Abstract: A power electronic arrangement for an electric machine, includes an inverter, power electronic components accommodated in at least one power module, an intermediate circuit connected to the inverter across connection contacts of the at least one power module and having at least one intermediate circuit energy accumulator, and a heat sink to which the at least one power module is thermally connected for cooling, the connection contacts are arranged at a margin and flat against a substrate carrying one or more power semiconductors, and are thermally coupled to the heat sink via the substrate, wherein the at least one intermediate circuit energy accumulator is connected electrically and thermally to the connection contacts to cool the at least one intermediate circuit energy accumulator.

Abstract: A power electronics arrangement for an externally excited synchronous machine, may include an inverter power module for each phase of the synchronous machine to form an inverter, an exciter power module including an exciter circuit as well as a common heat sink, to which the power modules are secured and thermally coupled for cooling. The heat sink may comprise a cavity including cooling structures for each inverter power module, each cooling structure being situated adjacent to a respective inverter power module. The cavity may receive a flow for active cooling of the power modules of a cooling fluid entering through an inflow opening of the heat sink to an outflow opening of the heat sink. A cooling structure may be associated with the exciter power module, the cooling structure being adjacent to the excited power module in the cavity.

Abstract: An externally excited electric machine includes an exciter power circuit connected to a rotor winding, a stator power circuit connected to a stator winding, an exciter control circuit connected by at least a first connector to the exciter power circuit, and a stator control circuit connected by at least a second connector to the stator power circuit. The exciter control circuit and the stator control circuit are mounted on a common circuit board. The first connector is connected to a first electrical contact of the exciter power circuit, and the second connector is connected to a second electrical contact of the stator power circuit. The first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are at different heights in relation to the circuit board. The first or the second connector has a geometrical form that bridges over a height difference between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

Abstract: A method for operating an electric machine that includes a stator and a rotor rotatably mounted with respect to the stator, wherein an inverter circuit that is provided on the stator converts a direct voltage of a voltage source into an alternating voltage output to a stator-side transfer coil, wherein the inverter circuit includes a full bridge circuit which is connected to the voltage source via a half bridge circuit, and is connected to the stator-side transfer coil, wherein control signals for controlling transistors of the half bridge circuit and the full bridge circuit are generated and output by a control device, to cause the inverter circuit to be operated in a full bridge operating mode in which the direct voltage is completely converted into the alternating voltage, or in a half bridge operating mode in which the direct voltage is only partially converted into the alternating voltage.

Abstract: A rotor for an externally excited synchronous machine is disclosed, and may include a rotor winding, a power converter circuit. and a secondary coil. The power converter circuit may include a first secondary coil contact, a second secondary coil contact, a first rotor winding contact, and a second rotor winding contact. The power converter circuit may be configured, in a first operating mode, to convert an alternating voltage induced in the secondary coil into a direct voltage and to apply the direct voltage to the rotor winding via rotor winding terminals. The first secondary coil contact and the second secondary coil contact may each be connected via a first line branch of at least one first line branch to the first rotor winding contact and via a second line branch of at least one second line branch to the second rotor winding contact.

Abstract: A method for de-exciting rotor windings of a rotor of an electric machine for a motor vehicle, wherein the electric machine includes a stator and the rotor rotatably mounted with respect to the stator, wherein an active rectifier including at least one field effect transistor controllable by way of a control voltage is provided, wherein the active rectifier electrically connects a voltage source present on a part of the rotor to the rotor windings, wherein the at least one field effect transistor is brought into an operating state that de-excites the rotor windings by way of the control voltage, in which the at least one field effect transistor forms an ohmic resistance, and wherein an energy stored in the rotor windings brings about an electrical current flow through the at least one field effect transistor, and at least part of this energy is converted into thermal energy.

