# US 11,451,139 B2 · Three-phase single-stage soft-switching AC-DC converter with power factor correction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,139 B2 - Document ID: US11451139B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/744,166 - Filed: 2020-01-15 - Published: 2020-07-23 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-22 - Assignees: Queen's University at Kingston; Ganpower International Inc. - Applicants: Queen's University at Kingston; Ganpower International Inc. - Inventors: Mojtaba Forouzesh; Xiang Zhou; Yan-Fei Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451139B2 ## CPC - H02M 1/4241: {using a resonant converter} - H02J 7/02: for charging batteries from AC mains by converters - H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters - H02M 1/4216: {operating from a three-phase input voltage (H02M1/4233 takes precedence)} - 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 3/01: {Resonant DC/DC converters} - H02M 3/285: {Single converters with a plurality of output stages connected in parallel (parallel operation of a plurality of converters in DC distribution networks H02J1/10)} - H02M 3/33573: {Full-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer} - H02M 3/3376: {with automatic control of output voltage or current} - H02M 7/06: using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode - B60L 53/00: Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles - B60L 2210/30: AC to DC converters - H02J 2207/20: Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter - H02M 1/0009: {Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter} - H02M 1/0058: {by employing soft switching techniques, i.e. commutation of transistors when applied voltage is zero or when current flow is zero (using an auxiliary actively switched resonant commutation circuit connected to an intermediate DC voltage or between two push-pull branches of an inverter bridge H02M7/4811; in resonant inverters H02M7/4815; in inverters operating from a resonant DC source H02M7/4826)} - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - 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) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Three-phase single-stage AC-DC converters achieve power factor correction with low phase voltage switch stress. Direct input current sensing is performed to calculate the average input current of the AC-DC converter and implement power factor correction. Embodiments feature high power factor, single stage power conversion, and soft-switching of all switches, resulting in high conversion efficiency in a cost-effective single-stage three-phase structure. The converters have low output voltage ripple without a double line frequency component, which allows non-electrolytic capacitor implementation. The converters are particularly useful in high-power applications such as electric vehicle charging. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A three-phase AC-DC converter, comprising: first, second, and third input terminals that respectively receive first, second, and third AC voltage phases of a three-wire three-phase AC input voltage; first, second, and third rectifier circuits that respectively rectify the first, second, and third AC voltage phases received by the first, second, and third input terminals, and respectively produce first, second, and third input DC voltages; first, second, and third single-stage power factor correction (PFC) modules that respectively receive the first, second, and third input DC voltages and respectively produce first, second, and third output DC voltages; first and second output terminals; and a controller; wherein the first, second, and third output DC voltages are connected together in parallel across the first and second output terminals; wherein the controller senses the first, second, and third input DC voltages and input DC current of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules, and controls the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules according to a single control parameter determined from the sensed voltages and currents; wherein the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules provide simultaneous PFC operation and output voltage regulation with soft-switching. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The three-phase AC-DC converter of claim 1, further comprising at least one non-electrolytic output capacitor connected in parallel with the first and second output terminals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The three-phase AC-DC converter of claim 1, further comprising first, second, and third input filters connected between the first, second, and third input terminals and the first, second, and third rectifier circuits. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The three-phase AC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules comprises a resonant converter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The three-phase AC-DC converter of claim 4, wherein each of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules comprises an LLC resonant converter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The three-phase AC-DC converter of claim 4, wherein each of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules comprises an LCC resonant converter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The three-phase AC-DC converter of claim 4, wherein the single control parameter is switching frequency and is used by the controller to generate phase current reference signals for the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules; wherein the controller uses the phase current reference signals to generate gate driving signals for one or more switches of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules; wherein simultaneous PFC operation and output voltage regulation with soft-switching is provided by the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The three-phase AC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules comprises an isolated PWM boost converter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The three-phase AC-DC converter of claim 8, wherein the single control parameter is duty cycle and is used by the controller to adjust a duty cycle of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules; wherein the controller generates gate driving signals for one or more switches of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules; wherein simultaneous PFC operation and output voltage regulation with soft-switching is provided by the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The three-phase AC-DC converter of claim 1, implemented in an electric vehicle charger. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An electric vehicle charger comprising the three-phase AC-DC converter of claim 1. ### Claim 12 A method for implementing a three-phase AC-DC converter, comprising: using first, second, and third rectifier circuits to respectively rectify first, second, and third AC voltage phases of a three-wire three-phase AC input voltage, and respectively produce first, second, and third input DC voltages; using first, second, and third single-stage power factor correction (PFC) modules that respectively receive the first, second, and third input DC voltages and respectively produce first, second, and third output DC voltages; connecting the first, second, and third output DC voltages together in parallel to produce a final output voltage; sensing the first, second, and third input DC voltages and input DC current of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules, and using a controller to control the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules according to a single control parameter determined from the sensed voltages and currents; wherein the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules provide simultaneous PFC operation and output voltage regulation with soft-switching. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, comprising connecting at least one non-electrolytic output capacitor in parallel with the final output voltage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein each of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules comprises a resonant converter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein each of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules comprises an LLC resonant converter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein each of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules comprises an LCC resonant converter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the single control parameter is switching frequency and is used by the controller to generate phase current reference signals for the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules; and wherein the controller uses the phase current reference signals to generate gate driving signals for one or more switches of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules; wherein simultaneous PFC operation and output voltage regulation with soft-switching is provided by the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein each of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules comprises an isolated PWM boost converter. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the single control parameter is duty cycle and is used by the controller to adjust a duty cycle of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules; wherein the controller generates gate driving signals for one or more switches of the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules; wherein simultaneous PFC operation and output voltage regulation with soft-switching is provided by the first, second, and third single-stage PFC modules. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising using the three-phase AC-DC converter to charge an electric vehicle.