System and method for power conversion using semiconductor switches having reverse voltage withstand capability

• US 7,148,660 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ghosh, Rajesh, Colombi, Silvio, Phansalkar, Bansidhar Jagannath
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Shawn
• Application Number:
  US10/954,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20060072352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 323/207, 323/205, 361/91.7, 361/91.5
• US Class Current: 323/207
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4233 using a bridge converter comprising active switches
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/219 in a bridge configuration
• 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 converter system is provided for supplying power to an electrical load. The power converter system includes a power converter circuit adapted to perform an AC to DC power conversion and an active clamp circuit coupled to the power converter circuit for regulating DC bus voltage overshoots. The power converter circuit is configured from a plurality of semiconductor switches having reverse voltage withstand capability.

Claims

1. A power converter system for supplying power to an electrical load, the power converter system comprising:

a power converter circuit adapted to perform an AC to DC power conversion and comprising a plurality of semiconductor switches having reverse voltage withstand capability;

a power factor control loop for regulating a power factor;

a DC voltage control loop for regulating an output DC voltage; and

a controller coupled to the power converter circuit for regulating switching of the plurality of semiconductor switches based on a feedback signal received from at least one of the power factor control loop and the DC voltage control loop; and

an active clamp circuit coupled to the power converter circuit for regulating DC bus voltage overshoots, wherein the active clamp circuit comprises;

a capacitor connected across a DC bus and charged to a DC bus voltage;

a buck converter circuit for discharging the capacitor when voltage across the capacitor exceeds a reference value; and

a boost converter circuit for charging the capacitor when voltage across the capacitor falls below the reference value.

2. The power converter system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of semiconductor switches comprises a unipolar switching device in series with a blocking diode for providing reverse voltage withstand capability.

3. The power converter system of claim 2, wherein the unipolar switching device is at least one of an IGBT, a MOSFET, a BJT or any gate controllable active switching device.

4. The power converter system of claim 1, further comprising an AC filter on an AC side of the power converter circuit for reducing harmonics generated by the power converter circuit.

5. The power converter system of claim 1, further comprising a DC filter on a DC side of the power converter circuit for reducing ripples in the output DC voltage.

6. The power converter system of claim 5, wherein the DC filter further comprises an inductor and a capacitor.

7. The power converter system of claim 6, wherein the inductor maintains a substantially constant DC current.

8. The power converter system of claim 1, wherein the power converter circuit further comprises a freewheeling diode in parallel with the plurality of semiconductor switches for circulating DC current.

9. The power converter system of claim 1, wherein the controller regulates switching of the plurality of semiconductor switches via pulse width modulation.

10. The power converter system of claim 1, wherein the AC to DC power conversion is a step down power conversion.

11. The power converter system of claim 1, wherein the AC to DC power conversion is at least one of a three-phase AC to DC power conversion and single-phase AC to DC power conversion.

12. The power converter system of claim 1, wherein the reference value is a predetermined threshold value.

13. A power converter system for supplying power to an electrical load, the power converter system comprising:

a power converter circuit adapted to perform an AC to DC power conversion and comprising a plurality of semiconductor switches having reverse voltage withstand capability; and

an active clamp circuit coupled to the power converter circuit for regulating DC bus voltage overshoots, wherein the active clamp circuit is configured to discharge a capacitor connected across a DC bus when voltage across the capacitor exceeds a reference value and charge the capacitor when voltage across the capacitor falls below the reference value.

14. The power converter system of claim 13, wherein each semiconductor switch comprises a unipolar switching device in series with a blocking diode for providing reverse voltage withstand capability.

15. The power converter system of claim 14, wherein the unipolar switching device is at least one of an IGBT, a MOSFET, a BJT or any gate controllable active switching device.

16. The power converter system of claim 13, further comprising a controller coupled to the power converter circuit for regulating switching of the plurality of semiconductor switches via pulse width modulation.

17. The power converter system of claim 13, wherein the AC to DC power conversion is at least one of a three-phase AC to DC power conversion and a single-phase AC to DC power conversion.

18. The power converter system of claim 13, wherein the AC to DC power conversion is a step down power conversion.

19. A method for performing an AC to DC power conversion, the method comprising:

converting an input AC voltage to an output DC voltage via a plurality of semiconductor switches having reverse voltage withstand capability;

regulating power factor via a power factor control loop;

regulating the output DC voltage via a DC voltage control loop;

regulating switching of the plurality of semiconductor switches based on a feedback signal received from at least one of the power factor control loop and the DC voltage control loop via a controller; and

regulating DC bus voltage overshoots by discharging a capacitor connected across a DC bus when voltage across the capacitor exceeds a reference value and charging the capacitor when voltage across the capacitor falls below the reference value.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein each semiconductor switch comprises a unipolar switching device in series with a blocking diode for providing reverse voltage withstand capability.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the unipolar switching device is at least one of an IGBT, a MOSFET, a BJT or any gate controllable active switching device.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein regulating DC bus voltage overshoots comprises regulating DC bus voltage overshoots via an active clamp circuit.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein switching of the plurality of semiconductor switches comprises switching of the plurality of semiconductor switches via pulse width modulation.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the AC to DC power conversion is a step down power conversion.

25. A power converter system for supplying power to an electrical load, the power converter system comprising:

a power converter circuit adapted to perform an AC to DC power conversion and comprising a plurality of semiconductor switches having reverse voltage withstand capability;

a power factor control loop for regulating a power factor;

a DC voltage control loop for regulating an output DC voltage;

a controller coupled to the power converter circuit for regulating switching of the plurality of semiconductor switches based on a feedback signal received from at least one of the power factor control loop and the DC voltage control loop; and

an active clamp circuit coupled to the power converter circuit and configured to discharge a capacitor connected across a DC bus when voltage across the capacitor exceeds a reference value and charge the capacitor when voltage across the capacitor falls below the reference value.