Abb Schweiz Ag

Abb Research Ltd.

Eddy C Aeloiza

Rolando Burgos

Arun Kumar Kadavelugu

Yu Du

Pietro Cairoli

Utkarsh Raheja

Yuxiang Shi

Goran Mandic

Darren Dale Tremelling

Zhenyuan Wang

Francisco Canales

Sandeep Bala

Jun Li

Hongrae Kim

Xiaoqing Song

Liming Liu

Jukka-Pekka Sjoroos

Joseph Alexander Carr

Sayan Acharya

Joonas Puukko

Weiqiang Chen

Joseph A Carr

A zero voltage detection device may include a voltage divider that scales down a first voltage to a second voltage, a comparator that compare the second voltage to one or more voltage thresholds and outputs a first set of signals indicative of an estimation of the first voltage approaching a zero-voltage instant, the one or more voltage thresholds configured to compensate for a time delay from the voltage divider, a flip flop that obtains the first set of signals and outputs a second set of signals to control a switching operation of a switching device, and a control system that obtains the second set of signals during a defined time window and that forces the switching device to turn on at an end of the defined time window if the second set of signals is not detected to limit turn-on losses.

System and method for zero-voltage detection in resonant pole inverters

A method for an auxiliary device of an auxiliary resonant commutated pole inverter (ARCPI) to determine a boosting time of the ARCPI is provided. The auxiliary device includes an auxiliary switch path that uses a resonant inductor with at least one saturable inductor. The method includes: calculating, by a processor of the auxiliary device, a first boosting time in the auxiliary switch path based on a theoretical resonance inductance and a voltage that are applied to the resonant inductor; determining, by the processor, a second boosting time in the auxiliary switch path based on a look-up table; and determining, by the processor, the boosting time in the auxiliary switch path based on the first boosting time and the second boosting time. The method further includes controlling, by the processor, boosting current of the ARCPI based on the boosting time in the auxiliary switch path.

Method for boosting current compensation in auxiliary resonant commutated pole inverter (ARCPI) with saturable inductor

A bi-directional switch for an inductive machine is described. The bi-directional switch may include a first power semiconductor transistor with a first source, a first drain, and a first gate. The bi-directional switch may further include a second power semiconductor transistor with a second source, a second drain, and a second gate. The bi-directional switch may include the second source connected to the first source. The bi-directional switch may include a soft-starter device including a control circuit configurable to provide a first control signal to the first power semiconductor transistor and a second control signal to the second power semiconductor transistor.

Soft turn-off for motor controllers

An insulated gate field effect transistor (IGFET) based converter circuit is described that includes a direct current input comprising a high voltage input and a low voltage input, an IGFET gate input, and an equivalent phase leg comprising a plurality of parallel-connected cells. The parallel-connected cells each include: a first wide bandgap IGFET having a first drain electrode connected to the high voltage input, a first gate electrode connected to a first gate control input, and a first source electrode; a second wide bandgap IGFET having a second drain electrode connected to the first source electrode, a second gate electrode connected to a second gate control input, and a second source electrode connected to the low voltage input; and a step-inducing inductor coupled to: the first source electrode of the first wide bandgap IGFET, and an output node. The step-inducing inductor is connected to the output node.

Voltage rate-of-change control for wide-bandgap-based inverter circuits for driving electric motors

Systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of a semiconductor control system are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment is a method for protecting a semiconductor switch comprising receiving a first voltage during a second blanking period following a first blanking period; determining whether a short circuit fault is occurring by comparing the first voltage to a fast detection threshold corresponding to a first value of a drain-source voltage of the semiconductor switch; if a short circuit is not occurring: receiving a second voltage after the second blanking period ends; determining whether a short circuit fault is occurring by comparing the second voltage to a slow detection threshold corresponding to a second value of the drain-source voltage; and if a short circuit fault is occurring, opening the semiconductor switch, wherein the first value of the drain-source voltage is greater than the second value of the drain-source voltage.

Short circuit protection for semiconductor switches

A soft switching resonant converter is disclosed. The converter includes a power switch operable to connect and disconnect a DC link rail node and an output node. A resonant capacitor is coupled with the power switch. An auxiliary leg is coupled with a DC link midpoint node and the output node. An active damper is coupled in series with the resonant capacitor and the output node and is controllable to provide a first resistance of the active damper in a first state and a second resistance of the active damper in a second state, the first resistance having a lower magnitude than the second resistance. A driver controls the damper switch to provide a first resistance during the soft switching operation of the power switch and a second resistance after the soft switching operation of the power switch.

Active damping of soft switching resonant converters

Systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of power switches are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment is a power switch comprising a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device coupled together in a first anti-series configuration between a first terminal and a second terminal; a third semiconductor device and a fourth semiconductor device coupled together in a second anti-series configuration between the first terminal and the second terminal; a controller configured to operate the power switch to simultaneously conduct a first portion of a load current from the first terminal to the second terminal by closing the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device, and to conduct a second portion of the load current from the first terminal to the second terminal by closing the third semiconductor device and the fourth semiconductor device.

