Active balancing modular circuits
AssigneeCooper Technologies Company
InventorsFrank Anthony Doljack, Neal Schultz, Hundi P. Kamath, Jim Strain
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided are active balancing modules that control voltage imbalances between capacitors stacked in a series arrangement and methods for their manufacture. These modules are simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and versatile. They may be used alone or they may be combined together to form a multi-module active balancing circuitry for a plurality of capacitors stacked in a series arrangement. The modules may further be aligned in either a side-by-side topology or an overlapping topology.
Claims34
A capacitor device package, comprising:
- a plurality of capacitors electrically connected in a series arrangement;
- and
- a module having inductor-free circuitry for controlling voltage imbalances between a pair of capacitors connected in the series arrangement, comprising:
- a first terminal configured for connection to a positive plate of the first capacitor;
- a second terminal configured for connection to a negative plate of the first capacitor and to a positive plate of the second capacitor
- a third terminal configured for connection to a negative plate of the second capacitor;
- and
- an active element integrated within the inductor-free circuitry between the first, second, and third terminals and adapted to substantially balance the voltage imbalances between the pair of capacitors, the active element having power connections to the first and third terminals.
A capacitor device package, comprising:
- a plurality of capacitors electrically connected in a series arrangement;
- and
- a module having inductor-free circuitry for controlling voltage imbalances between a pair of capacitors connected in the series arrangement, comprising:
- a first terminal configured for connection to a positive plate of the first capacitor;
- a second terminal configured for connection to a negative plate of the first capacitor and to a positive plate of the second capacitor;
- a third terminal configured for connection to a negative plate of the second capacitor, and
- an active element integrated within the inductor-free circuitry between the first, second, and third terminals and adapted to substantially balance the voltage imbalances between the pair of capacitors, the active element having power connections to the first and third terminals,
- wherein the active clement is an op amp, the op amp having an input, an output, and a feedback loop, the input being connected to two voltage dividing resistors, the output being connected to the second terminal through a current limiting resistor, wherein an end of the feedback loop is connected between the output and the current limiting resistor.
A capacitor device package, comprising:
- a plurality of capacitors electrically connected in a series arrangement;
- and
- a module having inductor-free circuitry for controlling voltage imbalances between a pair of capacitors connected in the series arrangement, comprising:
- a first terminal configured for connection to a positive plate of the first capacitor;
- a second terminal configured for connection to a negative plate of the first capacitor and to a positive plate of the second capacitor,
- a third terminal configured for connection to a negative plate of the second capacitor;
- and
- an active element integrated within the inductor-free circuitry between the first, second, and third terminals and adapted to substantially balance the voltage imbalances between the pair of capacitors, the active element having power connections to the first and third terminals, wherein the active element is a switched voltage converter that incorporates a flying capacitor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.