Systems and methods for synchronizing converter modules

A converter system, comprising:

• a synchronization control circuit configured to:
• modulate a reference signal onto a carrier signal to generate a synchronization current signal;
• add the synchronization current signal to an output current of the converter system to generate an aggregated output current;
• and
• a first converter module configured to receive a first direct current (DC) input from a first DC source and provide a first output voltage at a first output, the first converter module comprising:
• a first switch;
• a first current sensor;
• and
• a first module control circuit configured to:
• receive the aggregated output current from the first current sensor;
• generate a first reproduced reference signal, at least in part from the aggregated output current;
• and
• generate a first switch control signal based at least in part on the first reproduced reference signal;
• a second converter module configured to receive a second DC input from a second DC source and provide a second output voltage at a second output, wherein the first converter module and the second converter module are electrically coupled in series and wherein an output voltage of the converter system comprises a sum of the first output voltage and the second output voltage, the second converter module comprising:
• a second switch;
• a second current sensor;
• and
• a second module control circuit configured to:
• receive the aggregated output current from the second current sensor;
• generate a second reproduced reference signal, at least in part from the aggregated output current;
• and
• generate a second switch control signal based at least in part on the reference signal.

A series-connected converter system comprising:

• a synchronization control circuit, comprising:
• a monitoring circuit configured to receive an input signal and output a pulse signal, wherein a first pulse of the pulse signal corresponds to a first zero-crossing of the input signal;
• a modulator configured to generate a synchronization signal based at least in part on the pulse signal;
• a transformer comprising a first coil electrically coupled to receive the synchronization signal and a second coil electrically coupled to an output of the converter system;
• a first converter module electrically coupled between a first direct current (DC) source and a first output, the first converter module comprising:
• a first switch;
• a first current sensor positioned to sense an aggregated output current of the converter system, wherein the aggregated output current is a sum of an output current of the converter system and a synchronization current signal proportional to the synchronization signal;
• a first demodulator in communication with the first current sensor to generate a first reproduced pulse signal, at least in part from the aggregated output current;
• and
• a first module control circuit configured to generate a first switch control signal based at least in part on the first reproduced pulse signal;
• and
• a second converter module electrically coupled between a second DC source and a second output, the second converter module comprising:
• a second switch;
• a second current sensor positioned to sense the aggregated output current of the converter system;
• a second demodulator in communication with the second current sensor to generate a second reproduced pulse signal, at least in part from the aggregated output current;
• and
• a second module control circuit configured to generate a second switch control signal based at least in part on the second reproduced pulse signal, wherein the first converter module and the second converter module are electrically coupled in series, and wherein an output voltage of the converter system comprises a sum of a first output voltage at the first output and a second output voltage a second output voltage at the second output.