# US 10,122,285 B2 · Electric power conversion apparatus having single-phase and multi-phase operation modes

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- Number: US 10,122,285 B2
- Document ID: US10122285B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/639,509
- Filed: 2017-06-30
- Published: 2018-02-22
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-30
- Assignees: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
- Applicants: HELLA GmbH & CO. KGaA
- Inventors: Juncheng Lu; Hua Bai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122285B2

## CPC

- H02M 1/4233: {using a bridge converter comprising active switches}
- H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
- H02M 1/14: Arrangements for reducing ripples from DC input or output
- H02M 1/15: using active elements
- H02M 1/42: Circuits or arrangements for compensating for or adjusting power factor in converters or inverters
- H02M 1/4258: {using a single converter stage both for correction of AC input power factor and generation of a regulated and galvanically isolated DC output voltage (H02M1/4241 takes precedence)}
- H02M 3/33515: {with digital control}
- H02M 3/33584: {Bidirectional converters}
- H02M 1/0009: {Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter}
- 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
- H02M 1/4216: {operating from a three-phase input voltage (H02M1/4233 takes precedence)}
- H02M 7/4807: {having a high frequency intermediate AC stage}
- 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
- H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

An AC/DC conversion apparatus includes first, second, and third AC/DC conversion modules operated by a controller in two modes of operation. In the first mode, the input AC signal is 3-phase and each of the three modules are enabled to handle a respective one of the input phases. In the second mode, the input AC signal is single phase and the first and second modules are enabled to deliver output power based on the single-phase AC input, while the controller actuates an H-bridge switches in the third module to which active filter circuitry is connected, to reduce an AC component in the output signal. The active filter circuitry can be selectively connected to the H-bridge switches when single-phase operation is desired, which circuitry may be disposed in a filter housing having male electrical terminals that cooperate with corresponding female terminals associated with the third module.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a power conversion system having a main housing in which are disposed a first, a second, and a third single-phase AC/DC conversion module each connected to and controlled by an electronic controller, wherein each AC/DC conversion module includes a respective indirect matrix converter having a respective AC output coupled to a respective H-bridge switching arrangement configured to produce a respective output signal having a DC component and at least one AC component, and wherein the respective output signals are electrically joined at an output node, and wherein the power conversion system has associated therewith an electrical coupling feature, a filter apparatus comprising:
a filter housing in which an active filter circuit is disposed wherein said active filter circuit is configured to reduce said AC component of said output signals, wherein said electrical coupling feature associated with the power conversion system is a first electrical coupling feature, said active filter circuit having associated therewith a second electrical coupling feature that is complementary with respect to said first electrical coupling feature, and wherein said first and second electrical coupling features cooperate to electrically couple said active filter circuit to said third AC/DC conversion module and a ground node of the power conversion system.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The filter apparatus of claim 1 wherein each indirect matrix converter has a respective input interface configured to receive a first AC signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The filter apparatus of claim 2 wherein said electronic controller is configured to operate said AC/DC conversion modules (i) in a first mode of operation where said first AC signal comprises a multi-phase AC signal, said controller being configured to enable operation of said first, second, and third AC/DC conversion modules wherein respective AC components of said respective output signals tend to cancel each other out; and (ii) in a second mode of operation where said first AC signal comprises a single-phase AC signal, said controller enabling operation of said first and second AC/DC conversion modules and disabling operation of said indirect matrix converter of said third AC/DC conversion module, said controller being further configured to actuate said H-bridge switching arrangement of said third AC/DC conversion module having said active filter circuit coupled thereto according to a filtering strategy to reduce said at least one AC component of said output signals of said first and said second AC/DC conversion modules.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The filter apparatus of claim 3 wherein said active filter circuit is selectively removable to electrically uncouple said active filter circuit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The filter apparatus of claim 4 wherein said active filter circuit comprises an inductor-capacitor (LC) tank circuit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The filter apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first electrical coupling feature is one of male and female electrical terminals and said second electrical coupling feature is the other one of said male and female electrical terminals.

### Claim 7

The filter apparatus 6 wherein said first electrical coupling feature comprises female electrical terminals and said second electrical coupling feature comprises male electrical terminals.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The filter apparatus of claim 7 wherein said main housing includes said first electrical coupling feature comprising female electrical terminals.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The filter apparatus of claim 7 wherein said filter housing includes said second electrical coupling feature comprising male electrical terminals.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The filter apparatus of claim 7 wherein a circuit board associated with the power conversion system includes said first electrical coupling feature comprising female electrical terminals.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The filter apparatus of claim 7 wherein a circuit board associated with said active filter circuit includes said second electrical coupling feature comprising male electrical terminals.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The filter apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first electrical coupling feature and said second electrical coupling feature are configured to perform a mechanical coupling function.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The filter apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first electrical coupling feature and said second electrical coupling feature are configured to be selectively insertable and removable by a user without the need for tools.

### Claim 14 (depends on 5)

The filter apparatus of claim 5 wherein said LC tank circuit includes (i) a first branch with a first inductor and a series-connected first capacitor and (ii) a second branch with a second inductor and a series-connected second capacitor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The filter apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first branch and said second branch are electrically connected to said H-bridge switching arrangement of said third AC/DC conversion module and said ground node.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The filter apparatus of claim 15 wherein said first electrical coupling feature comprises three female electrical terminals and said second electrical coupling feature comprises three male electrical terminals, wherein one end of said first branch is electrically coupled to a first one of said male electrical terminals, and wherein one end of said second branch is electrically coupled to a second one of said male electrical terminals, and wherein the other end of said first branch and said second branch are both electrically coupled to a third one of said male electrical terminals.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The filter apparatus of claim 16 wherein said third one of said male electrical terminals is configured to be electrically coupled to said ground node.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The filter apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first branch and said second branch are in an electrical parallel relationship.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The filter apparatus of claim 14 wherein said electronic controller is configured to disable one of said first branch and said second branch.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The filter apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second coupling features electrically couple said active filter circuit to said H-bridge switching arrangement of said third AC/DC conversion module and said ground node of the power conversion system.

### Claim 21

An apparatus for converting a first AC signal to a DC signal, comprising:
an electronic controller including a processor and a memory; and
first, second, and third single-phase AC/DC conversion module each connected to and controlled by said controller, and wherein respective output signals from said conversion modules are electrically joined at an output node, each conversion module comprising:
(i) an indirect matrix converter having an input interface configured to receive said first AC signal and an output interface configured to produce a second AC signal; (ii) a transformer having a primary winding and an electrically isolated and magnetically coupled secondary winding; (iii) a coupling inductor in series between said output interface of said indirect matrix converter and said primary winding; and (iv) an H-bridge switching arrangement connected to said secondary winding and configured to produce on said output node a respective output signal having a DC component and at least one AC component;
wherein in a first mode of operation where said first AC signal comprises a multi-phase AC signal, said controller is configured to enable operation of said first, second, and third AC/DC conversion modules wherein respective AC components of said respective output signals tend to cancel each other out; and
wherein in a second mode of operation where said first AC signal comprises a single-phase AC signal, said controller enables operation of said first and second AC/DC conversion modules and disables operation of said indirect matrix converter of said third AC/DC conversion module, said controller being configured to operate said third AC/DC conversion module having an active filter coupled thereto according to a filtering strategy to reduce said AC component of said output signals of said first and second AC/DC conversion modules.