In Inverter Systems Patents (Class 363/40)
  • Publication number: 20140340948
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus has a structure in which the negative terminal of an insulated power supply is connected to one of connection nodes of a negative side bus with U-phase, V-phase and W-phase lower-arm switching elements except the end-side ones. That is the negative terminal of the insulated power supply is connected to the connection node between the negative side bus and the V-phase lower arm switching element to enable suppressing variations of input voltages supplied from the insulated power supply to respective drive circuits for driving the lower-arm switching elements by using low pass filters having smaller filtering capacity and smaller size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomotaka SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 8890465
    Abstract: The invention relates to power converter circuits which are suitable, in particular, for mobile drive systems with stringent requirements in terms of weight minimization and availability as well as direct attachment to rotating field machines. Inter alia, the strictly modular design of the electronics and the very low expenditure on passive filter elements by virtue of the principle involved are characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: ECPE Engineering Center for Power Electronics GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Marquardt, Nikolaus Michels
  • Patent number: 8890463
    Abstract: A direct current bus management system can include a power management and distribution unit, having a source management section, a bus management section coupled to the source management section, a load management section coupled to the bus management section, a DC bus coupled to the power management and distribution unit, a plurality of DC sources coupled to the source management section and a plurality of loads coupled to the load management section, wherein the bus management section is configured to reconfigure excess DC power on the DC bus from the DC inputs from the plurality of DC sources based on a plurality of priorities, a plurality of feedback signals and a plurality of system parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Steven J. Moss
  • Patent number: 8884577
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for a rotary electric machine receiving power from a DC power supply, a DC-AC converting circuit is provided with serially connected circuits each having high-potential-side and low-potential-side switching elements. When a short-circuit occurs at the switching elements, all the switching elements are turned OFF for failsafe and a path connecting the machine and the battery is opened. In such a case, a switching element belonging to part of the switching elements is turned ON, with potential at all the terminals of the rotary electric machine being the same. A location of the short-circuit occurs is identified, based on changes in current passing through the machine and being detected in response to turning ON the switching element. The changes are at least one of a reduction change in deviation of the current from a zero point and a reduction change in an absolute value of the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroya Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20140321173
    Abstract: Various enhancements to grid-interactive inverters in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment includes input terminals configured to receive a direct current, output terminals configured to provide an alternating output current to the utility grid, a controller, an output current sensor, and a DC-AC inverter stage comprising a plurality of switches controlled by control signals generated by the controller. In addition, the controller is configured to: generate control signals that cause the switches in the DC-AC inverter stage to switch a direct current in a bidirectional manner; measure the alternating output current; perform frequency decomposition of the output current; and generate control signals that cause the switches in the DC-AC inverter stage to switch current in a way that the magnitude of a plurality of unwanted current components is subtracted from the resulting output current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Christopher Richard Jones, Alexandre Rudolph Kral
  • Publication number: 20140307489
    Abstract: An inverter device (1), including a first inverter (10), and a second inverter (20) connected in parallel to the first inverter. Both the first and second inverters (10, 20) are three-level inverters. The first and second inverters (10, 20) generate first and second output voltages (V1, V2) using the voltage (Vc) at the connection point between a first capacitor (C1) and a second capacitor (C2) connected in series and evenly allocating a power supply voltage (Vin). A control circuit (40) duty-controls the second inverter at high frequency, when the second inverter (20) switches the level of the second output voltage (V2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Kazunori Kidera, Mariko Nishi
  • Patent number: 8853989
    Abstract: A motor can be driven while reducing the power loss of the entire system where a plurality of devices that causes power losses exists. The system is provided with an inverter connected to a motor, a first converter that is connected between a fuel cell and the inverter and sets an output voltage of the fuel cell, a second converter that is connected between a power storage device and the inverter and sets an input voltage Vin of the inverter, and a controller that controls the first converter and the second converter. Under the operating condition (torque, number of revolutions) required for the motor, an input voltage of the inverter which minimizes a power loss of at least one of the motor, the first converter, the second converter and the inverter is determined, and the determined input voltage is output as a necessary voltage for the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Umayahara
  • Patent number: 8847562
    Abstract: A reactive power compensation system for compensating reactive power requirements in an electrical power system. The reactive power compensation system includes a static synchronous compensation unit, a current harmonics elimination unit, and a compensation control unit. The static synchronous compensation unit includes a plurality of static synchronous compensation modules for compensating reactive power in the electrical power system. The current harmonics elimination unit includes a plurality of active filter modules for eliminating current harmonics generated in the electrical power system. The compensation control unit implements a sequential control mechanism for regulating the operation of the static synchronous compensation modules and the active filter modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Gamesa Innovation & Technology, S.L.
