Electric-vehicle control apparatus

• US 8,847,521 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Toda, Shinichi, Nakazawa, Yosuke, Yasuoka, Ikuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh, Thai
• Application Number:
  US13/614,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20130002172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 318/51, 318/75, 318/83, 318/112, 318/400.26, 318/400.27, 318/400.28, 318/722, 361/641, 361/643, 361/676, 361/688, 361/694, 361/695, 361/697, 363/37, 363/55, 363/56.01, 363/56.02
• US Class Current: 318/51
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/16 using ac induction motors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/18 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different subgroups of the same main group of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 3/24 by applying dc to the motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

According to one embodiment, four VVVF main circuit inverters for supplying electric power to drive a permanent-magnet synchronous motor are packaged into one unit. The four VVVF main circuit inverters are configured as a 4-in-1 inverter unit which shares a cooling mechanism for radiating heat generated due to power supply operation for the permanent-magnet synchronous motors to outside. A 2-in-1 semiconductor device package in which two semiconductor elements to convert electric power are packaged into one unit to be able to drive a permanent-magnet synchronous motor is contained in the 4-in-1 inverter unit. Thereby, individual control of inverters and reducing the size of the entire apparatus can be achieved for the electric-vehicle control apparatus.

Claims

1. An inverter unit that supplies alternating-current power for driving four motors, comprising:

four inverters each including a U-phase circuit, a V-phase circuit, and a W-phase circuit, each inverter for driving a corresponding one of the four motors, wherein each phase of each of the four inverters comprises a semiconductor device package including at least two semiconductor switching elements;

a heat receiving plate having a surface to which the U-phase circuits, the V-phase circuits, and the W-phase circuits of the four inverters are attached; and

a heat radiator that radiates heat from the heat receiving plate;

wherein the U-phase circuits, the V-phase circuits, and the W-phase circuits of the four inverters are laid out in a matrix pattern on the heat receiving plate such that (1) the U-phase circuit, the V-phase circuit, and the W-phase circuit for each respective of the four inverters is laid out in a line on the heat receiving plate, and (2) the U-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line, (3) the V-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line, and (4) the W-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line.

2. The inverter unit according to claim 1, wherein

a U-phase semiconductor device package of the inverter is configured by a U-phase upper arm and a U-phase lower arm,

a V-phase semiconductor device package is configured by a V-phase upper arm and a V-phase lower arm, and

a W-phase semiconductor device package is configured by a W-phase upper arm and a W-phase lower arm.

3. The inverter unit according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of inverters each are controlled individually, and

the inverter unit comprises a first parallel circuit configured by first and second inverters connected in parallel with each other on a direct-current side, and a second parallel circuit configured by third and fourth inverters connected in parallel with each other on a direct current side, the first and second parallel circuits are connected in series with each other on the direct-current side, and an applied voltage to each of the inverters is ½

of the applied voltage to the inverter unit.

4. The inverter unit according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of inverters each are controlled individually, and

the inverter unit comprises a first serial circuit configured by first and second inverters connected in series with each other on a direct-current side, and a second serial circuit configured by third and fourth inverters connected in series with each other on a direct current side, the first and second serial circuits are connected in parallel with each other on the direct-current side, and an applied voltage to each of the inverters is ½

of the applied voltage to the inverter unit.

5. The inverter unit according to claim 1, wherein the four motors each have a permanent magnet.

6. An electric-vehicle control apparatus of an electric vehicle, comprising:

an inverter unit that supplies alternating-current power for driving four motors of the electric vehicle, comprising;

four inverters, each including a U-phase circuit, a V-phase circuit, and a W-phase circuit, each inverter for driving a corresponding one of the four motors, wherein each phase of each of the four inverters comprises a semiconductor device package including two semiconductor switching elements that are connected in series to each other;

a heat receiving plate having a surface to which the U-phase circuits, the V-phase circuits, and the W-phase circuits of the four inverters are attached; and

a heat radiator that radiates heat from the heat receiving plate; and

wherein the U-phase circuits, the V-phase circuits, and the W-phase circuits of the four inverters are laid out in a matrix pattern on the heat receiving plate such that (1) the U-phase circuit, the V-phase circuit, and the W-phase circuit for each respective of the four inverters is laid out in a line on the heat receiving plate, and (2) the U-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line, (3) the V-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line, and (4) the W-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line;

a filter reactor connected to a direct current side of the inverter unit;

an overvoltage-limit serial circuit configured to discharge an electric power of an overvoltage applied to the inverter; and

a direct-current voltage sensor connected in parallel to the inverter unit on the direct current side thereof.

