Parallel interleaving operated bidirectional DC-DC converter and method and apparatus for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11757364-B2
Application number	US-202117532494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2021
Priority date	Nov 23, 2020
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a new bidirectional low voltage DC-DC converter (LDC), that is, a DC-DC converter capable of satisfying a safety level required for an eco-friendly vehicle and an autonomous vehicle and improving power conversion performance, and a method and an apparatus for controlling the same. The LDC proposed in the present disclosure is a new concept bidirectional LDC in which a plurality of converters having the same power circuit topology are subjected to a parallel interleaving operation so as to enable both a buck operation and a boost operation, satisfy a high safety level, and improve power conversion performance. To this end, a plurality of bidirectional active-clamp flyback converters (for example, two or more bidirectional active-clamp flyback converters) are connected in parallel and are interleaved and controlled by a controller (for example, a microcomputer).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A parallel interleaving operated bidirectional DC-DC converter which is a low voltage DC-DC converter (LDC) as a direct current power supply device for a vehicle, the converter comprising
two or more bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel between a first battery and a second battery, a discharge voltage of the first battery being relatively higher than that of the second battery,
each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel includes:
a first current sensor configured to detect a current of a high voltage stage of each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters during the buck mode operation; and
a second current sensor configured to detect a current of a low voltage stage of each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters during a bidirectional operation,

wherein, among the bidirectional DC-DC converters, an interleaving operation is performed on switching of a power semiconductor included in one bidirectional DC-DC converter with respect to switching of power semiconductors included in other bidirectional DC-DC converters to perform a buck mode operation or a boost mode operation.

2. The parallel interleaving operated bidirectional DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the one bidirectional DC-DC converter is a bidirectional active-clamp flyback converter.

3. The parallel interleaving operated bidirectional DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein an interleaving control of the bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel is performed by a microcomputer.

4. The parallel interleaving operated bidirectional DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel includes:
a high voltage stage protection fuse configured to, when the one bidirectional DC-DC converter fails, separate the one bidirectional DC-DC converter from the other bidirectional DC-DC converters; and
a low voltage stage protection fuse configured to, when the one bidirectional DC-DC converter fails, separate the one bidirectional DC-DC converter from the other bidirectional DC-DC converters.

5. The parallel interleaving operated bidirectional DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters includes a low voltage stage protection power semiconductor which, when a low voltage stage of the one bidirectional DC-DC converter fails, is turned off to protect a circuit of the low voltage stage and separates the failed bidirectional DC-DC converter from the other bidirectional DC-DC converters.

6. A method of controlling two or more parallel interleaving operated bidirectional DC-DC converters which are connected in parallel between a first battery and a second battery, a discharge voltage of the first battery being relatively higher than that of the second battery, the method comprising
performing an interleaving operation on switching of a power semiconductor included in one bidirectional DC-DC converter with respect to switching of power semiconductors included in other bidirectional DC-DC converters among the bidirectional DC-DC converters to perform a buck mode operation or a boost mode operation,
wherein each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel includes:
a first current sensor configured to detect a current of a high voltage stage of each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters during the buck mode operation; and
a second current sensor configured to detect a current of a low voltage stage of each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters during a bidirectional operation.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein an interleaving control of the bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel is performed by a microprogram.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, when the one bidirectional DC-DC converter of the bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel fails, separating the one bidirectional DC-DC converter from the other bidirectional DC-DC converters.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising checking whether any bidirectional DC-DC converter of the bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel fails using detected current and voltage values of each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
detecting whether a low voltage stage of any one of the bidirectional DC-DC converters fails to protect a circuit of a high voltage stage thereof; and
separating the failed bidirectional DC-DC converter from other bidirectional DC-DC converters among the bidirectional DC-DC converters.

11. An apparatus for controlling two or more parallel interleaving operated bidirectional DC-DC converters which are connected in parallel between a first battery and a second battery, a discharge voltage of the first battery being relatively higher than that of the second battery, the apparatus comprising
a microcomputer configured to perform an interleaving operation on switching of a power semiconductor included in one bidirectional DC-DC converter with respect to switching of power semiconductors included in other bidirectional DC-DC converters among the bidirectional DC-DC converters to perform a buck mode operation or a boost mode operation,
each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel includes:
a first current sensor configured to detect a current of a high voltage stage of each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters during the buck mode operation; and
a second current sensor configured to detect a current of a low voltage stage of each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters during a bidirectional operation.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the microcomputer includes a microprogram for an interleaving control of the bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the microcomputer is further configured to, when the one bidirectional DC-DC converter of the bidirectional DC-DC converters connected in parallel fails, separate the failed bidirectional DC-DC converter from the other bidirectional DC-DC converters.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the microcomputer is further configured to check whether any one of the bidirectional DC-DC converters fails by receiving detected current and voltage values of each of the bidirectional DC-DC converters.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the microcomputer is further configured to detect whether a low voltage stage of any one of the bidirectional DC-DC converters fails to protect a circuit of a high voltage stage thereof and separate the failed bidirectional DC-DC converter from other bidirectional DC-DC converters among the bidirectional DC-DC converters.

16. The parallel interleaving operated bidirectional DC-DC converter of claim 1 , wherein the two or more bidirectional DC-DC converters have the same power circuit topology.

17. The parallel interleaving operated bidirectional DC-DC converter of claim 1 , comprising not more than three bidirectional DC-DC converters.

Assignees

• Hyundai Mobis Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shim Hyun Woo
• Choi Deok Kwan
• Kim Won Gon
• Heo Min
• Kim Kang Min
• Lee A Ra
• Bang Tae Ho
• Park Ji Hoon
• Kim Du Ho
• Jeon Soo Min

Classifications

• H02M1/0043 Primary

  Converters switched with a phase shift, i.e. interleaved (non-isolated DC/DC converters H02M3/1586) · CPC title

• H02M3/33584 Primary

  Bidirectional converters · CPC title

• H02M1/32

  Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection · CPC title

• H02M1/342

  Active non-dissipative snubbers · CPC title

• H02M1/15

  using active elements · CPC title