US3812404A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Increasing the initial flow rate in a rectifier assembly employing electromagnetically-pumped liquid metal for cooling
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1973-05-29
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Granted: 1974-05-21
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Expires: 1993-05-29
Abstract
Abstract In each phase conductor of a polyphase rectifier system, there is a periodically-conducting rectifier assembly of the type comprising a semiconductor body and a cooling system for the body. The cooling system comprises a fluid circuit containing liquid metal and electromagnetic pumping means for forcing liquid metal through the fluid circuit. The electromagnetic pumping means comprises coil means, at least a portion of which is electrically connected in series with said semiconductor body. Means is provided for electrically connecting the coil means of the rectifier assemblies in circuit in such a way that when the rectifier assembly in any one phase conductor is blocking current therethrough, at least a portion of the coil means of said blocking rectifier assembly is energized by current passing through another of said phase conductors.
Inventors
- 👤 P Barkan
- 👤 F Kelley
- 👤 T Shook
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 09:25
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W72/00; H10W40/00; H10W40/40; H10W40/47; H10W90/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S257/00; Y10S257/909
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
In a rectifier system comprising a plurality of conductors connected in a power circuit, a. a rectifier assembly connected in each conductor for blocking current through its associated conductor during periods while current is flowing through another of said conductors, b. each rectifier assembly comprising a body at least partially of semiconductor material and a cooling system for cooling said body, c. said cooling system comprising: (i) a fluid circuit having a portion located adjacent said body and containing liquid metal and (ii) electromagnetic pumping means for forcing said liquid metal to flow through said fluid circuit and extract heat from said body, d. said pumping means of each rectifier assembly comprising, electrically in series with said body, a pair of spaced electrodes on opposite sides of liquid metal in said fluid circuit between which current flows across said liquid metal when said pumping means is in operation and an electromagnet for providing a magnetic field having flux lines extending across the portion of said fluid circuit traversed by electric current passing between said spaced electrodes in a direction transverse to said current, e. said electromagnet of each rectifier assembly comprising coil means, at least a portion of which is electrically connected in series with said electrodes and said body, f. and means for electrically connecting the coil means of said rectifier assemblies in circuit in such a way that when the rectifier assembly in any one conductor is blocking current therethrough, at least a portion of the coil means of said blocking rectifier assembly is energized by current passing through another of said conductors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
In a rectifier system comprising a plurality of conductors connected in a power circuit, a. a rectifier assembly connected in each conductor for blocking current through its associated conductor during periods while current is flowing through another of said conductors, b. each rectifier assembly comprising a body at least partially of semiconductor material and a cooling system for cooling said body, c. said cooling system comprising: (i) a fluid circuit having a portion located adjacent said body and containing liquid metal and (ii) electromagnetic pumping means for forcing said liquid metal to flow through said fluid circuit and extract heat from said body, d. said pumping means of each rectifier assembly comprising, electrically in series with said body, a pair of spaced electrodes on opposite sides of liquid metal in said fluid circuit between which current flows across said liquid metal when said pumping means is in operation and an electromagnet for providing a magnetic field having flux lines extending across the portion of said fluid circuit traversed by electric current passing between said spaced electrodes in a direction transverse to said current, e. said electromagnet of each rectifier assembly comprising coil means, at least a portion of which is electrically connected in series with said electrodes and said body, f. and means for electrically connecting the coil means of said rectifier assemblies in circuit in such a way that when the rectifier assembly in any one conductor is blocking current therethrough, at least a portion of the coil means of said blocking rectifier assembly is energized by current passing through another of said conductors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said conductors are the phase conductors of a polyphase a-c system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said rectifier assemblies are connected in inverse parAllel relationship.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
114 words
The combination of claim 1 in which: a. said conductors are the phase conductors of a polyphase a-c system, b. each of said semiconductor bodies comprises at least one internal rectifying junction and an anode and a cathode at opposite sides of said junction, c. the pump electrodes in each rectifier assembly are located between the cathode of the semiconductor body and the coil means of the rectifier assembly, and d. said connecting means of (f) of claim 1 comprises an electrical connection between the cathodes of said semiconductor bodies joined to each rectifier assembly at a location electrically between said cathode and the electrode of the associated pumping means immediately adjacent said cathode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
