Abstract:
A ferrite assembly has a first conductor and a number of ferrite members. Each of the number of ferrite members has a core. The ferrite members are in electrical communication with the first conductor. The ferrite assembly has a number of current dividing members in electrical communication with the first conductor. The current dividing members define a number of passages for allowing an airflow therethrough.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present disclosure relates to a power conversion system that supplies an electrical load from a current source by a power bus bar. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a ferrite assembly.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     A polyphase alternating current source is known in the art. A known problem that exists is excessive heat is generated by the polyphase alternating current that traverses through a converter via a power bus bar. This occurs, in one instance, during high current fluxes during device switching as can occur with currents in a range that includes 3100 amps at 1300 volts. This relatively high current level can potentially cause unacceptable power bus bar temperature levels. Another known problem is the current traversing through the power bus bar per unit time generates a magnetic field. This magnetic field may disrupt electrical components that are proximate to the power bus bar.  
         [0005]     This high temperature level of the power bus bar was dealt with in the art by increasing a length of the power bus bar and also increasing a length of a ferrite assembly being disposed adjacent to the power bus bar that has the increased length. This increased length of both the power bus bar and the ferrite assembly, although effective at dissipating heat and effective in reducing the detriments of magnetic field causes a number of problems.  
         [0006]     First of all, the increased length of the power bus bar, for any linear dimension of the power bus bar, causes the power bus bar to not fit in certain applications such as in a cabinet. Secondly, the increased length will increase design and manufacturing costs associated with the forming of the power bus bar for applications that require a predetermined amount of current. This in turn results in forming another sized ferrite assembly having an increased length to correspond with the dimensions of the formed power bus bar. Additionally, when manufacturing these components there will be higher material costs associated with the increased dimensions. This results in decreased productivity and an increased overall cost of the power bus bar and the ferrite assembly due to the additional materials.  
         [0007]     Thus, there is a need in the art for a ferrite assembly that is compact and overcomes one or more of these deficiencies.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     A ferrite assembly is provided. The ferrite assembly has a first conductor and a plurality of ferrite members each having a core and being in electrical communication with the first conductor. The ferrite assembly has a plurality of current dividing members in electrical communication with the first conductor. The plurality of current dividing members defines a plurality of passages allowing an airflow therethrough.  
         [0009]     A ferrite assembly is provided. The ferrite assembly has a first conduit having a first longitudinal axis, a first ferrite member and a second ferrite member surrounding the first conduit about the first longitudinal axis. The ferrite assembly also has a second conduit being disposed parallel to a first side of the first conduit and a first spacer material.  
         [0010]     The first spacer material places the first and second conduits in electrical communication so that a first aperture is defined therebetween. The ferrite assembly has a third conduit being disposed parallel to a second side of said first conduit and a second spacer material placing the first and the third conduits in electrical communication so that a second aperture is defined therebetween. A current traversing through the first conduit communicates with the second conduit, the first spacer material, and the third conduit so that the first and the second apertures define a cooling path.  
         [0011]     In another embodiment of the present disclosure a ferrite assembly is provided. The ferrite assembly has a first conduit having a first end and a second end. The ferrite assembly further has a plurality of ferrite member each having a core. The plurality of ferrite member are in electrical communication with the first conduit. The first conduit has a shape and a linear length. The linear length is longer than a distance between the first end and the second end. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a ferrite assembly;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is top perspective view of the ferrite assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the ferrite assembly of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the ferrite assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     With reference to  FIG. 1 , there is provided a ferrite assembly  10  for a power converter being generally represented as reference numeral  10 . The ferrite assembly  10  finds use with a current carrying conduit  12 . In an embodiment, the current carrying conduit  12  is a power bus bar. One skilled in the art should appreciate that the current carrying conduit  12  may be any wire, cable or power converter being known in the art and that the current carrying conduit may have any size and shape that is known in the art. In an embodiment, the current carrying conduit  12  is rectangular in shape and is 2 inches in length by ⅜ inches in width.  
         [0017]     A feature of the current carrying conduit  12  is that a current traverses through the current carrying conduit. In an embodiment, the current may be relatively large, such as in a range that includes 3476 amps of direct current. It has been observed that when a sufficiently large current traverses through the current carrying conduit  12  a number of effects occur that could potentially be detrimental to an application using the current carrying conduit. These effects include an amount of heat and a magnetic field being generated by the current traversing therethrough. The amount of heat and the magnetic field may damage, disrupt and/or otherwise disturb other components that are in close proximity to the current carrying conduit  12 .  
         [0018]     The ferrite assembly  10  of the present disclosure remedies this deficiency while maintaining the current carrying conduit  12  and the ferrite system  10  in a compact form. The ferrite system  10  has a first ferrite member  14 , a second ferrite member  16 , and a third ferrite member  18 . The first, second, and third ferrite members  14 ,  16 ,  18  are substantially rectangular in shape. Each ferrite member has a core  21  being disposed in a centermost portion of the respective ferrite member. Although, the first ferrite, second ferrite, and third ferrite members  14 ,  16 ,  18  are illustrated as being rectangular, one skilled in the art should appreciate that these may be any shape known in the art including circular, triangular, diamond shaped, or any other configuration. The core  21  permits the first current carrying conduit  12  access through the ferrite assembly  10 . In this manner, the first ferrite member  14 , a second ferrite member  16 , and a third ferrite member  18  are all in contact with the first current carrying conduit  12  to provide inductance and reduce a magnetic field generated by the current traversing through the first current carrying conduit  12 . The ferrite assembly  10  provides inductance. This inductance reduces an initial rate of change of current traversing through any current carrying conduit, for example the first current carrying conduit  12 , or a power semi-conductor (not shown). In this manner, the ferrite assembly  10  protects the first current carrying conduit  12  and any other power devices being connected thereto.  
