tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22286987847650944402024-03-08T03:59:53.258-08:00Ballistic Breaker™: The Arc-Free Circuit Breaker for DC or AC PowerAn economical and reliable DC circuit breaker for DC voltage > 3.5kV is not commercially available today. The lack of such a breaker has been inhibiting the development of DC power distribution in factories (especially processing plants with many variable speed motors); for microgrids (including on ships, oil platforms, and wind farms), and for multiterminal HVDC power transmission, as in the supergrid.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-15979223260173179022018-03-12T09:05:00.000-07:002018-03-12T09:05:40.817-07:00Update on Patent Status for Ballistic breakers<h3>
All my patents for both Ballistic Breakers and elpipes were assigned to Alevo SA, the Swiss parent company of Alevo USA, while I worked there. I believe Alevo SA is now bankrupt, and I believe my patents are now effectively owned by Dmitry Rybolovlev, who had been the majority stockholder in Alevo.</h3>
roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-85558445915338965262015-07-22T07:37:00.000-07:002015-07-22T07:38:51.522-07:00ABB and Alstom Grid hybrid HVDC circuit breakersI have written before about <a href="http://ballisticbreaker.blogspot.com/2012/11/abb-announces-worlds-first-circuit.html">ABB's HVDC hybrid breaker</a> and its meaning, and about the reasons that <a href="http://elpipes.blogspot.com/2015/03/hvdc-grid-requires-much-more-economical.html">breakers that are more economical</a> than their breaker (or Alstom Grid's competitive design) are needed to enable a cost effective supergrid. This post focuses more on the steps needed to enable the eventual supergrid; by that, I refer to the "mesogrid" voltage levels in a future DC grid.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-11044121891444867212014-12-14T07:02:00.001-08:002014-12-14T07:02:13.923-08:00First Ballistic Breaker Patent has IssuedThe first national phase patent has issued on the Ballistic Breaker, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3Z2FwQnMwY0NnQjg/view?usp=sharing">US patent 8,890,019</a>. There are many more national phase patents coming from the original PCT, plus a CIP application in the US and a whole second stream of patents from a second PCT.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-43307260222714423992014-11-11T07:41:00.001-08:002014-12-14T07:15:47.327-08:00Alevo now controls the Ballistic Breaker<div class="MsoNormal">
Alevo has made a deal with me to acquire both of my corporations (Ballistic Breaker and Electric Pipeline) in a merger/acquisition, and has hired me to pursue elpipes (<a href="http://www.elpipe.com/">www.elpipe.com</a>) and Ballistic Breakers (<a href="http://www.ballisticbreaker.com/">www.ballisticbreaker.com</a>). Elpipes
are one key part of what is needed to create a <a href="http://blogs.ft.com/energy-source/2010/07/13/gregor-czisch-on-the-super-grid/#axzz3IlqRLDRt">supergrid</a>,
and a supergrid big enough to span several weather systems is needed to make
non-dispatchable generators (wind & solar, mainly) sufficiently reliable in
aggregation to greatly lower the amount of storage or fast dispatchable
generation needed to balance load on the grid.<br />
<br />
All of Alevo's innovative products aim at enabling a de-carbonization of our energy technology. My particular piece is focused on DC power, which is critical for a robust, multi-generation supergrid. Their launch technology is a very robust & efficient Li-ion battery that is especially well suited to application in the grid. Next
products include my inventions, a <a href="http://ballisticbreaker.blogspot.com/2012/11/abb-announces-worlds-first-circuit.html">lower
cost DC Breaker</a> and a high capacity electricity pipeline, the elpipe. The
elpipe supports the next phase of evolution of the grid by enabling transfers
~30GW through one passively cooled line. No magic involved; elpipes use a LOT
more metal per amp-m than conventional lines. Elpipes will achieve reliability
in spite of having 50X more electrical junctions by inventive snap-fit methods
combined with appropriate assembly protocol and real time monitoring of
performance. The elpipe is a mashup of a powerline, a pipeline, and a train.
