System of input current sharing for compact architecture in a power converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10644612-B2
Application number	US-201715827981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2017
Priority date	Nov 30, 2017
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

A power converter with a modular, compact architecture with a reduced component count is disclosed. The power converter includes parallel power conversion sections and utilizes one or more mutual coupling input inductors with multiple windings. The windings are connected in pairs in a differential mode between a power source and the parallel power conversion sections. Each power conversion section receives the same input voltage and generates the same output voltage. As a result of the winding connections and the same input and output voltages, the input of the power converter exhibits current balancing and sharing between each branch of the parallel configuration, allowing a single current sensor to provide a measurement of the current and a single controller to control operation of each of the power conversion sections.

First claim

We claim:

1. A power converter, comprising:
a plurality of power conversion sections, wherein each power conversion section includes an input operative to receive a first AC voltage having a first magnitude and a first frequency and an output operative to deliver a second DC voltage having a second magnitude and a second frequency;
a mutual choke, including:
a magnetic core;
a first winding on the magnetic core connected in series between a power source and a first power conversion section, selected from the plurality of power conversion sections, the first winding operative to conduct a first current; and
a second winding on the magnetic core connected in series between the power source and a second power conversion section, selected from the plurality of power conversion sections, the second winding operative to conduct a second current, wherein the first and second windings are connected between the power source and the first and second power conversion sections, respectively, such that the first current flows in an opposite direction than the second current with respect to the magnetic core;
a current sensor operative to generate a signal corresponding to an amplitude of current entering the power conversion section; and
a controller operative to receive the signal from the current sensor and to generate a first set of control signals for the first power conversion section and a second set of control signals for the second power conversion section responsive to the signal from the current sensor,
wherein the mutual choke is a first mutual choke, the power converter further comprising:
a second mutual choke, including:
a second magnetic core;
a third winding on the second magnetic core connected in series between the power source and a third power conversion section, selected from the plurality of power conversion sections, the third winding operative to conduct a third current; and
a fourth winding on the second magnetic core connected in series between the power source and a fourth power conversion section, selected from the plurality of power conversion sections, the fourth winding operative to conduct a fourth current, wherein the third and fourth windings are connected between the power source and the third and fourth power conversion sections, respectively, such that the third current flows in an opposite direction than the fourth current with respect to the second magnetic core.

2. The power converter of claim 1 further comprising a third mutual choke, including:
a third magnetic core;
a fifth winding on the third magnetic core connected in series between the power source and the first mutual choke, the fifth winding operative to conduct a fifth current; and
a sixth winding on the third magnetic core connected in series between the power source and the second mutual choke, the sixth winding operative to conduct a sixth current, wherein the fifth and sixth windings are connected between the power source and the first and second mutual chokes, respectively, such that the fifth current flows in an opposite direction than the sixth current with respect to the third magnetic core.

3. A modular power converter comprising:
at least one pair of power conversion sections, wherein each pair of power conversion sections is operative to receive a first AC voltage having a first magnitude and a first frequency and an output operative to deliver a second DC voltage having a second magnitude and a second frequency;
at least one choke, wherein each choke includes at least one pair of windings connected in a differential mode, and wherein each pair of windings is configured to be connected between a power source operative to provide the first voltage and one pair of the power conversion sections;
a current sensor operative to generate a signal corresponding to an amplitude of current provided to the modular power converter; and
a controller operative to receive the signal from the current sensor and to generate a set of control signals for each pair of power conversion sections responsive to the signal from the current sensor, wherein:
the modular power converter includes two pairs of power conversion sections and two chokes, and
the modular power converter further includes an additional choke having a pair of windings connected in a differential mode, wherein the pair of windings is configured to be connected between the power source and each of the two chokes.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Soto Guillermo Garcia
• Robert Christophe
• Ernest Philippe

Classifications

• H02M3/155

  using semiconductor devices only · CPC title

• H02M3/1584

  with a plurality of power processing stages connected in parallel · CPC title

• H02M7/23

  arranged for operation in parallel {(H02M7/2176 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H02M7/5387

  in a bridge configuration · CPC title

• H02M3/156

  with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators · CPC title