POWER ELECTRONICS AND INTEGRATION SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A COMMON HIGH CURRENT INVERTER FOR USE WITH A TRACTION INVERTER AND AN AUXILIARY INVERTER

• US 20110085363A1
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Gupta, Sudhir Kumar, Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair
• Granted Patent: US 8,644,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/131
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 in a bridge configuration

Abstract

A system for using an IGBT module, electrically rated for use in a traction inverter used with a powered system, in an auxiliary inverter used with the powered system which requires a different electrically rated IGBT module than the traction inverter, the system including an IGBT module, including plurality of IGBTs as part of the IGBT module, electrically rated for use with a traction inverter, and a plurality of gate drives each configured to singularly connect to a respective one of the plurality of IGBTs within the IGBT module. All three phases of three-phase electrical power of the auxiliary inverter are associated with the IGBT module.

Claims

1. A power electronics system for a powered system, the power electronics system comprising:

a first IGBT module, including a plurality of first IGBTs as part of the first IGBT module, electrically connected to a traction inverter in the powered system, wherein the first IGBT module is electrically rated for use with the traction inverter;

a second IGBT module, including a plurality of second IGBTs as part of the second IGBT module, electrically connected to an auxiliary inverter in the powered system, wherein the second IGBT module is electrically rated the same as the first IGBT module, and wherein the auxiliary inverter requires a different electrically rated IGBT module than the traction inverter; and

a plurality of first gate drives each singularly connected to a respective one of the plurality of second IGBTs within the second IGBT module.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third IGBT module, including a plurality of third IGBTs as part of the third IGBT module, electrically connected to the auxiliary inverter in the powered system, wherein the third IGBT module is electrically rated the same as the first IGBT module; and

a plurality of second gate drives each singularly connected to a respective one of the plurality of third IGBTs within the third IGBT module.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a first one of the second IGBTs and a first one of the third IGBTs are associated with a first phase of the three-phase electrical power, a second one of the second IGBTs and a second one of the third IGBTs are associated with a second phase of the three-phase electrical power, and a third one of the second IGBTs and a third one of the third IGBTs are associated with a third phase of the three-phase electrical power.

4. A power electronics system for a powered system, the power electronics system comprising:

an IGBT module, including at plurality of IGBTs as part of the IGBT module, electrically rated for use with a traction inverter in the powered system, wherein the IGBT module is electrically connected to an auxiliary inverter within the powered system which requires a different electrically rated IGBT module than the traction inverter; and

a plurality of gate drives each singularly connected to a respective one of the plurality of IGBTs within the IGBT module;

wherein all three phases of three-phase electrical power of the auxiliary inverter are associated with the IGBT module.

5. A power electronics system for using an IGBT module, electrically rated for use in a traction inverter used within a powered system, in an auxiliary inverter used within the powered system which requires a different electrically rated IGBT module than the traction inverter, the power electronics system comprising:

an IGBT module, including a plurality of IGBTs as part of the IGBT module, electrically rated for use with the traction inverter;

a plurality of gate drives each configured to singularly connect to a respective one of the plurality of IGBTs within the IGBT module; and

wherein all three phases of three-phase electrical power of the auxiliary inverter are associated with the IGBT module.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a heat sink for the IGBT module that is compatible with the IGBT module when it is used with a traction inverter and/or an auxiliary inverter.

7. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a housing for the IGBT module that is compatible with the IGBT module when it is used with a traction inverter and/or an auxiliary inverter.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein each gate drive is individually associated with one of the three phases of the three-phase electrical power.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of gate drives are each configured to singularly connect to an emitter lead, collector lead, and gate lead of a respective one of the plurality of IGBTs within the IGBT module.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein the powered system comprises a rail vehicle and/or an off-highway vehicle.

11. An integration system for providing a same rated IGBT module, having a plurality of individual IGBTs within the IGBT module, as part of a first inverter of a powered system and a second inverter of the powered system where each inverter requires a different rated IGBT module, the integration system comprising:

a first inverter connection subsystem configured to connect the IGBT module in the first inverter to operate the IGBT module so that the electrical rating of the IGBT module is acceptable for the first inverter; and

a second inverter connection subsystem configured to connect the IGBT module in the second inverter so that the electrical rating of the IGBT module is acceptable for the second inverter.

12. The integration system according to claim 11, wherein the first inverter connection subsystem comprises a plurality of gate drives each individually connected to a respective one of the plurality of individual IGBTs within the IGBT module, wherein all three phases of three-phase electrical power in the powered system are associated with the IGBT module.

13. The integration system according to claim 11, wherein the second inverter connection system comprises a first bus bar configured to connect each collector lead of each IGBT within the IGBT module in parallel, a second bus bar configured to connect each emitter lead of each IGBT within the IGBT module in parallel, and a single gate drive to control the IGBT module, wherein a single phase of three-phase electrical power in the powered system is associated with the IGBT module.

14. The integration system according to claim 11, further comprising a heat sink usable with the IGBT module when it is provided in the first inverter and/or the second inverter.

15. The integration system according to claim 11, further comprising a housing for the IGBT module usable with the IGBT module when it is used in the first inverter and/or the second inverter.

16. The integration system according to claim 11, wherein the first inverter is an auxiliary inverter, and the second inverter is a traction inverter.

17. The integration system according to claim 11, wherein the powered system comprises a rail vehicle and/or an off-highway vehicle.