    Inventor: Andres Agudo Araque
  • Patent number: 8848404
    Abstract: An exemplary power conversion system is disclosed including a DC bus for receiving DC power; a line side converter electrically coupled to the DC bus for converting the DC power to AC power; and a voltage source controller to provide control signals to enable the line side converter to regulate the AC power. The voltage source controller comprises a signal generator to generate the control signals based at least in part on a power command signal and a power feedback signal. The voltage source controller further comprises a current limiter to, during a transient event, limit the control signals based at least in part on an electrical current threshold. The voltage source controller further comprises a voltage limiter to, during the transient event, limit the control signals based at least in part on a DC bus voltage feedback signal and a DC boundary voltage threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zhuohui Tan, Xinhui Wu, Xueqin Wu, Maozhong Gong, Xiaoming Guo
  • Publication number: 20140285024
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for intelligently inverting DC power from DC sources such as photovoltaic (PV) solar modules to single-phase or three-phase AC power to feed the power grid for electricity generation. A power inverter with multiple input channels or input ports that can connect to multiple DC sources is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: George Shu-Xing CHENG, Steven L. MULKEY
  • Publication number: 20140268927
    Abstract: A voltage converter system includes a first DC-AC voltage converter that converts a first DC voltage signal to a first AC voltage signal. A DC link converts the first AC voltage signal to a second DC voltage signal. A second DC-AC voltage converter converts the second DC voltage signal to a second AC voltage signal. In another configuration a DC-AC voltage converter converts a DC voltage signal to a first AC voltage signal. An AC-AC voltage converter converts the first AC voltage signal to a second, lower-frequency AC voltage signal. In yet another configuration a first voltage converter portion converts a DC voltage signal to pulses of DC voltage. A second voltage converter portion converts the pulses of DC voltage to a relatively low-frequency AC voltage signal. The voltage converter system is selectably configurable as a DC-AC voltage converter or an AC-DC voltage converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: VANNER, INC.
    Inventors: ALEXANDER ISURIN, ALEXANDER COOK
  • Publication number: 20140268931
    Abstract: A voltage booster allowing for increased utilization of low voltage, high current, unregulated DC power (“LVDC source”), such as, but not limited to, fuel cells, batteries, solar cells, wind turbines, and hydro-turbines. LVDC generation systems employing a variable low voltage DC-DC converter of the present disclosure may be used without a power inverter in applications requiring high voltage DC inputs and can also allow for the employment of common, low cost, reliable, low voltage energy storage chemistries (operating in the 12-48 VDC range) while continuing to employ the use of traditional inverters designed for high voltage power supplies. An embodiment of the DC boost converter includes a plurality of interleaved, isolated, full-bridge DC-DC converters arranged in a Delta-Wye configuration and a multi-leg bridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Combined Energies LLC
    Inventor: John Anthony Vogel
  • Publication number: 20140268932
    Abstract: Provided are single phase and multiple phase DC-AC inverters with soft switching, and related methods and uses. The DC-AC inverters comprise at least one voltage source inverter circuit or at least one current source inverter circuit having a DC input and an AC output including a first component at a fundamental frequency and a ripple component at a frequency higher than the fundamental frequency; wherein the ripple component is of a sufficient magnitude that the voltage source inverter circuit output current reverses polarity and allows the at least one inverter circuit to operate with zero voltage switching; or wherein the ripple component is of a sufficient magnitude that the current source inverter circuit output voltage reverses polarity and allows the at least one inverter circuit to operate with zero current switching. The circuits and methods may be used with grid-connected renewable energy sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Vidisha GUPTA, Sayed Ali KHAJEHODDIN, Praveen K. JAIN
  • Patent number: 8829826
    Abstract: A regenerative load electric power management system can include a system bus, an input filter coupled to the system bus, a first bidirectional solid state power controller coupled to the system bus, a motor drive inverter coupled to the input filter, a second bidirectional solid state power controller coupled to the motor drive inverter, a bidirectional direct current DC-DC converter coupled to the second bidirectional solid state power controller and an energy storage bus coupled to the bidirectional DC-DC converter, the energy storage bus providing access to an energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Steven J. Moss
  • Publication number: 20140247630
    Abstract: Power converter systems with high accuracy signal generation and associated methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for controlling an inverter coupled to a grid includes receiving data representing a voltage signal of the grid, analyzing the received data in frequency domain, and extracting a fundamental frequency component from the analyzed data in frequency domain. The method can also include calculating a waveform based on the fundamental frequency component and controlling an output of the inverter based on the calculated waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mesa P. Scharf
