Fault detection system for isolated two-switch exciter drive gate driver
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsThomas P. Joyce, Art Beneditz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A generator control unit (GCU) includes a fault detection system configured to generate a direct current (DC) voltage signal based on a difference of a DC-equivalent voltage between the positive and negative exciter gate drive signals. The fault detection system further outputs a fault detection signal indicating the fault status of the gate drive integrated circuits based on a comparison between the DC average voltage signal and a threshold value.
Claims15
A generator control unit (GCU), comprising:
- a dual gate driver integrated circuit configured to receive a positive and negative input signal, each of which comprises both a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) command signal and a higher frequency carrier signal, and convert these input signals into a positive exciter switch drive signal and a negative exciter switch drive signal;
- a transformer-isolated two-switch exciter driver configured to output an exciter drive signal in response to receiving the positive and negative exciter switch drive signals;
- and
- a fault detection system configured to generate a direct current (DC) voltage signal based on the difference of a DC-equivalent voltage between the positive and negative exciter gate drive signals and to output a fault detection signal indicating the fault status of the gate drive integrated circuits based on a comparison between the DC average voltage signal and a threshold value.
A method of detecting a fault mode of a gate drive integrated circuit that is part of the transformer-isolated two-switch exciter driver included in a GCU, the method comprising:
- converting, via a dual gate driver integrated circuit, positive and negative input signals, each of which comprises both a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) command signal and a higher frequency carrier signal, into a positive exciter switch drive signal and a negative exciter switch drive signal;
- outputting, via a transformer-isolated two-switch exciter driver, an exciter drive signal for driving an exciter field winding in response to receiving the positive and negative exciter switch drive signals;
- generating a direct current (DC) voltage signal based on a difference between the DC-equivalent value of the positive and negative exciter gate drive signals;
- and
- outputting a fault detection signal indicating a fault status of gate drive integrated circuits implemented in the transformer-isolated two-switch exciter driver based on a comparison between the DC average voltage signal and a threshold value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.