GE Energy Awarded Four Patents For Electrical Test Technologies
DALLAS, TEXAS-May 23, 2006-GE Energy has been awarded four patents for technology developments associated with its electrical test equipment product line. Three patents are specifically targeted for circuit breaker testing applications, while the fourth is an advanced voltage divider developed to aid in measurements for insulation diagnostics.
The circuit breaker testing patents are:
o Methods and apparatus for analyzing high-voltage circuit breakers
o High frequency test method and device for analyzing high-voltage circuit breakers
These two patents will improve the way high-voltage circuit breakers are tested. Both focus on helping increase safety and decreasing testing time in the field.
The third circuit breaker testing patent is:
o High-voltage circuit breaker contact timing with active suppression of high voltage substation interference and induced current.
This technology is available today on GE Energy's TM1800 circuit breaker analyzer. The condition of the circuit breaker can be measured although there is highly induced current present on the field. The measuring method involves injecting a high frequency signal across a contact, and permits the timing both on the main contact and on the pre-insertion resistor contact using only one channel. It also accurately calculates the value of this resistance.
The fourth patent was developed for a cable insulation diagnostic product. GE Energy is the first company to develop and market these systems and measurement methodologies.
System and method for voltage divider having a guard structure is a patent for a high voltage divider used in a 30kV system. The voltage divider reduces the injected high voltage down to instrument levels, permitting an extremely accurate measurement, which is required to measure insulation. This solution combines the benefits of a lightweight and disturbance-proof tool over a wide frequency range. This technology is available today in GE Energy's IDA 200 test system. A related paper on the subject is posted on ge.com/energy.
Developing intellectual property has always been integral to the company strategy at GE. Thomas Edison, the founding father of GE, was awarded 1,093 patents. GE, over the course of its history, has been awarded over 70,000 patents.
For more details on these patents, please visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office online at http://www.uspto.gov/.
About GE Energy
GE Energy (www.ge.com/energy) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies, with 2005 revenue of $16.5 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Energy works in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels. Numerous GE Energy products are certified under ecomagination, GE's corporate-wide initiative to aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet pressing environmental challenges.
For more information, contact:
Dennis Murphy
GE Energy
+1 678 844 6948
dennis.murphy@ps.ge.com
Gina DeRossi or Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
+1 518 786-6488
gina.derossi@mastopr.com
howard.masto@ge.com
