Capacitor discharging circuit and power converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8953347-B2
Application number	US-201213482750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2012
Priority date	Jan 20, 2012
Publication date	Feb 10, 2015
Grant date	Feb 10, 2015

Abstract

A capacitor discharging circuit and a power converter having the capacitor discharging circuit are disclosed. The capacitor discharging circuit comprises a conversion module connected with the two terminals of the capacitor, an AC power-off detecting unit used to detect on-off state of AC power, and a control unit. The conversion module comprises an energy consumption unit. When AC power is disconnected, the AC power-off signal generated by the AC power-off detecting unit intervenes the control unit to control the energy consumption unit to consume the energy stored in the capacitor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A capacitor discharging circuit, used to discharge a capacitor connected between AC power input terminals in a power converter, wherein the power converter also comprises a conversion module connected with the capacitor in parallel, the conversion module at least includes an energy consumption unit, and the capacitor discharging circuit comprises:
an AC power-off detecting unit connected to the AC power input terminals, and used to detect on-off state of AC power and generate an AC power-off signal;
a control unit connected to the output end of the AC power-off detecting unit, receiving the AC power-off signal outputted from the AC power-off detecting unit and controlling the operation of the energy consumption unit to consume the energy stored in the capacitor when disconnection of AC power is detected by the AC power-off detecting unit;
wherein the energy consumption unit comprises a switch element, when disconnection of AC power is detected by the AC power-off detecting unit, the control unit affected by the AC power-off signal outputs an enable signal turning on the switch element and decreases a driving voltage of the switch element, such that the switch element in the energy consumption unit works in a saturation region to consume the energy stored in the capacitor.

2. The capacitor discharging circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the capacitor is an X-capacitor.

3. The capacitor discharging circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the AC power-off detecting unit comprises:
a capacitor voltage regulation circuit, converting a received AC input signal and generating a voltage signal; and
a timing circuit, receiving the voltage signal generated by the capacitor voltage regulation circuit, measuring the time period of the positive voltage of AC power as well as that of the negative voltage respectively, if the time period of positive or that of negative voltage exceeds a given time, it is judged that AC power is disconnected.

4. The capacitor discharging circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises:
a switching signal generation unit, used to receive the AC power-off signal outputted from the AC power-off detecting unit and to output the enable signal turning on the switch element; and
a driving unit, receiving the enable signal to the switch element outputted from the switching signal generation unit and the AC power-off signal outputted from the AC power-off detecting unit, and controlling the switch element in the energy consumption unit to work in the saturation region to consume the energy stored in the capacitor.

5. The capacitor discharging circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises:
a switching signal generation unit used to output a signal controlling the switch element; and
a driving unit, receiving the AC power-off signal outputted from the AC power-off detecting unit to output the enable signal turning on the switch element, and controlling the switch element in the energy consumption unit to work in the saturation region to consume the energy stored in the capacitor.

6. The capacitor discharging circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises:
a switching signal generation unit, used to receive the AC power-off signal outputted from the AC power-off detecting unit and output the enable signal turning on the switch element; and
a driving unit, receiving the enable signal to the switch element outputted from the switching signal generation unit, and controlling the switch element in the energy consumption unit to work in the saturation region to consume the energy stored in the capacitor.

7. The capacitor discharging circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the conversion module includes a PFC conversion unit, being a bridge PFC conversion unit or a bridgeless PFC conversion unit, and also being a boost PFC conversion unit, a buck PFC conversion unit, or a boost-buck PFC conversion unit.

8. The capacitor discharging circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the PFC conversion unit comprises at least one switch element, when AC power is disconnected, the switch element works in the saturation region, and the PFC conversion unit used as the energy consumption unit consumes the energy stored in the capacitor.

9. The capacitor discharging circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the conversion module is a single-stage conversion module comprising at least a switch element, when AC power is disconnected, the switch element works in the saturation region and the single-stage conversion module used as the energy consumption unit consumes the energy stored in the capacitor.

10. A power converter, comprising:
a capacitor connected between AC power input terminals;
a conversion module, connected with the capacitor in parallel, comprising an energy consumption unit at least;
an AC power-off detecting unit connected with the AC power input terminals, and used to detect on-off state of AC power and generate an AC power-off signal;
a control unit, connected to the output end of the AC power-off detecting unit, receiving the AC power-off signal outputted from the AC power-off detecting unit, when disconnection of AC power is detected by the AC power-off detecting unit, the control unit affected by the AC power-off signal controls the operation of the energy consumption unit to consume the energy stored in the capacitor;
wherein the energy consumption unit comprises a switch element, when disconnection of AC power is detected by the AC power-off detecting unit, the control unit affected by the AC power-off signal outputs an enable signal turning on the switch element and decreases a driving voltage of the switch element, such that the switch element in the energy consumption unit works in a saturation region to consume the energy stored in the capacitor.

11. The power converter according to claim 10 , wherein the AC power-off detecting unit comprises:
a capacitor voltage regulation circuit, converting the received AC input signal to generate a voltage signal; and
a timing circuit, receiving the voltage signal generated by the capacitor voltage regulation circuit, measuring the time period of positive and that of negative voltage of AC power respectively, if the time period of positive or negative voltage exceeds a given time, it is judged that AC power is disconnected.

12. The power converter according to claim 10 , wherein the control unit comprises:
a switching signal generation unit, used to receive the AC power-off signal outputted from the AC power-off detecting unit and to output the enable signal turning on the switch element; and
a driving unit, receiving the enable signal turning on the switch element outputted from the switching signal generation unit and the AC power-off signal outputted from the AC power-off detecting unit, and controlling the switch element in the energy consumption unit to work in the saturation region to consume the energy stored in the capacitor.

13. The power converter according to claim 10 , wherein the control unit comprises:
a switching signal generation unit used to output a signal controlling the switch element; and
a driving unit, receiving the AC power-off signal outputted from the AC power-off detecting unit to output the enable signal turning on the switch element, and controlling the switch element in the energy consumption unit to work in the saturation region to consume the energy stored in the capacitor.

14. The power converter according to claim 10 , wherein the control unit comprises:
a switching signal generation unit, used to receive the AC power-off signal outputted from the AC power-off d

Assignees

• Jin Hongyuan
• Wang Baochen
• Gan Hongjian
• Ying Jianping
• Delta Electronics Shanghai Co

Inventors

• Jin Hongyuan
• Wang Baochen
• Gan Hongjian
• Ying Jianping

Classifications

• H02M7/217

  using semiconductor devices only · CPC title

• H02M1/322

  Means for rapidly discharging a capacitor of the converter for protecting electrical components or for preventing electrical shock · CPC title

• H02M1/32 Primary

  Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection · CPC title