System Architecture for Battery Charger Based on GaN-Based Power Devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017279287-A1
Application number	US-201615082810-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 28, 2016
Priority date	Mar 28, 2016
Publication date	Sep 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system architecture for a battery charger that employs GaN-based power devices. The system takes advantage of the active power electronics circuits for power conversion, utilizing controls for power factor correction at its input and constant current/constant voltage regulation at its output. Specifically, a universal GaN-based battery charger architecture is proposed for charging either low- or high-voltage batteries using either three-phase 230-V variable frequency or three-phase 115-V constant frequency AC input power, while meeting stringent power quality and electromagnetic interference aerospace requirements.

First claim

1 . A battery charger comprising:
first and second DC-link conductors; an AC-to-DC rectifier connected to the first and second DC-link conductors and configured to convert AC voltages into a DC-link voltage across the first and second DC-link conductors; and a DC-to-DC converter comprising first and second pairs of output terminals, first and second input terminals connected to the first and second DC-link conductors, a first switch connected to one of the first pair of output terminals, and a second switch connected to one of the second pair of output terminals, wherein the DC-to-DC converter is configured to output DC current for charging a low-voltage battery connected to the first pair of output terminals as a function of the DC-link voltage when the first switch is closed and the second switch is open and is further configured to output DC current for charging a high-voltage battery connected to the second pair of output terminals as a function of the DC-link voltage when the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.

2 . The battery charger as recited in claim 1 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter is further configured to operate in a resonant converter mode when the first switch is closed and the second switch is open and to operate in a buck converter mode when the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.

3 . The battery charger as recited in claim 1 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter further comprises a multiplicity of power switches connected in series across the first and second input terminals.

4 . The battery charger as recited in claim 3 , wherein the power switches are gallium nitride-based transistors.

5 . The battery charger as recited in claim 3 , wherein the multiplicity of power switches comprise first through fourth power switches, another of the second pair of output terminals is connected to the second input terminal, and the DC-to-DC converter further comprises:
an inductor connected to a midpoint between the second and third power switches; a transformer comprising a primary winding and a first secondary winding, the primary winding connecting the inductor to the second switch; and a first capacitor coupling the primary winding to the fourth power switch.

6 . The battery charger as recited in claim 5 , wherein the transformer further comprises a second secondary winding connected in series to the first secondary winding, and another of the first pair of output terminals is connected to a midpoint between the first and second secondary windings.

7 . The battery charger as recited in claim 6 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter further comprises:
a first junction which connects to the one of the first pair of output terminals when the first switch is closed; a third switch which, when closed, connects the first junction to the first secondary winding; and a fourth switch which, when closed, connects the first junction to the second secondary winding.

8 . The battery charger as recited in claim 7 , wherein third and fourth switches are MOSFET transistors.

9 . The battery charger as recited in claim 7 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter further comprises:
a second junction disposed between the first switch and the one of the first pair of output terminals; a third junction disposed between another of the first pair of output terminals and the midpoint between the first and second secondary windings; and a second capacitor disposed between the second and third junctions.

10 . The battery charger as recited in claim 1 , wherein the AC-to-DC rectifier comprises a Vienna-type boost rectifier.

11 . The battery charger as recited in claim 1 , wherein the AC-to-DC rectifier comprises:
first, second and third input terminals; a mid-point node; first and second junctions respectively connected to the first and second DC-link conductors; a first inductor and a first pair of high-power switches configured to couple the first input terminal to the mid-point node when the first pair of high-power switches are closed; a second inductor and a second pair of high-power switches configured to couple the second input terminal to the mid-point node when the second pair of high-power switches are closed; a third inductor and a third pair of high-power switches configured to couple the third input terminal to the mid-point node when the third pair of high-power switches are closed; a first capacitor having one terminal connected to the mid-point node and another terminal connected to the first junction; and a second capacitor having one terminal connected to the mid-point node and another terminal connected to the second junction.

12 . The battery charger as recited in claim 11 , wherein the high-power switches of the first, second and third pairs are gallium nitride-based transistors.

13 . A battery charger comprising:
first and second DC-link conductors; a Vienna-type boost rectifier connected to the first and second DC-link conductors and configured to convert AC voltages into a DC-link voltage across the first and second DC-link conductors; a DC-to-DC converter comprising first and second pairs of output terminals, first and second input terminals connected to the first and second DC-link conductors, a first switch connected to one of the first pair of output terminals, and a second switch connected to one of the second pair of output terminals, wherein the DC-to-DC converter is operable in a resonant converter mode when the first switch is closed and the second switch is open and is operable in a buck converter mode when the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.

14 . The battery charger as recited in claim 13 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter further comprises a multiplicity of gallium nitride-based transistors connected in series across the first and second input terminals.

15 . The battery charger as recited in claim 13 , wherein the Vienna-type boost rectifier comprises:
first, second and third input terminals; a mid-point node; first and second junctions respectively connected to the first and second DC-link conductors; a first inductor and a first pair of high-power switches configured to couple the first input terminal to the mid-point node when the first pair of high-power switches are closed; a second inductor and a second pair of high-power switches configured to couple the second input terminal to the mid-point node when the second pair of high-power switches are closed; a third inductor and a third pair of high-power switches configured to couple the third input terminal to the mid-point node when the third pair of high-power switches are closed; a first capacitor having one terminal connected to the mid-point node and another terminal connected to the first junction; and a second capacitor having one terminal connected to the mid-point node and another terminal connected to the second junction, wherein the high-power switches of the first, second and third pairs are gallium nitride-based transistors.

16 . A DC-to-DC converter comprising:
a first pair of output terminals; first and second input terminals; a first switch connected to one of the first pair of output terminals; a multiplicity of power switches connected in series across the first and second input terminals; a first junction connected by respective electrical conductors to a last one of the series-connected power switches, to the second input terminal, and to one of the first pair of output terminals; a second junction disposed along an electrical conductor connecting two of the power switches; a series connection that c

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Solodovnik Eugene V
• Karimi Kamiar J

Classifications

• B60L53/22 Primary

  Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title

• H02J2207/20

  Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter · CPC title

• H02M7/06

  using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode · CPC title

• B60L2240/54

  related to batteries · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title