DC converter

• US 7,433,214 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Cameron International Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Biester, Klaus, Kunow, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Laxton; Gary L
• Application Number:
  US10/489,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20040246753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 363/65, 363/68, 363/71, 323/272, 323/225, 323/268, 307/54, 307/58, 307/61, 307/63, 307/77, 307/82
• US Class Current: 363/65
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0074 Plural converter units whose inputs are connected in series
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/285 Single converters with a plurality of output stages connected in parallel parallel operation of a plurality of converters in dc distribution networks H02J1/10

Abstract

A DC converter is connected to a DC source on its input side. On the output side, the DC delivers a converted DC voltage to at least one electric consumer via a cable connection. To improve such a DC converter in that it has a comparatively simple structural design and is able to reliably convert high DC voltages even in the case of high power, and in such a way that the reliability of the converter is increased and cooling systems entailing high costs can be dispensed with, the DC converter comprises a plurality of DC converter components, each of said DC components being, on the input side, serially connected to the DC source and, on the output side connected in parallel to the cable connection so as to provide the converted DC voltage for the electric consumer.

Claims

1. A DC converter for a remotely located DC powered electric consumer, comprising:

a plurality of DC converter components in situ with the DC powered electric consumer and remote from a DC source, each of said DC converter components having an input side serially connected to the DC source and an output side connected in parallel to a cable connection so as to provide a converted DC voltage for the DC powered electric consumer,

each DC converter component having on the input side thereof a switch-based power conversion path, an input capacitor, and a separate power dissipation path,

wherein the power dissipation paths enable a full power for the DC powered electric consumer to be built up in situ with the DC powered electric consumer before the switched-based power conversion paths operate.

2. A DC converter according to claim 1 wherein the cable connection comprises a coaxial cable connection.

3. A DC converter according to one claim 1 wherein the DC converter is provided with a filter preceding said DC converter on the input side thereof.

4. A DC converter according to claim 3 further comprising a data couple/decoupler connected upstream of said filter in the direction of the DC source.

5. A DC converter according to claim 4 further comprising a controller that is associated with at least one of the components selected from the group consisting of the DC converter, the DC converting components, the filter, and the data coupler/decoupler.

6. A DC converter according to claim 1 wherein each DC converter component is implemented as a clocked switched mode power supply.

7. A DC converter according to claim 6 wherein each clocked switched mode power supply is clocked on the primary side.

8. A DC converter according to claim 6 wherein the clocked switched mode power supplies of the DC converter are clocked synchronously.

9. A DC converter according to claim 6 wherein the clocked switched mode power supplies of the DC converter are clocked in a phase-shifted mode.

10. A DC converter according to claim 9 wherein a respective clock phase shift of neighboring clocked switched mode power supplies amounts to 1/n, where n is the number of clocked switched mode power supplies of the DC converter.

11. A DC converter according to claim 6 wherein the power dissipation paths enable distribution of power from the DC source to an input side of each DC converter before the converted DC voltage is provided to the electric consumer.

12. A DC converter according to claim 11 wherein each power dissipation path comprises a Zener diode.

13. A DC converter according to claim 12 wherein, upon the failure of a clocked switched mode power supply, a voltage across each Zener diode is adapted to be varied so as to readjust an output voltage of each non-failed clocked switched mode power supply.

14. A DC converter according to claim 11 wherein each power dissipation path comprises at least one field effect transistor.

15. A DC converter according to claim 6 wherein each clocked switched mode power supply is implemented as a push-pull converter.

16. A DC converter according to claim 15 wherein each clocked switched mode power supply comprises at least one switching transistor.

17. A DC converter according to claim 16 wherein the at least one switching transistor of each push-pull converter is clocked in a push-pull mode with a clock cycle ratio of 1:

1.

18. A DC converter according to claim 16 wherein a clock cycle ratio of the at least one switching transistor can be varied to readjust an output voltage of a given clocked switched mode power supply.

19. A DC converter according to claim 16 wherein each clocked switched mode power supply comprises a pulse modulator which is operable to output a series of variable pulses to clock the at least one switching transistor.

20. A system for supplying power to a remote electrical device, the system comprising:

a DC source separated from the remote electrical device, the DC source selectively outputs a low voltage supply and a high voltage supply;

a plurality of DC voltage converters in situ with the remote electrical device, each having an input serially connected to the DC source via a conductor and each having an output connected to the remote electrical device, wherein an input side of each DC converter includes a switch-based conversion path, an input capacitor, and a resistive load in parallel,

wherein the switched-based conversion paths operate together to convert the high voltage supply for use by the remote electrical device once the high voltage supply has been distributed across all of the resistive loads.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the length of the conductor is at least one kilometer.

22. A DC converter connected to a remote DC source, the DC converter delivering a converted voltage to at least one electric consumer via a cable connection, wherein the DC converter comprises:

a plurality of DC converter components in situ with the electric consumer, each of said DC converter components being, on an input side, serially connected to the remote DC source and, on an output side, connected in parallel to the cable connection so as to provide the converted DC voltage for the electric consumer,

each DC converter component having on the input side thereof a power dissipation path parallel to an input capacitor and a power conversion path,

the power dissipation paths being configured to distribute power from the remote DC source before the power conversion paths operate to provide the converted DC voltage to the electric consumer.

23. A system for supplying power to a remove electrical device, the system comprising:

a DC source separated from the remote electrical device, the DC source selectively supplying at least a low voltage and a high voltage;

a plurality of DC voltage converters in situ with the remote electrical device, each having an input serially connected to the DC source by a conductor and each having an output connected to the remote electrical device;

a controller to monitor and regulate each DC voltage converter and to turn on and off the remote electrical device, the controller operating on the low voltage and being adapted to communicate with the DC source;

each DC converter having an input side with a switch-based conversion circuit, an input capacitor circuit, and a resistive load circuit, the circuits being in parallel;

when turning off the remote electrical device, the controller opens each switch-based conversion circuit and communicates with the DC source to reduce the high voltage to the low voltage for use by the controller;

when turning on the remote electrical device, the controller communicates with the DC source to increase the low voltage to the high voltage,

once the high voltage has been distributed to each resistive load circuit, the controller modulates each switch-based conversion circuit to convert the high voltage for use by the remote electrical device when turned on.