By Semiconductor Rectifier And Inverter Patents (Class 363/37)
  • Publication number: 20150098257
    Abstract: Power converter modules and parallel conversion systems are presented in which the modules are provided in a rollable enclosure having AC and DC electrical connections, and an interior including a switching circuit with switching devices individually connected between a corresponding AC node and a corresponding DC node for operation as either a rectifier or an inverter and an internal filter circuit with inductors individually connected between a corresponding AC node of the switching circuit and a corresponding AC electrical connection, with a built-in blower or fan to cool the filter circuit during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Lixiang Wei, Robert M. Michalski, Yogesh Patel, Bruce W. Weiss, Brian P. Brown
  • Patent number: 9000705
    Abstract: There is provided a power controller including a drive circuit connected to a DC power supply to apply a first voltage to the drive circuit and configured to supply power to an external load, a current detection circuit configured to detect a current flowing in the drive circuit by converting the current into a second voltage corresponding to the current, and a current-voltage control unit configured to generate a reference voltage corresponding to a limit value of the current flowing in the drive circuit when the first voltage is applied to the drive circuit, and configured to control the drive circuit to operate in a desired current according to the first voltage, based on a comparison result of the reference voltage and the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kaidu, Masato Aoki
  • Publication number: 20150091484
    Abstract: Current source converters and control methods are presented for high dynamic performance by implementing a DC link current control loop parallel to one or more motor control loops, with a DC link current control command value for operating the current source rectifier being derived at least partially independent of the motor control command values, wherein certain implementations drive the current source rectifier to its maximum rated value, or the DC current command value can be set above an amount required by the current source inverter using a gain factor which can be fixed or can itself be adjusted based on one or more motor control error values for balancing as-needed dynamic performance and efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Semyon Royak, Manish Pande, Jingya Dai, Sang Woo Nam, Ehshan Al-Nabi
  • Patent number: 8995152
    Abstract: An inverter circuit 40 with reduced loss in semiconductor elements when starting up, having switching elements Q1 and Q2 in series, and connected to both ends of a direct current power source circuit 30 having direct current power sources Psp and Psn in series, and including an alternating current output terminal U connected to a connection point of the switching elements, an alternating current output terminal V connected to a connection point of the direct current power sources, a bidirectional switch element S1, connected between the alternating current output terminal U and a terminal R of an alternating current power source 1, and a bidirectional switch element S2, connected between the alternating current output terminal U and a terminal S of the alternating current power source, causing the bidirectional switch elements to turn on and off when starting up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seitaro Banno, Satoru Fujita
  • Publication number: 20150084337
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method for controlling the operation of switching elements contained within a single-phase bridge circuit of a power convertor may include monitoring gate voltages of a first switching element and a second switching element of the single-phase bridge circuit and controlling the first and second switching elements so that each switching element is alternated between an activated state and a deactivated state. In addition, the method may include transmitting a gating command signal to adjust the first switching element from the deactivated state to the activated state when: a first gate drive command is received that is associated with switching the first switching element to the activated state; a second gate drive command is received that is associated with switching the second switching element to the deactivated state; and the gate voltage of the second switching element is less than a predetermined voltage threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Anthony Michael Klodowski, Todd David Greenleaf
  • Patent number: 8988861
    Abstract: The power converter includes a power conversion section which configures a circuit for power conversion, a power bus bar extending from the power conversion section, a terminal block, and a current sensor measuring current flowing in the power bus bar. The terminal block includes a mounting surface to which a terminal portion of the power bus bar is mounted. The mounting surface faces a direction substantially perpendicular to an arrangement direction in which the power conversion section and the terminal block are arranged. The current sensor is located at a side of a bottom surface on the opposite side of the mounting surface in the terminal block. The power bus bar includes: a sensor-surrounded portion surrounded by the current sensor; and an outer surface faced portion located between the sensor-surrounded portion and the terminal portion along an outer surface on the opposite side of the power conversion section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Akio Yokota