The elpipe “train” could consist of 200 km of linked cars, all with
synchronized controllers running, feeding back information to the global
controller through multiple channels for redundancy.</div>
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My <a href="http://ballisticbreaker.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-startup-pivot-from-elpipes-to.html">Ballistic
Breaker</a> is enabling for DC networks at many power levels, and development of the 1-10 MW scale DC breaker is high priority right now.<o:p></o:p></div>
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roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-44206309908420880392014-02-05T10:58:00.000-08:002014-02-10T09:55:39.814-08:00USPTO office action on Ballistic BreakersMy <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3aVZRSEVIVjYxRWs/edit?usp=sharing"><span style="color: blue;">continuation in part patent application</span></a> on Ballistic Breakers will be allowed. Claims 1-19 are allowed as submitted; there is a technical issue with claim 20 that can easily be overcome. This is the second time in a month that I have had very good news on the patent front. My <a href="http://elpipes.blogspot.com/2013/11/elpipe-patent-will-be-granted-in-us.html"><span style="color: blue;">US patent application on elpipes</span></a> will also be granted soon, based on USPTO actions.<br />
<br />
This is extremely good news, and shows my strategy to have been reasonable. If I had a lot of money, I would have been much more in stealth mode. I did it this way because I had to talk about my ideas in order to find investors, and that meant filing patent applications so I could speak about my inventions. I have now found an investor who is interested in backing both <a href="http://elpipes.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Electric Pipeline Corporation</span></a> and Ballistic Breaker Corporation, and he never would have found me if not for my strategy.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-91551314496303140662013-04-24T11:40:00.000-07:002015-05-27T13:53:00.427-07:00PCT Patent application link & status report on Ballistic Breaker™ <span style="font-size: large;">The Ballistic Breaker is called a "commutating circuit breaker" in both my US and PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) patent applications. I decided to post my (now published) <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3cTRYQTZiUEc1dWc/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">PCT patent application</a> here to make it easy to access</span><span style="font-size: large;">. The PCT patent application also adds a little bit more subject matter and a few more claims over my earlier US patent application.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The patent application applies to numerous implementations of the basic concept: </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">linear motion actuation or rotary actuation; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">multiple stages can be used to divide the voltage so as to allow high voltage ballistic breakers with many stages;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">gradation of the resistivity of trailing edges of the electrodes to further inhibit arcing upon electrode separation;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">motion can be actuated by springs, gas pressure, stepper motors, or stretched wire or fibers (for example);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Use of correlated magnetic domains to accurately define the on state of the circuit breaker (subsidiary to <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3cTRYQTZiUEc1dWc/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">US patent 8,098,122</a> to Correlated Magnetics);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Use of piezoelectric actuators as super-fast releases.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For a quick introduction to Ballistic Breakers, check these links: </span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">a <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3V25nVDFmSmtGYVE/edit?usp=sharing">3 minute recorded presentation</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">an <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3ZnluZlBjX1JNYlU/edit?usp=sharing">investor pitch</a> </span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I recently filed a <a href="http://ballisticbreaker.blogspot.com/2013/03/i-filed-my-continuation-in-part-us.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">continuation-in-part US utility patent application</span></a> that is based on both my February 6, 2012 US patent application and my PCT patent application, but adding in a bit more IP and two more claims.</span>roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-24768080278067844212013-03-27T08:14:00.005-07:002013-03-27T08:14:49.184-07:00Short presentation on Ballistic BreakersI prepared <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3TjBITVg0MkhyOTg/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">this 3 minute presentation</a> for a business plan competition.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-26293252965303012772013-03-20T09:03:00.001-07:002013-03-20T10:44:43.136-07:00My comment on the Energy Innovation by Statoil blogsite today<u>Ian said:</u><br />
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New Scientist and Statoil asked specifically what will have the largest near future impact, not what could. Not sure the winner and runner-ups reflect this important distinction</h3>
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<br />
<u>I commented:</u><br />
<br />
On the positive side of this, I hope that 50 years from now we can look back and realize just what saved us. My leading candidates:<br />
<br />
1) LENR (by that I specifically mean the nuclear fusion reactions of nickel with light (normal) hydrogen; if that works out it will surely be the most important thing.<br />
<br />
2) If not that, then I'm betting on a supergrid to save us.<br />
<br />
When the shit hits the fan, there will be a panicky rush for solutions. Unfortunately only proven technologies will qualify for panic funding. My goal is to have my invention elpipes ready when that moment arrives; see www.elpipe.comroger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-18576366969039265302013-03-15T14:57:00.000-07:002013-03-15T14:57:10.103-07:00I filed my "Continuation-in-Part" US Patent Application todayEach major redrafting of this patent has been a big improvement. First, my US patent application was filed on February 6, 2012, based on three prior provisionals. Then I greatly improved on that, and also added some new subject matter and claims in my PCT patent application, filed October 1, 2012. This "Continuation-in-Part" US patent application filed today added two new claims from the PCT (it is now 37 claims), and I am very happy with it. I believe it is valid, but I do expect challenges will be made by the examiner that probe at the relationship between Ballistic Breakers and two particular prior technologies:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Automatic tap changers for AC transformers</li>
