Slew rate controllable system for powering electric machine
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsYilun Luo, Khorshed Mohammed Alam, Eric B. Gach, Chandra S. Namuduri, Rashmi Prasad, Mohammad F. Momen
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Abstract
A slew rate controllable system for powering an electric machine. The system may include a plurality of power switches operable for converting a direct current (DC) input into an alternating current (AC) output suitable for electrically powering the electric machine. The system may include a gate drive system operable for controlling a slew rate associated with transitioning the switches between opened and closed states.
Claims20
A slew rate controllable system for powering an electric machine, comprising:
- a plurality of power switches operable for converting a direct current (DC) input into an alternating current (AC) output suitable for electrically powering the electric machine, the power switches operable between an opened state and a closed state to facilitate generating the AC output;
- and
- a gate drive system operable for controlling a slew rate associated with transitioning the power switches between the opened and closed states, the gate drive system including a plurality of gate drive circuits individually connected to a gate terminal of an associated one of the power switches, the gate drive circuits including a plurality of resistor combinations available connectable to the gate terminal of the associated one of the power switches, wherein;
- a quantity of the resistors for each of the gate drive circuits equals K, with a K/2 quantity of the resistors corresponding with upper resistors and a K/2 quantity of the resistors corresponding with lower resistors, the upper resistors connecting in series with the lower resistors, with the gate terminal associated therewith connecting between each of the upper and lower resistors;
- the resistors for each of the gate drive circuits are arranged into a K/2 quantity of branches, with each branch including one of the upper resistors and one of the lower resistors;
- and
- a selected resistor combination of the resistor combinations sets the slew rate for the switch associated therewith.
A method for controlling slew rates of power inverter module operable for powering an electric machine, the power inverter module including a plurality of power switches operable for converting a DC input to an AC output suitable for powering the electric machine, the method comprising:
- determining a plurality of resistor combinations available for a plurality of gate drive circuits, the gate drive circuits individually connected to a gate terminal of an associated one of the power switches, wherein:
- a quantity of the resistors for each of the gate drive circuits equals K, with a K/2 quantity of the resistors corresponding with upper resistors and a K/2 quantity of the resistors corresponding with lower resistors, the upper resistors connecting in series with the lower resistors, with the gate terminal associated therewith connecting between each of the upper and lower resistors;
- and
- the resistors for each of the gate drive circuits are arranged into a K/2 quantity of branches, with each branch including one of the upper resistors and one of the lower resistors;
- determining a selected slew rate for the power switches;
- determining a selected resistor combination of the resistor combinations suitable for implementing the selected slew rate;
- and
- generating control signals for the gate drive circuits to implement the selected resistor combination and control conversion of the DC input to the AC output.
A power inverter module having controllable slew rates, comprising:
- a plurality of power switches operable for converting a direct current (DC) input into an alternating current (AC) output suitable for electrically powering a traction motor of a vehicle, the power switches operable between an opened state and a closed state to facilitate generating the AC output;
- and
- a gate drive system operable for controlling a slew rate associated with transitioning the power switches between the opened and closed states, the gate drive system including a plurality of gate drive circuits individually connected to a gate terminal of an associated one of the power switches, the gate drive circuits including a plurality of resistor combinations connectable to the gate terminal of the associated one of the power switches, wherein;
- a quantity of the resistors for each of the gate drive circuits equals K, with a K/2 quantity of the resistors corresponding with upper resistors and a K/2 quantity of the resistors corresponding with lower resistors, the upper resistors connecting in series with the lower resistors, with the gate terminal associated therewith connecting between each of the upper and lower resistors;
- the resistors for each of the gate drive circuits are arranged into a K/2 quantity of branches, with each branch including one of the upper resistors and one of the lower resistors;
- and
- a selected resistor combination of the resistor combinations sets the slew rate for the power switch associated therewith.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.