  • Patent number: 8824169
    Abstract: A multiple inverter with neutral line inductor and an active power filter system are disclosed. In the disclosure, the multiple inverter comprises at least two inverter units connected in parallel, the midpoint of the direct current bus in each inverter unit is connected to the neutral line N through the respective neutral line inductor. The multiple inverter can suppress the ripple produced by the neutral line current without increasing the direct current bus capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bin Wang, Pude Yu, Wentao Zhan, Hongyang Wu
  • Patent number: 8824174
    Abstract: A new current loop control system method is proposed for a single-phase grid-tie power conditioning system that can be used under a standalone or a grid-tie mode. This type of inverter utilizes an inductor-capacitor-inductor (LCL) filter as the interface in between inverter and the utility grid. The first set of inductor-capacitor (LC) can be used in the standalone mode, and the complete LCL can be used for the grid-tie mode. A new admittance compensation technique is proposed for the controller design to avoid low stability margin while maintaining sufficient gain at the fundamental frequency. The proposed current loop controller system and admittance compensation technique have been simulated and tested. Simulation results indicate that without the admittance path compensation, the current loop controller output duty cycle is largely offset by an undesired admittance path. At the initial simulation cycle, the power flow may be erratically fed back to the inverter causing catastrophic failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Jih-Sheng Lai, Sung Yeul Park, Chien-Liang Chen
  • Publication number: 20140241016
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to methods and systems for producing a three-phase current to a three-phase output. Switching converters are used to generate a positive current, a negative current, and an intermediate current. The system is configured such that the produced positive current follows a path of a highest phase of a sinusoidal three-phase signal at a given time, the produced negative current follows a path of a lowest phase of the three-phase signal at the given time, and the produced intermediate current follows a path of a phase of the three-phase signal between the highest and the lowest phase at the given time. The produced currents are switched to each phase conductor of the three-phase output in sequence so that phase currents of the three-phase current are formed in the output conductors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Ngai-Man HO, Gerardo ESCOBAR, Francisco CANALES
  • Publication number: 20140239870
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes a power conversion element; a capacitor; a control circuit that outputs a control signal to control operation of the power conversion element at the time of driving a load; a discharge control unit that outputs a discharge control signal to control operation of the power conversion element at the time of discharging the capacitor; a power supply circuit that generates a power supply voltage, on the basis of a voltage between both ends of the capacitor; and a driver unit that outputs a driving signal to operate the power conversion element, on the basis of the control signal or the discharge control signal. The power conversion element is operated according to the discharge control signal, a current is flown from the capacitor to the load through the power conversion element, and the capacitor is discharged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi Nawa, Takayuki Itsuji
  • Patent number: 8810189
    Abstract: Example embodiments disclose a drive system including a machine including a plurality of phases and configured to generate power based on a plurality of phase currents, each respectively associated with the plurality of phases and a direct current (DC) bus, operatively connected to the machine. The DC bus includes a high-side line, a low-side line, and an inverter including a plurality of switching systems, operatively connected between the high-side line and the low-side line, the plurality of switching systems, each configured to output a respective one of the plurality of phase currents. The drive system also includes a controller, operatively connected to the DC bus and the machine, the controller configured to determine if a failure exists in the drive system based on the plurality of phase currents and a DC bus voltage, the DC bus voltage being a voltage across the high-side line and the low-side line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Brij N. Singh, Chris J. Tremel, Alan K. Gilman
  • Patent number: 8810143
    Abstract: A control system includes a detection circuit, a control circuit, and a dummy load system. The detection circuit is operable to detect a voltage level change of a direct-current voltage and output an activating signal when detecting the voltage level change of the DC voltage. The control circuit is operable to receive the activating signal. The dummy load system is electrically connected to the control circuit, and the control circuit controls the dummy load system by generating a turn-on signal in response to receiving the activating signal. A dimmer system and a control method thereof are further disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Qiang Zhang, Li-Zhi Xu, Qi Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140218980
