Method and apparatus for providing welding/plasma power
DCFirst Claim
1. A welding/plasma power source comprising:
- an input stage configured to receive an ac input signal having a period of T seconds and to rectify the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage and further wherein the input stage provides a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
an output stage disposed to receive the dc voltage signal and configured to provide an available output power signal having a power of P watts; and
a bus capacitor connected across the dc bus wherein the bus capacitor has a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing welding/plasma power is disclosed. The welding/plasma power source includes an input stage, an output stage, and an energy storage device such as a capacitor. The input stage is configured to receive an ac input signal and to rectify the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal. The input stage is further configured to provide a dc voltage signal across a dc bus. The output stage is disposed to receive the dc voltage signal and is configured to provide an available output power signal suitable for welding, plasma cutting and induction heating applications. The energy storage device is connected to provide sufficient stored energy to the dc bus to allow the welding/plasma power source to run off of a generator.
38 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A welding/plasma power source comprising:
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an input stage configured to receive an ac input signal having a period of T seconds and to rectify the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage and further wherein the input stage provides a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
an output stage disposed to receive the dc voltage signal and configured to provide an available output power signal having a power of P watts; and
a bus capacitor connected across the dc bus wherein the bus capacitor has a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A welding/plasma power source comprising:
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an input stage configured to receive an ac input signal having a period of T seconds and to rectify the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage and further wherein the input stage provides a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
an output stage disposed to receive the dc voltage signal and configured to provide an available output power signal having a power of P watts; and
an energy storage device connected to provide stored energy to the dc bus, wherein the energy storage device can store energy of at least (1.5)(PT) joules. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A welding/plasma power source comprising:
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an input stage configured to receive an ac input signal and to rectify the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage and further wherein the input stage provides a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
an output stage disposed to receive the dc voltage signal and configured to provide an available output power signal; and
a bus capacitor connected across the dc bus wherein the bus capacitor has a capacitance of at least 438 microfarads. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A welding/plasma power source comprising:
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an input stage configured to receive an ac input signal from a utility source and a generator source and further wherein the input stage provides a dc bus signal;
an output stage disposed to receive the dc bus signal and configured to provide an available output power wherein the available output power has a first value when the ac input signal is from the utility source and a second value when the ac input signal is from the generator source and further wherein the second value is at least seventy-five percent of the first value. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A welding/plasma power source comprising:
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an input stage configured to receive an ac input signal and to rectify the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage and further wherein the input stage provides a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
an output stage disposed to receive the dc voltage signal and configured to provide an available output power signal; and
an energy storage device connected to provide stored energy to the dc bus, wherein the energy storage device can store sufficient energy to maintain the available output power signal through the duration of mechanical transients.
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25. A welding/plasma power source comprising:
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a generator source configured to provide an ac input signal wherein the ac input signal includes at least one mechanical transient;
an input stage configured to receive the ac input signal from the generator source and to rectify the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage and further wherein the input stage provides a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
an output stage disposed to receive the dc voltage signal and configured to provide an available output power signal; and
an energy storage device connected to provide stored energy to the dc bus, wherein the energy storage device can store sufficient energy to maintain the available output power signal through the duration of the at least one mechanical transient.
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26. A method of providing welding/plasma power comprising:
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receiving an ac input signal having a period of T seconds;
rectifying the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage;
providing a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
receiving the dc voltage signal;
providing an available output power signal having a power of P watts; and
providing a capacitance of at least (3PT)/(V2) farads across the dc bus. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A method of providing welding/plasma power comprising:
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receiving an ac input signal having a period of T seconds;
rectifying the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage;
providing a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
receiving the dc voltage signal;
providing an available output power signal having a power of P watts; and
providing stored energy to the dc bus from an energy storage device capable of storing at least (1.5)(PT) joules of energy. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A method of providing welding/plasma power comprising:
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receiving an ac input signal;
rectifying the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage;
providing a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
receiving the dc voltage signal;
providing an available output power signal; and
providing capacitance of at least 438 microfarads across the dc bus. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of providing welding/plasma power comprising:
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receiving an ac input signal from at least one of a utility source and a generator source;
providing a dc bus signal;
receiving the da bus signal;
providing an available output power wherein the available output power has a first value when the ac input signal is from the utility source and a second value when the ac input signal is from the generator source and further wherein the second value is at least seventy-five percent of the first value. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A method of providing welding/plasma power comprising:
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receiving an ac input signal;
rectifying the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage;
providing a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
receiving the dc voltage signal;
providing an available output power signal; and
providing stored energy to the dc bus from an energy storage device capable of storing sufficient energy to maintain the available output power signal through the duration of mechanical transients.
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40. A method of providing welding/plasma power comprising:
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providing an ac input signal from a generator source wherein the ac input signal includes at least one mechanical transient;
receiving the ac input signal;
rectifying the ac input signal to provide a rectified intermediate signal having a peak voltage;
providing a dc voltage signal having a voltage of V volts across a dc bus, wherein V is greater than the peak voltage of the rectified intermediate signal;
receiving the dc voltage signal;
providing an available output power signal; and
providing stored energy to the dc bus from an energy storage device capable of storing sufficient energy to maintain the available output power signal through the duration of the at least one mechanical transient.
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Specification