Power converter with wide DC voltage range

A method of operating a power converter, the method comprising:

• controlling a first high frequency converter to transfer power between a first port and a second port;
• controlling a second high frequency converter to transfer power between a first port and a second port;
• and
• controlling an interleaved multi-bridge circuit connected to a side of a first transformer and a side of a second transformer in a series mode in which the sides of the first and second transformers are in series at the DC terminal of the interleaved multi-bridge circuit resulting in a first voltage at the DC terminal being a summation of a second voltage on the second side of the first transformer and a third voltage on the second side of the second transformer, wherein the interleaved multi-bridge circuit comprises three or more bridges.

An alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) converter, comprising:

• one or more AC to DC rectifiers each having an input and an output, wherein the one or more AC to DC rectifiers are each configured to provide a DC voltage to their respective output in response to an AC voltage at their respective input;
• a first high frequency converter having an input connected to the output of one of the one or more AC to DC rectifiers, the first high frequency converter having an output connected to a first side of a first transformer, wherein the first high frequency converter is configured to provide a first output voltage to the first side of the first transformer in response to a first DC voltage from one of the one or more AC to DC rectifiers;
• a second high frequency converter having an input connected to the output of one of the one or more AC to DC rectifiers, the second high frequency converter having an output connected to a first side of a second transformer, wherein the second high frequency converter is configured to provide a second output voltage to the first side of the second transformer in response to a second DC voltage from one of the one or more AC to DC rectifiers;
• an interleaved multi-bridge circuit connected to a second side of the first transformer and to a second side of the second transformer, wherein the interleaved multi-bridge circuit comprises three or more bridges and has a direct current (DC) output;
• and
• a controller coupled to the interleaved multi-bridge circuit, to the first high frequency converter, and to the second high frequency converter, wherein the controller is configured to operate the interleaved multi-bridge circuit in a parallel mode in which the second sides of the first and second transformers are in parallel at the DC output resulting in a first voltage at the DC output being equal to both a second voltage on the second side of the first transformer and a third voltage on the second side of the second transformer.