    Abstract: An inverter circuit comprises an inverter which can be configurable for controlling the supply of mains current from a grid to an electric machine in a start-up mode whereby the machine drives the prime mover for initialisation. Thereafter the same inverter is reconfigurable as part of the circuit to supply reactive power to the grid when the machine is running as a generator powered by the prime mover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Control Techniques Limited
    Inventor: Peter Eigenbrodt
  • Publication number: 20140211521
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is a scalable single stage differential power converter. The inverter can be implemented in signal, split and multi-phases. A multiphase converter can be achieved with only three modules. Integrated magnetics used in preferred embodiments of the invention mitigate the DC component of the steady-state dynamics and can be extended to AC ripple mitigation. Control architectures in preferred embodiments can mitigate higher order harmonics in steady state dynamics. Embodiments of the invention also provide scalability for voltage and current source topologies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventor: Sudip K. Mazumder
  • Publication number: 20140204633
    Abstract: Described herein are methods, systems, and apparatus for a controller for a power circuit that interfaces distributed power generation with a power distribution grid, comprising: a first portion, including a maximum power point tracker, that receives signals corresponding to the distributed power generation voltage and current, and outputs to the power circuit a signal for controlling the voltage of the distributed power generation; a second portion, including a current reference generator, a current controller, and a dc voltage controller, that receives signals corresponding to a dc voltage of the power circuit, the power distribution grid voltage and current, and the inverter current, and outputs signals for controlling the power circuit output voltage; wherein the current reference generator includes nonlinear circuit elements and generates a current reference signal from the dc voltage of the power circuit and the grid voltage and current; such that substantially harmonic-free power is injected into the p
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: Sparq Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Sayed Ali KHAJEHODDIN, Masoud Karimi GHARTEMANI, Praveen K. JAIN, Alireza BAKHSHAI
  • Patent number: 8787055
    Abstract: An inverter device includes a DC positive input line and a DC negative input line, a main bridge which includes a pair of series-connected switching elements with diodes being connected in reverse parallel with the switching elements respectively, an auxiliary bridge which includes a pair of series-connected switching elements with diodes being connected in reverse parallel with the switching elements respectively and a current-limiting reactor. A plurality of sets each one of which includes the main bridge and the auxiliary bridge is connected between the DC positive and negative input lines. Each set constitutes a phase. The current-limiting reactor is connected between a common connection point of both switching elements of the main bridge and a common connection point of both switching elements of the auxiliary bridge in each set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Naoto Shinohara, Kazunobu Nagai
  • Publication number: 20140197774
    Abstract: Power converters and methods are presented for driving an AC load connected through an intervening filter circuit, in which at least one filter current or voltage signal or value is determined according to feedback signals or values representing an output parameter at an AC output of the power converter, and AC electrical output power is generated at the AC output based at least partially on the at least one filter current or voltage signal or value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingbo Liu, Thomas Nondahl, Peter Schmidt, Semyon Royak
  • Patent number: 8780595
    Abstract: A controller for controlling a power converter is described. The controller includes an input configured to receive at least one grid feedback signal, a filter, and an output. The filter is configured to receive the at least one grid feedback signal and generate an output signal that does not deviate by more than a predefined amount from the at least one grid feedback signal. The output is configured to provide a voltage command signal to the power converter that is based at least partially on the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Einar Vaughn Larsen
  • Publication number: 20140192567
    Abstract: A system for generating a duty cycle control signal for controlling an inverter power train providing an output current waveform to a grid operating with a grid voltage waveform compares a reference current waveform shaped to the grid voltage waveform with the output current waveform to generate an error signal. The error signal is used to generate a corrective control action signal, which is combined with a feed-forward signal representing a nominal duty cycle generated with a feed-forward function. The combination of the feed-forward signal and the corrective control action signal provide the duty cycle control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: AEG Power Solutions BV
    Inventor: Didier Balocco
  • Patent number: 8773873
    Abstract: A power conversion system for providing power to an electrical grid is described. The power conversion system includes a power converter coupled to a power source and the electrical grid. The power conversion system also includes a converter controller coupled to the power converter and configured to control operation of the power converter to actively cancel harmonic current received at the power converter from the electrical grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, David Smith
  • Patent number: 8767421
