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US 8,907,529 B2Granted
Smart link coupled to power line
AssigneeThe Invention Science Fund I, LLC
InventorsRoderick A. Hyde, William Gates, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, David B. Tuckerman, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A smart link in a power delivery system includes an insulator, which electrically isolates a power line, and a switchable conductance placed in parallel with the insulator. The switchable conductance includes switchgear for sourcing, sinking, and/or dispatching real and/or reactive power on the power line to dynamically in response to dynamic loading, transient voltages and/or currents, and phase conditions or other conditions on the power line.
Claims15
A method, comprising:
- in a power delivery system that includes an insulator assembly deployed to electrically isolate a power line, the insulator assembly having two switchable states—an insulating state and a parallel conducting state,
- sensing a power line condition or parameter;
- and
- in response, switching the insulator assembly to the parallel conducting state;
- wherein switching the insulator assembly to the parallel conducting state comprises diverting a current through a resistive device or varistor;
- wherein diverting a current through a resistive device or varistor comprises thermally coupling the resistive device or varistor to a heat sink to dissipate resistive heat;
- wherein thermally coupling the resistive device or varistor to a heat sink comprises thermally coupling the resistive device or varistor to the heat sink having phase change materials to absorb heat;
- and
- wherein thermally coupling the resistive device or varistor to a heat sink comprises providing current carrying paths in the resistive device or varistor and intermixing the phase-change materials of the heat sink within the current carrying paths.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.