<li>Rheostats</li>
</ol>
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I expect the examiner to find a few patents I missed, because the old patents are hard to search. </div>
roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-69244707102695930972013-01-23T13:23:00.001-08:002013-03-20T11:04:12.767-07:00My "Startup Pivot" from elpipes to Ballistic Breaker<br />
My inter-related inventions on high capacity HVDC transmission are key enablers for a supergrid. And a supergrid is the key to developing an energy economy based on aggregating numerous non-dispatchable generation resources (wind, solar, tidal). Both inventions (elpipes and Ballistic Breakers) are simple and seem obvious once you hear of them, yet both are revolutionary innovations. These innovations could make it practical to share hundreds of gigawatts (GW) of power across Europe, Asia, or North America, for example (this is the order of magnitude of new transmission needed to create a renewable energy economy), and that vision motivated me to pursue elpipes starting in 2008, after Obama's election victory.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3VTJOdlFId1NGLUE/edit" target="_blank">Elpipes</a> combine a pair of pipelines similar to gas pipelines with high capacity power lines that can move inside the pipes with features of a train. An elpipe is a very heavy high voltage DC (HVDC) power line that can carry more power than any overhead power line, with lower transmission loss. To do this, elpipes use more than 10 times as much conductor as the largest overhead lines; an elpipe is made up of heavy rigid conductors that are effectively the rail cars of an elpipe train. The elpipe train can run on conventional rails, or it can be designed to run inside a pipeline. An elpipe train could be thousands of kilometers long, yet the entire elpipe train would be fabricated at one location, then rolled into the conduit like a very long, low speed electric train. This method of installation splits the project into three parts: building the conduit, which is either a rail line or a gas pipeline; fabrication of the “elpipe cars” in a factory process; and assembly of the “elpipe cars” into a train at one single point of assembly (in a clean room environment, with sophisticated quality control inspection equipment deployed). This is very good for both cost of the elpipe and for reliability of the splices. Read more about elpipes at <a href="http://www.elpipe.com/">www.elpipe.com</a>; I <a href="http://elpipes.blogspot.com/2011/09/a-brief-history-of-epc-from-elpipes-to.html" target="_blank">pursued elpipes</a> for two years, and everyone with money said it is "too big, too long term" for venture funding. I came close to a deal with ABB to pursue elpipes in a strategic partnership in September 2010, but that was blocked by one ABB senior executive, Willi Paul. Shortly after this, I invented the Ballistic Breaker; this invention woke me up at 3:30 AM October 2, 2010. I have continued to work on my big dream of elpipes, though my focus is now on Ballistic Breakers.<br />
<br />
The other missing piece of the puzzle for enabling a supergrid besides a high capacity underground conductor (elpipes) is a very high capacity low cost circuit breaker for HVDC power. The power electronic HVDC circuit breakers<a href="http://ballisticbreaker.blogspot.com/2012/11/abb-announces-worlds-first-circuit.html" target="_blank"> being offered by ABB</a> are too expensive and too lossy to work at the scale needed in development of a supergrid. Ballistic Breakers are my second surprisingly simple innovation: these devices enable DC circuit breakers to be developed at any voltage and power level (they get bigger as power level goes up). Although I invented Ballistic Breakers for HVDC, they have an immediate market in medium voltage DC; in fact, Ballistic Breakers are key enablers for DC grids at all size scales, from vehicles to data centers to microgrids to the supergrid. So I have made the classic "startup pivot" and am now pursuing MVDC Ballistic Breakers with initial market: big motors.<br />
<br />
I am also quite interested in applying Ballistic Breakers to DC data centers, which are growing rapidly. In this application, the low switching transients of Ballistic Breakers is especially important. For most data center installations, the desirable voltage level is only 380 volts. This low voltage implies a lot of amps (2632 amps/MW), which also is an opening for elpipes, since some data centers consume as much as 300 MW. In this application, a very high ampacity low voltage elpipe could be part of the data center power delivery system.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-16707487454057253062013-01-08T04:35:00.001-08:002013-02-18T16:31:54.017-08:00Tesla was on track to invent the Ballistic BreakerNikola Tesla is one of my heroes, though I hope to have more business sense than him. When I was writing my US patent application on Ballistic Breakers (<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3UEdkQ2szcTFnVWM" target="_blank">*here is an excerpt</a>) it worried me greatly that there might be some very old prior art (which is impossible to find in an online patent search). On a whim, realizing that Tesla was brilliant, I decided to browse through Tesla's 111 US patents on the odd chance that one of his patents might be relevant. In fact, <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3WTRvdFdpTkxSa2c" target="_blank">Tesla's US Patent 382,845</a> is one of the closest prior art patents, and creates a link between my work and one of the great pioneers in electricity.<br />
<br />
The story behind US patent 382,845 is truly interesting, and I only know part of it. Tesla came over to the US at Thomas Edison's invitation, and agreed to Edison's proposal that he work on a bounty basis (I got this from a Tesla biography). Edison wanted Tesla to figure out how to stop the commutators of DC motors and/or generators from sparking, and offered him (verbally) a $50,000 bounty if he could succeed. The resultant US patent 382,845 is the only one of Tesla's patents that deals with DC power at all. Edison never paid the bounty which led to Tesla breaking off the relationship and becoming Edison's sworn rival. This patent reveals a remarkably simple way to suppress the commutator arcing, which I also use in the Ballistic Breaker: just behind the conductive brush that makes contact with the rotating commutator is an insulating material (a mica board) that is in contact with the conductive brush, and is squeezed against the commutator as well. This leaves no room for the spark in effect, and arcing is suppressed; a remarkably simple and effective solution. Tesla's patent is remarkable in another way: it is the only patent I have ever seen that is half assigned (to Charles F. Peck); I assume that there is an interesting story behind that as well.<br />
