AC/DC converter with inrush current limitation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10014797-B2
Application number	US-201715659822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2017
Priority date	Apr 7, 2015
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

An AC/DC converter includes: a first terminal and a second terminal for receiving an AC voltage and a third terminal and a fourth terminal for supplying a DC voltage. A rectifying bridge includes input terminals respectively coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal, and output terminals respectively coupled to the third terminal and fourth terminal. A first branch of the rectifying bridge includes, connected between the output terminals, two series-connected thyristors with a junction point of the two thyristors being connected to a first one of the input terminals. A second branch of the rectifying bridge is formed by series connected diodes. A control circuit is configured to generate control signals for application to the control gates of the thyristors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An AC/DC converter, comprising:
a first terminal and a second terminal configured to receive an AC voltage;
a third terminal and a fourth terminal configured to supply a first DC voltage;
a rectifying bridge having input terminals respectively coupled to the first terminal and second terminal, and having output terminals respectively coupled to the third terminal and fourth terminal,
wherein the rectifying bridge includes a first branch comprising a first thyristor and a second thyristor, respectively having an anode gate and a cathode gate, that are series connected between the output terminals, a junction point of the first and second thyristors being connected to a first one of the input terminals; and
a controller coupled to the anode gate and configured to generate control pulses that turn on the first thyristor, wherein timing of the control pulses progressively increases a conduction time of the first thyristor over a time period time to control inrush current.

2. The converter of claim 1 , wherein the first thyristor is controllable by extraction of current from the anode gate.

3. The converter of claim 1 , wherein the rectifying bridge further includes a second branch comprising a first diode and a second diode that are series-connected between the output terminals, a junction point of the first and second diodes being connected to a second one of said input terminals.

4. The converter of claim 1 , wherein the second thyristor is controlled by injection of current into the cathode gate.

5. The converter of claim 1 , wherein the first and second thyristors are both controlled by extraction of current from the anode gate and cathode gate respectively.

6. The converter of claim 1 , wherein the control pulses are applied to both the anode gate of the first thyristor and the cathode gate of the second thyristor.

7. The converter of claim 1 , wherein the timing of the control pulses provides phase-angle control of the first thyristor.

8. The converter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first capacitor and a second capacitor series-connected between the third and fourth terminals, and
a switch that connects a junction point of the first and second capacitors to the second terminal.

9. The converter of claim 1 , wherein a frequency of the control pulses progressively increases over said time period.

10. An AC/DC converter, comprising:
a first terminal and a second terminal configured to receive an AC voltage;
a third terminal and a fourth terminal configured to supply a first DC voltage;
a rectifying bridge having input terminals respectively coupled to the first terminal and second terminal, and having output terminals respectively coupled to the third terminal and fourth terminal,
wherein the rectifying bridge includes a first branch comprising a first thyristor and a second thyristor, respectively having an anode gate and a cathode gate, that are series connected between the output terminals, a junction point of the first and second thyristors being connected to a first one of the input terminals; and
a controller configured to generate first control pulses coupled to the anode gate that turn on the first thyristor and generate second control pulses coupled to the cathode gate that turn on the second thyristor, wherein timing of each of the first and second control pulses progressively increases a conduction time of the first and second thyristors, respectively, over a time period time to control inrush current.

11. The converter of claim 10 , wherein the first and second control pulses are interleaved.

12. The converter of claim 10 , wherein the first thyristor is controllable by extraction of current from the anode gate.

13. The converter of claim 10 , wherein the rectifying bridge further includes a second branch comprising a first diode and a second diode that are series-connected between the output terminals, a junction point of the first and second diodes being connected to a second one of said input terminals.

14. The converter of claim 10 , wherein the second thyristor is controlled by injection of current into the cathode gate.

15. The converter of claim 10 , wherein the first and second thyristors are both controlled by extraction of current from the anode gate and cathode gate respectively.

16. The converter of claim 10 , wherein the timing of the first and second control pulses provides phase-angle control of the first second thyristors, respectively.

17. The converter of claim 10 , further comprising:
a first capacitor and a second capacitor series-connected between the third and fourth terminals, and
a switch that connects a junction point of the first and second capacitors to the second terminal.

18. The converter of claim 10 , wherein a frequency of the first and second control pulses progressively increases over said time period.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Tours Sas

Inventors

• Gonthier Laurent
• Nina Muriel
• Pichon Romain

Classifications

• H02M7/062

  Avoiding or suppressing excessive transient voltages or currents · CPC title

• H02M7/1623

  with control circuit · CPC title

• H02M1/081 Primary

  wherein the phase of the control voltage is adjustable with reference to the AC source · CPC title

• H02M7/162 Primary

  in a bridge configuration · CPC title

• H02M7/125

  Avoiding or suppressing excessive transient voltages or currents · CPC title