The combination of claim 1 in which: a. said conductors are the phase conductors of a polyphase a-c system, b. the coil means of each rectifier assembly is electrically connected in series with the pump electrodes and the semiconductor body of said rectifier assembly, and c. said connecting means of (f) of claim 1 comprises means for directing a portion of the current passing through the semiconductor body of each conducting rectifier assembly through the coil means of the other rectifier assemblies when said other rectifier assemblies are in a blocking state.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination of claim 5 in which: said connecting means is so located that it directs a portion of the current passing through the semiconductor body of each rectifier assembly to flow through paths extending between the pump electrodes of the other rectifier assemblies, whereby pumping is effected in said other rectifier assemblies even when said other rectifier assemblies are blocking.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
101 words
The combination of claim 1 in which: a. said conductors are the phase conductors of a polyphase a-c system, b. the electromagnet of each rectifier assembly comprises a core of magnetizable material for locating said magnetic field of each pumping means, c. the coil means of the rectifier assemblies are electrically interconnected in series to form a composite coil linked to the cores of the pumping means of said rectifier assemblies, and d. the current paths between the pump electrodes of the respective rectifier assemblies are connected to said composite coil at space points along the length of said composite coil.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
The combination of claim 1 in which: a. there are two rectifier assemblies electrically connected in inverse parallel relationship, b. the coil means of each rectifier assembly comprises two coil sections, one of said coil sections being electrically connected in series with the semiconductor body and pump electrodes of the associated rectifier assembly and the other of said coil sections being electrically connected in series with the pump electrodes and semiconductor body of the other rectifier assembly.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The combination of claim 8 in which the coil means of one rectifier assembly is electrically located at the cathode side of the semiconductor body in said one rectifier assembly and the coil means of the other rectifier assembly is electrically located at the anode side of the semiconductor body of the other rectifier assembly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
112 words
The combination of claim 1 in which: a. there are two of said rectifier assemblies electrically connected in inverse parallel relationship, b. each rectifier assembly comprises two pumping means respectively located at the anode and cathode sides of its semiconductor body, c. each pumping means is constructed as specified in (d) of claim 1, d. the coil means of each pumping means comprises two coil sections, one of said coil sections being electrically connected in series with the semiconductor body and pumping electrodes of the associated rectifier assembly and the other of said coil section being electrically connected in series with the pump electrodes and semiconductor body of the other rectifier assembly.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
94 words
The combination of claim 10 in whiCh: a. the coil section of the pumping means at the anode side of each rectifier assembly which is electrically connected in series with the semiconductor body of the other rectifier assembly is electrically located at the cathode side of said other rectifier assembly, and b. the coil section of the pumping means at the cathode side of each rectifier assembly which is electrically connected in series with the semiconductor body of the other rectifier assembly is electrically located at the anode side of said other rectifier assembly.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The combination of claim 1 in which: a. said conductors are the phase conductors of a polyphase a-c system, b. each rectifier assembly has a cathode terminal connected to a d.c. bus, and c. the coil means of said rectifier assemblies include portions connected in series with each other and with said d.c. bus for energization by the d.c. current through said d.c. bus.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
252 words
In a polyphase rectifier system comprising a plurality of phase conductors connected in a power circuit, a. a rectifier assembly connected in each phase conductor for conducting current in said phase conductor during predetermined periods and for blocking current through its associated phase conductor during periods while current is flowing through another of said phase conductors, b. each rectifier assembly comprising a body at least partially of semiconductor material and a cooling system for cooling said body, c. said cooling system comprising: (i) a fluid circuit having a portion located adjacent said body and containing liquid metal and (ii) electromagnetic pumping means for forcing said liquid metal to flow through said fluid circuit and extract heat from said body, d. said pumping means of each rectifier assembly comprising, electrically in series with said body, a pair of spaced electrodes on opposite sides of liquid metal in said fluid circuit between which current flows across said liquid metal when said pumping means is in operation and an electromagnet for providing a magnetic field having flux lines extending across the portion of said fluid circuit traversed by electric current passing between said spaced electrodes, e. said electromagnet of each rectifier assembly comprising coil means, at least a portion of which is electrically connected in series with said electrodes and said body, f. and means for causing current to flow through at least a portion of the coil means of each rectifier assembly while said rectifier assembly is blocking current through its associated phase conductor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
