Methods and systems for improved current sharing between parallel power semiconductors in power converters
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorRobert Wagoner
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Abstract
Methods and systems for current sharing between power semiconductors in an assembly are provided. The power semiconductor assembly includes a plurality of power semiconductors, each comprising at least one output conductor, the plurality of output conductors are electrically coupled together in parallel, an output bus network configured to transpose the output conductors such that magnetic fields causing a current output imbalance between the plurality of power semiconductors are substantially canceled.
Claims32
A power semiconductor assembly comprising:
- a plurality of power semiconductors, each comprising at least one output conductor, said plurality of output conductors are electrically coupled together in parallel;
- and
- an output bus network configured to transpose said output conductors such that magnetic fields causing a current output imbalance between said plurality of power semiconductors are substantially canceled.
A power converter comprising:
- a power semiconductor assembly comprising a plurality of power semiconductors having respective output conductors electrically coupled in parallel, said conductors transposed about at least one axis such that magnetic fields causing a current output imbalance between said plurality of power semiconductor substantially cancel each other;
- and
- a control unit for controlling said power semiconductor assembly to generate an electrical output.
A method of balancing output current in a semiconductor assembly that includes a plurality of power semiconductors wherein each power semiconductor includes at least one output current-carrying conductor, said method comprising:
- determining a relative orientation of the power semiconductors in the semiconductor assembly;
- and
- transposing the output conductors about at least one axis of symmetry defined by the relative orientation of the plurality of power semiconductors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.