Inverter systems featuring hybrid TCM/CCM modulation scheme
AssigneeInfineon Technologies Austria AG
InventorsStefano de Filippis, Matthias Joachim Kasper, Gerald Deboy
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Abstract
To reduce switching losses, an inverter circuitry of this disclosure may operate using triangular current mode (TCM) control for the semiconductor devices to achieve zero voltage switching (ZVS) at the turn-on of the semiconductor switches. In contrast to other techniques, such as operating the inverter circuitry in continuous conduction mode (CCM), switching devices experience hard switching (usually associated to body-diode hard commutation) at turn-on, and therefore experience the associated switching losses. The inverter circuitry of this disclosure is controlled by processing circuitry, which is configured to apply a smart frequency modulation scheme that enables TCM operation.
Claims20
An inverter circuit comprising input terminals, output terminals, and at least four semiconductor switches, the inverter circuit configured to:
- receive direct current (DC) input power at the input terminals and output alternating current (AC) power at the output terminals;
- and
- receive control signals from a controller, the controller comprising processing circuitry, wherein the control signals modulate a switching frequency for the inverter circuit based at least on an instantaneous AC output current and instantaneous AC output voltage at the output terminals, wherein the switching frequency is further based on a predetermined first AC output current, wherein for at least one operating mode the predetermined first AC output current is such that each switch is configured to turn ON with zero voltage switching (ZVS).
A system comprising:
- processing circuitry configured to output switching control signals;
- and
- an inverter circuit comprising input terminals, output terminals, and at least four switches, the inverter circuit configured to:
- receive direct current (DC) input power at the input terminals and output alternating current (AC) power at the output terminals;
- and
- receive control signals from the processing circuitry, wherein the control signals modulate a switching frequency for the inverter circuit based at least on an instantaneous AC output current and instantaneous AC output voltage at the output terminals, wherein the switching frequency is further based on a predetermined first AC output current, wherein for at least one operating mode the predetermined first AC output current is such that each switch is configured to turn ON with zero voltage switching (ZVS).
A method of controlling an inverter circuit, the method comprising:
- receiving, by processing circuitry, an indication of a magnitude of direct current (DC) input power received at input terminals of the inverter circuit;
- receiving, by the processing circuitry, an indication of an instantaneous magnitude of alternating current (AC) power at output terminals of the inverter circuit;
- delivering, by the processing circuitry, control signals to each switch of the inverter circuit, wherein the inverter circuit comprises at least four switches;
- and
- modulating, by the processing circuitry, and via the control signals, a switching frequency of the inverter circuit, wherein the switching frequency is based at least on an instantaneous AC output current and instantaneous AC output voltage at the output terminals, and is such that for at least one operating mode, each switch is configured to turn ON with zero voltage switching (ZVS).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.