252 words
In a polyphase rectifier system comprising a plurality of phase conductors connected in a power circuit, a. a rectifier assembly connected in each phase conductor for conducting current in said phase conductor during predetermined periods and for blocking current through its associated phase conductor during periods while current is flowing through another of said phase conductors, b. each rectifier assembly comprising a body at least partially of semiconductor material and a cooling system for cooling said body, c. said cooling system comprising: (i) a fluid circuit having a portion located adjacent said body and containing liquid metal and (ii) electromagnetic pumping means for forcing said liquid metal to flow through said fluid circuit and extract heat from said body, d. said pumping means of each rectifier assembly comprising, electrically in series with said body, a pair of spaced electrodes on opposite sides of liquid metal in said fluid circuit between which current flows across said liquid metal when said pumping means is in operation and an electromagnet for providing a magnetic field having flux lines extending across the portion of said fluid circuit traversed by electric current passing between said spaced electrodes, e. said electromagnet of each rectifier assembly comprising coil means, at least a portion of which is electrically connected in series with said electrodes and said body, f. and means for causing current to flow through at least a portion of the coil means of each rectifier assembly while said rectifier assembly is blocking current through its associated phase conductor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination of claim 13 in which said means of f. comprises a separate source of power and means for connecting the pumping means of said rectifier assemblies in parallel with each other across said separate source.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
165 words
A periodically-conducting rectifier assembly comprising: a. a semiconductor body and a cooling system for said body, b. said cooling system comprising: (i) a fluid circuit having a portion located adjacent said body and containing liquid metal and (ii) electromagnetic pumping means for forcing said liquid metal to flow through said fluid circuit and extract heat from said body, c. said pumping means comprising a pair of spaced electrodes disposed electrically in series with said body and mechanically in contact with said liquid metal on opposite sides of said fluid circuit, and an electromagnet operable when energized to provide a magnetic field having flux lines extending across the portion of said fluid circuit traversed by electric current passing between said electrodes in a direction transverse to said current, said electromagnet being energized by current flowing through said semiconductor body and between said electrodes, d. and means for supplying an auxiliary current for energizing said electromagnet prior to a period of current flow through said semiconductor body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
165 words
A periodically-conducting rectifier assembly comprising: a. a semiconductor body and a cooling system for said body, b. said cooling system comprising: (i) a fluid circuit having a portion located adjacent said body and containing liquid metal and (ii) electromagnetic pumping means for forcing said liquid metal to flow through said fluid circuit and extract heat from said body, c. said pumping means comprising a pair of spaced electrodes disposed electrically in series with said body and mechanically in contact with said liquid metal on opposite sides of said fluid circuit, and an electromagnet operable when energized to provide a magnetic field having flux lines extending across the portion of said fluid circuit traversed by electric current passing between said electrodes in a direction transverse to said current, said electromagnet being energized by current flowing through said semiconductor body and between said electrodes, d. and means for supplying an auxiliary current for energizing said electromagnet prior to a period of current flow through said semiconductor body.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
66 words
In an electric power system comprising a plurality of periodically-conducting rectifier assemBlies which are interconnected and arranged to commence conducting in sequence, each rectifier assembly being constructed as specified in claim 15, said auxiliary current which is supplied to the electromagnet of a rectifier assembly during a non-conducting period thereof being derived from the current conducted by another of said rectifiers during a conducting period thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The improvement of claim 16 in which said power system comprises an alternating current source and an a-c load circuit, said rectifier assemblies being connected in inverse parallel relationship with one another to conduct load current between said source and said load circuit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
The improvement of claim 16 in which said power system comprises a polyphase alternating current source and a d-c load circuit, said rectifier assemblies being respectively connected between the different phases of said source and said load circuit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-20 | 1977-11-19 | 1978-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-20 | 1981-11-19 | 1982-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-20 | 1985-11-19 | 1986-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |