Magnetically immune gatedriver circuit

An electric power converter (PCN) comprising a plurality of power electronic switches and an electric gatedriver circuit (GDC) arranged to generate an electric control signal (CS) output for controlling switching of the plurality of power electronic switches, the GDC comprising:

• a transformer (TR) arranged to receive an electric control signal at its electric input (E_I) and to transform the electric control signal to the electric control signal output at its electric output (E_O), wherein the transformer (TR) provides a galvanic separation between its electric input (E_I) and output (E_O), and wherein the transformer (TR) comprises:
• separate first and second cores of magnetically conductive material, wherein each of the first and second cores are shaped to form respective closed loops,
• a first electrical conductor forming the electric input, wherein the first electrical conductor has at least one winding arranged around a part of the first core and at least one winding arranged around a part of the second core,
• a second electrical conductor forming the electric output, wherein the second electrical conductor has at least one winding arranged around a part of the first core and at least one winding arranged around a part of the second core,
• wherein the first core is positioned in relation to the second core so as to allow mutual magnetic interaction between the first and second cores, and wherein the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the first core have the same winding direction, and wherein the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the second core have opposite winding direction of the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the first core, so as to counteract electric influence induced by a common magnetic field through the closed loops of the first and second cores.

A wind turbine, comprising:

• a tower;
• a nacelle disposed on the tower;
• a rotor extending from the nacelle and supporting a plurality of blades;
• and
• a gatedriver circuit (GDC) arranged to generate an electric control signal (CS) output for controlling switching of a plurality of power electronic switches, the GDC comprising:
• a transformer (TR) arranged to receive an electric control signal at its electric input (E_I) and to transform the electric control signal to the electric control signal output at its electric output (E_O), wherein the transformer (TR) provides a galvanic separation between its electric input (E_I) and output (E_O), and wherein the transformer (TR) comprises:
• separate first and second cores of magnetically conductive material, wherein each of the first and second cores are shaped to form respective closed loops,
• a first electrical conductor forming the electric input, wherein the first electrical conductor has at least one winding arranged around a part of the first core and at least one winding arranged around a part of the second core,
• a second electrical conductor forming the electric output, wherein the second electrical conductor has at least one winding arranged around a part of the first core and at least one winding arranged around a part of the second core,
• wherein the first core is positioned in relation to the second core so as to allow mutual magnetic interaction between the first and second cores, and wherein the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the first core have the same winding direction, and wherein the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the second core have opposite winding direction of the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the first core, so as to counteract electric influence induced by a common magnetic field through the closed loops of the first and second cores.

A method for providing a galvanic separation of an electric gatedriver control signal for controlling switching of a power electronic switch, the method comprising:

• providing a transformer arranged to receive an electric control signal at its electric input and to transform the electric control signal to the electric control signal output at its electric output, wherein the providing of the transformer comprising:
• providing separate first and second cores (P_C1_C2) of magnetically conductive material, wherein each of the first and second cores are shaped to form respective closed loops,
• providing a first electrical conductor (P_EC1) forming the electric input, wherein the first electrical conductor has at least one winding arranged around a part of the first core and at least one winding arranged around a part of the second core,
• providing a second electrical conductor (P_EC2) forming the electric output, wherein the second electrical conductor has at least one winding arranged around a part of the first core and at least one winding arranged around a part of the second core, and
• positioning the first core in relation to the second core so as to allow mutual magnetic interaction between the first and second cores, and wherein the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the first core have the same winding direction, and wherein the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the second core have opposite winding direction of the windings of the first and second electrical conductors around the first core, so as to counteract electric influence induced by a common magnetic field through the closed loops of the first and second cores.