Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes an electric machine, a traction battery, and a power converter. The power converter transfers power between the electric machine and traction battery. The power convert includes a switch that defines a portion of a phase leg, a gate driver circuit that provides provide power to a gate of the switch, and a clamping circuit. The clamping circuit includes a clamping switch that, responsive to the gate driver circuit being de-energized and a voltage of the gate exceeding a predetermined threshold value, conducts current from the gate to dissipate the voltage and clamp the gate to an emitter of the switch.

Abstract: A unitary on-board charger and generator (OBCG) for an electric vehicle system and method is disclosed. The OBCG includes a charging circuit with a diode bridge rectifier connected to an AC power source, a power factor correction converter, and a bi-directional DC/DC converter. The OBCG also includes a generating circuit with a a three-phase inverting circuit, three inductive coils connected to each leg of the three-phase inverting circuit, and a plurality of output capacitors connected to the outputs of the three inductive coils. The OBCG also includes a bridge capacitor and a control switching element connected between the charging circuit and the generating circuit for changing between a charging and generating state.

Abstract: A vehicle power system includes a traction battery, an electric machine configured to receive power from the traction battery, switching circuitry connected between the traction battery and electric machine, and including pairs of switches connected in parallel, and a capacitor connected with and between the pairs such that the capacitor shares a common terminal with each of the switches of the pairs, and a controller configured to responsive to a temperature of the traction battery being less than a first threshold, activate the switches of each of the pairs in complementary fashion at a switching frequency corresponding to a resonant frequency defined by a capacitance of the capacitor and an inductance of the traction battery to cause AC current to circulate between the traction battery and switching circuitry to generate heat within the traction battery, and responsive to the temperature exceeding a second threshold, deactivate the switches.

Abstract: A controller of a vehicle power system closes a pre-charge contactor and one of a pair of main contactors to electrically connect a battery and inverter such that current flows through a pre-charge resistor. The controller also opens the pair to electrically disconnect the battery and inverter, and closes a switch configured to complete a circuit such that charge acquired by a capacitor of the inverter is dissipated via the pre-charge resistor.

Abstract: An interleaved DC-DC converter includes a non-gapped coupled inductor with first, second, and third windings. The converter also includes first, second, and third legs in parallel. The first leg has silicon carbide or silicon nitride switches, and the second and third legs have silicon switches. A controller modulates the switches of the first leg at a frequency greater than a frequency of the switches of the second and third legs.

Abstract: An automotive power converter includes positive and negative DC rails, a pair of phase legs each having first and second switches connected in series, an output electrically connected between the first and second switches of each of the phase legs, and control circuitry configured to prevent turn on of the first switches responsive to current through either of the second switches exceeding a predefined threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle, an inductor assembly for power electronics in a vehicle, and a method of providing and cooling an inductor assembly are provided. According to one example, the vehicle is provided with an inductor assembly in a vehicle electrical system with a variable voltage converter (VVC). The inductor assembly includes a core formed from a plurality of core segments spaced apart from one another to define gaps therebetween, with each of the plurality of core segments forming an internal fluid passage extending therethrough. The inductor assembly has a winding surrounding at least one of the plurality of core segments. A fluid system is connected to the core to provide pressurized fluid to the fluid passages of the plurality of core segments to circulate fluid through the core of the inductor assembly.

Abstract: An automotive power converter includes positive and negative DC rails, a pair of phase legs each having first and second switches connected in series, an output electrically connected between the first and second switches of each of the phase legs, and control circuitry configured to prevent turn on of the first switches responsive to current through either of the second switches exceeding a predefined threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an inverter having a supply bus including a contactor operable to conduct current through a resistive element connected to a capacitive element having a voltage supplied by a battery. The vehicle includes a controller configured to energize a first gate of the inverter. The energization is responsive to the voltage exceeding a threshold. The controller is configured to detect current flow between a first phase associated with the gate and the bus based on a voltage drop associated with the voltage.

Abstract: A powertrain for a vehicle includes an electric machine coupled with a first inverter, a traction battery and a second inverter. The traction battery is coupled between a neutral terminal of the electric machine and a negative terminal of the first inverter. The second inverter is coupled in parallel with the first inverter with respect to a direct current (DC) bus, and configured to drive a second electric machine.

Abstract: A vehicle powertrain includes a direct-current (DC)-DC power converter and a controller. The DC-DC power converter includes first, second, and third legs in parallel, wherein the first leg is configured to carry a first DC current substantially equal to a sum of DC currents of the second and third legs. The controller may be configured to modulate switches of the first leg at a frequency greater than at least twice that of the second and third legs.