<br />
I believe that if egoic considerations had not gotten in the way, Edison and Tesla might have continued to work together. Had that happened, I believe Tesla would have invented the commutating circuit breaker 120 years ago. This was one of the next problems that needed to be solved to make wide area DC power transmission & distribution practical. Instead, Tesla never looked back at DC power and his inventions ushered in the age of AC. DC power equipment quickly became a backwater technology, and there was little innovation until the modern age of HVDC and DC microgrids. By that time vacuum tubes and transistors had been invented, and recent work on DC circuit breakers has mostly used these innovations. My invention Ballistic Breakers goes back to basics and picks up a thread of innovation that was abandoned by Tesla long ago.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-19891165241163929872012-11-12T18:53:00.001-08:002016-02-18T08:40:33.173-08:00ABB ANNOUNCES WORLD'S FIRST CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR HVDC<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<b>This announcement appeared on numerous websites on November 8, 2012:</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
ABB ANNOUNCES WORLD'S FIRST CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR HVDC</div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Switzerland-based ABB today announced that it has developed the world’s first circuit breaker for high voltage direct current (HVDC), solving what it says has been “a 100-year-old electrical engineering puzzle and paving the way for a more efficient and reliable electricity supply system.” The breakthrough holds promise not just for renewables development but also for all types of generation that nations and regions wish to transmit over long distances, including under large bodies of water. </span><strong style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc;"><a href="http://email.poweronlineproducts.com/c.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=ecf0,1iu1t,4tum,hwpo,az2o,11xn,dn5f&MLM_MID=2558369&MLM_UNIQUEID=0c00b9b673" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Read More »</a></span></strong><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>There were many followup analyses after ABB's announcement, but the above link to Power Magazine was my favorite, and they got quotes from the right people!</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Just to show what a big deal this is, consider <a href="http://www.abb.com/cawp/seitp202/350e62699a70e576c1257cb500332f77.aspx"><span style="color: blue;">this link to a story</span></a> about ABB unveiling a productized version of their HVDC breaker at the 2014 <span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">Hannover Messe 2014</span> </span>meeting in Paris, showing <b>Angela Merkel and </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><b>ABB Chief Executive Officer Ulrich Spiesshofer</b>.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #686868; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><img src="http://www04.abb.com/global/seitp/seitp202.nsf/0/cade424bf21c2121c1257cb500344d5a/$file/14-04-08-HMI-Merkel508.jpg" /></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Let’s get started with building the new power grid!” Merkel told ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer, who was briefing her on how ABB’s high-speed HVDC breaker, shown publicly for the first time at the fair, will enable power grids that outpace existing networks’ efficiency while preventing grid collapse.</span></span></h4>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3ZlduU05nSldyMUE/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">This paper from the 2011 CIGRE conference in Bulogna</a> describes their breaker concept pretty well. Here is a diagram of the breaker:</span></b></h4>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eOwbkQAQyU4/UWrhufVtXSI/AAAAAAAAAQs/Flfmma1_0wA/s1600/ABB_hybrid_breaker+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eOwbkQAQyU4/UWrhufVtXSI/AAAAAAAAAQs/Flfmma1_0wA/s400/ABB_hybrid_breaker+(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3SzdabHhKcUlkQVE/view?usp=sharing">HERE is a link to US patent 8,891,209 a refinement patent with a very readable synopsis of how the original hybrid breaker worked.</a> The high importance that ABB places on this technology is evident from the fact that they also have applied for several other versions of HVDC hybrid circuit breakers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";">Their new device is described in <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3Rm1pckljRkpETXM/view?usp=sharing">US patent </a></span></b></span><b style="background-color: white; font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-right;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3Rm1pckljRkpETXM/view?usp=sharing">8,717,716</a></b><b style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"> (among others), but the picture (above) from the Bologna CIGRE paper is much better for understanding how it works than the patent document. Although the auxiliary switch used for HVDC is an IGBT, at lower MVDC voltage, the auxuiliary switch can be an IGCTs </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue";">(<a href="http://new.abb.com/semiconductors/integrated-gate-commutated-thyristors-(igct)">integratedgate commutated thyristors</a>). or a MOSFET. </span></b><b style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";">IGCTs were first introduced in shipboard DC circuit breakers (for 980 volt service) by ABB Marine in 2011. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3RUpaUFhDQXdfQ3M/edit?usp=sharing">(This paper by </a></span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3RUpaUFhDQXdfQ3M/edit?usp=sharing">Jean-Marc Meyer and Alfred Rufer</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"> describes how the hybrid breaker principle can be applied at MVDC, using IGCTs</span></span></b><b style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">.) The fast electromechanical
switch could be of several designs (ABB has several patents in this area; my personal favorite is <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3T2lLUUhYZXZETE0/edit?usp=sharing">US patent 6,501,635</a>). </span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";">The 2 to 5 ms delay that ABB cites in operation of their breaker (</span>different<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"> numbers quoted in different places; which is quite fast compared to most prior art breakers) is not the time until current stops flowing, but the time at which di/dt changes sign and the current starts being reduced. This delay is due to the fast mechanical switch, which must open far enough to prevent restriking an arc before the main IGBT array can be opened. The hybrid nature of the commutation differentiates ABB's approach from</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3Z2hVaDhqWXJiSTg/edit?usp=sharing" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Lian's US patent 3,534,226</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">, which is also one of the closest prior art patents to my </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3cTRYQTZiUEc1dWc/edit?usp=sharing" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Ballistic Breaker patent application</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">. </span></b></span><br />