    Abstract: Processes, machines, and articles of manufacture that may management power conversion as provided. This may include circuit topology or management that serves to improve power conversion efficiency from a DC waveform to an AC waveform. This circuit topology or management may include considering and managing the voltage across a DC-link capacitive bus and the phase angle output of an AC waveform in order to influence or improve power conversion characteristics or efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick L. Chapman
  • Patent number: 8743570
    Abstract: A device for converting direct voltage from an electrochemical store or a fuel cell to alternating voltage, includes a two-stage design having a single DC/DC converter stage for generating an intermediate circuit voltage from the output voltage of the electrochemical store or the fuel cell, which converter stage converts, in particular raises, the direct voltage in a wide input voltage range directly to an intermediate circuit voltage with which a DC/AC converter stage can be operated to generate the alternating voltage. The single DC/AC converter stage generates the alternating voltage from the intermediate circuit voltage. The invention further relates to a method for actuating a device for converting direct voltage from a store or energy generator into alternating voltage for feeding into a supply network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Jens-Uwe Mueller, Peter Witsch, Christian Ruehling, Andreas Falk, Torsten Leifert
  • Patent number: 8736204
    Abstract: Apparatus for transferring power between an electricity network (UP) operating on alternating-current electricity and a multiphase electric machine (M2, M3), which apparatus comprises low-voltage power cells (CS, C11 . . . CN6) operating on a cascade principle, which power cells comprise a single-phase output connector (OUT), and at least one transformer (TA, T1 . . . TN), comprising for each power cell connected to it a single-phase or multiphase winding dedicated to the specific power cell, which transformer comprises at least one additional winding (WA, WB1 . . . WBN) connected to the same magnetic circuit as the other windings for the purpose of at least one auxiliary circuit, which can be connected to the aforementioned additional winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Vacon Oyj
    Inventors: Nicklas Södö, Risto Komulainen
  • Patent number: 8736206
    Abstract: A power converting apparatus including a power converter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage and applies the AC voltage to an AC rotating machine and a control unit that controls the power converter based on an operation command from the outside is provided. The power converting apparatus includes: a first calculating unit that calculates and outputs, from a d-axis current detection value and a q-axis current detection value detected by the AC rotating machine and current command values based on the operation command, first voltage command values to the power converter, magnetic fluxes of the AC rotating machine, and an angular frequency; and a second calculating unit that sets, as an initial value, at least one of the magnetic fluxes and the angular frequency input from the first calculating unit and calculates and outputs second voltage command value to the power converter and an angular frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Kono, Keita Hatanaka
  • Publication number: 20140140112
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus, comprising: a power conversion circuit comprising an AC source; a power conversion unit with DC terminals and AC terminals; a filter inductor unit including first and second terminals, the first terminals of the filter inductor unit being connected to the AC source, the second terminals of the filter inductor unit being connected to the AC terminals of the power conversion unit; a common mode noise suppression circuit comprising a capacitive impedance network including first and second terminals; an impedance balancing network including first and second terminals; the second terminals of the capacitive impedance network are connected to the first terminals of the impedance balancing network, the first terminals of the capacitive impedance network are connected to the first terminals of the filter inductor unit, and the second terminals of the impedance balancing network are connected to the DC terminals of the power conversion unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Jinping Zhou, Min Zhou, Yicong Xie
  • Publication number: 20140133198
    Abstract: A reactive power compensator according to an embodiment comprises: multilevel inverter circuits respectively constituting each of the three phases; a filter circuit for reducing harmonics connected between the output terminals of each of the multilevel inverter circuits and a power system interconnection terminal; and a control section for causing prescribed three-phase AC voltage to be output by controlling each of said multilevel inverter circuits. Each of the multilevel inverter circuits is constituted by connecting in series one or more single-phase full-bridge single-pulse inverters and is arranged to convert DC voltage to respective positive and negative single-pulse voltages once per cycle of the fundamental wave of the voltage instruction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventors: Yushi Koyama, Yosuke Nakazawa, Hiroshi Mochikawa, Atsuhiko Kuzumaki, Takeru Murao
  • Publication number: 20140133199
