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US 12,719,383 B2Granted
Zeta-based AC link universal power converter
AssigneeNortheastern University
InventorsMahshid Amirabadi, Mojtaba Salehi, Masih Khodabandeh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power conversion device includes an input stage from an unregulated power source to a switching circuit that is coupled to a thin film link capacitor. In some embodiments, the link stage permits soft switching. Further, a high frequency transformer may be utilized for management of voltage acquired from the circuit. Thus, a managed voltage may be supplied to an electrical load via a capacitor of reduced size and weight and with improved efficiency and reliability.
Claims13
A zeta-based power conversion device comprising:
- an input stage coupled to an AC power source comprising a network having an input coupled to the AC power source and a switching circuit coupled to the input for management of power obtained from the AC power source, the switching circuit comprising a plurality of input switches, each of the plurality of input switches being a bidirectional-blocking forward-conducting switch;
- an output stage comprising a plurality of output switches or a diode, coupled to an electrical load for controlling voltage to the electrical load, each of the plurality of output switches being a forward-blocking bidirectional-conducting switch;
- wherein the device is operative in a continuous conduction mode or discontinuous conduction mode or in a boundary of continuous conduction mode and discontinuous conduction mode;
- wherein each of the bidirectional-blocking forward-conducting switches comprises a single controllable switching device and a series diode, and the forward-blocking bidirectional conducting switch comprises a single controllable switching device and an anti-parallel diode;
- wherein the device is operative to charge a link stage, coupled between the input stage and the output stage, from the AC power source in one or more consecutive input modes until, for each input mode except a last input mode, a current of an input phase of the power source reaches a reference current, and is operative to discharge the link stage to the load in one or more consecutive output modes, wherein for each output mode except a last output mode, a voltage across an output phase pair reaches a reference voltage, and, for the last output mode, the link stage discharges until a voltage across a link capacitor reaches a negative value of a minimum input voltage;
- and
- the output stage coupled to the switching circuit for distribution of voltage to the electrical load.
4 more elements
A method of controlling power management from a power source through a zeta-based converter for use by an electrical load, the method comprising:
- providing an AC power source;
- receiving power from the AC power source at an input stage of a zeta-based power conversion device, the input stage comprising a network having an input coupled to the AC power source and a switching circuit coupled to the input for management of power obtained from the AC power source, the switching circuit comprising a plurality of input switches, each of the plurality of input switches being a bidirectional-blocking forward-conducting switch;
- operating the plurality of input switches in one or more consecutive input modes to charge a link stage of the zeta-based power conversion device, the link stage coupled between the input stage and an output stage of the zeta-based power conversion device;
- charging the link stage until an input phase of the AC power source reaches a reference current;
- and operating a plurality of output switches or a diode of the output stage to discharge the link stage to a load in one or more consecutive output modes, each of the plurality of output switches being a forward-blocking bidirectional-conducting switch;
- wherein the device is operative in a continuous conduction mode or discontinuous conduction mode or in a boundary of continuous conduction mode and discontinuous conduction mode;
- wherein each of the bidirectional-blocking forward-conducting switches comprises a single controllable switching device and a series diode, and the forward-blocking bidirectional conducting switch comprises a single controllable switching device and an anti-parallel diode, wherein:
- the step of charging further comprises charging the link stage from the AC power source in one or more consecutive input modes until, for each input mode except a last input mode, a current of the input phase of the power source reaches the reference current;
- and the step of operating the plurality of output switches or the diode of the output stage to discharge the link stage to the load in the one or more consecutive output modes further comprises wherein, for each output mode except a last output mode, a voltage across an output phase pair reaches a reference voltage, and, for the last output mode, the link stage discharges until a voltage across a link capacitor reaches a negative value of the minimum input voltage.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.