  • Patent number: 8988907
    Abstract: An apparatus for compensating a power system transmission line (46). The apparatus comprises an autotransformer (40) disposed in series with the transmission line (46). An autotransformer series winding (40A) extends from an input terminal (46) to a neutral terminal (44) and a common winding (40B) extends from an output terminal (54) to the neutral terminal (44). A compensating device (42) is connected between the neutral terminal (44) and ground. Although connected in shunt with the transmission line (46), the compensating device (42) operates as a series-connected compensating device relative to the transmission line (46). The autotransformer (40) can be connected in a buck or a boost configuration with a fixed or moveable winding tap (88). Also, two autotransformers (110, 114) can be connected in a back-to-back configuration with the compensating device (42) connected to either autotransformer (110, 114).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Robert J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8988906
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes an inverter circuit, a system voltage measurement unit measuring a system voltage, a voltage drop detector detecting a voltage drop of a power system, based on the system voltage, a direct current power measurement unit measuring a direct current power to be input into the inverter circuit, an alternating current command value calculator calculating an alternating current command value to control an alternating current output from the inverter circuit, based on the direct current power and the system voltage, and a current limiter that decrease a current limit value to limit the alternating current command value, when the voltage drop is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Ruben Alexis Inzunza Figueroa, Eiichi Ikawa, Takeshi Sumiya
  • Publication number: 20150078043
    Abstract: In some examples, a control module for a voltage converter may have an input for connection to an AC supply having an operating voltage range. A first detector is provided for detecting the operating voltage range of the AC supply and generating a first control signal to identify the detected operating voltage range. A second detector is also provided for detecting the operating voltage range of the AC supply and generating a second control signal to identify the detected operating voltage range. The control module has one or more switches for selectively enabling and/or disabling a voltage multiplier in response to said first and second control signals. The present disclosure also relates to a method of controlling a voltage converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: EDWARDS LIMITED
    Inventor: Richard Lee Harkin
  • Publication number: 20150078042
    Abstract: A power supply includes a plurality of electronic components including one or more of a rectifier and a switching transistor, an input port configured to receive electrical energy from a power source and a circuit board comprising a cavity. At least one of the rectifier and the switching transistor is embedded in the cavity. The cavity is arranged proximal to the input port such that at least a portion of thermal energy generated by one or more of the rectifier and the switching transistor is dissipated from the power supply by way of the input port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Martin Standing
  • Patent number: 8982586
    Abstract: A method of regulating temperature of a transistor-based component of a power system is disclosed. The method may include operating the power system to supply electric power to the transistor-based component and converting the electric power from direct current to alternating current, or alternating current to direct current, using the transistor-based component, thereby creating heat in the transistor-based component. The method may include outputting the electric power from the transistor-based component and supplying the electric power to an electrically-powered component to perform an output operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Lewei Qian, Matthew Hendrickson, David Marchand
  • Patent number: 8981691
    Abstract: When a failure detection part detects a failure in an inverter circuit in a first power supply system, a drive control part stops the inverter circuit from driving a motor. An on/off control part turns off a first power supply relay of a power supply on/off part. Under a state that the inverter circuit stops a motor driving operation, a first coil set of the motor generates an induced voltage by rotation caused by an external force. The induced voltage is regenerated to a battery from the inverter circuit through a second power supply relay and a parasitic diode of the first power supply relay. Thus, circuit elements in the power supply system, which is failing, are protected from breaking down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kanta Arai, Hideki Kabune, Yasuhiko Mukai
  • Patent number: 8971065