         [0019]     The ferrite assembly  10  further has a number of current dividing members being generally represented by reference numeral  20 . The current dividing members  20  reduce the heat generated by the current traversing through the first current carrying conduit  12  and also allows for the first current carrying conduit  12  to have a compact form. The current dividing members  20  are a second current carrying conduit  22 , a third current carrying conduit  24 , a fourth current carrying conduit  26 , and a fifth current carrying conduit  28 . One skilled in the art should appreciate that due to the “AC skin effect” a majority of the current traversing through the first current carrying conduit  12  is carried in an outermost conducting surface of the first current carrying conduit  12  to the current dividing members  20 .  
         [0020]     The second current carrying conduit  22  is disposed above the first current carrying conduit  12 . The third current carrying conduit  24  is disposed below the first current carrying conduit  12  and the second current carrying conduit  22 . The fourth current carrying conduit  26  is disposed above the first current carrying  12 . The fifth current carrying conduit  28  is disposed below the first current carrying conduit  12  and the fourth current carrying conduit  26 . Of course, as will be apparent the second current carrying conduit  22 , the third current carrying conduit  24 , the fourth current carrying conduit  26 , and the fifth current carrying conduit  28  may be placed in any location around the first current carrying conduit  12  to dissipate heat.  
         [0021]     The second current carrying conduit  22 , the third current carrying conduit  24 , the fourth current carrying conduit  26 , and the fifth current carrying conduit  28  may be formed from a copper material, an aluminum material or any other conductive material being known in the art. The second current carrying conduit  22 , the third current carrying conduit  24 , the fourth current carrying conduit  26 , the fifth current carrying conduit  28  each has a height of four inches and a length of 3.1 inches. Of course, one skilled in the art should appreciate that the current carrying conduits may have different heights, lengths, and sizes relative to one another.  
         [0022]     In another embodiment, each current carrying conduit may have a 2-inch height and a 7.3-inch length. In another embodiment, each current carrying conduit may have a 3-inch height and a 4.6-inch length. In still another embodiment, each current carrying conduit may have a 5-inch height and a 2.1-inch length. In still yet another embodiment, each current carrying conduit may have a 6-inch height and a 1.6-inch length. Of course, one skilled in the art should appreciate that each current carrying conduit of the current dividing members  20  may have any height and length to dissipate heat.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , as can be understood from the drawings, a first spacer  30  and a second spacer  32  is connected between the second current carrying conduit  22  and the first current carrying conduit  12 . Also a third spacer  34  and a fourth spacer  36  are disposed between the third current carrying conduit  24  and the first current carrying conduit  12 . Likewise, a fifth spacer  38  and a sixth spacer  40  are disposed between the fourth current carrying conduit  26  and the first current carrying conduit  12 . A seventh spacer  42  and an eighth spacer  44  are disposed between the fifth current carrying conduit  28  and the first current carrying conduit  12 .  
         [0024]     In this manner, current traverses through the first current carrying conduit  12  to the second current carrying conduit  22 , the third current carrying conduit  24 , the fourth current carrying conduit  26 , and the fourth current carrying conduit  28  back to the first current carrying conduit  12 . This allows the current dividing members  20  to carry a portion of the current to reduce an overall length of the first current carrying conduit  12 . This allows the first current carrying conduit  12  to fit inside a relatively smaller cabinet relative to prior art power converters that carry equivalent current load.  
         [0025]     The ferrite assembly  10  further has a number of passageways or a first aperture  46 , a second aperture  48 , a third aperture  50 , and a fourth aperture  52 . One of the aspects of the present disclosure is that the current dividing members  20  form the number of passageways to dissipate any heat generated by the current traversing through the current dividing members, the first current carrying conduit  12 , and any combinations thereof. The first aperture  46 , a second aperture  48 , a third aperture  50 , and the fourth aperture  52  are all generally orthogonal in shape and permit an air flow to traverse therethrough and cool the first current carrying conduit  12 . Of course, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the first spacer  30 , the second spacer  32 , the third spacer  34 , the fourth spacer  36 , the fifth spacer  38  and the sixth spacer  40  may be any shape known in the art. These shapes include but are not limited to circular, triangular, pyramid shaped or any other shape to form any sized aperture to allow airflow to traverse therethrough. Of course, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the first spacer  30 , the second spacer  32 , the third spacer  34 , the fourth spacer  36 , the fifth spacer  38  and the sixth spacer  40  may be formed from any material known in the art, or each may be formed of different materials. For example, the first spacer  30 , the second spacer  32 , the third spacer  34 , the fourth spacer  36 , the fifth spacer  38  and the sixth spacer  40  may be a copper material, an aluminum material, a conductive material, or any combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the airflow travels at a speed of 300 feet per minute. An airflow speed depends upon an amount of available air depending upon the location of the ferrite assembly  10 . However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that any speed suitable to cool the ferrite assembly  10  may be used with ferrite assembly  10 .  
         [0026]     Although the ferrite assembly  10  may be used with any current flowing conduit known in the art, the ferrite assembly is illustrated as being provided in a compound source excitation system or exciter that has a power current transformer being coupled to a generator. The generator generates at least a three phase(3Φ) power source.  
         [0027]     The present disclosure having been thus described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as recited in the claims.