Power electronics and integration system for providing a common high current inverter for use with a traction inverter and an auxiliary inverter

• US 8,644,044 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Gupta, Sudhir Kumar, Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Emily P
• Application Number:
  US12/578,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20110085363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 363/37, 363/131
• US Class Current: 363/131
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 in a bridge configuration

Abstract

A system for using an IGBT module, electrically rated for use in a traction inverter used with a powered system, in an auxiliary inverter used with the powered system which requires a different electrically rated IGBT module than the traction inverter, the system including an IGBT module, including plurality of IGBTs as part of the IGBT module, electrically rated for use with a traction inverter, and a plurality of gate drives each configured to singularly connect to a respective one of the plurality of IGBTs within the IGBT module. All three phases of three-phase electrical power of the auxiliary inverter are associated with the IGBT module.

Claims

1. A power electronics system for a powered system, the power electronics system comprising:

a first IGBT module, including a plurality of first IGBTs as part of the first IGBT module, electrically connected to and configured to provide an electrical power signal to a traction inverter in the powered system, the first IGBT module having an electrical rating configured for use with the traction inverter;

a second IGBT module, including a plurality of second IGBTs as part of the second IGBT module, electrically connected to and configured to provide an electrical power signal to an auxiliary inverter having a different electrical rating than the traction inverter in the powered system, the second IGBT module having an electrical rating configured for use with the traction inverter, wherein the second IGBT module is connected to the auxiliary inverter such that the electrical rating of the second IGBT module is acceptable for the auxiliary inverter; and

a plurality of first gate drives each singularly connected to a respective one of the plurality of second IGBTs within the second IGBT module.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third IGBT module, including a plurality of third IGBTs as part of the third IGBT module, electrically connected to the auxiliary inverter in the powered system, wherein the third IGBT module is electrically rated the same as the first IGBT module; and

a plurality of second gate drives each singularly connected to a respective one of the plurality of third IGBTs within the third IGBT module.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a first one of the plurality of second IGBTs and first one of the plurality of third IGBTs are associated with a first phase of a three-phase electrical power, a second one of the plurality of second IGBTs and second one of the plurality of third IGBTs are associated with a second phase of the three-phase electrical power, and a third one of the plurality of second IGBTs and third one of the plurality of third IGBTs are associated with a third phase of the three-phase electrical power.

4. A power electronics system for a powered system the power electronics system comprising:

an IGBT module, including plural IGBTs as part of the IGBT module, the IGBT module electrically rated for use with a traction inverter in the powered system, wherein the IGBT module is electrically connected to and configured to provide an electrical power signal to an auxiliary inverter within the powered system which requires a different electrically rated IGBT module than the traction inverter; and

plural gate drives each singularly connected to a respective one of the IGBTs within the IGBT module, each of the IGBTs having a gate, collector, and emitter terminal that is singularly connected to a corresponding one of the gate drives wherein the gate, collector, and emitter terminals of each of the plurality of IGBTs are not connected in parallel to corresponding gate, collector, and emitter terminals of others of the IGBTs;

wherein all three phases of three-phase electrical power of the auxiliary inverter are associated with the IGBT module.

5. A power electronics system for using an IGBT module, electrically rated for use with a traction inverter used within a powered system, with an auxiliary inverter used within the powered system which requires a different electrically rated IGBT module than the traction inverter, the power electronics system comprising:

an IGBT module, including plural IGBTs as part of the IGBT module, the IGBT module electrically rated for use with the traction inverter;

plural gate drives each configured to singularly connect to a respective one of the IGBTs within the IGBT module, each of the IGBTs having a gate, collector, and emitter terminal singularly connected to a corresponding one of the gate drives, wherein the gate, collector, and emitter terminals of each of the IGBTs are not connected in parallel to corresponding gate, collector, and emitter terminals of others of the IGBTs; and

wherein the IGBT module which is electrically rated for use with the traction inverter is electrically connected to and configured to provide an electrical power signal to the auxiliary inverter which requires the differently electrically rated IGBT module than the traction inverter, and wherein all three phases of three-phase electrical power of the auxiliary inverter are associated with the IGBT module.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a heat sink for the IGBT module that is compatible with the IGBT module when it is used with a traction inverter and/or an auxiliary inverter.

7. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a housing for the IGBT module that is compatible with the IGBT module when it is used with a traction inverter and/or or an auxiliary inverter.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein each gate drive is individually associated with one of the three phases of the three-phase electrical power.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein the gate drives are each configured to singularly connect to an emitter lead, collector lead, and gate lead of a respective one of the IGBTs within the IGBT module.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein the powered system comprises at least one of a rail vehicle or another off-highway vehicle.

11. An integration system for providing an IGBT module that has an electrical rating configured for normal operation with a first inverter of a powered system but not for a second inverter of the powered system, the IGBT module having plural individual IGBTs within the IGBT module, the integration system comprising:

a first inverter connection subsystem configured to connect the IGBT module to the first inverter to provide a first electrical power signal to the first inverter wherein the electrical rating of the IGBT module is acceptable for the first inverter; and

a second inverter connection subsystem configured to connect the IGBT module to the second inverter to provide a second electrical power signal to the second inverter wherein the electrical rating of the IGBT module is acceptable for the second inverter.

12. The integration system according to claim 11, wherein the second inverter connection subsystem comprises plural gate drives each individually connected to a respective one of the individual IGBTs within the IGBT module, wherein all three phases of three-phase electrical power in the powered system are associated with the IGBT module.

13. The integration system according to claim 11, wherein the first inverter connection subsystem comprises a first bus bar configured to connect each collector lead of each IGBT within the IGBT module in parallel, a second bus bar configured to connect each emitter lead of each IGBT within the IGBT module in parallel, and single gate drive to control the IGBT module, wherein a single phase of three-phase electrical power in the powered system is associated with the IGBT module.

14. The integration system according to claim 11, further comprising a heat sink usable with the IGBT module when it is provided in at least one of the first inverter or the second inverter.

15. The integration system according to claim 11, further comprising a housing for the IGBT module usable with the IGBT module when it is used in at least one of the first inverter or the second inverter.

16. The integration system according to claim 11, wherein the first inverter is a traction inverter, and the second inverter is an auxiliary inverter.

17. The integration system according to claim 11, wherein the powered system comprises at least one of a rail vehicle or an off-highway vehicle.

18. An electronics system comprising:

a traction inverter having a first electrical rating corresponding to a first amperage compatible with normal operation of the traction inverter;

an auxiliary inverter having a second electrical rating corresponding to a second amperage compatible with normal operation of the auxiliary inverter, the second electrical rating of the auxiliary inverter being substantially lower than the first electrical rating corresponding to the traction inverter;

a first IGBT module including a first set of IGBTs as part of the first IGBT module, each of the IGBTs in the first set having gate, collector, and emitter terminals electrically connected in parallel to gate, collector, and emitter terminals, respectively, of other IGBTs in the first set, the first IGBT module configured for normal operation at the first electrical rating, the first IGBT module electrically connected to and configured to provide an electrical power signal to the traction inverter; and

a second IGBT module including a second set of IGBTs as part of the second IGBT module, the second IGBT module configured for normal operation at the first electrical rating, each of the IGBTs in the second set having a gate, collector, and emitter terminal singularly connected to one of plural gate drives wherein the gate, collector, and emitter terminals of each of the IGBTs in the second set are not connected in parallel to corresponding gate, collector, and emitter terminals of others of the IGBTs in the second set, wherein the second IGBT module that is configured for normal operation at the first electrical rating is electrically connected to and configured to provide an electrical power signal to the auxiliary inverter having the second electrical rating which is substantially lower than the first electrical rating.