    Abstract: A system for providing, from a direct current (DC) voltage source, an alternating current (AC) to an electrical grid outputting a grid voltage, the system including: a transformer for coupling to the DC voltage source through a first switch controlled by a first control signal, and configured to provide a converted voltage based on a DC voltage; a rectifier coupled to the transformer, and configured to generate an envelope voltage of the converted voltage; a plurality of switches coupled to the rectifier to receive the generated envelope voltage of the converted voltage, the plurality of switches being controlled by a plurality of control signals, respectively, and configured to generate the AC from the generated envelope voltage of the converted voltage; and control apparatus coupled to the first switch and the plurality of switches, and configured to provide, based on the grid voltage, the first control signal and the plurality of control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kai-Cheung Juang, Tzu-Yi Yang, Chung-Lin Tseng, Hsuan-Yu Tsai, Yung-Hsi Chang
  • Patent number: 8964423
    Abstract: A power conversion system eliminates output transformers and replaces them with a zig-zag transformer and a filter that provides a 3-phase 5-wire system with significantly reduced weight and size as compared with conventional systems. The zig-zag transformer may have a low zero sequence impedance. The power conversion system also ensures operational safety by detecting various types of ground faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Cristian Anghel
  • Patent number: 8964424
    Abstract: A voltage control rate of an inverter has a DC component and an AC component. This AC component has a frequency which is six times a fundamental frequency of an AC voltage outputted by the inverter. Even when there are not only a fifth-order harmonic component but also a seventh-order harmonic component of a load current, a ratio between the magnitude of the AC component and the DC component can be appropriately set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20150049524
    Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to apparatus and methods for producing a variable frequency output waveform from a power converter for use in a power generation system, such as a wind turbine power generation system. A voltage divider is employed to provide plural voltage levels to which a multi-level bridge circuit employing selectively activated switches in pairs of switches is coupled. The switches are operated in such a fashion as to produce a generally sinusoidal waveform that may be easily filtered by low cost filters due to the plural voltage levels to produce a generally smooth sine wave from the converter. Such converters may be used in various environments including in pairs in multi-phase power converters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Allen Michael Ritter
  • Publication number: 20150049525
    Abstract: An inverter and a power supply method thereof and an application thereof are provided. The inverter includes a DC-DC conversion circuit, an inverting circuit and an auxiliary power circuit. The DC-DC conversion circuit converts a DC input voltage into a DC bus voltage. The inverting circuit is configured to convert the DC bus voltage into an AC output voltage. The auxiliary power circuit is enabled in response to the DC input voltage, and the auxiliary power circuit generates a first auxiliary power for enabling the DC-DC conversion circuit after being enabled. The DC-DC conversion circuit is enabled in response to the first auxiliary power, and the DC-DC conversion circuit generates a second auxiliary power for enabling the inverting circuit after being enabled, such that the inverting circuit is enabled in response to the second auxiliary power and generates the AC output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Jian-Guo Mu, Feng Ji, Xiong Fang, Chuan-Yun Wang, Ming Xu
  • Patent number: 8958218
    Abstract: An energy conversion system for use with an alternative energy source is disclosed. The alternative energy source can generate either an AC or a DC voltage. A first power converter is connected between the source and a DC bus, and a second power converter is connected between the DC bus and the grid or another load. The first power converter is configured to operate during periods of low energy generation. The energy captured will be stored in an electrical storage medium. When sufficient energy is stored, this energy is subsequently transferred to the grid or load via the second power converter. The second power converter is configured to operate intermittently during periods of low power generation, transferring energy from the DC bus when sufficient energy is stored and turning off when the stored energy drops to a point at which the second power converter can no longer be operated efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: ZBB Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Reichard, Nathan Jobe
  • Publication number: 20150043253
    Abstract: A power conversion device 300 includes: an AC/DC converter section 10 which has an initial charging circuit 36 that initially charges a smoothing capacitor 22 provided at an output portion, and converts alternating current power into direct current power; a DC/DC converter section 11 which performs voltage conversion of direct current power supplied from the smoothing capacitor 22; and a control unit 5 which controls output of the AC/DC converter section 10 and output supplied from the DC/DC converter section 11. The control unit 5 performs a predetermined charging from the initial charging circuit 36 to the smoothing capacitor 22 at start-up of the AC/DC converter section 10, and starts the operation of the DC/DC converter section 11 after completion of charging, whereby the circuit can be protected from an inrush current at start-up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Awane
