High power laminated bus assembly for an electrical switching converter

• US 5,365,424 A
• Filed: 12/15/1992
• Issued: 11/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Kenetech Windpower, Incorporated
• Inventors: Erdman, William L., Deam, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US07/990,681
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 363/56, 363/132, 363/137, 363/141, 363/144, 361/355, 361/341, 361/361, 307/58, 307/147, 307/148, 174/72 B, 174/68.2, 174/99 B, 174/129 B, 174/133 B
• US Class Current: 363/144
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/52 Arrangements for conducting electric current within the device in operation from one component to another , i.e. interconnections, e.g. wires, lead frames optical interconnections G02B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/115 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/005 Laminated bus-bars
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

A low impedance, low noise laminated bus assembly for a high power switched converter that has a plurality of switch pairs including a -DC switch and a +DC switch for high speed switching to convert between an AC power line and a DC power storage device such as capacitors. The laminated bus assembly includes a first conductor plane having a plurality of AC bar conductors for each phase of AC power, a second conductor plane including a -DC bar conductor, and a third conductor plane including a +DC bar conductor. A dielectric layer is laminated between the first, second, and third planes. The circuit layout includes a plurality of electrical connections between the switches, the AC, -DC and +DC bar conductors, and the DC power storage device. Some of the electrical connections require that a coupling conductor pass through another bar conductor, which must therefore be insulated from the coupling conductor. Each bar conductor therefore has at least one insulated hole that includes an annular insulator through which the coupling conductor, which is a bushing, is inserted.

Claims

1. A low impedance laminated bus assembly for a high power switched converter that has a plurality of switch pairs including a -DC switch and a +DC switch for high speed switching to convert between AC power on an AC power line that has a plurality of phases and DC energy storage device that has a +DC side and -DC side, said laminated bus assembly comprising:

a first conductor plane having a plurality of AC bar conductors positioned thereon, including an AC bar conductor for each phase of AC power;

a second conductor plane including a -DC bar conductor positioned thereon;

a third conductor plane including a +DC bar conductor positioned thereon;

a plurality of dielectric layers, each layer laminated between two of the first, second, and third planes;

a -DC coupling means for coupling the -DC bar conductor to the -DC side of the DC power;

a +DC coupling means for coupling the +DC bar conductor to the +DC side of the DC power;

a +AC switch coupler for coupling each +AC bar conductor to a respective +DC switch in each of the plurality of switch pairs;

a -AC switch coupler for coupling each -AC bar conductor to a respective -DC switch in each of the plurality of switch pairs;

a first switch coupler for coupling the -DC bar conductors to the -DC switch in each of the plurality of switch pairs; and

a second switch coupler for coupling the +DC bar conductor to the +DC switch in each of the plurality of switch pairs.

2. The laminated bus assembly of claim 1 further comprising a midpoint bar conductor, wherein the DC energy storage device includes a plurality of capacitors each having a first polarity connection and a second polarity connection, said capacitors including a first group of capacitors having their first connections coupled to the +DC bar conductor and their second connections coupled to the midpoint bar conductor, and a second group of capacitors having their first connections coupled to the -DC bar conductor and their second connections coupled to the midpoint bar conductor

3. A high power converter for converting electrical energy between a three-phase AC line and constant voltage Dc, said high power converter comprising:

a DC energy storage means for storing electrical energy at a constant voltage, said DC energy storage means having a +DC side and a -DC side;

a plurality of switch pairs for switching high power electrical energy, each switch pair including a +DC switch and a -DC switch coupled between the multi-phase AC and DC energy storage means, said switch pairs including a first switch pair for a first AC phase, a second switch pair for a second AC phase, and a third switch pair for a third AC phase;

a switch control means coupled to the switch pairs for controlling the switch pairs to provide a predetermined electrical power flow in direction and amount; and

a laminated bus assembly having

a first conductor plane comprising a plurality of AC bus bars including a first AC bus bar coupled to the first AC phase, a second AC bus bar coupled to the second AC phase, and a third AC bus bar coupled to the third AC phase,

a second conductor plane including a -DC bus bar,

a first dielectric layer positioned between said plurality of AC bus bars and said -DC bus bar,

a third conductor plane including a +DC bus bar,

a second dielectric layer positioned between said plurality of AC bus bars and said +DC bus bar,

a first AC coupler for coupling the first AC bus tot he first switch pair;

a second AC coupler for coupling the second AC bus to the second switch pair;

a third AC coupler for coupling the third AC bus to the third switch pair;

a first -DC coupler for coupling the -DC bus to the -DC side of the DC energy storage means,

a first switch coupler for coupling the -DC bus to the -DC switch in each of the plurality of switch pairs,

a second -DC coupler for coupling the +DC bus to the +DC side of the DC energy storage means,

a second switch coupler for coupling the +DC bus to the +DC switch in each of the plurality of switch pairs, and

a plurality of dielectric layers including a first dielectric layer laminated between the +DC and -DC buses and a second dielectric layer laminated between the -DC bus and the plurality of AC buses.

4. The laminated bus assembly of claim 3 further comprising a midpoint bar conductor, wherein the DC energy storage device includes a plurality of capacitors each having a first polarity connection and a second polarity connection, said capacitors including a first group of capacitors having their first polarity connections coupled to the +DC bar conductor and their second polarity connections coupled to the midpoint bar conductor, and a second group of capacitors having their first polarity connections coupled to the -DC bar conductor and their second polarity connections coupled to the midpoint bar conductors.