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<b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";">The ABB device works in this way: there is a
parallel circuit between three pathways: in the middle is a series connected IGBT array that is
capable of shutting off the HVDC circuit and withstanding an overvoltage higher than the normal line voltage. In this series-connected IGBT array, each IGBT component is shunted through a metal oxide varistor (MOV) that allows current to flow when voltage goes above a selected level. All the component IGBTs of the IGBT array could be switched off simultaneously; in this case there would be a rather large voltage spike as the voltage rises at least 50% over normal voltage to activate the string of series-connected MOVs. Note though that the individual IGBTs can also be switched off sequentially to control the over voltage during breaking of the circuit. (The overvoltage is due to insertion of resistance into the circuit; absorption of inductive energy by the MOVs is not instantaneous, so the current must continue to flow as the energy is dissipated. Voltage rises each time resistance increases, followed by decay in the case of ordinary resistors; for an inserted MOV, voltage is held nearly constant as the stored magnetic energy in the circuit is dissipated.) </span></span></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";">The big headache with any circuit breaker but especially an HVDC circuit breaker, is that the line inductance can vary a lot depending on where the short is located, and the current flowing at the time of the fault can also vary.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> ABB's method of rapid adaptive switching while opening the circuit was clearly anticipated in </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3Z2hVaDhqWXJiSTg/edit?usp=sharing" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Lian's patent from 1970</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">; the switching times for the various IGBTs can be varied to control the switching transients and the times allowed for decay between switching events to squelch the inductive energy in the flowing current in an optimized manner. </span>Alternatively<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">, one can just make a worst case assumption and switch on that basis (this is what happens in a Ballistic Breaker). Or (most crudely) all the IGBTs in the array can be switched simultaneously, in which case the MOVs control the switching surge (but not very well). </span></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";">By controlling the switching of the IGBTs the voltage transient due to the voltage rising high enough to push current through the MOVs is split into many small parts, which can keep the overvoltage quite low if the timing of closing the IGBTs is properly controlled. Collectively, the MOVs must have enough capacity to absorb all the magnetic energy
stored in the line, which can be hundreds of MJ, implying that the MOV array weighs a metric ton or so for a long HVDC line. An individual MOV begins to conduct
around 1.5X the normal line current, so if all the IGBTs were switched simultaneously the voltage during shutoff could go to ~1.5-2X the normal line voltage. However, by controlling the switching time of the individual IGBTs the voltage switching transient could be much lower.
This part of the breaker (the IGBT array) in isolation is the "power electronic
breaker" to which Ram Adapa refers in the Power Magazine article cited above. </span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The much lower resistance of the single IGBT or IGCT used for commutation means the on-state losses are (according to </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3ZlduU05nSldyMUE/edit?usp=sharing" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">ABB's CIGRE paper</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">) in the low tens of kW for a 2kA, 320kV HVDC line; if we take that to mean 40kW on-state loss in the commutating IGCT/IGBT, that implies only ~0.005% of transmitted power. This is much better than the on-state loss for an IGBT-based switch in which all the current flows all the time through the entire IGBT array, for which the on-state loss would be ~0.25% of power at full rated power. The ABB breaker is much better than that, and does indeed usher in an era where large interconnected high power HVDC grids (supergrids) can be protected by circuit breakers. I believe ABB's breaker will be more expensive than my Ballistic Breaker or a hybrid Ballistic Breaker, which follows the same idea as ABB's design of using a fast switch to do the first commutation to the device which ultimately opens the circuit, but where the circuit is opened via the electromechanical <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3aVZRSEVIVjYxRWs/edit?usp=sharing">commutating circuit breaker</a> (which I have been calling a Ballistic Breaker). I welcome ABB's </span>innovation<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> as the first viable HVDC circuit breaker, and I look forward to competing with them.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">ABB's approach cuts the on state power losses, because in the on state, most of
the power only goes through the low loss low voltage IGCT or IGBT, but
makes an even more expensive circuit breaker than a simple IGBT-based switch with
MOVs (which Ram Adapa mentioned in the <a href="http://email.poweronlineproducts.com/c.html?ufl=0&rtr=on&s=ecf0,1iu1t,4tum,hwpo,az2o,11xn,dn5f&MLM_MID=2558369&MLM_UNIQUEID=0c00b9b673">Power Magazine article</a> cited above). </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">This is no doubt a big advance from the prior art DC circuit breaker of US
patent 3,809,959 (from ASEA before they joined Brown-Boveri to form ABB; this device is still used in current-source converters around the world), but
it is not true to say it is the "world's first circuit breaker for
HVDC." It is true to say it is more compact and faster than the prior art
methods, though I think the story put out by ABB that faster action (2-5 ms
