Variable magnetic coupling reactor having two integrated reactor elements, power supply system including the same, and method of use of composite magnetic component having two integrated reactor elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10199155-B2
Application number	US-201515120646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2015
Priority date	Feb 24, 2014
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A core has first to third magnetic leg portions. First and second windings wound on the first and second magnetic leg portions, respectively, are connected in series to constitute a first reactor. A third winding wound on the third magnetic leg portion constitutes a second reactor. A magnetic field produced from the first reactor and a magnetic field produced from the second reactor reinforce each other in the second magnetic leg portion, but weaken each other in the first magnetic leg portion. In accordance with increase in currents, the operation of the first and second reactors changes from a magnetically uncoupled mode in which the first and second reactors operate in a magnetically non-interfering state to a magnetically coupled mode in which the first and second reactors operate in a magnetically interfering state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of use of a composite magnetic component,
the composite magnetic component comprising
a first winding and a second winding electrically connected in series through which a first current passes,
a third winding through which a second current passes, and
a core made of a nonlinear magnetic material,

the core being configured to comprise a first magnetic leg portion on which the first winding is wound, a second magnetic leg portion on which the second winding is wound, a third magnetic leg portion on which the third winding is wound, and a fourth magnetic leg portion configured to create a magnetic path among the first to third magnetic leg portions,
an operating state of a first reactor formed by the first and second windings and a second reactor formed by the third winding changing from a magnetically uncoupled mode in which the first and second reactors operate in a magnetically non-interfering state to a magnetically coupled mode in which the first and second reactors operate in a magnetically interfering state, as the first and second currents increase, and
the composite magnetic component being used so that a change range of the first and second currents comprises an area in which the first and second reactors operate in the magnetically uncoupled mode and an area in which the first and second reactors operate in the magnetically coupled mode.

2. The method of use of a composite magnetic component according to claim 1 , wherein in the magnetically uncoupled mode, each of the first and second magnetic leg portions is magnetized in a linear region, while in the magnetically coupled mode, one of the first and second magnetic leg portions is magnetized in a nonlinear region and the other one is magnetized in the linear region.

3. The method of use of a composite magnetic component according to claim 1 , wherein the core and the first to third windings are configured such that, when the first and second currents are maximum currents, the second magnetic leg portion has a magnetic flux density lower than a saturation magnetic flux density and a direction of magnetization in the first magnetic leg portion is not reversed.

4. The method of use of a composite magnetic component according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second currents are controlled in phase such that an inflection point of one of the first and second currents and an inflection point of the other one of the first and second currents are attained at an identical timing.

5. A power supply system comprising:
a first DC power source;
a second DC power source;
a power converter configured to execute DC power conversion between the first and second DC power sources and first and second power lines; and
a control device configured to control operation of the power converter,
the power converter comprising
a first reactor and a second reactor arranged to be included in a power conversion path formed across the first and second DC power sources and the first and second power lines, and
a plurality of switching elements arranged to be capable of controlling a first current passing through the first reactor and a second current passing through the second reactor,

the first and second reactors being integrally implemented by a single composite magnetic component,
the composite magnetic component being configured to comprise
a first winding and a second winding electrically connected in series through which the first current passes,
a third winding through which the second current passes, and
a core made of a nonlinear magnetic material,

the core being configured to comprise a first magnetic leg portion on which the first winding is wound, a second magnetic leg portion on which the second winding is wound, a third magnetic leg portion on which the third winding is wound, and a fourth magnetic leg portion configured to create a magnetic path among the first to third magnetic leg portions,
an operating state of a first reactor formed by the first and second windings and a second reactor formed by the third winding changing from a magnetically uncoupled mode in which the first and second reactors operate in a magnetically non-interfering state to a magnetically coupled mode in which first and second reactors operate in a magnetically interfering state, as the first and second currents increase, and
the first and second currents changing in a range which comprises an area in which the first and second reactors operate in the magnetically uncoupled mode and an area in which the first and second reactors operate in the magnetically coupled mode, when the power converter is controlled within a current range not to exceed a maximum allowable current.

6. The power supply system according to claim 5 , wherein in the magnetically coupled mode, the first and second magnetic leg portions have equivalent permeabilities, while in the magnetically uncoupled mode, one of the first and second magnetic leg portions has a permeability lower than the permeability of the other one of the first and second magnetic leg portions.

7. The power supply system according to claim 5 , wherein in the magnetically uncoupled mode, each of the first and second magnetic leg portions is magnetized in a linear region where magnetic flux density changes linearly with respect to change in a magnetic field, while in the magnetically coupled mode, one of the first and second magnetic leg portions is magnetized in a nonlinear region and the other one is magnetized in the linear region.

8. The power supply system according to claim 5 , wherein the first to third windings are wound on the first to third magnetic leg portions, respectively, such that first and second magnetic fields produced from the first and second windings, respectively, with flow of the first current and a third magnetic field produced from the third winding with flow of the second current reinforce each other in one of the first and second magnetic leg portions and weaken each other in the other one of the first and second magnetic leg portions, and weaken each other in the third magnetic leg portion.

9. The power supply system according to claim 8 , wherein
the first to third magnetic leg portions are formed in an identical direction to one another,
the fourth magnetic leg portion is provided to extend in a direction crossing the first to third magnetic leg portions,
the first and second windings are wound on the first and second magnetic leg portion, respectively, such that the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field are produced in opposite directions to each other, and
the third winding is wound on the third magnetic leg portions such that the third magnetic field is produced in an identical direction to one of the first and second magnetic fields.

10. The power supply system coupling reactor according to claim 8 , wherein
the core has a shape in which the first to third magnetic leg portions extend from an outline portion shaped as a ring constituting the fourth magnetic leg portion to the center of the ring and in which the first to third magnetic leg portions are integrated at the center,
the first and second windings are wound on the first and second magnetic leg portions, respectively, such that one of the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field is produced toward the center and the other one of the first and second magnetic fields is produced in a direction away from the center, and
the third winding is wound on the third magnetic leg portion such that the third magnetic field is produced in an identical direction to one of the first and second magnetic fields.

11. The power supply system according to claim 5 , wherein

Assignees

• Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho Kk
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ishigaki Masanori
• Tomura Shuji
• Yanagizawa Naoki
• Okamura Masaki
• Takamatsu Naoyoshi

Classifications

• H01F38/023

  of inductances · CPC title

• H01F3/14 Primary

  Constrictions; Gaps, e.g. air-gaps (in magnetic shunt paths H01F3/12) · CPC title

• H01F27/2823 Primary

  Wires (H01F27/2866 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01F27/38

  Auxiliary core members; Auxiliary coils or windings · CPC title

• H02M2001/0074

  Electricity · mapped topic