Starting circuit for power-converting apparatus

• US 7,098,558 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Nobuyuki, Okuma, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Laxton, Gary L
• Application Number:
  US10/930,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20050088860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 307 43- 46, 307/48, 307/64, 307/66, 363/34, 363/37, 363/97, 363/98, 363/131, 363/132
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/2195 the switches being synchronously commutated at the same frequency of the AC input voltage
• 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 power-converting apparatus features the ability to achieve initial charging of a smoothing capacitor generating a minimum rush current by obviating the need for additional series connections in a battery, and also obviating the need for an initial charging circuit consisting of a charging resistor and switch in the capacitor. The power-converting apparatus includes a separating device that electrically separates an AC power-supply source from the input devices of the power-converting apparatus, an AC/AC converting circuit that initially rectifies AC current from an AC power-supply source and then causes a capacitor to smooth the rectified AC current, thereby converting the rectified AC current into DC current before again converting the DC current into AC current, a battery; and a DC/DC converting circuit that enables a capacitor to be charged with DC voltage delivered from the battery, and conversely enables the battery to be charged with a DC voltage delivered from the above capacitor bilaterally or unilaterally.

Claims

1. A power-converting apparatus, capable of holding an output AC voltage at a constant voltage level when a variation in voltage input via an AC power-supply source remains within a predetermined range, the power-converting apparatus comprising:

separating means for electrically separating an AC power-supply source from input terminals of said power-converting apparatus;

a battery;

an AC/AC converting circuit;

a DC/DC converting circuit connected to the AC/AC converting circuit; and

a capacitor connected to the AC/AC converting circuit and the DC/DC converting circuit,

wherein said AC/AC converting circuit initially rectifies AC current input via said AC power-supply source and then causes said capacitor to smooth said rectified current to convert said AC current into DC current, and then further converts said DC current into AC current,

wherein said DC/DC converting circuit enables said capacitor to be charged with a DC voltage delivered from said battery and further enables said battery to be charged with a DC voltage delivered from said capacitor, and

wherein said DC/DC converting circuit charges said capacitor with said battery up to a voltage level substantially above the peak value of said AC power-supply source, while said AC power-supply source is electrically separated from the input terminals of said power-converting apparatus by said separating means, and

wherein said AC power-supply source is electrically connected to the input terminals of said power-converting apparatus after said capacitor has been charged with said battery.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said DC/DC converting circuit enables said capacitor to be charged with the DC voltage delivered from said battery and said battery to be charged with the DC voltage delivered from said capacitor bilaterally or unilaterally.

3. An apparatus for actuating a power converter capable of holding an output AC voltage at a constant voltage whenever variation of an input voltage of AC power supply source remains within a predetermined range, said apparatus comprising:

separating means for electrically separating an AC power supply source from AC power being input to said power converter;

a battery;

an AC-AC converting circuit;

a DC-DC converting circuit connected to the AC-AC converting circuit;

a capacitor connected to the AC-AC converting circuit and DC-DC converting circuit; and

chargeable voltage command arithmetic operation means for determining a chargeable reserve voltage of said capacitor in response to an actual voltage of said AC power supply source,

wherein said AC-AC converting circuit rectifies AC power of said AC power supply source, smoothes said rectified power into DC power via said capacitor, and then converts said DC power into AC power;

wherein said DC-DC converting circuit enables said battery to charge said capacitor and said capacitor to charge said battery, and

wherein said DC-DC converting circuit charges said capacitor from said battery up to a chargeable reserve voltage predetermined by said chargeable voltage command arithmetic operation means, while said AC power-supply source is electrically separated from the input terminals of said power-converting apparatus by said separating means, and

wherein said AC power-supply source is electrically connected to the input terminals of said power-converting apparatus after said capacitor has been charged with said battery.

4. A method of starting up a power-converting apparatus comprising the steps of:

providing a main switch for turning on and off an AC power-supply source to the power-converting apparatus;

providing a battery, an AC/AC converting circuit, a DC/DC converting circuit connected to the AC/AC converting circuit, and a capacitor connected to the AC/AC converting circuit and the DC/DC converting circuit;

initially rectifying AC current input via the AC power-supply source with the AC/AC converting circuit, smoothing the rectified current with the capacitor to convert the AC current into DC current, and then further converting the DC current into AC current with the AC/AC converting circuit;

enabling the DC/DC converting circuit to charge the capacitor with the battery or charge the battery with the capacitor;

charging the capacitor with the battery up to a voltage level substantially above the peak value of the AC power-supply source or up to a predetermined chargeable reserve voltage, while the main switch is turned off to cut off the AC power-supply source to the power-converting apparatus; and

turning the main switch on to provide the AC power-supply source to the power-converting apparatus after charging the capacitor with the battery.