versus 50 ms) is crucial to create a workable HVDC grid is debatable (see <a href="http://www.claverton-energy.com/ttechnical-feasibility-of-complex-multi-terminal-hvdc-and-ideological-barriers-to-inter-country-exchanges.html"><span style="color: blue;">this post by Gregor Czisch</span></a>). Faster acting circuit breakers are indeed needed for multi-terminal HVDC based on VSC converters, but not for the older thyristor-based LCC designs (you can read about that in this excellent <a href="http://www.future-energy.ethz.ch/uploads/tx_ethpublications/Franck_2011_HVDC_CB_review_IEEE_Trans_PowDel.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">review by Professor Franck</span></a>). The prior art ASEA
method is widely deployed in HVDC schemes today, to shut down one leg of a
bipole HVDC scheme when needed (so that the other leg can still operate as a
monopole with ground return in case of a fault on one leg of the scheme). </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br />ABB's HVDC circuit breaker may not be cost competitive
with an HVDC Ballistic Breaker (my invention, see www.ballisticbreaker.com),
once I get funding to build one. The use of power electronics requires liquid
cooling, and a high degree of redundancy. If I am correct, the cost of ABB's Hybrid HVDC Breakers will be about 25% of the cost of a VSC AC/DC converter station, or about $35/kW </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">(AC circuit breakers at 200kV cost ~ $.15/kW for comparison); </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">this is high enough that it will
still be impossible economically to place</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> ABB</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">hybrid HVDC circuit breakers
between every set of next neighbor power taps on main lines of the supergrid (which may well carry ~30 GW) in the future. The
supergrid needs something much less expensive to make full circuit protection (as is routine in the HVAC transmission grid)
feasible economically. The Ballistic Breaker is that device.</span></b></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1352764985082_562" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">FYI, here is a video on the ABB hybrid circuit breaker’s operation:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WVEteb5Yb4" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WVEteb5Yb4</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">And here is an interview with Claes Rytoft, head of ABB's Power Transmission Group:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ1YnXDUyd4" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ1YnXDUyd4</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Other links are here:</span></div>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://www05.abb.com/global/scot/scot271.nsf/veritydisplay/4571d0d0f0d5c4d5c1257b8f0028d642/$file/ABB%20Review%202-2013_72dpi.pdf">http://www05.abb.com/global/scot/scot271.nsf/veritydisplay/4571d0d0f0d5c4d5c1257b8f0028d642/$file/ABB%20Review%202-2013_72dpi.pdf</a> (ABB magazine link)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
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<a href="http://www.lead-central.com/AssetManager/e0bc9e75-84f1-4ca1-9c65-21c74a8b75fe/Documents/New%20WP%20file/ABB-665-WPO_Hybrid-HVDC-breaker.pdf" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1373847573666_8322" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.lead-central.com/AssetManager/e0bc9e75-84f1-4ca1-9c65-21c74a8b75fe/Documents/New%20WP%20file/ABB-665-WPO_Hybrid-HVDC-breaker.pdf</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<a href="http://www.abb.com/cawp/seitp202/e84e6cf2b5200c57c1257aaf003cb9dd.aspx" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.abb.com/cawp/seitp202/e84e6cf2b5200c57c1257aaf003cb9dd.aspx</a><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.abb-conversations.com/2012/11/abb-achieves-another-milestone-in-electrical-engineering/">http://www.abb-conversations.com/2012/11/abb-achieves-another-milestone-in-electrical-engineering/</a></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/12/121206-high-voltage-dc-breakthrough">http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/12/121206-high-voltage-dc-breakthrough</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2013/01/power-transmission">http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2013/01/power-transmission</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/news/507331/abb-advance-makes-renewable-energy-supergrids-practical/">http://www.technologyreview.com/news/507331/abb-advance-makes-renewable-energy-supergrids-practical/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://search-ext.abb.com/library/Download.aspx?DocumentID=9AKK105713A6880&LanguageCode=en&DocumentPartId=&Action=Launch">http://search-ext.abb.com/library/Download.aspx?</a><a href="http://search-ext.abb.com/library/Download.aspx?DocumentID=9AKK105713A6880&LanguageCode=en&DocumentPartId=&Action=Launch">DocumentID=9AKK105713A6880&LanguageCode=en&DocumentPartId=&Action=Launch</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WVEteb5Yb4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WVEteb5Yb4</a><br />
<br />
<u>These links are to Alsom's comparable work on an HVDC circuit breaker:</u><br />
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<a href="http://www.alstom.com/press-centre/2014/1/alstom-confirms-research-findings-done-with-rte-in-high-voltage-dc-circuit-breaker-technology/" id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391901500294_336279" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: purple; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.alstom.com/press-centre/2014/1/alstom-confirms-research-findings-done-with-rte-in-high-voltage-dc-circuit-breaker-technology/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alstom.com/press-centre/2013/2/alstom-takes-world-leadership-in-a-key-technology-for-the-future-of-very-high-voltage-direct-current-grids/" id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391901500294_336250" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: purple; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.alstom.com/press-centre/2013/2/alstom-takes-world-leadership-in-a-key-technology-for-the-future-of-very-high-voltage-direct-current-grids/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.alstom.com/Global/Grid/Resources/Documents/Smart%20Grid/By-pass%20switch%20for%20HVDC%20applications%20-%20Think%20Grid%20n%209%20.pdf" id="yui_3_13_0_ym1_1_1391901500294_336273" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: purple; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.alstom.com/Global/Grid/Resources/Documents/Smart%20Grid/By-pass%20switch%20for%20HVDC%20applications%20-%20Think%20Grid%20n%209%20.pdf</a></div>
