System with multiple power controllers to reduce harmonics
AssigneeAdvanced Energy Industries, Inc.
InventorChristian Schaffarra
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power controller system comprises multiple power controllers that receive a periodic waveform input and that apply power to multiple loads. A switch-on time and a switch-off time is for each of the power controllers within a cycle of the periodic waveform input. The power controllers generate output waveforms to be applied to the loads that are partial segments of the cycle of the periodic waveform input. Each of the power controllers includes a switchable power component that can be switched on and switched off at any time and that can conduct current in both forward and reverse directions.
Claims13
A power controller system comprising:
- multiple power controllers configured to receive a periodic waveform input and to apply power to multiple loads;
- and
- control circuitry configured to:
- set a switch-on time and a switch-off time for each of the power controllers within a cycle of the periodic waveform input;
- stagger the switch-on and switch-off times such that the power controllers turn on and turn off in sequence within the cycle of the periodic waveform input;
- wherein output waveforms of the power controllers are summed to form a summed output waveform that corresponds to the periodic waveform input, and
- wherein each of the power controllers is configured to generate an output waveform that is a partial segment of a cycle of the periodic waveform input;
- and
- wherein each of the each of the power controllers comprises:
- a first switchable power component paired with a first diode for conducting current in a forward direction;
- and
- a second switchable power component paired with a second diode for conducting current in a reverse direction.
A power controller control method comprising:
- providing multiple power controllers configured to apply power to multiple loads, wherein each of the power controllers comprises a first switchable power component paired with a first diode for conducting current in a forward direction and a second switchable power component paired with a second diode for conducting current in a reverse direction;
- applying a periodic waveform input to the power controllers;
- setting switch-on and switch-off times for each power controller within a cycle of the periodic waveform input;
- staggering the switch-on and switch-off times such that the power controllers turn on and turn off in sequence within the cycle of the periodic waveform input;
- summing the waveforms of the power controllers to form a summed output waveform, wherein the summed output waveform corresponds to the periodic waveform input;
- and
- generating output waveforms from the power controllers that are partial segments of the cycle of the periodic waveform input.
A non-transitory processor-readable medium encoded with instructions to control a power controller system comprising multiple power controllers, wherein each of the power controllers comprises a first switchable power component paired with a first diode for conducting current in a forward direction and a second switchable power component paired with a second diode for conducting current in a reverse direction, the instructions comprising instructions to:
- apply a periodic waveform input to the power controllers;
- set switch-on and switch-off times for each power controller within a cycle of the periodic waveform input;
- stagger the switch-on and switch-off times such that the power controllers turn on and turn off in sequence within the cycle of the periodic waveform input;
- sum output waveforms of the power controllers to form a summed output waveform, wherein the summed output waveform corresponds to the periodic waveform input;
- and
- generate output waveforms from the power controllers that are partial segments of the cycle of the periodic waveform input.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.