    Abstract: A power conversion device for a vehicle includes: a power module that includes a switching device and, upon operation of the switching device, converts DC power into AC power to be supplied to an electric machine for driving a vehicle; a capacitor module that includes a smoothing capacitor element, an input-side power source terminal for receiving DC power, and an output-side power source terminal for supplying DC power to the power module; and a noise removal capacitor for removing noise, wherein: the noise removal capacitor is built in the capacitor module, and the noise removal capacitor is electrically connected to the input-side power source terminal in a position where a distance between a connection position of the noise removal capacitor and the input-side power source terminal is less than a distance between a connection position of the noise removal capacitor and the output-side power source terminal of the capacitor module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi MATSUO, Kinya NAKATSU, Toshiya SATOH, Ken MAEDA
  • Publication number: 20140126252
    Abstract: In a method based on the MPDTC algorithm for controlling an inverter of an electrical system, the harmonics and resonances in the inverter can be damped by extracting frequency information from predicted data of the MPDTC algorithm and by damping harmonic distortion of the electrical system by reintroducing the extracted frequency information into a control loop of the inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventors: Tobias GEYER, Georgios PAPAFOTIOU, Silvia MASTELLONE
  • Patent number: 8711590
    Abstract: A circuit comprising at least one parallel-connected partial circuit for feeding at least one inverter circuit. A partial circuit consists of an unregulated voltage source having a temporally varying DC output voltage, a voltage doubling circuit and a voltage regulating circuit with an associated regulating device. In the inventive method, the voltage doubling circuit doubles the voltage of the unregulated voltage source. The regulation of the current/voltage characteristic curve, the MPP tracking, of the unregulated voltage source is effected by the regulating device of the voltage regulating circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Semikron Elektronik GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventor: Dejan Schreiber
  • Patent number: 8711585
    Abstract: A direct double-frequency ripple current control in a two-stage high-frequency-link (HFL) based fuel cell converter that can achieve low-frequency ripple free input current without using large electrolytic capacitors is provided. To eliminate the double-frequency ripple current disturbance introduced by the single-phase inverter load, a proportional-resonant (PR) controller is developed to achieve an extra high control gain at designed resonant frequency. This high gain can be viewed as the virtual high impedance for blocking the double-frequency ripple energy propagation from inverter load to fuel cell stack. More particularly, the proposed control system can realize the utilization of all capacitive ripple energy sources in the system by regulating all the capacitors to have large voltage swing and the voltage swing is synchronized to keep real-time balancing of the transformer primary-side and secondary-side voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaohu Liu, Hui Li
  • Patent number: 8704482
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a converter-inverter controller for controlling a converter and an inverter. The power conversion device further includes a DC capacitor connected between the converter and the inverter and a DC capacitor voltage detector for detecting a DC capacitor voltage Efc between the connection ends of the DC capacitor. The converter-inverter controller provides variable control on the DC capacitor voltage Efc to the converter on the basis of the motor frequency of an AC motor, the DC capacitor voltage Efc, and a pulse mode. Within a predetermined range of motor frequencies, the converter-inverter controller fixes the PWM modulation factor of the inverter to a value m0 and provides operation control to the inverter, where the value m0 being to reduce a harmonic of a predetermined order included in the output voltage from the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takafumi Maruyama, Takeo Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8704481
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for detecting ground faults (i.e., line-to-ground faults) in motor drive systems. In particular, the embodiments described herein include a common mode choke of a motor drive system having additional (i.e., secondary) turns wound around a core of the common mode choke. These secondary turns are in addition to and separate from a plurality of sets of primary turns wound around the core of the common mode choke, each set of primary turns corresponding to a phase of AC power to which the common mode choke is directly coupled. The secondary turns terminate in series with a burden resistor. Ground faults may be detected by monitoring the voltage across the burden resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Rodriguez Valdez, Rangarajan Tallam, Russel Kerkman
  • Patent number: 8693229
    Abstract: A power regeneration apparatus includes a power conversion unit, an AC reactor, a voltage detecting unit, a phase detecting unit, a drive control unit for controlling the power conversion unit based on a phase detection value, and a reactive current component detecting unit. The phase detecting unit detects the phase of the AC power supply. The reactive current component detecting unit detects a reactive current component of a current. The drive control unit includes a phase correction section. The phase correction section corrects the phase detection value based on the reactive current component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Takahiro Saeki, Hideaki Iura, Shoji Konakahara
  • Patent number: 8687383
