公开(公告)号：US11482394B2

公开(公告)日：2022-10-25

申请号：US16740096

申请日：2020-01-10

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Timothy John Sommerer ,  Joseph Darryl Michael ,  David John Smith

IPC: H01J17/44 ,  H01J13/52 ,  H01J13/08 ,  H01J17/06

Abstract: A bidirectional gas discharge tube (GDT) includes a discharge chamber, first and second cathodes, a gas disposed within the discharge chamber, and a control grid. The first and second cathodes are disposed within the discharge chamber and include first and second faces, respectively. The first face and the second face are plane-parallel. The gas is configured to insulate the first cathode from the second cathode. The control grid is disposed between the first and second cathodes within the discharge chamber. The control grid is configured to generate an electric field to initiate establishment of a conductive plasma between the first and second cathodes to close a conduction path extending between the first and second cathodes.

公开(公告)号：US11251598B2

公开(公告)日：2022-02-15

申请号：US16740058

申请日：2020-01-10

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Timothy John Sommerer ,  Joseph Darryl Michael ,  David John Smith

IPC: H02H3/00 ,  H02H3/087 ,  H01C7/12 ,  H01H71/02 ,  H01H71/08 ,  H02H1/00

Abstract: A DC circuit breaker includes a gas discharge tube (GDT) coupled in parallel with an extinguishing path. The GDT conducts and interrupts a load current through a normal current path. The GDT includes a thermionic cathode, an anode, and a control grid. The control grid is configured to regulate opening and closing of the normal current path. The extinguishing path is configured to lengthen a break time for the DC circuit breaker.

公开(公告)号：US20210218240A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-15

申请号：US16740058

申请日：2020-01-10

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Timothy John Sommerer ,  Joseph Darryl Michael ,  David John Smith

IPC: H02H3/087 ,  H01H71/02 ,  H01H71/08 ,  H01C7/12 ,  H02H1/00

Abstract: A DC circuit breaker includes a gas discharge tube (GDT) coupled in parallel with an extinguishing path. The GDT conducts and interrupts a load current through a normal current path. The GDT includes a thermionic cathode, an anode, and a control grid. The control grid is configured to regulate opening and closing of the normal current path. The extinguishing path is configured to lengthen a break time for the DC circuit breaker.

公开(公告)号：US20210217573A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-15

申请号：US16740096

申请日：2020-01-10

Applicant: General Electric Company

Inventor： Timothy John Sommerer ,  Joseph Darryl Michael ,  David John Smith

IPC: H01J17/44 ,  H01J17/06 ,  H01J13/08 ,  H01J13/52

Abstract: A bidirectional gas discharge tube (GDT) includes a discharge chamber, first and second cathodes, a gas disposed within the discharge chamber, and a control grid. The first and second cathodes are disposed within the discharge chamber and include first and second faces, respectively. The first face and the second face are plane-parallel. The gas is configured to insulate the first cathode from the second cathode. The control grid is disposed between the first and second cathodes within the discharge chamber. The control grid is configured to generate an electric field to initiate establishment of a conductive plasma between the first and second cathodes to close a conduction path extending between the first and second cathodes.

公开(公告)号：US10580610B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-03

申请号：US14776758

申请日：2013-05-21

Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY

Inventor： Timothy John Sommerer ,  Joseph Darryl Michael ,  David John Smith ,  Sergey Joseph Zalubovsky

IPC: H01J13/08 ,  H01J13/52 ,  H02M7/00 ,  H01J17/08

Abstract: A cold-cathode switching device is presented. The cold-cathode switching device includes a housing defining a chamber; an ionizable gas disposed in the chamber; and a plurality of electrodes disposed in the chamber. The plurality of electrodes includes a cathode and an anode defining a discharge gap, and wherein at least one of the cathode and anode comprises a material that is liquid at an operating temperature of the cathode or the anode.

公开(公告)号：US10256067B1

公开(公告)日：2019-04-09

申请号：US15860225

申请日：2018-01-02

Applicant: General Electric Company ,  Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Inventor： Timothy John Sommerer ,  David John Smith ,  Joseph Darryl Michael ,  Steven Charles Aceto ,  Kirk Ernest Marquard ,  Jason Fredrick Trotter ,  James E. Lawler ,  William Nicholas Guy Hitchon

IPC: H01J17/14 ,  H01J17/44 ,  H01J17/64

Abstract: A gas switch includes an anode and a cathode spaced apart from the anode, wherein the cathode includes a conduction surface. The gas switch also includes a plurality of magnets arranged to generate a magnetic field that defines an annular path over a portion of the conduction surface at a radial distance from a switch axis, and a control grid positioned between the anode and the cathode. In operation, the control grid is arranged to establish a conducting plasma between the anode and the cathode, wherein, in the presence of the conducting plasma, a voltage drop between the anode and the cathode is less than 150 volts, and wherein the conducting plasma forms a cathode spot that circles the annular path.