator supplying the circuit be of rather large value. This is best'provide'd by im ductive coupling'of theout put terminals with the resonant regulator circuit, as by transformer coupling between the resonant circuit and the output terminals. In such acircuit, it is of course evident that the constant current output may be adjusted by means of adjustable taps on the transformer secondaryor output winding. Such an arrangement is shown in the Patent 2,195,969 Miner. Where the output voltage is quite high, however, the high voltage switching means necessary to provide such an arrangement are large and expensive. I
It is therefore a'principal object'of my invention to provide new and novel switching means for adjusting the output'current in a constant current resonant regulator of the static type.
It is a more specific object of my invention to provide a constant current regulator of the static resonant type for series lighting circuits, such as airport runway lighting, wherein low voltage switching means are provided for adjusting the output current to control the brightness of the lamps.
In carrying out the invention in one form, I provide upon a single 'magnetizable core having a plurality of legs, a plurality of elements of a constant current regulating system. Upon one leg I provide an input auto-transformer winding, and upon another leg I provide output transformer windings of the isolated secondary winding type, the primary winding of which is arranged to be connected through a capacitor across selectable points on the input auto-transformer. The core is provided with a leakage flux path, and the reactance of the capacitor is made equal to the sum of the leakage reactance of the output transformer primary winding and the equivalent leakage reactance of the input winding referred to in the output transformer primary winding. By thus combining all the inductive elements of the regulator upon a common core, the weight and expense of the equipment are maintained at a minimum, and in addition, by switching the connection of the capacitor to the output of the relatively low voltage auto-transformer to control the magnitude of constant current output, the
4 Claims. (01. zza-z) cost, size, and weight of the switching apparatus arereduced.
My invention will be more fully understood and its various objects and advantages further appreciated by referring now to the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic-circuit diagram of a resonant constant current regulating apparatus embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a simplified circuit diagram of the same apparatus showing the fundamental relationship of the various windings.
Referring now to the drawing, I have there illustrated a resonant regulating apparatus for supplying substantially constant current to a variable impedance load I froma substantially constant voltage source 2 of alternating electric current supply. The load l is shown for simplicity as a variable resistor, and such resistor may, for example, be taken to represent a series light- 'in load wherein the number of lamps in the series circuit is variable.
The regulating apparatus itself is mounted upon a single three-legged magnetizable core 3 having two integral legs 4 and 5 and a third high reluctance shunt leg 6 provided with an air gap 6a. No windings are mounted upon the high reluctance shunt leg 6, but this leg serves as a leakage path for magnetic flux in the legs 4 and -5'. Upon the integral core leg 4, there is mounted an input auto-transformer winding I having a pair of input terminals 8 and 9 which are adapted to be'connected to theconstant voltage supply sourc 2. The input terminal 9 is connected through a selector switch H! to any one of a. plurality of taps on the auto-transformer winding 1 in order to adjust the regulator for variations in the voltage of the source 2. Upon the other integral core leg 5, there is disposed a winding ll, one end of which is connected to the input terminal 8 and the other end of which is connected to one terminal of a capacitor l2. The leakage reactance of the winding ll together with the equivalent leakage reactance of the winding 1 referred to the winding 1 I are selected to be substantially equal to the reactance of the capacitor l2, and the winding II and capacitor I2 are arranged to be connected in series circuit relation across selectable portions of the input autotransformer winding 1. For this latter .purpose, there is provided a selector switch I 3 arranged to connect the other terminal of the capacitor l2 to any desired one of a plurality of taps l3a on the output side of the auto-transformer winding 1.
Upon the core leg 5 there is also disposed another winding M in inductive relation with the winding H, and constitutingwith the winding ll an isolated secondary winding of an output transformer, of which the winding ll forms the primary winding. The ends of the winding M are connected to a pair of output terminals l5 which are thus fixedly inductively coupled to the winding H and are adapted to be connected to the variable impedance load I.
It will now be readily understood by those skilled in the art that by reasons of the series resonant nature of the circuit including the capacitor l2 and the winding leakage reactances, the current in the output transformer secondary winding M for any predetermined setting of the selector switches l0 and I3 is substantially constant and is independent of the impedance of the load I below the saturation limit of the core leg 6. The particular desired value of this constant current may be adjusted by changing the position of the selector switch l3, thereby to vary the input voltage applied to the resonant circuit ll, I2.
While I have shown only a preferred embodiment of my invention by way of illustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, and I therefore wish to have it understood that I intend in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.
What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:
1. A current regulator for supplying substantially constant current of selectable value to a variable impedance load from a substantially constant voltage source of alternating electric current supply comprising a magnetizable core forming a closed magnetic circuit and a shunt flux path thereacross, an auto-transformer winding mounted on said core to embrace said closed magnetic circuit and having input terminals adapted to be connected to said constant voltage supply source, a second winding mounted on said core to embrace said closed magnetic circuit, a capacitor having a reactance substantially equal to sum of the leakage reactances of both said windings referred to said second winding, switching means for connecting said second winding and capacitor in series circuit relation across selectable portions of said autotransformer winding, and output terminals fixedly coupled to said second winding.
2. A current regulator for supplying substantially constant current of selectable value to a variable impedance load from a substantially constant voltage source of alternating electric current supply comprising a magnetizable core forming a closed magnetic circuit and a shunt flux path thereacross, an auto-transformer winding mounted on said core to embrace said closed magnetic circuit and having input terminals adapted to be connected to said constant voltage supply source, a second winding mounted on said core in inductive relation with and connected at one end to said auto-transformer winding, a capacitor having one terminal connected to the other end of said second winding and having a reactance substantially equal to the sum of the leakage reactance of both said windings referred to said second winding, switching means for connecting the other terminal of said capacitor to selectable spaced apart points on said auto-transformer winding, and output terminals fixedly coupled to said second winding. 3. A current regulator for supplying substantially constant current of selectable value to a variable impedance load from a substantially constant voltage source of alternating electric current supply comprising a magnetizable core forming a closed magnetic circuit and a shunt flux path thereacross, an auto-transformer winding mounted on said core to embrace said closed magnetic circuit and having input terminals adapted to be connected to said constant voltage supply source, a second winding mounted on said core to embrace said closed magnetic circuit, a capacitor having a reactance substantially equal to the sum of both the leakage reactances of said windings referred to said second windin switching means for connecting said second winding and capacitor in series circuit relation across selectable portions of said auto-transformer winding, and output terminals fixedly inductively coupled to said second winding.
4. A current regulator for supplying substantially constant current of selectable value to a variable impedance load from a substantially constant voltage source of alternating electric current supply comprising a three-legged magnetizable core having an air gap in one leg thereof, an auto-transformer winding mounted on a second leg of said core and having input terminals adapted to be connected to said constant voltage supply source, a second winding mounted on a third leg of said core in inductive relation with and connected at one end to said autotransformer winding, a capacitor having one terminal connected to the other end of said second winding and having a reactance substantially equal to the sum of the leakage reactances of both said windings referred to said second winding, switching means for connecting the other terminal of said capacitor to selectable spaced apart points on said auto-transformer winding, an output winding on the third core leg in inductive relation to said second winding, and output terminals fixedly connected to said output winding.
JUSTIN PETERSON.
No references cited.
US240901A 1951-08-08 1951-08-08 Current regulator Expired - Lifetime US2605457A (en)