Abstract: A bi-directional variable voltage converter transfers power between a traction battery and an electric machine inverter. The bi-directional variable voltage converter includes a capacitor, two power module phase legs, and an air-gapped transformer with three windings and no more than four terminals. A first of the windings defines a first terminal and a second terminal of the no more than four terminals. The first terminal is directly electrically connected with a positive terminal of the traction battery and the second terminal is directly electrically connected with a positive terminal of the capacitor and a junction between the second and third windings. A second of the windings defines a third terminal of the no more than four terminals directly electrically connected with one of the power module phase legs. A third of the windings defines a fourth terminal of the no more than four terminals directly electrically connected with the other of the power module phase legs.

Abstract: A power converter has a pair of series connected switches defining a phase leg, a pair of gate driver circuits that respectively provide power to gates of the series connected switches, a positive rail electrically connected with the phase leg, and a clamping circuit including a clamping switch. The clamping circuit, responsive to one of the gate driver circuits being de-energized, activates the clamping switch with energy from the positive rail to clamp a gate of one of the series connected switches associated with the one of the gate driver circuits to another terminal of the one of the series connected switches.

Abstract: A vehicle powertrain has a traction battery, an electric machine, a power converter including a pair of series connected switches defining a phase leg for the electric machine, and a controller. The controller drives the switches with respective pulse width modulated signals to transfer power from the traction battery to the electric machine. Each of the respective pulse width modulated signals defines a low state and a high state. The controller further, responsive to a current flowing through one of the switches exceeding a predetermined threshold and the pulse width modulated signal for the other of the switches having the high state, stops driving the switches.

Abstract: A DC to AC inverter includes a plurality of power units. Each power unit has a pair of switches, a DC linking capacitor, AC and DC bus bars, and a monolithic insulating material that encapsulates the switches, capacitor and bus bars. Each switch is sandwiched between one of the AC bars and one of the DC bus bars. The monolithic insulating material exposes external surfaces of at least one the bus bars sandwiching each switch.

Abstract: A system includes a bus, and a variable voltage converter (VVC) having a switch in series with a capacitor, and an inductor in parallel with the capacitor and switch, and configured such that operation of the switch in boost mode over a duty cycle range from 0 to less than 0.5 results in a corresponding voltage output to the bus from 0 to a maximum of the VVC.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an inverter having first and second half bridges configured to provide multiphase voltage to an electric machine. The vehicle further includes a controller configured to activate a switch of the first half bridge and pulse width modulate a switch of the second half bridge to conduct resonant output on a rail of the inverter to the electric machine such that the multiphase voltage is created for at least a sixth of a cycle of the electric machine. The activation is responsive to a torque command.

Abstract: A DC-DC voltage converter for an electric vehicle connects between a battery pack and a DC link having upper and lower link capacitors. When a target voltage on the link is less than twice the battery voltage, the capacitors are charged in series from two interleaved switching legs of the converter simultaneously for part of the time, and charged in series from only one of the switching legs for part of the time. When the target voltage is between 2 and 4 times the battery voltage, the upper capacitor is charged alone from both legs for part of the time, the upper capacitor is charged alone from only one of the legs for part of the time, the lower capacitor is charged alone from both legs for part of the time, and the lower capacitor is charged alone from only one of the legs for part of the time.

Abstract: A shared resistor performs precharging and discharging functions of capacitors in an electric vehicle drive system. In a precharge state, the shared resistor is connected between the capacitors and a DC source via a precharge relay. In a discharge state, the resistor is connected across the capacitors via a discharge transistor. Otherwise, the resistor is disconnected. A bypass switch is connected between the resistor and an input capacitor. The bypass switch is rendered conductive during the precharge state and during the discharge state. The discharge transistor is activated only during the discharge state. As a result, the invention uses less components by virtue of eliminating separate resistance elements for pre-charging and discharging and by eliminating discharge switches dedicated to separate resistances. The circuit integration and the placement of components outside the inverter module improves overall system cost and packaging size.

Abstract: A powertrain for a vehicle may include a variable voltage converter (VVC), and a controller. The VVC may include an inductor, a bus capacitor and a flying capacitor. The controller may be configured to, in response to a power demand signal exceeding a threshold, modulate switches of the VVC such that an inductor current created by a collapsing field of the inductor is directed into the flying capacitor or the bus capacitor such that a bus capacitor voltage exceeds a flying capacitor voltage, and in response to the power demand signal dropping below the threshold, modulate switches such that the flying capacitor and the bus capacitor are coupled in parallel.