DC POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS

• US 20110194321A1
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auto Tech Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: AMANO, Katsuyuki, Saito, Katsuhiko, Suzuki, Daisuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,937,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/126
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/219 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A DC power supply apparatus comprising: a rectifying circuit including, a first rectifying portion, a second rectifying portion, a third rectifying portion and a fourth rectifying portion; a current detection portion; a first switching portion; and a second switching portion; wherein each of the first rectifying portion cooperatively operating with the first switching portion and the second rectifying portion cooperatively operating with the second switching portion is a semiconductor element which is formed by using a Schottky junction formed between silicon carbide or gallium nitride and metal and has a withstanding voltage property with respect to a voltage of an AC power supply.

Claims

1. A DC power supply apparatus comprising:

a rectifying circuit including,

a first rectifying portion,

a second rectifying portion,

a third rectifying portion, and

a fourth rectifying portion,

wherein the first rectifying portion and the second rectifying portion are connected to a positive electrode terminal of the rectifying circuit so as to be parallel to each other,

the third rectifying portion and the fourth rectifying portion are connected to a negative electrode terminal of the rectifying circuit so as to be parallel to each other,

one end of an AC power supply is connected between the first rectifying portion and the third rectifying portion, and

an other end of the AC power supply is connected between the second rectifying portion and the fourth rectifying portion;

a current detection portion which is connected to the negative electrode terminal of the rectifying circuit and detects a current flowing through the rectifying circuit;

a first switching portion which is connected in parallel to the current detection portion and the third rectifying portion;

a second switching portion which is connected in parallel to the current detection portion and the fourth rectifying portion;

a control portion which generates a control signal for controlling a ratio between an on period and an off period of each of the first switching portion and the second switching portion;

a comparing portion which compares the control signal with a triangular waveform signal for controlling a switching frequency of 25 kHz or more of the first switching portion and the second switching portion to generate a PWM control signal; and

a driving portion which drives the first switching portion and the second switching portion in accordance with the PWM control signal,

wherein each of the first rectifying portion cooperatively operating with the first switching portion and the second rectifying portion cooperatively operating with the second switching portion is a semiconductor element which is formed by using a Schottky junction formed between silicon carbide or gallium nitride and metal and has a withstanding voltage property with respect to a voltage of the AC power supply.

2. The DC power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the third rectifying portion and the fourth rectifying portion is formed by silicon carbide or gallium nitride.

3. The DC power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first switching portion and the second switching portion is formed by silicon carbide or gallium nitride.

4. The DC power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first switching portion and the second switching portion is integrated to form a module.

5. A freezing apparatus driving an air blower or a compressor by using a DC output supplied from the DC power supply apparatus according to claim 1.

6. An air conditioning apparatus driving an air blower or a compressor by using a DC output supplied from the DC power supply apparatus according to claim 1.