  • Patent number: 8953345
    Abstract: A leg includes: two semiconductor device groups connected in series and a division current is generated in a current which flows in the semiconductor device group between elements in the semiconductor device groups, a current sensor which detects a current which flows in the semiconductor device group, a voltage command generation unit which calculates a voltage command value to be outputted, a voltage drop calculating unit which calculates a voltage drop of the semiconductor device group by using a current value which is detected by the current sensor and voltage drop characteristics including a division characteristic of the semiconductor device group, and a switching control unit which corrects a voltage command value which is generated by the voltage command generation unit by using the voltage drop which is calculated so as to control ON/OFF of the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takushi Jimichi, Satoshi Azuma
  • Patent number: 8952766
    Abstract: An object is to provide a control board, an inverter device, and an integrated-inverter electric compressor that are capable of improving electromagnetic compatibility (EMC property) and improving reliability against input/output of electromagnetic noise, which shows a tendency towards greater complexity and intensity. A control board to which two power systems, that is, a low-voltage power system and a high-voltage power system, are inputs, comprising a low-voltage circuit and a high-voltage circuit, and a low-voltage-side ground region and a high-voltage-side ground region that are formed in correspondence with the circuits, respectively, wherein frame ground regions are provided at a plurality of positions on the control board, and a plurality of communication line patterns connected to the low-voltage circuit are respectively connected to both the low-voltage-side ground region and the frame ground region through capacitance elements with various capacitances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Hattori, Masahiko Asai
  • Publication number: 20150029764
    Abstract: A power control device includes a first terminal, a second terminal connected to a transmission line, a first cascade multilevel inverter (CMI) and a second CMI. The first CMI is connected to the second terminal. The second CMI connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Fang Zheng Peng
  • Patent number: 8934270
    Abstract: Controlling a converter of a wind turbine is disclosed. The converter is connected to a rotor of a doubly fed asynchronous generator in order to feed electrical energy into an electric network. The converter comprises a network-side inverter, a generator-side inverter, and a controller, which outputs target values for demanded reactive power to at least one of the inverters. A reactive power target signal is determined for the portion that the network-side inverter contributes to the demanded reactive power QT, a slip signal is determined from the frequency of the network and the rotational speed of the generator, a gain value is calculated according to the slip signal, and the gain value is modified according to the reactive power target signal for the network-side inverter. The distribution of the reactive power between the two inverters is thus optimized over a wide operating range, not only at individual predetermined operating points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Senvion SE
    Inventor: Heinz-Hermann Letas
  • Patent number: 8934269
    Abstract: We describe a photovoltaic power conditioning unit comprising: both dc and ac power inputs; a dc link; at least one dc-to-dc converter coupled between dc input and dc link; and a dc-to-ac converter coupled between dc link and ac output. The dc-to-dc converter comprises: a transformer having input and output windings; an input dc-to-ac converter coupled between dc input and input winding; and an ac-to-dc converter coupled between output winding the dc link. The output winding has a winding tap between the first and second portions. The ac-to-dc converter comprises: first and second rectifiers, each connected to a respective first and second portion of the output winding, to the dc link and winding tap; and a series inductor connected to the winding tap. Rectifiers are connected to the winding tap of the output winding via the series inductor wherein the series inductor is shared between the first and second rectifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Enecsys Limited
    Inventor: Paul Garrity
  • Publication number: 20150009726
    Abstract: The present techniques include methods and systems for detecting the grounding condition of an electrical system to automatically determine a suitable electrical drive configuration. The drive includes a test resistor which may be connected or disconnected from the drive to measure different drive voltages. The measured drive voltages are analyzed to determine a type of grounding configuration of the electrical system in which the drive is to be installed. Embodiments also include determining ground resistance condition such as a high resistance ground (HRG) fault or a ground resistance fault when the drive is in operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Lixiang Wei, David W. Kirschnik, Richard A. Lukaszewski, Gary L. Skibinski
  • Publication number: 20150003124
