Electrical power system with high-density pulse width modulated (PWM) rectifier

A high-density pulse width modulated (PWM) rectifier configured to power an electrical load, wherein a DC link capacitor having a capacitance requirement is coupled in parallel to said PWM rectifier, comprising:

• a single phase primary PWM rectifier circuit configured to rectify an AC signal for providing DC power to operate an electrical load;
• and
• a ripple energy storage circuit coupled in parallel to said electrical load, said PWM rectifier and said DC link capacitor, said ripple energy storage circuit being structured to store at least part of a ripple energy to reduce said capacitance requirement for said DC link capacitor,
• wherein said active ripple energy storage circuit includes an auxiliary storage system configured to store said at least part of said ripple energy;
• and
• wherein said auxiliary storage system operates over a wider voltage range than the DC link capacitor.

A high-density pulse width modulated (PWM) rectifier configured to supply direct current (DC) power to an electrical load, comprising:

• a single phase PWM rectifier circuit configured to rectify an alternating current (AC) signal for providing the DC power to operate the electrical load, said single phase PWM rectifier circuit outputting a DC signal that includes a ripple component having a ripple energy;
• an auxiliary storage system coupled to said single phase PWM rectifier circuit, said auxiliary storage system having at least one of an inductor and a capacitor configured to actively and selectively absorb and discharge at least part of said ripple energy from said single phase PWM rectifier circuit;
• an auxiliary bidirectional buck-boost converter coupled to said auxiliary storage system and configured to selectively direct said ripple energy to and from said auxiliary storage system;
• a control circuit configured to direct the operations of said auxiliary bidirectional buck-boost converter in directing said ripple energy to and from said auxiliary storage system;
• and
• a DC link capacitor configured to store a harmonic of said ripple energy,
• wherein said auxiliary storage system operates over a wider voltage range than the DC link capacitor.

A high-density pulse width modulated (PWM) rectifier configured to supply direct current (DC) power to an electrical load, comprising:

• a single phase rectifier circuit configured to rectify an alternating current (AC) signal for providing the DC power to operate the electrical load, said rectifier circuit outputting a DC signal that includes a ripple component having a ripple energy;
• active means for selectively absorbing and discharging at least part of said ripple energy over a wider voltage range than the electrical load;
• and
• means for controlling said active means.

A method for providing direct current (DC) power to an electrical load, comprising:

• configuring an alternating current (AC) power source to output an AC signal;
• coupling a single phase pulse-width modulated (PWM) rectifier in parallel to said load;
• receiving at said PWM rectifier said AC signal;
• rectifying said AC signal with said PWM rectifier into a DC signal configured to operate the electrical load, said DC signal including a ripple component having a ripple energy;
• coupling an active ripple energy storage circuit in parallel to said electrical load;
• and
• selectively absorbing and discharging at least a part of said ripple energy using said active ripple energy storage circuit having an auxiliary storage system that operates over a wider voltage range than the electrical load.