Semiconductor topologies and devices for soft starting and active fault protection of power converters
AssigneeNorth Carolina State University
InventorsRichard B. Beddingfield, Subhashish Bhattacharya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various examples are provided related to semiconductor topologies and devices that can be used for soft starting and active fault protection of power converters. In one example, an active switch device includes an active switch having a gating control input; and a thyristor having a gating control input. The thyristor is coupled in parallel with the active switch. The active switch can be an IGBT, MOSFET, or other appropriate device. In another example, a power converter can include the active switch devices and switching control circuitry coupled to gating control inputs of the active switch devices.
Claims19
An active switch device, comprising:
- an active switch comprising a collector or source, an emitter or drain, and a gating control input;
- and
- a thyristor comprising a cathode, an anode, and a gating control input, the thyristor coupled in parallel with the active switch with the cathode of the thyristor electrically connected to the collector or source of the active switch, where switching control circuitry provides a gate signal to the gating control input of the thyristor to control a firing angle of the thyristor in response to a charge on a DC bus.
An active switch device, comprising:
- an active switch comprising a gating control input;
- and
- a thyristor comprising a gating control input, the thyristor coupled in parallel with the active switch, wherein switching control circuitry provides a gate signal to the gating control input of the thyristor to control a firing angle of the thyristor, the gate signal providing a ramp increase in response to a charge on a DC bus, and the switching control circuitry provides a second gate signal to the gating control input of the active switch for pulse width modulation (PWM) operation while the firing angle of the thyristor is held constant.
A power converter, comprising:
- active switch devices comprising:
- an active switch comprising a gating control input;
- and
- a thyristor comprising a gating control input, the thyristor coupled in parallel with the active switch;
- and
- switching control circuitry coupled to gating control inputs of the active switch devices, the switching control circuitry controlling firing angles of thyristors of the active switch devices in response to a charge on a DC bus electrically connected to the active switch devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.