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roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-90719623835962448592012-10-17T16:35:00.001-07:002015-06-16T17:27:20.707-07:00Presentation at Global CleanTech Meetup in BostonI had a great time at the Global CleanTech Meetup (<a href="http://globalcleantechmeetup.com/schedule/">http://globalcleantechmeetup.com/schedule/</a>) over the past few days. I<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3Mm5XQWEzZ2FhQ1E" target="_blank"> presented on Ballistic Breakers </a>on Tuesday. This was well received and I got several good investment leads as well.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-52279924760466869762012-09-19T23:32:00.000-07:002012-10-20T23:35:42.370-07:00Meeting with China EPRI<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GeWv3-Hn8uk/UIOWsGJn5mI/AAAAAAAAAMo/pslRy82cRWc/s1600/IMG_1819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GeWv3-Hn8uk/UIOWsGJn5mI/AAAAAAAAAMo/pslRy82cRWc/s640/IMG_1819.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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C-EPRI is the research arm of China State Grid, focused on HVDC equipment. They are interested in using Ballistic Breakers for multi-terminal HVDC.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-3161290723150643302012-08-01T13:05:00.001-07:002012-08-01T13:05:25.759-07:00I am about to receive initial funding for building a Ballistic Breaker prototypeI am determined to over-deliver on the MassCEC grant. I intend to do preliminary experiments with junk electrical equipment; my goal is to demonstrate prototype circuit breakers at several power levels, rather than the one single power level that I promised as a deliverable for the grant. This preliminary scoping can be done for very low cost and will help avoid any serious problems later with the design. I have a "skunkworks" location in mind...confidential for now.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-7411497965993808042012-06-25T19:37:00.002-07:002013-02-09T16:51:13.479-08:00Successful time at TechConnect 2012I was pleased to make several important connections at the TechConnect conference (my <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3RlRpWWQybXZJSTA" target="_blank">presentation</a> and <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3dzFsb2FiVnpVTkU" target="_blank">poster session</a> were on June21). These contacts include folks from Toshiba and the Max Plank Institute. among others. Perhaps the most exciting development was that I met with Google Ventures while I was out West. Google is unique among VCs in that they wanted to hear about both Ballistic Breakers and elpipes (which I have essentially given up on in the US).<br />
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My hosts during my stay were Tim and Danielle, who I met on CouchSurfing.org, shown here with one of their rats:<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OrCTqPHuHr8/T-o9Gf0Go_I/AAAAAAAAALo/VVrz8Kz6t-0/s1600/Tim_Danielle_Newsome+rat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OrCTqPHuHr8/T-o9Gf0Go_I/AAAAAAAAALo/VVrz8Kz6t-0/s320/Tim_Danielle_Newsome+rat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-81553628196049800062012-06-22T12:07:00.001-07:002012-06-27T23:16:03.419-07:00Official Announcement of Mass Clean Energy Center Catalyst Grant RecipientsIt is clear from this <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3M3JiMlJUd1plMnM" target="_blank">MassCEC press release</a> that the seven grant recipients were well chosen, and are all promising technologies. I am very grateful to MassCEC for providing my first external funding.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-83006067951072073782012-06-11T01:31:00.001-07:002012-06-11T01:31:23.451-07:00Presentation to the International Symposium on Electrical Insulation 2012My co-authored paper with Clay Taylor of MSU "<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3VnRzMVVWZFNxWGM/edit" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Determination of Optimum Resistor Sequence in a Ballistic Breaker</span></a>" will be <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3cnRsdklaUHpBY2M" target="_blank">presented</a> today by Clayborne Taylor, Junior of Mississippi State University (MSU). I was not able to attend this conference myself, and I am very thankful to Clay for traveling to Puerto Rico to make this presentation.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-4891642915655421552012-05-23T11:28:00.000-07:002012-08-27T08:29:30.562-07:00Ballistic Breaker Corp selected to receive a Mass Clean Energy Center Grant<br />
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This grant will be my first funding since starting down this road in late 2008. My process started with filing two NYSERDA grant applications and a Round #1 ARPA-E concept paper, then I organized <a href="http://www.elpipes.com/2011/09/brief-history-of-epc-from-elpipes-to.html" target="_blank">Electric Pipeline Corporation</a> to pursue the elpipe concept in MIT Enterprise Forum's "Ignite Clean Energy" business plan competition (ICE has since joined with the CleanTech Open). Eventually it became clear to me that elpipes (my original concept) are too big to be venture fundable...then I invented Ballistic Breakers in October 2010 and have since pursued development of Ballistic Breaker Corporation as a vehicle to move DC power transmission forward (and to make money & create jobs), as a participant in both the CleanTech Open and MassChallenge in 2011. The initial applications I am pursuing for Ballistic Breakers are in the medium voltage DC (MVDC) area. I am very grateful to <a href="http://comprehensivepower.com/" target="_blank">Comprehensive Power </a>of Marlborough MA and especially to Frank Jones, President and Founder, for all his support getting to this point. This grant is directed to address a specific Comprehensive Power application involving protection of a large electronic drive for a variable speed motor, similar to that shown in the photograph below. Comprehensive Power will test our prototypes and provide helpful feedback. I believe that Comprehensive Power's participation was instrumental in the success of my proposal, as were the drawings I received from Robert DaSilva of <a href="http://www.xcraftco.com/webhome2.htm" target="_blank">XCraft</a>, Inc., for inclusion in my application and my final presentation May 17, 2012; as shown below. Both Frank Jones and Robert DaSilva will be participants in the execution of this grant.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ovapXcXvc40/T8Twb4Cr2KI/AAAAAAAAAKE/qQnvau50UqE/s1600/7+assembly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ovapXcXvc40/T8Twb4Cr2KI/AAAAAAAAAKE/qQnvau50UqE/s320/7+assembly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In this picture, Roger Faulkner is on the left, Frank Jones (President and CEO of Comprehensive Power) is on the right. We are standing in front of Comprehensive Power's Dynamometer test stand, which is set up here to test >2MW permanent magnet motors (they are tested against one another; one is the motor, the other is the generator). The 1200 volt, 1200 amp Ballistic Breaker I am developing for Comprehensive Power will fit in one of the standard 200X200X800 mm slide-in racks that are behind us in this picture.<br />
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<u>email telling me of the award:</u><br />
