Solid state switch system
AssigneeABB Schweiz AG
InventorsPietro Cairoli, Lukas Hofstetter, Mathias Bator, Ricardo Bini, Munaf Rahimo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solid state switch for connecting and disconnecting an electrical device has at least one FET-type device and at least one thyristor-type device coupled in parallel to the at least one FET-type device. A gate driver is operative to send gate drive signals to the at least one FET-type device and to the at least one thyristor-type device for providing current to the electrical device. The gate driver is constructed to control a split of the current as between the at least one FET-type device and the at least one thyristor-type device.
Claims40
A solid state switch system for connecting and disconnecting an electrical device to/from a power source, comprising:
- a first terminal constructed for coupling to and receiving power from a power source;
- a second terminal constructed for delivering power from the power source to the electrical device;
- at least one FET-type device coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal;
- at least one thyristor-type device coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal in parallel to the at least one FET-type device;
- and
- a gate driver operative to send gate drive signals to the at least one FET-type device and to the at least one thyristor-type device for providing current to the electrical device;
- wherein the gate driver is constructed to control a split of the current as between the at least one FET-type device and the at least one thyristor-type device.
A solid state switch system for connecting and disconnecting an electrical device to/from a power source, comprising:
- a command input operative to provide a command signal for commanding connection or disconnection of the electrical device;
- at least one FET-type device coupled to the electrical device and the power source;
- at least one thyristor-type device coupled to the electrical device and the power source in parallel to the at least one FET-type device;
- a first gate driver circuit coupled to the at least one FET-type device and operative to provide a first gate drive signal to the at least one FET-type device, wherein the first gate drive signal is a continuous signal;
- a second gate driver circuit coupled to the at least one thyristor-type device and operative to provide a second gate drive signal to the at least one thyristor-type device;
- and
- an isolated power supply coupled to the first gate driver circuit and operative to supply power to the first gate driver circuit for generating the first gate drive signal.
A method of operating a solid state switch to connect and disconnect an electrical device to/from a power source, comprising:
- receiving a command signal;
- and
- connecting the electrical device to the power source by activating at least one FET-type device after a first time delay subsequent to the command signal becoming high;
- and activating at least one thyristor-type device after a second time delay subsequent to the command signal becoming high.
A solid state switch system for connecting and disconnecting an electrical device to/from a power source, comprising:
- at least one FET-type device coupled to the electrical device;
- at least one thyristor-type device coupled to the electrical device and the power source in parallel to the at least one FET-type device;
- and
- means for controlling the at least one FET-type device and the at least one thyristor-type device to selectively perform current sharing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.