Solid-state power switch

Systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of short circuit protection are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment is a method for protecting a semiconductor switch comprising receiving a measurement corresponding to an electrical characteristic of the semiconductor switch; determining a semiconductor switch resistance value using the received measurement; estimating a junction temperature of the semiconductor switch using the semiconductor switch resistance value; determining a short circuit voltage threshold using the estimated junction temperature; comparing the short circuit voltage threshold to a test voltage corresponding to a drain-source voltage of the semiconductor switch; determining a short circuit condition is occurring in response to comparing the short circuit voltage threshold and the test voltage; and opening the semiconductor switch in response to determining the short circuit condition is occurring.

Temperature-adaptive short circuit protection for semiconductor switches

Direct-current-to-direct-current (DC-DC) power converters that include two or more multi-quadrant, multi-level, DC-DC, switching converter subcircuits, connected in parallel at respective input and output sides, so as to provide a multi-channel, multi-quadrant, multi-level configuration, are disclosed. The DC-DC power converters further include a control circuit configured to control the switching converter subcircuits so that corresponding switching semiconductors in each of the switching converter subcircuits are switched in an interleaved manner. In some embodiments, each of the switching converter subcircuits is a three-level, neutral-point-clamped, four-quadrant DC-DC converter circuit. In other embodiments, each of the switching converter subcircuits is a three-level, neutral-point-clamped, two-quadrant DC-DC converter circuit. In any of these embodiments, a filter capacitor may be connected between across a pair of output terminals at the output sides of the switching converter subcircuits.

Interleaved multi-channel, multi-level, multi-quadrant DC-DC converters

A multi-phase power converter includes two or more multi-phase, bi-directional, multi-level, switching power converter subcircuits, connected in parallel at respective AC and DC sides, so as to provide a multi-channel, bi-directional, multi-level configuration. The AC sides of the switching converter subcircuits are directly coupled to one another and to a multi-phase AC input via series interface reactors, and the DC sides of the switching converter subcircuits are directly connected to one another and to a common split-capacitor bank at each level of the multi-level outputs of the switching converter subcircuits. A control circuit is configured to selectively control one or more switching semiconductor devices in each of the switching converter subcircuits. In some embodiments, the control circuit includes a closed-loop zero-sequence controller and a zero-sequence generator configured to eliminate circulating current among the switching converter subcircuits and to balance voltages across levels of the common split-capacitor bank.

Modular, multi-channel, interleaved power converters

Unique systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of semiconductor failure prognostication. One exemplary embodiment is a power converter comprising a semiconductor switch and a converter control system. The converter control system is configured to turn on the semiconductor switch, measure a first voltage and a current during reverse conduction, estimate junction temperature of the semiconductor device, turn off the semiconductor device, measure a second voltage after turning off the semiconductor device, determine a resistance value using the second voltage measurement, determine an expected resistance value, predict a failure of the semiconductor device using the resistance value and the expected resistance value, and transmit a semiconductor device failure warning.

Semiconductor failure prognostication

Unique systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of a gate drive system are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment is a drive circuit electrically coupled to a main switching device including a first inverter, a first inverter controller, an air core transformer, at least one rectifier, at least two smoothing capacitors, a current buffer stage, and a detection circuit. The first inverter controller is structured to operate the first inverter in a first mode and a second mode. The air core transformer is structured to receive the converted AC power from the first inverter. The detection circuit is structured to detect a first mode of the first inverter and a second mode of the first inverter, and operate the current buffer stage based on a detected first mode of the inverter and a detected second mode of the first inverter.

Gate drive systems and methods using wide bandgap devices

A step-down AC/AC converter for use in an electric distribution system includes at least one chopper circuit for each one of a plurality of phases of the AC power, each chopper circuit including a four-quadrant switch coupled in series between primary and secondary sides of the chopper circuit and a current-bidirectional two-quadrant switch coupled between the secondary side of the chopper circuit and a common node. Each current-bidirectional two-quadrant switch is oriented in the same direction, with respect to the secondary side of the corresponding chopper circuit and the common node. The converter further includes a control circuit configured to pulse-width-modulate control inputs of the switches, to convert a first multiphase AC voltage at the primary sides of the chopper circuits to a second multiphase AC voltage at the secondary sides of the chopper circuits, the second multiphase AC voltage being lower in voltage than the first multiphase AC voltage.

Multi-phase AC/AC step-down converter for distribution systems

A power generation system includes at least one generator that generates a medium voltage direct current that has a positive DC voltage output and a negative DC voltage output. The system also provides a medium voltage DC (MVDC) cable system with a positive pole cable and a negative pole cable, wherein the positive pole cable is connected to the positive DC voltage output and the negative pole cable is connected to the negative DC voltage output. A substation is connected to the MVDC cable system and includes at least one DC/DC step-up converter to step-up the medium voltage direct current to a high voltage direct current.

Medium voltage DC collection system with power electronics

A converter for connecting a voltage source to a load includes a plurality of ICBT (integrated capacitor blocked transistor) cells configured as switches and connected in series to form a series connection path, a main capacitor connected across the series connection path, and a controller. Each ICBT cell includes a main transistor disposed in the series connection path and a series connected auxiliary transistor and auxiliary capacitor coupled in parallel with the main transistor. The controller is operable to develop a voltage across the main capacitor which exceeds a voltage rating of the ICBT cells, by switching the ICBT cells so as to commutate current within the individual ICBT cells without the ICBT cells providing active power to the load so that power flow is from the voltage source, to the main capacitor, to the load and not through the auxiliary transistors and the auxiliary capacitors.

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Apex, NC, United States of America

Eddy C Aeloiza