Circuit system having at least two inverter modules connected in parallel, method for connecting at least two inverter modules in parallel and circuit substrate for a gate driver circuit of an inverter module

• US 9,374,068 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schoenknecht, Andreas, Sparka, Hartmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf
• Application Number:
  US13/638,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20130076407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,965 Days
• Field of Search: 363/65, 363/71, 363/123, 363/131
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/12 Induction machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/527 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/088 for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/493 the static converters being arranged for operation in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/012 Modifications of generator to improve response time or to decrease power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A circuit system having at least two inverter modules connected in parallel, each of which includes an inverter circuit having power semiconductor circuit breakers and a gate driver circuit for controlling the power semiconductor circuit breakers; the gate driver circuit of a first inverter module includes a signal transmission circuit via which a control signal is transmittable from a low-voltage side to a high-voltage side, and a first driver output terminal which is electrically connected to the first driver input terminals of the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel, and via which the high-voltage side control signal or a control signal deduced therefrom is transmittable to the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel. The power semiconductor circuit breakers of the inverter circuits of the inverter modules, connected in parallel to the first inverter module, are controlled based on the transmitted control signal.

Claims

1. A circuit system, comprising:

at least two inverter modules connected in parallel, each of the at least two inverter modules including an inverter circuit having power semiconductor circuit breakers, and a gate driver circuit for controlling the power semiconductor circuit breakers;

wherein the gate driver circuit of a first one of the inverter modules transmits a control signal from a low-voltage side to a high-voltage side, the gate driver circuit including a first driver output terminal, which is electrically connected to first driver input terminals of the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel, and via which one of a high-voltage side control signal and a control signal deduced therefrom, is transmittable to the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel;

wherein the power semiconductor circuit breakers of the inverter circuits of the first inverter module and of the inverter modules, which are connected in parallel to the first inverter module, are controlled based on the one of the high-voltage side control signal and the control signal deduced therefrom, wherein the gate driver circuit is electrically connected to the first driver output terminal; and

wherein the gate driver circuit of the first one of the inverter modules has a second driver output terminal which is electrically connected to second driver input terminals of the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel, and via which high-voltage side reference grounds of the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel are combinable.

2. The circuit system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the inverter modules has a DC link capacitor which is used for stabilizing an input voltage of the respective inverter circuit.

3. The circuit system as recited in claim 1, wherein the gate driver circuit of the first one of the inverter modules monitors at least one of:

i) the power semiconductor circuit breakers, and ii) a voltage supply for the gate driver circuit.

4. The circuit system as recited in claim 1, wherein the gate driver circuit of the first one of the inverter modules also has a first driver input terminal via which one of the high-voltage side control signal or a control signal deduced therefrom is receivable based on which the power semiconductor circuit breakers of the inverter circuit of the first inverter module are controlled, and the first driver output terminal of the gate driver circuit of the first one of the inverter modules is electrically connected via connecting lines to the first driver input of the gate driver circuit of the first one of the inverter modules and to the first driver input terminals of the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel, line lengths of the connecting lines being established in such a way that a same signal runtimes result.

5. A method for connecting at least two inverter modules in parallel, each of the inverter modules including an inverter circuit having power semiconductor circuit breakers, and a gate driver circuit for controlling the power semiconductor circuit breakers, the method comprising:

connecting the inverter modules so that a control signal transmitted by a gate driver circuit of a first one of the inverter modules from a low-voltage side to a high-voltage side, at least one of a high-voltage side control signal or a control signal deduced therefrom is transmitted to the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel, and the power semiconductor circuit breakers of the inverter circuits of the first one of the inverter modules and the inverter modules connected in parallel are controlled based on the at least one of the high-voltage side control signal and the control signal deduced therefrom; and

wherein the gate driver circuit is electrically connected to a first driver output terminal and wherein the gate driver circuit of the first one of the inverter modules has a second driver output terminal which is electrically connected to second driver input terminals of the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel, and via which high-voltage side reference grounds of the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel are combinable.

6. A circuit substrate for a gate driver circuit of an inverter module, wherein the gate driver circuit is used for controlling power semiconductor circuit breakers of an inverter circuit of the inverter module, the circuit substrate being equippable in a first partial region with an arrangement for implementing a signal transmission of a control signal from a low-voltage side to a high-voltage side, and the circuit substrate comprising:

at least one first driver output contact point via which one of a high-voltage side control signal or a control signal deduced therefrom, which is used to control the inverter circuit, is transmittable to gate driver circuits of inverter modules connected in parallel to the inverter module;

at least one first driver input contact point via which one of the high-voltage side control signal or a control signal deduced therefrom is receivable based on which power semiconductor circuit breaker of the inverter module connected in parallel are controlled;

wherein the first driver output contact point and the first driver input contact point are electrically connected to the gate driver circuit; and

wherein the circuit substrate has a second driver output contact point and a second driver input contact point, the second driver output contact point being electrically connectable to the second driver input contact point of the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel, and high-voltage side reference grounds of gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel are thereby combinable.

7. The circuit substrate as recited in claim 6, wherein voltage supplies of the gate driver circuits of the inverter modules connected in parallel are thereby connectable in parallel.

8. The circuit substrate as recited in claim 6, wherein the first driver output contact point is short-circuited with the first driver input contact point during a stand-alone operation of the inverter module.