7. The electric-vehicle control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when it is detected that a line power is excessive by the direct-current voltage sensor, the overvoltage-limit serial circuit discharges the line power.

8. The electric-vehicle control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the plurality of inverters each are controlled individually, and

the inverter unit comprises a first parallel circuit configured by first and second inverters connected in parallel with each other on a direct-current side, and a second parallel circuit configured by third and fourth inverters connected in parallel with each other on a direct current side, the first and second parallel circuits are connected in series with each other on the direct-current side, and an applied voltage to each of the inverters is ½

of the applied voltage of the line power.

9. The electric-vehicle control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the plurality of inverters each are controlled individually, and

the inverter unit comprises a first serial circuit configured by first and second inverters connected in series with each other on a direct-current side, and a second serial circuit configured by third and fourth inverters connected in series with each other on a direct current side, the first and second serial circuits are connected in parallel with each other on the direct-current side, and an applied voltage to each of the inverters is ½

of the applied voltage of the line power.

10. The electric-vehicle control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the four motors each have a permanent magnet.

11. An inverter unit that supplies alternating-current power for driving four motors, comprising:

four inverters, each including a U-phase circuit, a V-phase circuit, and a W-phase circuit, for driving a corresponding one of the four motors;

a heat receiving plate having a surface to which the U-phase circuit, the V-phase circuit, and the W-phase circuit of the four inverters are attached; and

a heat radiator that radiates heat from the heat receiving plate,

wherein,

each of the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase circuits comprises first to fourth switching elements connected in series, and first and second diodes connected in series between a connection point between the first and second switching elements and a connection point between the third and fourth switching elements,

the first and third switching elements are contained in one package and form a first semiconductor device package, the second and fourth switching elements are contained in one package and form a second semiconductor device package, and the first and the second diodes are contained in one package and form a third semiconductor device package, and

wherein the U-phase circuits, the V-phase circuits, and the W-phase circuits of the four inverters are laid out in a matrix pattern on the heat receiving plate such that (1) the U-phase circuit, the V-phase circuit, and the W-phase circuit for each respective of the four inverters is laid out in a line on the heat receiving plate, and (2) the U-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line, (3) the V-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line, and (4) the W-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line.

12. The inverter unit according to claim 11, wherein the four motors each have a permanent magnet.

13. An electric-vehicle control apparatus of an electric vehicle, comprising:

an inverter unit that supplies alternating-current power for driving four motors of the electric vehicle, comprising;

four inverters, each including a U-phase circuit, a V-phase circuit, and a W-phase circuit, for driving a corresponding one of the four motors;

a heat receiving plate having a surface to which the U-phase circuit, the V-phase circuit, and the W-phase circuit of the four inverters are attached; and

a heat radiator that radiates heat from the heat receiving plate,

wherein,

each of the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase circuits comprises first to fourth switching elements connected in series, and first and second diodes connected in series between a connection point between the first and second switching elements and a connection point between the third and fourth switching elements,

the first and third switching elements are contained in one package and form a first semiconductor device package, the second and fourth switching elements are contained in one package and form a second semiconductor device package, and the first and the second diodes are contained in one package and form a third semiconductor device package, and

wherein the U-phase circuits, the V-phase circuits, and the W-phase circuits of the four inverters are laid out in a matrix pattern on the heat receiving plate such that (1) the U-phase circuit, the V-phase circuit, and the W-phase circuit for each respective of the four inverters is laid out in a line on the heat receiving plate, and (2) the U-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line, (3) the V-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line, and (4) the W-phase circuits of each of the four inverters are laid out in a line

a filter reactor connected to a direct current side of the inverter unit;

an overvoltage-limit serial circuit configured to discharge an electric power of an overvoltage applied to the inverter; and

a direct-current voltage sensor connected in parallel to the inverter unit on the direct current side thereof.

14. The electric-vehicle control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the four motors each have a permanent magnet.