    Abstract: In a system line for supplying power from an AC power source to a load through a converter and an inverter, a noise reduction unit is connected to a single connection line between the AC power source and the converter. In the noise reduction unit, a current transformer detects a noise current flowing through the connection line after converting it to a voltage, and the detected voltage V1 is supplied through a filter device to a voltage amplifier followed by being voltage-amplified and applied to a capacitor. The capacitor is connected to an injection point on the connection line, so that a high-frequency current in the same direction as the noise current is supplied to the converter from the connection line, to thereby reduce a high-frequency noise current at the AC power source side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Sakai, Satoshi Azuma
  • Publication number: 20140376282
    Abstract: A detection target voltage is divided by a voltage divider circuit wherein a large number of resistor circuits, each of which is formed by a plurality of resistors being connected in parallel, are connected in series, and the voltage is detected. The output of a multiple voltage detector circuit formed of an operational amplifier, and the like, connected to three arbitrary places in the voltage divider circuit is input into a CPU twice, when the switch is in an on-state and when it is in an off-state. The CPU, based on the two measured voltages, can determine that trouble has occurred when there is, for example, trouble such as a short circuit or disconnection of a resistor of the resistor circuits related to the places connected to the three places in the voltage divider circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Hironori MINE
  • Patent number: 8917066
    Abstract: A system for managing shunt utilization among multiple power converters sharing a common DC bus is disclosed. Each power converter includes a shunt device, typically one or more power resistors, configured to dissipate power from the DC bus. The power converter is configured according to an initial set of configuration parameters to selectively connect the shunt device to the DC bus. Each power converter monitors the amount of power being dissipated from the DC bus via the shunt device connected to that power converter and determines a utilization rate for the shunt device. As the utilization rate increases, the configuration parameters are modified to less frequently connect the shunt device to the DC bus. As the utilization rate decreases, the configuration parameters are modified to more frequently connect the shunt device to the DC bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerry M. Nagel, Ryan J. Jwanouskos
  • Patent number: 8917047
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a converter system, which at least includes the first and second back-to-back converters. The first back-to-back converter includes a first rectifier module and a first inverter module. The first rectifier module is used to convert a first AC voltage to a first DC voltage. The first inverter module is used to convert the first DC voltage to a second AC voltage. The second back-to-back converter includes a second rectifier module and a second inverter module. The second rectifier module is used to convert the first AC voltage to a second DC voltage. The second inverter module is used to convert the second DC voltage to the second AC voltage. The converter system can suppress the circular current through the synchronous operation of the first and second rectifiers or the synchronous operation of the first and second inverters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Lin Li, Jing-Tao Tan, Hong-Yang Wu
  • Publication number: 20140369089
    Abstract: A period composed of a total of three periods, namely a period when an actual voltage vector is employed and periods before and after it can be regarded as an isolation period when an actual voltage vector is isolated in a vicinity where switching for commutation in a current-source converter is generated. When the switching in the current-source converter occurs at the isolation period, zero-current switching is realized. When presence of dead time is thus taken into consideration, a width of the timing when the zero-current switching is realized is made to be broader than a case where the presence of the dead time is not taken into consideration by the dead time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Kenichi Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20140369088
    Abstract: A multi-level inverter includes: a rectifying unit to rectify received a three-phase voltage; a smoothing unit to receive the rectified voltage and provide the rectified voltage as voltages having different levels to first to third different nodes; and an inverter unit including a plurality of switch units to transfer the voltages having three levels provided from the smoothing unit, wherein the inverter unit includes a first switch unit provided between the first node and a first output terminal, a second switch unit provided between the second node and the first output terminal, a third switch unit provided between the third node and the first output terminal, a fourth switch unit provided between the first node and a second output terminal, a fifth switch unit provided between the second node and the second output terminal, and a sixth switch unit provided between the third node and the second output terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Anno YOO
  • Patent number: 8910372
