Power conversion apparatus

• US 6,490,182 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Products, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakai, Hiromitsu, Katoh, Shuji, Ito, Tomomichi, Ueda, Shigeta, Aizawa, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US09/972,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20020131276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 363/16, 363/56.01, 363/56.03, 363/56.05, 363/131, 363/132
• US Class Current: 363/56.05
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0048 Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses using snubbers H02M1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0828 in composite switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/168 in composite switches
• 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 semiconductor electric power converter in accordance with the present invention comprises an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in of series is connected to a load. Thereby the impedance between the gate terminal of the IGBT and the gate circuit is decreased when the gate voltage is higher than the gate voltage command value or the impedance between the gate and the emitter of the IGBT is decreased when the collector voltage is high so that an electric charge stored in the gate is rapidly discharged.

Claims

1. A semiconductor electric power converter having an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in series is connected to a load,

said semiconductor electric power converter comprising a controllable impedance connected between the gate of said IGBT and a line of said gate circuit, wherein the impedance of said controllable impedance is decreased to discharge an electric charge stored in the gate when the gate voltage of said IGBT is higher than the gate voltage command value specified in response to the collector voltage of said IGBT.

2. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 1, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.

3. A semiconductor electric power converter having an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in series is connected to a load,

said semiconductor electric power converter comprising a controllable impedance connected between the gate of said IGBT and a negative potential line of said gate circuit, wherein the impedance between the gate of said IGBT and the negative potential line of said gate circuit is decreased when the gate voltage of said IGBT is higher than the gate voltage command value specified in response to the collector voltage of said IGBT.

4. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 3, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.

5. A semiconductor electric power converter having an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in series is connected to a load,

said semiconductor electric power converter comprising a controllable impedance connected between the gate and an emitter of said IGBT, wherein the impedance between the gate and the emitter of said IGBT is decreased when the gate voltage of said IGBT is higher than the gate voltage command value specified in response to the collector voltage of said IGBT.

6. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 5, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.

7. A semiconductor electric power converter having an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in series is connected to a load,

said semiconductor electric power converter comprising a controllable impedance connected between the gate of said IGBT and a negative potential line of said gate circuit and means for dividing the collector voltage of said IGB, wherein an electric charge stored in the gate of said IGBT is discharged when the gate potential is higher than the electric potential of the voltage dividing point executed by said voltage dividing means.

8. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 7, wherein an electric charge stored in the gate is discharged when the gate voltage is higher than the voltage of the voltage dividing point executed by said voltage dividing means.

9. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 7, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.

12. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 8, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.

10. A semiconductor electric power converter having an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in series is connected to a load,

said semiconductor electric power converter comprising a controllable impedance connected between the gate of said IGBT and a negative potential line of said gate circuit and means for dividing the collector voltage of said IGB, wherein the impedance between the gate of said IGBT and the negative potential line of said gate circuit is decreased when the gate potential is higher than the electric potential of the voltage dividing point executed by said voltage dividing means.

11. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 10, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.

13. A semiconductor electric power converter having an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in series is connected to a load,

said semiconductor electric power converter comprising means for dividing the collector voltage of said IGB, wherein a gate current is drawn to a negative potential line of said gate circuit by bypassing a gate resistor that restrains the gate current when the gate potential is higher than the electric potential of the voltage dividing point executed by said voltage dividing means.

14. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 13, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.

15. A semiconductor electric power converter having an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in series is connected to a load,

said semiconductor electric power converter comprising means for dividing the collector voltage of said IGB, wherein means for supplying a gate current to the gate is provided by bypassing a resistor that restrains charging current of the gate when the gate potential of said IGBT is lower than the electric potential of the voltage dividing point executed by said voltage dividing means, and a gate current is drawn to a negative potential line of said gate circuit by bypassing a resistor that restrains discharging current of the gate when the gate potential is higher than the electric potential of the voltage dividing point executed by said voltage dividing means.

16. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 15, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.

17. A semiconductor electric power converter having an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in series is connected to a load,

said semiconductor electric power converter comprising means for dividing the collector voltage of said IGB, wherein a circuit is provided for discharging an electric charge stored in the gate of said IGBT when the electric potential of the voltage dividing point executed by said voltage dividing means is higher than a prescribed value.

18. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 17, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.

19. A semiconductor electric power converter having an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in series is connected to a load,

said semiconductor electric power converter comprising a circuit for discharging an electric charge stored in the gate of said IGBT when a current flows from the gate of said IGBT to the direction for charging said capacitor.

20. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 19, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.

21. A semiconductor electric power converter having an arm consisting of an IGBT, a capacitor connected between a collector and a gate of said IGBT, and a gate circuit connected to the gate of said IGBT for controlling the switching operation of said IGBT, wherein a plurality of said arms connected in series are connected in parallel and each midpoint of said arms connected in series is connected to a load,

said semiconductor electric power converter comprising means for dividing the collector voltage of said IGB and means for comparing the voltage of the voltage dividing point executed by said voltage dividing means with the voltage for commanding switching operation of said IGBT and controlling the gate voltage to utilize a higher voltage.

22. A semiconductor electric power converter according to claim 21, wherein said arm consists of two IGBTs connected in series.