Abstract: An externally excited synchronous machine is disclosed and may include a stator, a rotor rotatably mounted on a stator and having a rotor winding for generating a rotor magnetic field, and an inductive energy transfer circuit for energizing the rotor winding. The rotor may include a cooling volume through which a cooling fluid flows in at least one operating state of the synchronous machine. The inductive energy transfer circuit may include a stator-side primary winding, a rotor-side secondary winding, and a rectifier circuit for rectifying an alternating current provided by the secondary winding for energizing the rotor winding. The rectifier circuit may include at least one electrical structural component arranged within the cooling volume of the rotor such that the at least one electrical structural component directly contacts the cooling fluid at least in the operating state of the externally excited synchronous machine.

Abstract: A charging device for a motor vehicle, having a charging terminal for the energetic coupling to a motor-vehicle-external charging station, a high-voltage terminal for the electrical connection of the charging device to a high-voltage vehicle electrical system of the motor vehicle, and a charging device energy converter electrically coupled to the charging terminal and the high-voltage terminal. The charging device energy converter, for converting electrical energy between the charging terminal and the high-voltage terminal, has an electrical inductor as an electrical energy accumulator, which is at least partially formed as an electronic main coil. A low-voltage terminal for connection to a low-voltage vehicle electrical system of the motor vehicle and an electronic auxiliary coil, which is magnetically coupled to the main coil and electrically coupled to the low-voltage terminal and which is designed to provide electrical energy for the low-voltage vehicle electrical system.

Abstract: An electrical circuit device for operating an externally excited electrical machine includes an exciter circuit, an inverter circuit, a capacitor, and a support structure. The exciter circuit includes at least one exciter circuit module arranged on a first side surface of the support structure. The at least one exciter circuit module includes at least one direct current terminal that is connected directly to a terminal of the capacitor.

Abstract: An exciter circuit for an externally excited synchronous machine, comprising two voltage supply terminals for a voltage supply, two exciter current terminals configured to be connected to an exciter winding of the externally excited synchronous machine, and a bridge circuit coupled to the voltage supply terminals, a controller, a protective arrangement at a side of the exciter circuit with the exciter current terminals, wherein the protective arrangement includes a semiconductor switch switched in series with the exciter winding and a freewheeling path running in parallel with the exciter winding and having a connection point between one of the exciter current terminals and the semiconductor switch, wherein the freewheeling path has a diode which, in operation, is blocking in an exciter current flow direction, and a conversion resistor, wherein the controller, in operation, opens the semiconductor switch when a de-excitation signal is present.

Abstract: A method determines a current flowing through at least one switching element of an electrical circuit arrangement. When the switching element is turned on the current flows through a switchable portion of the switching element. The switching element is associated with a temperature sensor and a voltage sensor. The temperature sensor measures a temperature of the switching element and the voltage sensor measures a voltage drop across the switchable portion of the switching element. The temperature sensor and the voltage sensor are connected to a computing device. The computing device determines a current value of the current based on the measured temperature and the measured voltage drop.

Abstract: An electric machine for a motor vehicle is disclosed, and may include a stator, a rotor rotatably mounted with respect to the stator and having rotor windings for generating a rotor magnetic field, and an active rectifier provided on the rotor. The active rectifier may electrically connect a voltage source present on the rotor to the rotor windings, and may be configured to convert an alternating voltage provided by the voltage source into a direct voltage. The direct voltage may be configured to be utilized during generation of the rotor magnetic field by the rotor windings. The active rectifier may be arranged on or in a cooling section of the rotor. The cooling section may form a heat sink through which a cooling fluid can flow.

Abstract: An exciter circuit for an externally excited synchronous machine, wherein the exciter circuit comprises power supply terminals connectable to a current source, exciter current terminals connectable to a rotor winding of a rotor of the synchronous machine, and a protection circuit which, in operation, connects conductively the power supply terminals when a triggering condition is fulfilled.

