Method and apparatus for pre-charge control of VSI
AssigneeRockwell Technologies, LLC
InventorsJohn T. Streicher, Jeff Rivard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for automatically selecting and employing different DC link pre-charge levels dependent upon different sources providing power to a power conditioning system wherein the different sources are characterized by different source inductances, the apparatus including a source control that selects a first pre-charge level when a utility supply provides power to the system and selects a relatively lower pre-charge level when a generator supply provides power to the system thereby reducing the possibility of inverter disablement due to DC link voltage dips.
Claims20
An apparatus for use with an AC voltage source generating an AC voltage, the source selected from one of a plurality of AC voltage sources, each source characterized by a source specific characteristic impedance, a converter and an inverter linked by positive and negative DC supply lines, a pre-charge component linking the supply lines and having a pre-charge voltage level, the apparatus for adjusting the pre-charge level as a function of the source and comprising:
- a control module that correlates AC sources with source specific pre-charge levels, the module including a source identifier for identifying the source linked to the regulator and, based on which source is linked, indicating a specific pre-charge level;
- a sensor for sensing the pre-charge component voltage;
- a controller linked to the inverter to control the inverter, the controller receiving each of the specific pre-charge level and the pre-charge voltage and, when the pre-charge voltage is less than the pre-charge level, modifying inverter control until the pre-charge component charge increases to the pre-charge level.
An apparatus for use with an AC voltage source generating an AC voltage, the source selected from one of a plurality of AC voltage sources, each source characterized by a source specific characteristic impedance, a converter and an inverter linked together by positive and negative DC supply lines, a pre-charge component linking the supply lines together, the controller sensing the voltage across the pre-charge component and, when the pre-charge voltage is less than a pre-charge level, modifying inverter operation to charge the pre-charge component, the apparatus for adjusting the pre-charge level as a function of the source and comprising:
- a control module that correlates AC sources with source specific pre-charge levels, the module including a source identifier for identifying the source linked to the regulator and, based on which source is linked, providing a specific pre-charge level to the controller wherein the provided pre-charge level indicates a safe pre-charge level given the linked source, the pre-charge level used by the controller to control the inverter.
A method for use with an AC voltage source generating an AC voltage, the source selected from one of a plurality of AC voltage sources, each source characterized by a source specific characteristic impedance, a converter and an inverter linked together by positive and negative DC supply lines, a pre-charge component linking the supply lines together, the controller sensing the voltage across the pre-charge component and, when the pre-charge voltage is less than a pre-charge level, modifying inverter operation to charge the pre-charge component, the method for adjusting the pre-charge level as a function of the source and comprising the steps of:
- identifying the source linked to the regulator;
- based on which source is linked to the regulator, providing a specific pre-charge level to the controller wherein the provided pre-charge level indicates a safe pre-charge level given the linked source;
- and
- using the pre-charge level to control the inverter.
An apparatus for use with an AC voltage source generating an AC voltage, the source selected from one of a plurality of AC voltage sources, each source characterized by a source specific characteristic impedance, a converter for converting the AC voltage to DC voltage on a DC bus, a DC bus pre-charge component linked to the DC bus, an inverter linked to the DC bus for converting the DC voltage to AC voltage and a controller for controlling the inverter, the pre-charge component having to be pre-charged to a pre-charge level prior to providing power to the inverter, the pre-charge level dependent upon the source impedance, the controller sensing the voltage across the pre-charge component and, when the pre-charge voltage is less than the pre-charge level, disabling the inverter to charge the pre-charge component, the apparatus for adjusting the pre-charge level as a function of the source, the apparatus comprising:
- a control module that correlates AC sources with source specific pre-charge levels, the module including a source identifier for identifying the source linked to the regulator and, based on which source is linked, providing a specific pre-charge level to the controller wherein the provided pre-charge level indicates a safe pre-charge level given the linked source, the pre-charge level used by the controller to control the inverter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.