Dc to dc converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018166973-A1
Application number	US-201615574597-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	May 27, 2015
Publication date	Jun 14, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Pre-conditioners (or line-conditioners) are used to convert electrical power having first characteristics into electrical power having second characteristics. For example, a pre-conditioner may connect electrical equipment forming a load, which requiring only a conventional mains supply level to a utility three-phase supply. This means that the power components of the load may be de-rated, making the load electrical equipment cheaper. Such circuits may be further improved. Components in the down-converter itself still need to be rated to interface with the higher voltage. An approach is proposed in which two interleaved down-converters ( 36, 38 ) can be used to supply voltages. An energy recovery element ( 50 ) connects snubbers of the interleaved down-converters, thus enabling some de-rating of the pre-conditioner circuitry.

First claim

1 . A pre-conditioner circuit having input terminals for receiving an input voltage,
wherein the pre-conditioner circuit is configured to modify the input voltage for application to a load module; wherein the pre-conditioner circuit comprises a first and a second pre-conditioner module each having an input and an output for connection to respective first and second load modules; wherein the output of the first pre-conditioner module is coupled in series with the input of the second pre-conditioner module, and the output of the second pre-conditioner module is coupled in series with the input of the first pre-conditioner module; wherein the first and second pre-conditioner modules comprise a first and second snubber circuit, respectively; and wherein the first and second snubber circuits are interconnected by an energy recovery element, to enable a regular discharge of the first and second snubber circuits.

2 . The pre-conditioner circuit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first and second pre-conditioner modules comprise, respectively, first and second switches configured to be activated, and deactivated, alternately, the pre-conditioner circuit further comprises a controller for controlling the duty cycle of the first and second switches.

3 . The pre-conditioner circuit according to claim 2 ,
wherein the control circuit is arranged to switch the first switch in a phase-shifted pattern, relative to the second switch.

4 . The pre-conditioner circuit according to claim 3 ,
wherein the phase shift of the phase shifted pattern is 180 degrees.

5 . The pre-conditioner circuit according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first and/or second snubber circuits comprise a snubber capacitor and a snubber diode arranged in parallel with the first and second switches, respectively.

6 . The pre-conditioner circuit according to claim 5 ,
wherein the energy recovery element connects a first node of the first snubber circuit with a first node of the second snubber circuit, wherein the first nodes are, respectively, disposed at a junction of the respective snubber capacitor and snubber diode of the first and second snubber circuits.

7 . The pre-conditioner circuit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the energy recovery element is an inductor.

8 . A power supply module comprising a pre-conditioner circuit according to claim 1 .

9 . An X-ray imaging system comprising a pre-conditioner circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the load comprises an X-ray tube.

10 . A lighting system comprising a pre-conditioner circuit according to claim 7 .

11 . The lighting system of claim 10 ,
wherein the load comprises a first lighting ballast driven using the first pre-conditioner module, and a second lighting ballast is driven using the second pre-conditioner module.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Luerkens Peter
• Garcia Tormo Albert
• Ackermann Bernd

Classifications

• H02M3/158

  including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load · CPC title

• H02M2001/346

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02M2001/344

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02M1/34 Primary

  Snubber circuits · CPC title

• H02M3/33561 Primary

  having more than one ouput with independent control · CPC title