Voltage regulator circuitry operable in a high temperature environment of a turbine engine

• US 8,952,674 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG), Wolfspeed, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG), Arkansas Power Electronics International, Inc. (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mitchell, David J., Fraley, John R., Yang, Jie, Schillig, Cora, Western, Bryon, Schupbach, Roberto Marcelo
• Primary Examiner(s): STERRETT, JEFFREY L
• Application Number:
  US13/537,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20140002050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 323/313, 323/314, 323/315
• US Class Current: 323/314
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/20 Actively adjusting tip-clearance
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/085 to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/3007 of axial insertion type
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/54 by electronic means, e.g. electronic tubes, transistors or IC's within an electronic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/242 with compensation for device parameters, e.g. channel width modulation, threshold voltage, processing, or external variations, e.g. temperature, loading, supply voltage

Abstract

A voltage regulator circuitry (50) adapted to operate in a high-temperature environment of a turbine engine is provided. The voltage regulator may include a constant current source (52) including a first semiconductor switch (54) and a first resistor (56) connected between a gate terminal (G) and a source terminal (S) of the first semiconductor switch. A second resistor (58) is connected to the gate terminal of the first semiconductor switch (54) and to an electrical ground (64). The constant current source is coupled to generate a voltage reference across the second resistor 58. A source follower output stage 66 may include a second semiconductor switch (68) and a third resistor (58) connected between the electrical ground and a source terminal of the second semiconductor switch. The generated voltage reference is applied to a gating terminal of the second semiconductor switch (58).

Claims

1. A voltage regulator circuitry adapted to operate in a high-temperature environment of a turbine engine, the voltage regulator circuitry comprising:

a constant current source comprising at least a first semiconductor switch and a first resistor connected between a gate terminal and a source terminal of the first semiconductor switch;

a second resistor having a first lead connected to the gate terminal of the first semiconductor switch and a second lead connected to an electrical ground, wherein the constant current source is coupled to generate a voltage reference across the second resistor; and

a source follower output stage comprising a second semiconductor switch and a third resistor connected between the electrical ground and a source terminal of the second semiconductor switch, wherein the first lead of the second resistor is connected to apply the generated voltage reference to a gating terminal of the second semiconductor switch.

2. A telemetry system comprising the voltage regulator circuitry of claim 1.

3. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 1, wherein the current source further comprises an input stage comprising a third semiconductor switch having a drain terminal connected to receive an input voltage to be regulated by the voltage regulator.

4. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 3, further comprising a voltage divider network having a voltage divider node connected to a gate terminal of the third semiconductor switch.

5. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 4, wherein the voltage divider network comprises a first resistor connected between the voltage divider node and the drain of the third semiconductor switch, and a second resistor connected between the voltage divider node and the source of the second semiconductor switch.

6. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 3, wherein the input stage of the current source further comprises a fourth semiconductor switch connected in series circuit between the first and third semiconductor switches.

7. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 6, wherein the fourth semiconductor switch has a drain terminal connected to a source terminal of the third semiconductor switch, a source terminal connected to a drain terminal of the first semiconductor switch, and a gate terminal connected to the source terminal of the first semiconductor switch.

8. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 6, wherein the respective semiconductor switches comprise n-channel junction field-effect transistor (JFET) switches.

9. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 6, wherein the respective semiconductor switches comprise comprise a respective high-temperature, wide bandgap material.

10. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 9, wherein the high-temperature, wide bandgap material is selected from the group consisting of SiC, AlN, GaN, AlGaN, GaAs, GaP, InP, AlGaAs, AlGaP, AlInGaP, and GaAsAlN.

11. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 1, wherein the source terminal of the second semiconductor switch supplies a regulated output voltage of the voltage regulator.

12. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 11, wherein a ratio of respective resistance values of the first and second resistors is selected to adjust a magnitude of the regulated output voltage of the voltage regulator.

13. A voltage regulator circuitry comprising:

a constant current source comprising at least a first semiconductor switch and a first resistor connected between a gate terminal and a source terminal of the first semiconductor switch, the constant current source further comprising a cascaded input stage connected to receive an input voltage to be regulated by the voltage regulator;

a second resistor having a first lead connected to the gate terminal of the first semiconductor switch and a second lead connected to an electrical ground, wherein the constant current source is coupled to provide a voltage reference across the second resistor; and

a source follower output stage comprising a second semiconductor switch and a third resistor connected between the electrical ground and a source terminal of the second semiconductor switch, wherein the first lead of the second resistor is connected to apply the generated voltage reference to a gating terminal of the second semiconductor switch.

14. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 13, wherein the source terminal of the second semiconductor switch supplies a regulated output voltage of the voltage regulator.

15. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 13, wherein the cascaded input stage comprises a third semiconductor switch having a drain terminal connected to receive the input voltage to be regulated by the voltage regulator and a fourth semiconductor switch connected in series circuit between the first and third semiconductor switches.

16. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 15, further comprising a voltage divider network having a voltage divider node connected to a gate terminal of the third semiconductor switch.

17. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 16, wherein the voltage divider network comprises a first resistor connected between the voltage divider node and the drain of the third semiconductor switch, and a second resistor connected between the voltage divider node and the source of the second semiconductor switch.

18. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 15, wherein the semiconductor switches comprise n-channel junction field-effect transistor (JFET) switches.

19. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 15, wherein the respective first, second and third semiconductor switches comprise a respective high-temperature, wide bandgap material.

20. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 19, wherein the high-temperature, wide bandgap material is selected from the group consisting of SiC, AlN, GaN, AlGaN, GaAs, GaP, InP, AlGaAs, AlGaP, AlInGaP, and GaAsAlN.

21. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 15, wherein the fourth semiconductor switch has a drain terminal connected to a source terminal of the third semiconductor switch, a source terminal connected to a drain terminal of the first semiconductor switch, and a gate terminal connected to the source terminal of the first semiconductor switch.

22. The voltage regulator circuitry of claim 13, adapted to operate in a high temperature environment of a turbine engine, and operatively coupled to a telemetry system affixed to a rotatable component of the turbine engine.