Power converter apparatus and methods using adaptive node balancing
AssigneeEaton Intelligent Power Limited
InventorGeorge William Oughton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a first winding and a second winding on a core and having first taps coupled in common to a first node of an inverter circuit. The apparatus further includes a switching circuit configured to selectively couple a second tap of the first winding to a second node of the inverter circuit and to selectively couple a second tap of the second winding to a third node of the inverter circuit. The switching circuit may be configured to provide a desired balance of first and second voltages at respective ones of the second and third nodes with respect to the first node. Related methods are also described.
Claims16
An apparatus comprising:
- a first winding and a second winding on a first core and having first taps configured to be coupled in common to a first node of a string of energy storage devices coupled in series;
- third and fourth windings on a second core and having first taps coupled in common to the first node;
- and
- a switching circuit configured to selectively couple a second tap of the first winding to a second node of the string of energy storage devices, to selectively couple a second tap of the second winding to a third node of the string of energy storage devices, to selectively couple a second tap of the third winding to the second node, and to selectively couple a second tap of the fourth winding to the third node.
A method comprising:
- providing a first winding and a second winding on a first core;
- providing a third winding and a fourth winding on a second core;
- and
- selectively coupling first taps of the first, second, third and fourth windings to a first node of a string of energy storage devices coupled in series, a second tap of the first winding to a second node of the string of energy storage devices, a second tap of the second winding to a third node of the string of energy storage devices, a second tap of the third winding to the second node, and a second tap of the fourth winding to the third node to control relative voltages of first and second ones of the energy storage devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.