    Abstract: An improved choke assembly for a power electronics device is provided. More specifically, a choke assembly with improved protection from environmental conditions such as dirt and water is provided. An improved choke assembly may include an insulative housing for an inductor coil that seals the inductor coil from the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Brubaker, Lixiang Wei
  • Patent number: 8913405
    Abstract: A power converting apparatus generates a carrier having a waveform in which an absolute value of a slope is constant with respect to time, based on a value for internally dividing amplitude of the waveform into first and second values. Commutation of a converter is performed when the carrier takes a reference. Adoption is allowed of a zero voltage vector as a switching mode of an inverter in a period in which the carrier takes a first command value to a second command value. A value for internally dividing a value from the reference to a maximum value of the carrier at a ratio between a third value and a fourth value is the first command value. A value for internally dividing a value from a minimum value of the carrier to the reference at a ratio between the third value and the fourth value is the second command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenichi Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20140362620
    Abstract: A multilevel inverter having a configuration adequate to enhance efficiency while reducing conduction loss is disclosed, the multilevel inverter including a rectifier, a smoothing unit and an inverter unit, wherein the inverter unit includes a first switch unit interposed between the first node and a first output terminal, second switch units interposed between the second node and the first output terminal, a third switch unit interposed between the third node and the first output terminal, a fourth switch unit interposed between the first node and a second output terminal, fifth switch units interposed between the second node and the second output terminal and a sixth switch unit interposed between the third node and the second output terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Anno YOO
  • Patent number: 8908397
    Abstract: A power module, which is connected to a power source, includes a rectifying unit, a filtering unit and an inverter. The rectifying unit has three legs. The filtering unit is connected to the rectifying unit, and the inverter is connected to the filtering unit. One of the three legs has two switching elements connected in series, and another one of the three legs has two rectifying elements connected in series. In addition, a power conversion apparatus including the power module is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Barbosa, Yong-Qiang Lang, Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 8902616
    Abstract: Active front end power conversion systems are presented having a peak detector with adjustable decay providing a signal to an overload protection component to selectively discontinue rectifier switching control signals for protection of active rectifier switches during unbalanced line voltage conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Semyon Royak, John M. Kasunich, Robert J. Breitzmann, John James Jenks
  • Patent number: 8897041
    Abstract: Universal electrical power conversion methods and systems which may provide the combined capabilities of symmetrical and asymmetrical conversion, bidirectionality, and simplicity are provided. In some cases, the converter charges an inductor connected in parallel between a regulated port and an unregulated port using energy stored by a capacitor positioned in parallel between the inductor and one of the ports until the inductor has a level of current stored that corresponds to the change in voltage desired at the regulated port, then discharges stored energy into the other port until a current cutoff threshold level is reached in the inductor. Creating an LC tank circuit during conversion allows conversion processes to traverse sinusoidal discharge patterns. In some embodiments, the inductor is precharged with current to affect the discharge of the inductor. Multiple ports can be connected and disconnected from the same inductor with these methods and systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Green Charge Networks LLC
    Inventor: Stephen Randolph Taddeo
  • Patent number: 8897040
    Abstract: A power converter system includes a converter, a DC link, an inverter, a damping circuit, and a control system. The converter includes an input to couple to a power generation unit and an output to provide a direct current (DC) DC power output. The DC link includes a capacitor coupled to the converter output. A voltage across the capacitor defines a DC link voltage. The inverter includes an input coupled to the DC link. The damping circuit is coupled between the converter and the inverter in parallel with the DC link capacitor. The damping circuit includes a normally closed switching device, and a resistor coupled in series with the normally closed switching device. The control system is coupled to the damping circuit and configured to control the normally closed switching device as a function of at least one operating parameter of the power converter system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Cornelius Edward Holliday, Huibin Zhu, Robert Gregory Wagoner
  • Patent number: 8891260
