POWER SWITCHING SYSTEM INCLUDING A MICRO-ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM (MEMS) ARRAY

• US 20120169266A1
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Anand, Pradeep Kumar, Changali, Sriram, Hooker, John Kenneth, Keeramthode, Remesh Kumar, Kumfer, Brent Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,350,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/519
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/30 Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/541 Contacts shunted by semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/00 Arrangements for controlling synchronous motors or other dynamo-electric motors using electronic commutation dependent on the rotor position; Electronic commutators therefor vector control H02P21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/066 using a periodic interrupter, e.g. Tirrill regulator

Abstract

A switching system includes a plurality of diodes forming a diode bridge, and a micro-mechanical system (MEMS) switch array closely coupled to the plurality of diodes. The MEMS switch array is electrically connected in an (M×N) array. The (M×N) array includes a first MEMS switch leg electrically connected in parallel with a second MEMS switch leg. The first MEMS switch leg includes a first plurality of MEMS dies electrically connected in series, and the second MEMS switch leg includes a second plurality of MEMS dies electrically connected in series.

Claims

1. A switching system comprising:

a plurality of diodes forming a diode bridge; and

a micro-mechanical system (MEMS) switch array closely coupled to the plurality of diodes, the MEMS switch array being electrically connected in an (M×

N) array, the (M×

N) array including a first MEMS switch leg electrically connected in parallel with a second MEMS switch leg, the first MEMS switch leg including a first plurality of MEMS dies electrically connected in series, and the second MEMS switch leg including a second plurality of MEMS dies electrically connected in series.

2. The switching system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a single hybrid arcless limiting technology (HALT) circuit electrically connected with the (M×

N) array, the single HALT circuit being electrically powered to open the plurality of MEMS switches in the (M×

N) array.

3. The switching system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a single pulse assisted turn on (PATO) circuit electrically connected with the (M×

N) array, the single PATO circuit being electrically powered to close the plurality of MEMS switches in the (M×

N) array.

4. The switching system according to claim 3, wherein the single HALT circuit includes a HALT capacitor and pulse switch connected in series with an inductor.

5. The switching system according to claim 4, wherein the single PATO circuit includes a pulse capacitor and pulse switch connected in series with the inductor.

6. The switching system according to claim 5, wherein the single PATO circuit includes a blocking diode connected in series with the pulse capacitor and the pulse switch.

7. The switching system according to claim 6, wherein the HALT capacitor and HALT switch of the single HALT circuit are connected in parallel to the pulse capacitor and pulse switch of the single PATO circuit.

8. The switching system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of diodes constitute corner diodes that are connected to the MEMS switch array to establish a loop area that is configured to limit stray inductance through each MEMS die to about 50 nH.

9. The switching system according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of MEMS dies includes a first MEMS die, second MEMS die, a third MEMS die, and a fourth MEMS die.

10. The switching system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a first grading network including a first resistor and a first capacitor connected in parallel, the first grading network being connected in parallel to the first and second MEMS dies.

11. The switching system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a second grading network including a second resistor and a second capacitor connected in parallel to the third and fourth MEMS dies.

12. The switching system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a first intermediate resistor and a first intermediate diode connected in series to the first and second MEMS dies.

13. The switching system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a second intermediate resistor and a second intermediate diode connected in series with the third and fourth MEMS dies.

14. The switching system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a metal oxide varistor (MOV) electrically connected in parallel to the (M×

N) array.

15. A method of starting and stopping a motor, the method comprising:

transferring electrical energy to a pulse assisted turn on (PATO) circuit electrically connected in parallel to a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switch array to establish a current path to a motor, the MEMS switch array including a first MEMS switch leg connected in parallel to a second MEMS switch leg, each of the first and second MEMS switch legs including a plurality of MEMS dies electrically connected in series to establish an M×

N array; and

transferring electrical energy to a hybrid arcless limiting technology (HALT) circuit electrically connected in parallel to the plurality of MEMS dies to disrupt a current path to a motor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein transferring electrical energy from the plurality of MEMS dies to the HALT circuit includes incorporating a delay between opening of each of the plurality of MEMS switches.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein transferring electrical energy from the plurality of MEMS dies to the PATO circuit includes incorporating a delay between closing of each of the plurality of MEMS switches.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

maintaining a substantially zero potential at each of the plurality of MEMS dies.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

limiting stray inductance through each of the plurality of MEMS dies to no more than 50 nH.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

maintaining MEMS switch current through each of the first and second MEMS switch legs to between about 1 A and about 10 A.