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US240901A US2605457A (en) 1951-08-08 1951-08-08 Current regulator
GB19911/52A GB699606A (en) 1951-08-08 1952-08-07 Improvements in and relating to current regulators

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Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2999973A (en) * 1957-03-15 1961-09-12 Fox Prod Co Transformer apparatus
US3247450A (en) * 1957-03-15 1966-04-19 Fox Prod Co Transformer apparatus
US3247449A (en) * 1957-03-15 1966-04-19 Fox Prod Co Transformer apparatus
US3249851A (en) * 1957-03-15 1966-05-03 Fox Prod Co Transformer apparatus
US3612988A (en) * 1969-09-15 1971-10-12 Wanlass Cravens Lamar Flux-gated voltage regulator
US3614595A (en) * 1969-02-12 1971-10-19 Ferranti Ltd Ac voltage control apparatus
US3652923A (en) * 1970-10-12 1972-03-28 Hughey & Phillips Inc Transformer-coupling circuit
WO2002051342A1 (en) 2000-12-22 2002-07-04 Townsend Barry W Prosthetic foot
US11769981B1 (en) 2020-03-27 2023-09-26 Government Of The United States As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Circuit and method for regulating currents to multiple loads

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None *

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2999973A (en) * 1957-03-15 1961-09-12 Fox Prod Co Transformer apparatus
US3247450A (en) * 1957-03-15 1966-04-19 Fox Prod Co Transformer apparatus
US3247449A (en) * 1957-03-15 1966-04-19 Fox Prod Co Transformer apparatus
US3249851A (en) * 1957-03-15 1966-05-03 Fox Prod Co Transformer apparatus
US3614595A (en) * 1969-02-12 1971-10-19 Ferranti Ltd Ac voltage control apparatus
US3612988A (en) * 1969-09-15 1971-10-12 Wanlass Cravens Lamar Flux-gated voltage regulator
US3652923A (en) * 1970-10-12 1972-03-28 Hughey & Phillips Inc Transformer-coupling circuit
WO2002051342A1 (en) 2000-12-22 2002-07-04 Townsend Barry W Prosthetic foot
US11769981B1 (en) 2020-03-27 2023-09-26 Government Of The United States As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Circuit and method for regulating currents to multiple loads

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GB699606A (en) 1953-11-11

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