A constant-current controller that supplies a constant-current to a solenoid driver for use with an electromechanical device. The controller comprises a PCB containing a constant-current control circuit. The circuit comprises a GaNFET primary switch and a secondary switch. The PCB is integrated with and made a part of the solenoid driver. A standard electromechanical device may be converted to a constant-current controlled electromechanical device by exchanging the solenoid driver.

A constant-current control circuit comprising a switching circuit including a source voltage, and primary and secondary switches is provided. The primary GaNFET switch is connected with a solenoid assembly coil. The secondary switch is connected with the coil which has an inductance. From t.sub.0 to t.sub.on, the primary GaNFET switch is closed and the secondary switch is open, the source voltage is applied across the coil, and a counter EMF decays until the voltage across the coil equals the source voltage at t.sub.on, thereby allowing current to flow through the coil. From t.sub.on to T, the primary GaNFET switch is open and the secondary switch is closed, and a positive EMF equal to the source voltage is applied across the coil until the positive EMF decays to zero at T, such that the current continues to flow through the coil without the source voltage being applied across the coil.

A constant-current controller that supplies a constant-current to a solenoid driver for use with an electromechanical device. The controller comprises a PCB containing a constant-current control circuit. The circuit comprises a GaNFET primary switch and a secondary switch. The PCB is integrated with and made a part of the solenoid driver. A standard electromechanical device may be converted to a constant-current controlled electromechanical device by exchanging the solenoid driver.

A constant-current controller that supplies a constant-current to a solenoid driver for use with an electromechanical device. The controller comprises a PCB containing a constant-current control circuit. The circuit comprises a GaNFET primary switch and a secondary switch. The PCB is integrated with and made a part of the solenoid driver. A standard electromechanical device may be converted to a constant-current controlled electromechanical device by exchanging the solenoid driver.

A constant-current controller that supplies a constant-current to a solenoid driver for use with an electromechanical device. The controller comprises a PCB containing a constant-current control circuit. The circuit comprises a GaNFET primary switch and a secondary switch. The PCB is integrated with and made a part of the solenoid driver. A standard electromechanical device may be converted to a constant-current controlled electromechanical device by exchanging the solenoid driver.

Systems and methods of controlling a solenoid coil in a solenoid valve provide a controller that allows a supervisory or leakage current to be used in a peak-and-hold driver. The controller introduces a delay time after detection of a dropout voltage that prevents the solenoid coil from being immediately re-energized in order to ensure proper dropout of the solenoid coil. The delay time imposes a wait period during which the controller takes no action with respect to the current in the solenoid coil, allowing the solenoid coil to deenergize and return the valve to its normally-open or normally-closed position. Such use of a delay time may be limited to instances where the controller has already gone through a power-up cycle such that the response time needed by the controller to energize the solenoid coil is minimized, thus reducing the valve startup time.

The present disclosure is directed to a circuit for use in actuators, electromotive drives and valves. The circuit includes an electric conductor having a temperature-dependent resistance. The electric conductor includes a coil having a copper wire wound over a coil support. The electric conductor is connected in series with an electrical series resistor, which includes a non-reactive resistor connected in parallel with an NTC resistor. The non-reactive resistor is a wire that is composed of an alloy of copper, nickel and manganese. The wire is wound over the coil. The wire may be wound on an area of the coil support separate from the copper wire. The construction of the circuit minimizes the affect of temperature on the operation of the circuit.

A control device for a switching device with separate start-up and holding coils includes control electronics to control the current supply to the start-up and holding coils and a direct voltage supply unit for the holding coil and the control electronics with the same reference potential for the holding coil and the control electronics.

Systems and methods of controlling a solenoid coil in a solenoid valve provide a controller that allows a supervisory or leakage current to be used in a peak-and-hold driver. The controller introduces a delay time after detection of a dropout voltage that prevents the solenoid coil from being immediately re-energized in order to ensure proper dropout of the solenoid coil. The delay time imposes a wait period during which the controller takes no action with respect to the current in the solenoid coil, allowing the solenoid coil to deenergize and return the valve to its normally-open or normally-closed position. Such use of a delay time may be limited to instances where the controller has already gone through a power-up cycle such that the response time needed by the controller to energize the solenoid coil is minimized, thus reducing the valve startup time.

A constant-current control circuit comprising a switching circuit including a source voltage, and primary and secondary switches is provided. The primary GaNFET switch is connected with a solenoid assembly coil. The secondary switch is connected with the coil which has an inductance. From t.sub.0 to t.sub.on, the primary GaNFET switch is closed and the secondary switch is open, the source voltage is applied across the coil, and a counter EMF decays until the voltage across the coil equals the source voltage at t.sub.on, thereby allowing current to flow through the coil. From t.sub.on to T, the primary GaNFET switch is open and the secondary switch is closed, and a positive EMF equal to the source voltage is applied across the coil until the positive EMF decays to zero at T, such that the current continues to flow through the coil without the source voltage being applied across the coil.