System Architecture for Battery Charger Based on GaN-Based Power Devices

• US 20170279287A1
• Filed: 03/28/2016
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Solodovnik, Eugene V., Karimi, Kamiar J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,063,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/54 related to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/009 having two or more independently controlled outputs for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4216 operating from a three-phase input voltage H02M1/4233 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33546 with automatic control of the output voltage or current H02M3/33561 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33576 having at least one active switching element at the secondary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/06 : using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/217 : using semiconductor devices only
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 : On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A system architecture for a battery charger that employs GaN-based power devices. The system takes advantage of the active power electronics circuits for power conversion, utilizing controls for power factor correction at its input and constant current/constant voltage regulation at its output. Specifically, a universal GaN-based battery charger architecture is proposed for charging either low- or high-voltage batteries using either three-phase 230-V variable frequency or three-phase 115-V constant frequency AC input power, while meeting stringent power quality and electromagnetic interference aerospace requirements.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

first and second DC-link conductors;

an AC-to-DC rectifier connected to the first and second DC-link conductors and configured to convert AC voltages into a DC-link voltage across the first and second DC-link conductors; and

a DC-to-DC converter comprising first and second pairs of output terminals, first and second input terminals connected to the first and second DC-link conductors, a first switch connected to one of the first pair of output terminals, and a second switch connected to one of the second pair of output terminals,

wherein the DC-to-DC converter is configured to output DC current for charging a low-voltage battery connected to the first pair of output terminals as a function of the DC-link voltage when the first switch is closed and the second switch is open and is further configured to output DC current for charging a high-voltage battery connected to the second pair of output terminals as a function of the DC-link voltage when the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.

2. The battery charger as recited in claim 1, wherein the DC-to-DC converter is further configured to operate in a resonant converter mode when the first switch is closed and the second switch is open and to operate in a buck converter mode when the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.

3. The battery charger as recited in claim 1, wherein the DC-to-DC converter further comprises a multiplicity of power switches connected in series across the first and second input terminals.

4. The battery charger as recited in claim 3, wherein the power switches are gallium nitride-based transistors.

5. The battery charger as recited in claim 3, wherein the multiplicity of power switches comprise first through fourth power switches, another of the second pair of output terminals is connected to the second input terminal, and the DC-to-DC converter further comprises:

an inductor connected to a midpoint between the second and third power switches;

a transformer comprising a primary winding and a first secondary winding, the primary winding connecting the inductor to the second switch; and

a first capacitor coupling the primary winding to the fourth power switch.

6. The battery charger as recited in claim 5, wherein the transformer further comprises a second secondary winding connected in series to the first secondary winding, and another of the first pair of output terminals is connected to a midpoint between the first and second secondary windings.

7. The battery charger as recited in claim 6, wherein the DC-to-DC converter further comprises:

a first junction which connects to the one of the first pair of output terminals when the first switch is closed;

a third switch which, when closed, connects the first junction to the first secondary winding; and

a fourth switch which, when closed, connects the first junction to the second secondary winding.

8. The battery charger as recited in claim 7, wherein third and fourth switches are MOSFET transistors.

9. The battery charger as recited in claim 7, wherein the DC-to-DC converter further comprises:

a second junction disposed between the first switch and the one of the first pair of output terminals;

a third junction disposed between another of the first pair of output terminals and the midpoint between the first and second secondary windings; and

a second capacitor disposed between the second and third junctions.

10. The battery charger as recited in claim 1, wherein the AC-to-DC rectifier comprises a Vienna-type boost rectifier.

11. The battery charger as recited in claim 1, wherein the AC-to-DC rectifier comprises:

first, second and third input terminals;

a mid-point node;

first and second junctions respectively connected to the first and second DC-link conductors;

a first inductor and a first pair of high-power switches configured to couple the first input terminal to the mid-point node when the first pair of high-power switches are closed;

a second inductor and a second pair of high-power switches configured to couple the second input terminal to the mid-point node when the second pair of high-power switches are closed;

a third inductor and a third pair of high-power switches configured to couple the third input terminal to the mid-point node when the third pair of high-power switches are closed;

a first capacitor having one terminal connected to the mid-point node and another terminal connected to the first junction; and

a second capacitor having one terminal connected to the mid-point node and another terminal connected to the second junction.

