Switched resonant power conversion electronics

Abstract

A transducer operated as power generating device is driven at a low frequency and collects energy at the low frequency rate. The collected energy is extracted at a much higher frequency. Extracting the energy at a higher frequency enables the use of components, such as inductors, having reasonable values and sizes. In one embodiment, a power extracting circuit which includes elements designed to resonate with the transducer at a higher frequency than the frequency at which the transducer is being driven is periodically switched in circuit with the transducer. Thus, the electric power generator device operated and controlled by a slowly changing source of energy (e.g., ocean waves, wind, eddies of water) may develop energy at one frequency and may be operated to transfer the energy at another frequency. The resonating circuit is switched into circuit with the transducer on the positive and negative peaks of the force driving the transducer for a time approximately equal to Tc, where Tc is equal to approximately ½fo, where fo is the resonant frequency of the circuit with the switch closed. In another embodiment the load applied to the circuit is designed to have an optimum value to optimize the power transfer. Other embodiments include circuits for reliably and accurately detecting the peak(s) of the driving input signals.