    Abstract: An inverter and an active power filter system have been disclosed in the invention, so that the application range of the inverter under the occasions of different capacitor requirement can be widened, the cost can be decreased, and the efficiency can be improved. The technical scheme is: an auxiliary capacitor module can be added on the traditional inverter structure and connected in parallel selectively with the capacitor in the inverter. In a system without connecting an external auxiliary capacitor module, the value of capacitance can be designed to be smaller to satisfy the application under normal occasions. If the device operates under the occasions having large harmonic current or having large neutral line current, the ripple current on the capacitor will be larger so that large capacitance will be required to satisfy the life requirement, therefore, the problem can be solved by a method of installing an auxiliary capacitor module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bin Wang, Shouyan Wang, Xibing Ding, Hongyang Wu, Shaohua Chen
  • Patent number: 8680916
    Abstract: There is disclosed a power supply stage, comprising: generating means for generating a power supply voltage from a high efficiency variable voltage supply in dependence on a reference signal; adjusting means for receiving the generated power supply voltage, and adapted to provide an adjusted selected power supply voltage tracking the reference signal in dependence thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Nujira Limited
    Inventors: Martin Paul Wilson, Shane Flint
  • Patent number: 8669733
    Abstract: A power supply circuit for an electric motor, the circuit comprising a plurality of inverter bridge arms, each having means for connection to a respective winding of the motor, each inverter bridge arm comprising in series a first insulated gate bipolar transistor and a junction field effect transistor that are connected to a controller, the circuit including a second insulated gate bipolar transistor connected in series with each field effect transistor and connected to the controller, and a damping resistor connected in parallel with the second bipolar transistor. An aircraft flight control member including a movable airfoil associated with at least one drive motor connected to such a power supply circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sagem Defense Securite
    Inventors: Roland Casimir, Tony Fourmont
  • Patent number: 8670260
    Abstract: A multiple inverter and an active power filter system are disclosed in the invention, said multiple inverter can decrease the volume and harmonics, increase the efficiency and decrease the cost, and can be applied to various occasions. The technical scheme is: the filter assembly in the multiple inverter is installed at the output inductor of the multiple inverter for filtering the harmonics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bin Wang, Hongyang Wu, Jian Jiang, Jingtao Tan, Yaping Yang
  • Publication number: 20140063874
    Abstract: A direct double-frequency ripple current control in a two-stage high-frequency-link (HFL) based fuel cell converter that can achieve low-frequency ripple free input current without using large electrolytic capacitors is provided. To eliminate the double-frequency ripple current disturbance introduced by the single-phase inverter load, a proportional-resonant (PR) controller is developed to achieve an extra high control gain at designed resonant frequency. This high gain can be viewed as the virtual high impedance for blocking the double-frequency ripple energy propagation from inverter load to fuel cell stack. More particularly, the proposed control system can realize the utilization of all capacitive ripple energy sources in the system by regulating all the capacitors to have large voltage swing and the voltage swing is synchronized to keep real-time balancing of the transformer primary-side and secondary-side voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc
    Inventors: Xiaohu Liu, Hui Li
  • Publication number: 20140063873
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for reducing harmonic distortion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Acker, Andrew Barnes
  • Patent number: 8665616
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a near zero current-ripple inversion circuit including top and bottom cells, a transformer (T1) comprising primary windings (P1, P2) and a secondary winding (S1), and at least one middle cell connected in series between the top and bottom cells. The top cell comprises two capacitors (C1, C2) and a switch (Q1) each connecting to the middle cell, and an inductor (Lr1) and the primary winding (P1) connected in series between the capacitor (C1) and switch (Q1), wherein the switch (Q1) is connected to the capacitors (C1, C2) respectively. The bottom cell comprises a capacitor (C3) and a switch (Q2) each connecting to the middle cell, and an inductor (Lr2) and the primary winding (P2) connected in series between the capacitor (C3) and switch (Q2), wherein the primary winding (P2) is connected to the middle cell, and the capacitor (C3) and switch (Q2) are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Ching-Shan Leu, Pin-Yu Huang
  • Patent number: 8665617
    Abstract: A plant for transmitting electric power includes a direct voltage network (100) and at least one three-phase alternating voltage network (101) connected thereto through a station (102). This station includes a Voltage Source Converter (103). A unit (104) is configured to control the converter according to a PWM pattern for generating an alternating voltage having a third harmonic voltage part added to a fundamental voltage part. No transformer is arranged between phase outputs (106) of the converter and the alternating voltage network (101). An arrangement (107) is configured to block the third harmonic voltage part and prevent it from reaching the alternating voltage network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventor: Gunnar Asplund