Method and apparatus for providing power

• US 9,774,239 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2012
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Chinga, Raul Andres, Zawoy, Karl R., Roy, Subrata, Lin, Jenshan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cavallari, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/368,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20140346875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32348 Dielectric barrier discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0003 Details of control, feedback or regulation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4815 Resonant converters H02M7/4811 and H02M7/4826 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/53803 with automatic control of output voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 2242/22 DC, AC or pulsed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

Embodiments of the subject invention are drawn to power supply units and systems for supplying power to loads. Specific embodiments relate to systems incorporating the loads. The power supply units and systems can include a feedback mechanism for monitoring the system and maintaining a parameter of interest at or near a desired value (e.g., for maintaining the frequency of operation at or near resonance). The feedback mechanism is configured such that, if the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is away from a resonant frequency of the power amplifier, the feedback mechanism adjusts the frequency of operation closer to the resonant frequency of the power amplifier. The at least one load can have a variable impedance, though embodiments are not limited thereto.

Claims

1. A power supply unit, comprising:

at least one power amplifier, wherein each power amplifier of the at least one power amplifier comprises a first inductor and a transformer; and

a feedback mechanism;

wherein the power supply unit is configured to receive a supply voltage when the power supply unit is interconnected with a power supply,

wherein the power supply unit is configured to supply power to at least one load when the power supply unit is interconnected with the power supply and the power supply unit is interconnected with the at least one load,

wherein the feedback mechanism is configured to monitor at least one parameter, wherein the at least one parameter comprises one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of;

a parameter of the power supply unit and a parameter of the at least one load, wherein the at least one parameter provides information regarding a frequency of operation of the power supply unit, and

wherein the feedback mechanism is configured such that, when the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is away from a resonant frequency, the feedback mechanism adjusts the frequency of operation such that the frequency of operation is closer to the resonant frequency.

2. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is one or more voltage drops across a corresponding one or more of the at least one load.

3. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is:

one or more output voltages of a corresponding one or more of the at least one power amplifier,

one or more output currents of a corresponding one or more of the at least one power amplifier,

one or more input voltage of a corresponding one or more of the at least one power amplifier,

one or more input currents of a corresponding one or more of the at least one power amplifier, or

one or more electric fields of a corresponding one or more of the at least one load connected to the at least one power amplifier.

4. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is one or more output voltages of a corresponding one or more of the at least one power amplifier.

5. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein each power amplifier of the at least one power amplifier further comprises a first capacitor in parallel with a transistor.

6. The power supply unit according to claim 5, wherein each power amplifier of the at least one power amplifier further comprises a power supply filter comprising a second inductor and a second capacitor.

7. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one power amplifier is at least two power amplifiers, wherein the power supply unit further comprises a controller, wherein the controller controls a corresponding at least two input voltages to the at least two power amplifiers.

8. The power supply unit according to claim 7, wherein the controller is configured such that the at least two input voltages are supplied to the at least two power amplifiers by supplying a common input voltage in a duty cycle such that each power amplifier of the at least two power amplifiers is supplied the common input voltage for a corresponding portion of a corresponding at least two portions of each cycle of the duty cycle and not supplied the common input voltage for a corresponding remainder of a corresponding at least two remainders of each cycle of the duty cycle.

9. The power supply unit according to claim 8, wherein the at least two power amplifier is X power amplifiers, wherein each power amplifier of the X power amplifiers is supplied with the common input voltage for 1/Y of each cycle of the duty cycle, where 1/Y≦

1/X.

10. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the power supply unit is configured to provide an output voltage of at least 1 kVpp.

11. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the power supply unit is configured to supply power to at least two loads.

12. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the power supply unit has a footprint of less than 25 square inches.

13. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the power supply unit has a weight of less than 100 g.

14. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the feedback mechanism is configured such that, when the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is more than 5% away from a resonant frequency of the power amplifier, the feedback mechanism adjusts the frequency of operation such that the frequency of operation is closer to the resonant frequency of the power amplifier.

15. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the feedback mechanism is configured such that, when the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is more than 3% away from a resonant frequency of the power amplifier, the feedback mechanism adjusts the frequency of operation such that the frequency of operation is closer to the resonant frequency of the power amplifier.

16. The power supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the feedback mechanism is configured such that, when the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is more than 2% away from a resonant frequency of the power amplifier, the feedback mechanism adjusts the frequency of operation such that the frequency of operation is closer to the resonant frequency of the power amplifier.

17. A system, comprising:

a power supply unit; and

at least one load, wherein the system is configured to receive a supply voltage when the system is interconnected with a power supply, wherein the power supply unit is configured to supply power to the at least one load when the system is interconnected with the power supply,

wherein the power supply unit comprises;

at least one power amplifier, wherein each power amplifier of the at least one power amplifier comprises a first inductor and a transformer; and

a feedback mechanism,

wherein the feedback mechanism is configured to monitor at least one parameter of the system, wherein the at least one parameter provides information regarding a frequency of operation of the system, and

wherein the feedback mechanism is configured such that, when the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is away from a resonant frequency, the feedback mechanism adjusts the frequency of operation such that the frequency of operation is closer to the resonant frequency.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the at least one parameter is a voltage drop across one or more of the at least one load.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein the at least one parameter is an output voltage of the at least one power amplifier, an output current of the at least one power amplifier, an input voltage of the at least one power amplifier, an input current of the at least one power amplifier, or an electric field of a load connected to the at least one power amplifier.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein the at least one parameter is an output voltage of the at least one power amplifier.

22. The system according to claim 17, wherein the at least one power amplifier further comprises a first capacitor in parallel with a transistor.

23. The system according to claim 17, wherein each load of the at least one load is connected to a power amplifier of the power supply unit which is configured to supply power to that load.

24. The system according to claim 17, wherein, in operation, the impedance of the at least one load varies.

25. The system according to claim 17, wherein the at least one load is an electrode of a self-sterilizing device having at least two electrodes.

26. The system according to claim 17, wherein the feedback mechanism is configured such that, if the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is more than 5% away from a resonant frequency of the power amplifier, the feedback mechanism adjusts the frequency of operation closer to the resonant frequency of the power amplifier.

27. The system according to claim 17, wherein the feedback mechanism is configured such that, if the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is more than 3% away from a resonant frequency of the power amplifier, the feedback mechanism adjusts the frequency of operation closer to the resonant frequency of the power amplifier.

28. The system according to claim 17, wherein the feedback mechanism is configured such that, if the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is more than 2% away from a resonant frequency of the power amplifier, the feedback mechanism adjusts the frequency of operation closer to the resonant frequency of the power amplifier.

18. A method of providing power to at least one load, comprising:

interconnecting a power supply unit and at least one load, wherein the power supply unit comprises;

at least one power amplifier, wherein each power amplifier of the at least one power amplifier comprises a first inductor and a transformer; and

a feedback mechanism,

wherein the power supply unit is configured to receive a supply voltage when the power supply unit is interconnected with a power supply,

wherein the power supply unit is configured to supply power to the at least one load when the power supply unit is interconnected with the power supply and the power supply unit is interconnected with the at least one load,

wherein the feedback mechanism is configured to monitor at least one parameter, wherein the at least one parameter comprises one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of;

a parameter of the power supply unit and a parameter of the at least one load, wherein the at least one parameter provides information regarding a frequency of operation of the power supply unit, and

wherein the feedback mechanism is configured such that, when the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is away from a resonant frequency, the feedback mechanism adjusts the frequency of operation such that the frequency of operation is closer to the resonant frequency;

supplying power to the at least one load via the power supply unit, wherein supplying power to the at least one load via the power supply unit comprises;

interconnecting the power supply unit to the power supply;

interconnecting the power supply unit with the at least one load;

monitoring the at least one parameter via the feedback mechanism; and

adjusting the frequency of operation such that the frequency of operation is closer to the resonant frequency via the feedback mechanism when the at least one parameter indicates that the frequency of operation is away from the resonant frequency.