12. The battery charger as recited in claim 11, wherein the high-power switches of the first, second and third pairs are gallium nitride-based transistors.

13. A battery charger comprising:

first and second DC-link conductors;

a Vienna-type boost rectifier connected to the first and second DC-link conductors and configured to convert AC voltages into a DC-link voltage across the first and second DC-link conductors;

a DC-to-DC converter comprising first and second pairs of output terminals, first and second input terminals connected to the first and second DC-link conductors, a first switch connected to one of the first pair of output terminals, and a second switch connected to one of the second pair of output terminals,

wherein the DC-to-DC converter is operable in a resonant converter mode when the first switch is closed and the second switch is open and is operable in a buck converter mode when the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.

14. The battery charger as recited in claim 13, wherein the DC-to-DC converter further comprises a multiplicity of gallium nitride-based transistors connected in series across the first and second input terminals.

15. The battery charger as recited in claim 13, wherein the Vienna-type boost rectifier comprises:

first, second and third input terminals;

a mid-point node;

first and second junctions respectively connected to the first and second DC-link conductors;

a first inductor and a first pair of high-power switches configured to couple the first input terminal to the mid-point node when the first pair of high-power switches are closed;

a second inductor and a second pair of high-power switches configured to couple the second input terminal to the mid-point node when the second pair of high-power switches are closed;

a third inductor and a third pair of high-power switches configured to couple the third input terminal to the mid-point node when the third pair of high-power switches are closed;

a first capacitor having one terminal connected to the mid-point node and another terminal connected to the first junction; and

a second capacitor having one terminal connected to the mid-point node and another terminal connected to the second junction,

wherein the high-power switches of the first, second and third pairs are gallium nitride-based transistors.

16. A DC-to-DC converter comprising:

a first pair of output terminals;

first and second input terminals;

a first switch connected to one of the first pair of output terminals;

a multiplicity of power switches connected in series across the first and second input terminals;

a first junction connected by respective electrical conductors to a last one of the series-connected power switches, to the second input terminal, and to one of the first pair of output terminals;

a second junction disposed along an electrical conductor connecting two of the power switches;

a series connection that couples the first and second junctions, the series connection comprising an inductor, a primary winding of a transformer and a first capacitor;

a third junction connected by respective electrical conductors to the first capacitor, the first switch and the primary winding of the transformer; and

a second capacitor that couples a first output terminal of the first pair of output terminals to a second output terminal of the first pair of output terminals,

wherein the first switch is disposed between the third junction and the second output terminal of the first pair of output terminals, and the DC-to-DC converter is configured to operate in a buck converter mode when the first switch is closed.

17. The DC-to-DC converter as recited in claim 16, wherein the power switches are gallium nitride-based transistors.

18. The DC-to-DC converter as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

a second pair of output terminals;

a fourth junction;

a second switch disposed between the fourth junction and a first output terminal of the second pair of output terminals;

first and second secondary windings of the transformer connected in series;

a first transistor disposed between the first secondary winding and the fourth junction; and

a second transistor disposed between the second secondary winding and the fourth junction,

wherein the DC-to-DC converter is configured to operate in a resonant converter mode when the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.

19. The DC-to-DC converter as recited in claim 18, wherein a second output terminal of the second pair of output terminals is connected to a midpoint between the first and second secondary windings.

20. The DC-to-DC converter as recited in claim 19, wherein the DC-to-DC converter further comprises:

a fifth junction disposed between the second switch and the first output terminal of the second pair of output terminals;

a sixth junction disposed between the second output terminal of the second pair of output terminals and a midpoint between the first and second secondary windings; and

a third capacitor that couples the fifth junction to the sixth junction.