US 2017/0366100 A1 · ACTIVE VOLTAGE REGULATOR SYSTEMS AND METHODS

Abstract

A power conditioning unit used in an electrical system. The power conditioning unit includes a positive bus and a negative bus that are electrically connected to a direct current load to enable supplying direct current electrical power to the direct current load; and a first phase leg, which includes a first diode electrically connected to the positive bus, a first transistor electrically connected to the negative bus, and a first node between the first diode and the first transistor. The first node is electrically connected to an alternating current power source to enable the first phase leg to receive a first phase of alternating current electrical power from the alternating current power source and the first transistor opens and closes to control flow of the first phase through the first phase leg to facilitate generating the direct current electrical power at a target voltage using the alternating current electrical power.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A power conditioning unit configured to be used in an electrical system, comprising:

a positive bus and a negative bus configured to be electrically connected to a direct current load to enable supplying direct current electrical power to the direct current load;
and
a first phase leg comprising a first diode electrically connected to the positive bus, a first transistor electrically connected to the negative bus, and a first node between the first diode and the first transistor, wherein:
the first node is configured to be electrically connected to an alternating current power source to enable the first phase leg to receive a first phase of alternating current electrical power from the alternating current power source;
and
the first transistor is configured to open and close to control flow of the first phase through the first phase leg to facilitate generating the direct current electrical power at a target voltage using the alternating current electrical power.

3 more elements

A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium configured to store instructions executable by one or more processors in an electrical system, wherein the instructions comprise instructions to:

determine, using the one or more processors, a control signal, wherein the control signal comprises a pulse-width modulated signal used to facilitate controlling operation of a power conditioning unit;
determine, using the one or more processors, a first switching signal based at least in part on the control signal and a first current polarity of a first phase of alternating current electrical power supplied to a first phase leg of the power conditioning unit from an alternating current power source;
instruct, using the one or more processors, a first switching device on the first phase leg to open or close by supplying the first switching signal to the first switching device to facilitate converting the alternating current electrical power into direct current electrical power supplied from the power conditioning unit to a direct current load;
determine, using the one or more processors, a first voltage of the direct current electrical power;
and
adjust, using the one or more processors, duty cycle of the control signal to adjust the first voltage of the direct current electrical power.

3 more elements

A method for controlling operation of a power conditioning unit in an electrical system, comprising:

determining, using a controller in the electrical system, a voltage of direct current electrical power supplied from the power conditioning unit to a direct current load;
instructing, using the controller, a plurality of switching devices to increase closed duration when the voltage of the direct current electrical power is greater than a target voltage the direct current load is configured to consume, wherein the power conditioning unit comprises a plurality of phase legs each configured to receive one phase of alternating current electrical power from a respective winding in an alternating current power source and each comprising one of the plurality of switching devices and a diode;
and
instructing, using the controller, the plurality of switching devices to decrease the closed duration when the voltage of the direct current electrical power is less than the target voltage.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Active voltage regulator systems and methods

Life of this patent

Active voltage regulator systems and methods

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21