    Abstract: A switching element connects/disconnects an input end to/from at least either of power supply lines. A switching element is provided between the power supply lines. One end on the low potential side of a power supply unit is connected to the switching element on the side of either of the power supply lines. One end of a capacitor is connected between the switching element and the input end. The other end of the capacitor is connected to one end on the high potential side of the power supply unit. The capacitor and the power supply unit respectively serve as operation power supplies for outputting switch signals to the switching elements. A voltage adjustment unit maintains voltage across both ends of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Satou
  • Publication number: 20140334199
    Abstract: A five-level power converter and a control method for the same are provided. The five-level power converter includes an inverter and at least a rectifier, where the rectifier includes at least one rectifier control circuit and four capacitors which are divided into two groups, each with two capacitors connected in parallel, where a first end of a first capacitor to a fourth capacitor is grounded; the rectifier control circuit is configured to input a current to a second end of the first capacitor to the fourth capacitor; and a polarity of charges accumulated at the second ends of the first capacitor and the second capacitor is opposite to a polarity of charges accumulated at the second ends of the third capacitor and the fourth capacitor; and the inverter includes a discharge control circuit, and a first inductor unit and a first load connected in series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Bo He, Dianbo Fu, Yihang Lv
  • Publication number: 20140333205
    Abstract: An electronic transformer stabilization circuit includes a detection circuit and a reactive load. The detection circuit may be configured to receive a transformer output or a transformer signal derived from the transformer output. The detection circuit may determine whether the transformer that generated the transformer output is an electronic transformer. The determination may be made based on the presence of absence of high frequency components in the transformer output. Responsive to determining that an electronic transformer generated the transformer output, the stabilization circuit may operate a switch to connect the reactive load across an output of the transformer. The reactive load may include an inductor and may be configured to draw a stabilization current from the transformer. The stabilization current may ensure that the total current drawn from the transformer exceeds an oscillation current required to maintain reliable operation of the electronic transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Kost, Eric J. King, John L. Melanson, Kan Wang, Ramin Zanbaghi
  • Patent number: 8884563
    Abstract: A renewable energy source is converted into a desired DC voltage that is delivered to a DC motor controller of a permanent magnet motor. A micro controller monitors the amount of supplied renewable DC having the desired DC voltage, which is delivered to each phase of the motor by turning on FET switches on demand. If the renewable DC available at a given instant is not adequate to power a particular phase of the motor, then the micro controller turns on backup FET switches that are part of an independent drive circuit that is in parallel with drive circuits of the renewable DC power circuit, to deliver to the motor line DC, which is produced from an AC supply that has gone through an AC to DC converter. Once charged, the renewable DC power will power the next available phase of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Jerry Fan
    Inventors: John Berkheimer, Jerry Fan, Jianchu Zheng
  • Publication number: 20140328091
    Abstract: A power converter includes a rectifier section, an inverter section, a capacitance element connected between inverter section input ends, an inductance element forming part of an LC filter with the capacitance element, a voltage detector detecting an inductance element voltage, and a controller controlling the inverter section based on the detected voltage. The LC filter has a resonance frequency set such that ripple current components contained in DC current outputted from the rectifier section passes through, and current components of a frequency equal to a carrier frequency of the inverter section are dampened. The controller controls the inverter section so that a transfer characteristic of input voltage of the inverter section versus the DC voltage from the rectifier section becomes a damping characteristic given by a phase lead element and a second-order lag element connected in series, and a damping coefficient of the transfer characteristic is set larger than 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Kenichi Sakakibara, Keisuke Ohta
  • Publication number: 20140321171
    Abstract: A power conversion device including a power conversion portion that switches direct current voltage supplied by a positive line and negative line of a direct current power supply with a semiconductor switching element, and outputs converted voltage, is such that a plurality of interline capacitors are connected in parallel between the positive line and negative line, the capacitance of the plurality of interline capacitors is of a value that becomes smaller the nearer to the power conversion portion the position in which the interline capacitor is connected, and the capacitance of the interline capacitor with the smallest value of capacitance is set to a value greater than that of the capacitance between main electrodes when a direct current voltage is applied to the switching element used in the power conversion portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Miwako FUJITA, Takashi KAIMI
