Arcp converter and control thereof

A power converter system, comprising an auxiliary resonant commutated pole (ARCP) converter leg,

• particularly an ARCP half-bridge, having a series connection of a saturable-core inductor and at least one bi-directional auxiliary switch connected to a dc-link neutral point,
• a ARCP controller configured to control turn-on of the at least one bi-directional auxiliary switch to provide an auxiliary current flowing through the saturable-core inductor, and
• a saturation instant detector configured to detect a saturation instant of the saturable-core inductor due to the auxiliary current exceeding a saturation current after turn-on of the at least one bidirectional auxiliary switch,
• wherein the ARCP controller is responsive the detector to continue providing the auxiliary current and thereby a boost current for a predetermined boost period after the detected saturation instant of the saturable-core inductor so as to achieve a desired total boost current, and
• wherein the saturation instant detector is connected to the dc-link neutral point and configured to detect the saturation instant based on a voltage of the dc-link neutral point.

A power converter system, comprising

• an auxiliary resonant commutated pole (ARCP) converter leg, particularly an ARCP half-bridge, having a series connection of a saturable-core inductor and at least one bi-directional auxiliary switch connected to a dc-link neutral point,
• a ARCP controller configured to control turn-on of the at least one bi-directional auxiliary switch to provide an auxiliary current flowing through the saturable-core inductor, and
• a saturation instant detector configured to detect a saturation instant of the saturable-core inductor due to the auxiliary current exceeding a saturation current after turn-on of the at least one bidirectional auxiliary switch,
• wherein the ARCP controller is responsive the detector to continue providing the auxiliary current and thereby a boost current for a predetermined boost period after the detected saturation instant of the saturable-core inductor so as to achieve a desired total boost current, and
• wherein the saturation instant detector comprises an auxiliary current sensing unit to sense a rapid change in the auxiliary current.