Abstract: An apparatus for phase balancing in a three-phase power distribution system provided on board a transport vehicle, a three-phase power distribution system comprising the apparatus, a transport vehicle comprising at least one of the apparatus and the three-phase power distribution system, the use of the apparatus on board a transport vehicle and a method for phase balancing in a three-phase power distribution system. An apparatus for phase balancing includes one or more multi-way switching devices and a control unit. Each of the one or more multi-way switching devices is configured to selectively connect a load of one or more loads with the phases of the three-phase power distribution system, thereby enabling a plurality of switching states between the one or more loads and the phases of the three-phase power distribution system. The control unit includes one or more communication interfaces with the one or more multi-way switches.

Abstract: A system or module has a 3-or-more layer current-controlled switching device, such as a bipolar power transistor, for driving a load and a base driver circuit coupled to drive it. The driver has a buck-converter configuration for efficiently driving the switching device. In an embodiment, the driver has an inductor, the inductor having a first terminal coupled to a base of the bipolar junction transistor, a high-side switching device coupled to drive a second terminal of the inductor; and a rectification device coupled to the second terminal of the inductor. The driver also has a control circuit for providing a sequence of pulses through the high-side switching device when a control signal indicates the bipolar junction transistor is to be turned on.