  • Publication number: 20140312823
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a power delivery system, as well as a method of configuring the power delivery system. The power delivery system includes two or more rectifiers electrically coupled to an AC power source and configured to generate a direct current. The power delivery system also includes two or more inverters configured to receive the direct current and generate an alternating current waveform for powering a load. Moreover, the two or more rectifiers and the two or more inverters are coupled in series with each other through an inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventor: Xianghui Huang
  • Patent number: 8867242
    Abstract: A voltage source converter is used in high voltage direct current power transmission and reactive power compensation. The voltage source converter includes first and second DC terminals for connection in use to a DC network, three phase elements and at least one auxiliary converter connected between the first and second DC terminals, each phase element including a plurality of primary switching elements and at least one AC terminal for connection in use to a respective phase of a multi-phase AC network, the plurality of primary switching elements being controllable in use to facilitate power conversion between the AC and DC networks, the or each auxiliary converter being operable in use to act as a waveform synthesizer to modify a first DC voltage presented to the DC network so as to minimize ripple in the DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Jonathan Charles Clare, Matteo Tomasini, David Trainer, Robert Whitehouse
  • Publication number: 20140306546
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a Voltage converter (100) for converting an input voltage (V10) to an output voltage (V20) comprising an input circuitry (102) for receiving the input voltage (V10) from a power supply (112), wherein the input circuitry includes chopper means (110) for chopping a voltage (V12) derived from the input voltage (V10) at a chopper frequency to a chopped voltage (V14), an inductive transformer unit (106) for transforming the chopped voltage (V14) to a chopped AC voltage (V16), and an output circuitry (104) for converting the chopped AC voltage (V16) of the inductive transformer unit (106) to the output voltage (V20) having a lower frequency than the chopper frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Gerardus Lucien Mathildus Jansen, Funda Sahin Nomaler, Can Nemlioglu, Ronald Hans Van Der Voort
  • Patent number: 8861230
    Abstract: A control circuit for controlling one or more power switches of a power converter includes a voltage control loop and a current control loop. The control circuit is configured to generate a current reference for the current control loop using the voltage control loop and an AC reference signal. The control circuit is configured to operate in at least a first mode in which a parameter of the voltage control loop is sampled only at every other zero crossing of the AC reference signal and the sampled parameter is used to generate the current reference for the current control loop. The power converter may be an AC-DC converter or a DC-AC converter (i.e., inverter). Alternatively, the voltage control loop may be sampled at every zero crossing of the AC reference signal, and/or more frequently during transient load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: James Sigamani, Yancy Fontanilla Boncato
  • Patent number: 8860381
    Abstract: Vibrations at harmonic frequencies are reduced by injecting harmonic balancing signals into the armature of a linear motor/alternator coupled to a Stirling machine. The vibrations are sensed to provide a signal representing the mechanical vibrations. A harmonic balancing signal is generated for selected harmonics of the operating frequency by processing the sensed vibration signal with adaptive filter algorithms of adaptive filters for each harmonic. Reference inputs for each harmonic are applied to the adaptive filter algorithms at the frequency of the selected harmonic. The harmonic balancing signals for all of the harmonics are summed with a principal control signal. The harmonic balancing signals modify the principal electrical drive voltage and drive the motor/alternator with a drive voltage component in opposition to the vibration at each harmonic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Sunpower, Inc.
    Inventor: Ezekiel S. Holliday
  • Publication number: 20140293663
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a power converter includes: a plurality of power amplifier units, each having: a plurality of slice each with a power conversion module including an AC/DC/AC converter; a mains controller to control the plurality of slices; and a feedback conditioning system coupled to the mains controller; a plurality of input contactors and a plurality of output contactors via which each of the plurality of power amplifier units is to couple between a transformer and a load; and a master controller coupled to the plurality of power amplifier units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Enrique Ledezma, Thomas Keister, Kaiyu Wang, Ryan Edwards, Randall Pipho, Bhaskara Palle, Alex Scorcz