<b id="yui_3_2_0_84_1337825362451780" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span id="yui_3_2_0_84_1337825362451779">From:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> "Bernier, Michele" </span><a class="yiv2063924990moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:mbernier@umassp.edu" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: purple; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; outline: 0px;" target="_blank" ymailto="mailto:mbernier@umassp.edu"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1338305236_2" style="color: #366388; cursor: pointer;"><mbernier@umassp.edu></span></a><br />
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<span id="yui_3_2_0_84_1337825362451781" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>To:</b> <a class="yiv2063924990moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:roger@elpipe.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; outline: 0px;" target="_blank" ymailto="mailto:roger@elpipe.com"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1338305236_3" style="color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">"roger@elpipe.com"</span></a> <a class="yiv2063924990moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:roger@elpipe.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; outline: 0px;" target="_blank" ymailto="mailto:roger@elpipe.com"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1338305236_4" style="color: #366388; cursor: pointer;"><roger@elpipe.com></span></a><br /><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, May 23, 2012 10:57 AM<br /><b>Subject:</b> MassCEC Award status: Ballistic Breaker Corporation</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Dear Roger,<br /><br />The MassCEC and MTTC have reached a decision regarding the MassCEC Catalyst Awards.<br /><br />You have been selected by our reviewers to receive the award of $40,000 for your proposal titled, “Demonstration of Ballistic Breaker™ for 1200 volt, 1200 amp service". Congratulations!<br /><b><snip></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br />Thank you and congratulations!!</span></div>
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Michele<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Michele Bernier, M.B.A.</span><span style="font-family: serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-25788780003907071662012-05-18T08:16:00.000-07:002012-06-17T09:20:20.069-07:00Ballistic Breaker Corp will present at TechConnect World Conference 2012I will be among 60 innovative early stage companies selected to present at <a href="http://www.techconnectworld.com/World2012/" target="_blank">TechConnect World Conference 2012</a> in Santa Clara. This year, the TechConnect Conference will be co-located with the <a href="http://www.cleantechopen.com/app.cgi/news/press_releases/77/view" target="_blank">CleanTech Open National Conference</a>, so I have a double invitation (since I am a 2011 CleanTech Open Alumnus as well).roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-85139688513421832912012-05-17T16:55:00.000-07:002012-05-29T08:21:32.148-07:00MassCEC Grant Application Final Presentation<span style="font-size: large;">Today I made my final pitch in pursuit of a $40k "Catalyst Grant" from the Mass Clean Energy Center. I proposed in my application to use the money to fabricate a 1200 volt, 1200 amp Ballistic Breaker for an initial application with Comprehensive Power (Customer #1) of Marlborough, MA. Frank Grant, founder & President of Comprehensive power has agreed to test the breaker and to provide other assistance.</span>roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-74978604474309728202012-05-14T23:00:00.000-07:002012-06-12T00:09:35.654-07:00Ultralight Startup Pitch for Ballistic Breaker CorpI made a pitch in this unique event today. <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3V25nVDFmSmtGYVE" target="_blank">Here</a> is a practice pitch I made while preparing for this rather unusual format<a href="http://ultralightstartups.com/future-energy/may-14-2012-event-recap/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"> event</span></a>. The judges provided valuable feedback, and I got an exciting connection with Shell GameChanger through one of the judges (Dr. Willem Albert Rensink).roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-53718671645470890432012-03-21T07:35:00.000-07:002012-05-29T07:38:11.780-07:00I submitted a paper for ISEI 2012 on the Ballistic BreakerThis co-authored paper with Research Professor Clayborne Taylor, Jr. from Mississippi State University, "Determination of Optimum Resistor Sequence in a Ballistic Breaker" will be presented at the<br />
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<a class="nm" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2228698784765094440" name="content">2012 IEEE International Symposium on Electrical Insulation (ISEI)</a></h1>
I have included here both my <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3c1dIVDBtZDV5QVk" target="_blank">first draft of this paper</a> and the <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3VnRzMVVWZFNxWGM" target="_blank">final submitted document</a>, that eliminates some of what I wrote to give my co-author Clay Taylor some room to fit in his modeling results.<br />
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</h1>roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-72007224660242756482012-03-03T14:34:00.000-08:002013-04-11T10:12:34.785-07:00Successful ARPA-E Showcase Display TableI was selected for the ARPA-E Technology Showcase. It was an honor to share the space with so many great innovators. I had a poster, a Power Point looped presentation and<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4xCrliPLFA3V25GTHlnaTlRUldrNThNSXF5cS1JUQ/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank"> <span style="color: red;">this avi file</span></a> running continuously.roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2228698784765094440.post-62813004063155273662012-02-07T16:05:00.000-08:002012-02-17T14:22:59.237-08:00Patent Submitted (US utility patent) on Ballistic BreakersI submitted a patent application on <span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ballistic Breakers™ </span></span> November 30, 2011, which is now abandoned. I submitted a <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4xCrliPLFA3NTNkZWRhZjgtNzllMC00MjA1LThhODItNmJiZDIyY2I1YzAy" target="_blank">much-refined patent application</a> yesterday. The linked document is an <i>excerpt </i>from my (52 page, not including the 20 figures) patent application; the full application is proprietary for now, only available under NDA and/or to be shared with serious candidate investors. I am very pleased with the results, however. I plan to submit a paper soon that will reveal more information about what is in the patent (but not everything!).roger_rethinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06805111954011969473noreply@blogger.com2