Abstract: An exciter circuit for an externally excited synchronous machine, including voltage supply terminals for a voltage supply, exciter current terminals to be connected to an exciter winding of the synchronous machine, a bridge circuit hooked up to the voltage supply terminals, a controller and a protective layout at the side with the exciter current terminals, including: a semiconductor switch switched in series with the exciter winding, and in parallel with a protective diode which is blocking in an exciter current flow direction, and a cut-off voltage decay path running in parallel with the exciter winding and having a connection point between the bridge circuit and the semiconductor switch, having at least one Zener diode layout which is blocking in the exciter current flow direction, which defines a breakdown voltage and includes at least one Zener diode. The controller opens the semiconductor switch when a rapid de-exciting signal is present.

Abstract: A motor vehicle, having an externally excited synchronous machine and an inverter associated with the synchronous machine and connected to a high-voltage network and an exciter circuit associated with the synchronous machine to energize an exciter winding of the synchronous machine, comprising a power electronics layout having at least one intermediate circuit capacitor at the high-voltage network side, wherein the motor vehicle comprises a cooling device for cooling the power electronics layout and a voltage surge protection circuit is associated with the intermediate circuit capacitor, comprising at least one varistor, which becomes electrically conducting by the voltage imposed on it when a voltage threshold value is exceeded, wherein at least the one varistor of the voltage surge protection circuit forms part of an exciter module comprising the exciter circuit and a housing, which is thermally coupled to a cooling element of the cooling device for cooling the exciter module.

Abstract: An electric machine is disclosed, and may comprise a static section and a rotor rotatably mounted relative to the static section. The static section may have a control device configured to generate control signals for controlling operation of the electric machine. The rotor may have at least one acquisition device for acquiring and/or generating at least one item of rotor information relating to operation of the rotor. The control signals for controlling the operation of the electric machine may be generated depending on the at least one item of rotor information. The at least one item of rotor information may be transmittable from the at least one acquisition device to the control device via a transmitter of the rotor and a receiver of the static section. The at least one item of rotor information may be transmittable in a contact-free manner and by optical signals from the transmitter to the receiver.

Abstract: A power electronics arrangement for a motor vehicle comprises at least one power electronics circuit having at least one temporary storage for electrical energy, a discharge circuit associated with the power electronics circuit for discharging the temporary storage, having a discharge resistance, and a cooling device for cooling the power electronics arrangement, wherein the cooling device comprises a metallic cooling sink, the cooling sink being covered at least partly by an electrically insulating insulator layer, on which the discharge resistance is arranged as a conductor track.

Abstract: An electrical switching device for operating an electrical machine comprises an inverter circuit, an exciter circuit and a cooling device, wherein the exciter circuit is formed by at least one circuit module, wherein the circuit module is thermally coupled to the cooling device and comprises a discharge circuit, connected to the inverter circuit and adapted to discharge at least one energy accumulator of the inverter circuit.

Abstract: A method for operating an electrical circuit comprising at least one switching element of a motor vehicle is disclosed, wherein the switching element has a control voltage applied to it by a control device and the switching element is switched by the control voltage, wherein during at least one switching process there is determined at least one voltage measurement value describing a voltage of a Miller plateau of the control voltage and/or at least one time measurement value describing a duration of the Miller plateau, wherein the voltage measurement value and/or the time measurement value is compared respectively to at least one associated limit value and upon exceeding at least one limit value the control device initiates at least one action associated with the exceeded limit value.

Abstract: An externally excited synchronous machine is provided having a stator and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator, wherein the rotor has an exciter winding for providing a rotor field during operation of the synchronous machine, wherein the synchronous machine has an inductive transmission system for wirelessly transmitting electrical power to the exciter winding for operating the exciter winding, wherein the synchronous machine further has a capacitive transmission arrangement with a fixed first transmission device or means and a second transmission device or means opposite the first transmission device or means and arranged on an end face of the rotor for data transmission between a rotor-external control device of the externally excited synchronous machine and a rotor-side control unit. A motor vehicle and a method for operating the externally excited synchronous machine is also provided.