SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SINGLE ACTIVE BRIDGE CONVERTERS

• US 20160036338A1
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: El-Barbari, Said Farouk Said, Schramm, Simon Herbert
• Granted Patent: US 10,305,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33576 having at least one active switching element at the secondary side of an isolation transformer

Abstract

A single active bridge converter is provided. The single active bridge converter includes a transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding, a primary side circuit electrically coupled to the primary winding and including an H bridge circuit, and a secondary side circuit electrically coupled to the secondary winding, the secondary side circuit including a switch configured to selectively short the transformer secondary winding.

Claims

1. A single active bridge converter comprising:

a transformer comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding;

a primary side circuit electrically coupled to said primary winding and comprising an H bridge circuit; and

a secondary side circuit electrically coupled to said secondary winding, said secondary side circuit including a switch configured to selectively short said transformer secondary winding.

2. A single active bridge converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said secondary winding comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein said switch is electrically coupled between said first and second ends.

3. A single active bridge converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said switch comprises:

a first diode;

a second diode electrically coupled in series with said first diode;

a first switching device electrically coupled in parallel with said first diode; and

a second switching device electrically coupled in parallel with said second diode, wherein said switch is operable to conduct current in a first direction through said first diode and said second switching device and in a second direction through said second diode and said first switching device, and wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

6. A single active bridge converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said switch comprises:

a first current path comprising a first diode in series with a second diode;

a second current path comprising a third diode in series with a fourth diode, wherein said second current path is electrically coupled in parallel with said first current path; and

a switching device electrically coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein said first node is positioned between said first and second diodes, and wherein said second node is positioned between said third and fourth diodes.

7. A single active bridge converter in accordance with claim 6, wherein said switching device is an IGBT.

8. A single active bridge converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein said single active bridge converter comprises a direct current (DC) to DC converter.

4. A single active bridge converter in accordance with claim 4, wherein at least one of said first and second switching devices is an IGBT.

5. A single active bridge converter in accordance with claim 4, wherein said first and second diodes are biased in opposite directions.

9. A power conversion system comprising:

a power supply;

a load; and

a single active bridge converter coupled between said power supply and said load, said single active bridge converter comprising;

a transformer comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding;

a primary side circuit electrically coupled to said primary winding and comprising an H bridge circuit; and

a secondary side circuit electrically coupled to said secondary winding, said secondary side circuit including a switch configured to selectively short said transformer secondary winding.

10. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 9, further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to said switch, said controller operable to control said switch to selectively short said transformer secondary winding.

11. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said secondary winding comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein said switch is electrically coupled between said first and second ends.

12. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said switch comprises:

a first diode;

a second diode electrically coupled in series with said first diode;

a first switching device electrically coupled in parallel with said first diode; and

a second switching device electrically coupled in parallel with said second diode, wherein said switch is operable to conduct current in a first direction through said first diode and said second switching device and in a second direction through said second diode and said first switching device, and wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

13. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 12, wherein at least one of said first and second switching devices is an IGBT.

14. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said first and second diodes are biased in opposite directions.

15. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said switch comprises:

a first current path comprising a first diode in series with a second diode;

a second current path comprising a third diode in series with a fourth diode, wherein said second current path is electrically coupled in parallel with said first current path; and

a switching device electrically coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein said first node is positioned between said first and second diodes, and wherein said second node is positioned between said third and fourth diodes.

16. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said switching device is an IGBT.

17. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said power supply is a direct current (DC) power supply, and wherein said single active bridge converter comprises a direct current (DC) to DC converter.

18. A method for operating a power conversion system, said method comprising:

electrically coupling a single active bridge converter between a power supply and a load, the single active bridge converter including a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a primary side circuit electrically coupled to the primary winding and having an H bridge circuit, and a secondary side circuit electrically coupled to the secondary winding; and

operating a switch to selectively short the transformer secondary winding.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein operating a switch comprises operating a switch that includes a first diode, a second diode electrically coupled in series with the first diode, a first switching device electrically coupled in parallel with the first diode, and a second switching device electrically coupled in parallel with the second diode, wherein the switch is operable to conduct current in a first direction through the first diode and the second switching device and in a second direction through the second diode and the first switching device, and wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

20. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein operating a switch comprises operating a switch that includes a first current path including a first diode in series with a second diode, a second current path comprising a third diode in series with a fourth diode, wherein the second current path is electrically coupled in parallel with the first current path, and a switching device electrically coupled between a first node and a second node, wherein the first node is positioned between the first and second diodes, and wherein the second node is positioned between the third and fourth diodes.