TWO-SOURCE SERIES INVERTER

• US 20090066163A1
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Smith, Gregory S., Hiti, Silva, Gallegos-Lopez, Gabriel, John, George, Perisic, Milun
• Granted Patent: US 7,719,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/86
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/10 Arrangements incorporating converting means for enabling loads to be operated at will from different kinds of power supplies, e.g. from ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/48 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2201/07 DC-DC step-up or step-down converter inserted between the power supply and the inverter supplying the motor, e.g. to control voltage source fluctuations, to vary the motor speed general aspects of plural converters in cascade H02M
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a two-source series inverter. The systems and methods combine operation of a first voltage source and a second voltage source in series powering a novel voltage combining arrangement and a conventional inverter via a switch configuration to power a load. The switch configuration is controlled by a plurality of control signals generated by a controller based on a variety of control modes, and feedback signals.

Claims

1. A two-source series inverter system, the system comprising:

a first voltage source;

a second voltage source;

an inverter having a first DC input, a second DC input, AC outputs, and first control inputs, wherein the AC outputs are configured to be coupled to a load;

a voltage combiner having a second control input, the voltage combiner being connected to the first DC input and the second DC input, and coupled to the first voltage source and the second voltage source; and

a controller coupled to the first control inputs and the second control input, the controller being configured to receive first feedback signals and second feedback signals from the inverter and the voltage combiner respectively, and configured to control current flow through the voltage combiner and the inverter.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the inverter comprises a single source multi-phase inverter.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the voltage combiner further comprises:

a first node coupled to a first terminal of the first voltage source;

a second node coupled to a second terminal of the first voltage source;

a third node coupled to a first terminal of the second voltage source;

a fourth node coupled to a second terminal of the second voltage source, and the second DC input of the inverter;

a fifth node coupled to the first DC input of the inverter;

a first capacitor connected between the first node and the second node;

a second capacitor connected between the second node and the fourth node;

a first diode connected between the second node and the third node;

a second diode connected between the second node and the fifth node;

a switch connected between the first node and the fifth node; and

a third diode connected between the first node and the fifth node.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the voltage combiner further comprises:

a first node coupled to a first terminal of the first voltage source;

a second node coupled to a second terminal of the first voltage source;

a third node coupled to a first terminal of the second voltage source;

a fourth node coupled to a second terminal of the second voltage source, and coupled to the second DC input of the inverter;

a fifth node coupled the first DC input of the inverter;

a first capacitor connected between the first node and the second node;

a second capacitor connected between the second node and the fourth node;

a first diode connected between the second node and the third node;

a second diode connected between the second node and the fifth node;

a switch connected between the first node and the fifth node; and

a plurality of diodes each connected between the first node and one of the AC outputs respectively.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the voltage combiner further comprises:

a first node coupled to a first terminal of the first voltage source;

a second node coupled to a second terminal of the first voltage source;

a third node coupled to a first terminal of the second voltage source;

a fourth node coupled to a second terminal of the second voltage source, and coupled to the second DC input of the inverter;

a fifth node coupled the first DC input of the inverter;

a first capacitor connected between the first node and the second node;

a second capacitor connected between the second node and the fourth node;

a first diode connected between the second node and the third node;

a second diode connected between the second node and the fifth node;

a switch connected between the first node and the fifth node;

a first connection between the first node and a first inverter diode in the inverter;

a second connection between the first node and a second inverter diode in the inverter; and

a third connection between the first node and a third inverter diode in the inverter.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control duty cycles of:

the first control inputs; and

the second control input.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a multi-phase load coupled to the AC outputs.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the voltage combiner further comprises a plurality of diodes configured to limit the direction of current flow.

9. A method for operating a two-source series inverter, the method comprising:

determining a control mode for a controller that is configured to generate a plurality of control signals, and feedback signals;

operating a voltage combiner concurrently with an inverter;

wherein

the voltage combiner controls flow of a first electrical current from a first electrical voltage source and a second electrical current from a second electrical voltage source based on one of the plurality of the control signals and the feedback signals, and

the inverter is configured to produce AC outputs for powering a load based on the plurality of the control signals and the feedback signals; and

delivering power to the load via the inverter.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of control signals are modulated to represent pulse-width modulated signals.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the control mode corresponds to an operating state that allows current from the first electrical voltage source while preventing current from the second electrical voltage source.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the control mode corresponds to an operating state that allows current from the second electrical voltage source while preventing current from the first electrical voltage source.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the control mode corresponds to an operating state that allows current from both the first electrical voltage source and the second electrical voltage source.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the control mode corresponds to an operating state that allows a recharging current flow to the first electrical voltage source while preventing a recharging current flow to the second electrical voltage source.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein operating the inverter is based on a first set of duty cycles.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein operating the voltage combiner is based on a second duty cycle.

17. A two-source series inverter system, the system comprising:

a first voltage source;

a second voltage source;

an inverter having DC inputs, AC outputs, and first control inputs, wherein the AC outputs are configured to be coupled to a load;

a voltage combiner having a second control input and a switch, the voltage combiner being connected to the inverter DC inputs, and coupled to the first voltage source and the second voltage source;

a controller coupled to the first control inputs and the second control input, the controller being configured to receive first feedback signals and second feedback signals from the inverter and the voltage combiner respectively, and configured to control current flow through the switch and the voltage combiner; and

a plurality of diodes configured to regulate current flow between the AC outputs and a first end of the first voltage source.