# US 9,431,888 B1 · Single-phase to three phase converter AC motor drive

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- Number: US 9,431,888 B1
- Document ID: US9431888B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/182,250
- Filed: 2014-02-17
- Granted: 2016-08-30
- Earliest claimed: 2006-06-06
- Assignees: Ideal Power Inc.
- Applicants: Ideal Power, Inc.
- Inventors: William C. Alexander
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9431888B1

## CPC

- H02M 5/225: {comprising two stages of AC-AC conversion, e.g. having a high frequency intermediate link}
- H02M 5/14: for conversion between circuits of different phase number
- H02M 7/4815: {Resonant converters (H02M7/4811 and H02M7/4826 take precedence)}
- H02M 7/5387: in a bridge configuration
- Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
- H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

Methods and systems for power conversion. An energy storage capacitor is contained within an H-bridge subcircuit which allows the capacitor to be connected to the link inductor of a Universal Power Converter with reversible polarity. This provides a “pseudo-phase” drive capability which expands the capabilities of the converter to compensate for zero-crossings in a single-phase power supply. Conversion between, e.g., single phase and three phase power is enabled, in either direction, without sacrificing workload performance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A power converter for powering an application requiring both single phase and three phase power, comprising:
first and second single phase power portals and a three phase power portal;
a first power module, comprising:
a first energy-transfer reactance; and
first and second bridge switch arrays interposed between said reactance, and said single phase power portals, respectively, and each comprising one bidirectional switching device for each port of said single phase power portals; and
a second power module, comprising:
a second energy-transfer reactance;
third and fourth bridge switch arrays interposed between said reactance, and said second single phase and three phase power portals, respectively, and each comprising one bidirectional switching device for each port of said second single phase and three phase power portals; and
an energy storage capacitor, reversibly connected across said second reactance through a full-bridge configuration.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The converter of claim 1, wherein said bridge arrays are symmetrically connected to said energy-transfer reactance.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The converter of claim 1, wherein said bridge arrays are full-bridge arrays.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The converter of claim 1, wherein each said portal is shunted by a capacitor which provides a low-impedance voltage source thereat.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The converter of claim 1, wherein said reactance comprises a transformer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The converter of claim 1, wherein said reactance comprises a parallel combination of an inductor with a capacitor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The converter of claim 1, wherein said reactance is driven at a base frequency which is less than half its resonant frequency.

### Claim 8

A power converter, comprising:
first and second single phase or three phase power portals, said power portals having different numbers of phases;
an energy-transfer reactance;
first and second bridge switch arrays interposed between said reactance, and said power portals, respectively, and each comprising one bidirectional switching device for each port of said power portals; and
an energy storage capacitor, reversibly connected across said second reactance through a full-bridge configuration;
wherein the power converter does not comprise electrolytic capacitative components.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The converter of claim 8, wherein said single phase power portal is a split phase power portal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The converter of claim 8, wherein said bridge arrays are symmetrically connected to said energy-transfer reactance.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The converter of claim 8, wherein said bridge arrays are full-bridge arrays.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The converter of claim 8, further comprising a third switch array, which is connected to said reactance in parallel with said first and second switch arrays.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The converter of claim 8, wherein each said portal is shunted by a capacitor which provides a low-impedance voltage source thereat.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The converter of claim 8, wherein said reactance comprises a transformer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The converter of claim 8, wherein said reactance comprises a parallel combination of an inductor with a capacitor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 8)

The converter of claim 8, wherein said reactance is driven at a base frequency which is less than half its resonant frequency.

### Claim 17

A power converter, comprising:
a single phase AC power portal and a three phase synchronous motor drive power portal;
an energy-transfer reactance; and
first and second bridge switch arrays interposed between said reactance, and said power portals, respectively, and each comprising one bidirectional switching device for each port of said power portals; and
a controller which is connected to operate said bridge switch arrays, with mutually exclusive conduction intervals between respective first and second ones of said bridge switch arrays, to drive current through said reactance in both directions during each cycle, and to deliver power pulsating at twice the input power frequency to said motor drive power portal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The converter of claim 17, wherein said controller is configured to operate said bridge switch arrays to drive said motor at variable speed with unity power factor and low harmonics input.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The converter of claim 17, wherein said bridge arrays are symmetrically connected to said energy-transfer reactance.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The converter of claim 17, wherein said bridge arrays are full-bridge arrays.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The converter of claim 1, wherein each said bridge switch array comprises a second bidirectional switching device for each said port of the respective power portals.

### Claim 22 (depends on 8)

The converter of claim 8, wherein each said bridge switch array comprises a second bidirectional switching device for each said port of said power portals.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The converter of claim 17, wherein each said bridge switch array comprises a second bidirectional switching device for each said port of said power portals.