Inverter circuit utilizing the reverse voltage capabilities of symmetrical gate turn off thyristors

• US 4,922,401 A
• Filed: 05/22/1989
• Issued: 05/01/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Fuel Cells LLC (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Fuel Cells LLC (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Lipman, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Application Number:
  US07/355,488
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 363/57, 363/58, 363/135, 363/136, 363/137, 363/138, 363/27, 363/28, 363/96
• US Class Current: 363/58
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/34 Snubber circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/346 Passive non-dissipative snubbers
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/519 in a push-pull configuration H02M7/517 takes precedence
• 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 novel inverter circuit having symmetrical gate turnoff thyristors (GTO) includes reactive circuit elements for recovering stored energy. The circuit is characterized by a center tapped transformer configured without tightly coupled anti-parallel diodes, thereby allowing for the presentation of reverse voltages to each GTO.

Claims

1. A method of restoring energy associated with transient signal compensation in a portion of a power conversion circuit to a power supply providing a power supply signal having a voltage magnitude following commutation of said circuit portion, said circuit portion including first and second switching devices configured to receive and transmit signals of a selected polarity, said devices coupled in series with a first reactive element therebetween and associated shunt capacitive and reactive elements, said first reactive element divided by a tap into first and second portions each configured with an associated one of said shunt reactive elements, said first reactive element for providing signals at said tap to a first electrode of a second, regenerative reactive element having first and second sections serially connected at a junction, with a first diode and a second diode anti-parallel therewith configured at said junction and further having a first regenerative diode and a second regenerative diode anti-parallel therewith configured with a second electrode of said second regenerative reactive element, said method comprising the steps of:

generating energy from said signal commutation;

storing energy in said capacitive and first reactive elements; and

transferring said stored energy to said power supply including the step of providing signals of a reverse polarity to said first and second switching devices by generating across said first and second shunt reactive elements signals having a voltage reduced in magnitude from said power supply signal voltage magnitude.

2. In a direct current power converter, a power conversion circuit section for extinguishing (snubbing) without power loss signal transients in a received power supply electrical signal having an associated current and voltage magnitude, said circuit section comprising:

first and second series coupled symmetrical switching devices receiving said signal, said devices configured to only receive from said power supply signals of a selected polarity;

a first reactive element having a signal tap dividing said first reactive element into two portions, said element serially configured between said devices;

shunt first and second snubber circuits associated with said first and second switching devices, each snubber circuit having a capacitor, diode and inductive element respectively configured with said first reactive element portions for generating across said snubber circuit inductive elements signals whose voltage magnitude is of a reduced magnitude as compared to the power supply electrical signal magnitude; and

a second, regenerative reactive element having a first electrode configured with said first reactive element tap and having first and second sections serially connected at a junction, with a first diode and a second diode anti-parallel therewith configured at said junction and further having a first regenerative diode and a second regenerative diode anti-parallel therewith configured with a second electrode of said second regenerative reactive element,

said second reactive element and said diodes electrically configured to allow reverse polarity signal voltages of a selected magnitude on said devices, thereby enabling energy associated with said extinguished (snubbed) signals stored in said circuit section to be provided back to said power supply.

3. The circuit section of claim 2 wherein said devices comprise gate turnoff thyristors (GTO).

4. The circuit section of claim 2 wherein said tap divides said first reactive element into two sections of equal inductance.

5. The circuit section of claim 2 wherein said second regenative reactive element comprises a regeneration transformer.

6. The circuit section of claim 2 wherein said first reactive element comprises an autotransformer.

7. The circuit section of claim 5 wherein said reverse signal voltage magnitude is dependent on the turns ratio of said regeneration transformer and the DC voltage of said supply signal.

8. The circuit section of claim 3 wherein said reverse signal voltage has a magnitude approximately equal to said supply signal voltage plus the total voltage across said first reactive element.

9. The circuit section of claim 2 wherein said first and second snubber circuit reactive elements are configured to have a signal thereacross of a voltage magnitude of approximately one half of said power supply signal voltage magnitude.

10. The circuit section of claim 2 wherein said signal voltage across said first and second snubber circuit reactive elements reverses in polarity and is provided to a gate drive member of an associated one of said first and second series coupled symmetrical switching devices, thereby providing energy to switch the electrical state thereof.

11. The circuit section of claim 2 wherein said snubber circuit diodes have a voltage rating approximately equal to said power supply electrical signal voltage magnitude.