Split phase power conversion apparatuses, methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9293978-B2
Application number	US-201414159208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2014
Priority date	Jan 20, 2014
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

Split phase power conversion apparatuses, methods and systems are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment includes a generator, an AC/DC converter coupled with the generator, a DC bus coupled with the AC/DC converter, and an inverter coupled with the DC bus. The inverter includes first, second, and third legs each including a plurality of switches. A first controller provides a control signal to the first leg based upon a voltage between a first system output and a second system output and a first current provided to the first system output. A second controller provides a second control signal to the second leg based upon a voltage between the second system output and a third system output and a second current provided to the third system output. A third controller controls the third leg to provide an output equal to one half of the DC bus voltage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a generator;
an AC/DC converter coupled with the generator;
a DC bus coupled with the AC/DC converter;
an inverter coupled with the DC bus, the inverter including a first leg, a second leg, and a third leg, each of the legs including a plurality of switching devices;
an output circuit including a first system output coupled with the first leg, a second system output coupled with the second leg, and a third system output coupled with the third leg;
a first controller configured to provide a first control signal to the switching devices of the first leg based upon a first voltage between the first system output and the third system output and a first current provided to the first system output;
a second controller configured to provide a second control signal to the switching devices of the second leg based upon a second voltage between the second system output and the third system output and a second current provided to the second system output; and
a third controller configured to provide a third control signal to the switching devices of the third leg to provide an output equal to one half of the DC bus voltage.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first controller is configured to provide a difference between a sinusoidal reference signal and the voltage between the first system output and the third system output to a voltage control loop, provide a difference between the output of the voltage control loop and the current provided to the first system output to a current control loop, and provide the first control signal based upon an output of the current control loop.

3. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the second controller is configured to provide a difference between the sinusoidal reference signal and the voltage between the second system output and the third system output to a second voltage control loop, provide a difference between the output of the second voltage control loop and the current provided to the second system output to a second current control loop, and provide the second control signal based upon an output of the second current control loop.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the third controller is configured to provide a third control signal to the switching devices of the third leg to provide an output equal to one half of the DC bus voltage by one of a closed loop controller and an open loop controller.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the output circuit includes a first inductor coupled in series between the first leg and the first system output, a second inductor coupled in series between the second leg and a second system output, a third inductor coupled in series between the third leg and a third system output, a first capacitor coupled in series between the first system output and the third system output, and a second capacitor coupled in series between the second system output and the third system output.

6. A system according to claim 5 , wherein the third inductor has a smaller inductance than the first and second inductors.

7. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage battery coupled with the DC bus wherein, in a first selectable mode, the first controller, the second controller and the third controller are configured to provide an AC voltage waveform output between at least two of the first, second and third system outputs based at least in part upon current from the storage battery.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein, in a second selectable mode, the first controller, the second controller and the third controller are configured to charge the storage battery based at least in part upon current from at least one of the first, second and third system outputs.

9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the generator, the AC/DC converter, the DC bus, and the inverter are configured as one of a land vehicle auxiliary power system, a stationary standby power system, and a marine vessel power system.

10. A method comprising:
providing a split phase power conversion system comprising a generator, an AC/DC converter coupled with the generator, a DC bus coupled with the AC/DC converter, an inverter coupled with the DC bus, the inverter including a first leg, a second leg, and a third leg, each of the legs including a plurality of switches, and an output circuit including a first system output coupled with the first leg, a second system output coupled with the second, and a third system output coupled with the third leg;
providing a first switching control signal to the switches of the first leg of the inverter, the first switching signal based upon a reference signal, a first voltage between the first system output and the third system output and a current from the first leg to the first system output;
providing a second switching control signal to the switches of the second leg of the inverter, the second switching signal based upon the reference signal, a second voltage between the second system output and the third system output, and a current from the second leg to the second system output; and
controlling the switches of the third leg of the inverter to provide an output equal to one half of the DC bus voltage.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the providing a first switching control signal includes providing a difference between a sinusoidal reference signal and a voltage between the first system output and the third system output to a voltage control loop, providing a difference between the output of the voltage control loop and a current through the first system output to a current control loop, and providing the output of the current control loop to control the switches of the first leg of the inverter.

12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the providing a second switching control signal includes providing a difference between the sinusoidal reference signal and a voltage between the second system output and the third system output to a second voltage control loop, providing a difference between the output of the second voltage control loop and the current through the second system output to a second current control loop, and providing a control signal based upon an output of the second current control loop to control the switches of the second leg of the inverter.

13. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the split phase power conversion system includes a storage battery electrically coupled with the DC bus, the method further comprising operating the inverter in a first mode to provide AC output to a load based at least in part upon output of the storage battery and operating the inverter in a second mode to charge the storage battery using current from a power source coupled with one or more of the system outputs.

14. A system comprising:
an inverter including a first leg, a second leg, and a third leg, each of the legs including a first switch and a second switch coupled in series between a first DC rail and a second DC rail and an output node between the first switch and the second switch;
an output circuit including a first inductor coupled in series between the output node of the first leg and a first system output, a second inductor coupled in series between the output node of the second leg and a second system output, a third inductor coupled in series between the output node of the third leg and a third system output, a first capacitor coupled in series between the first system output and the third system output, and a second capacitor coupled in series between the second system output and the third system output;
a first controller configured to control the switches

Assignees

• Cummins Power Generation Ip

Inventors

• Ayana Elias
• Nath Shabari
• Solorzano Abel
• Walseth Andrew
• Kunin Sergey
• Palmer Brad

Classifications

• H02M5/4585 Primary

  having a rectifier with controlled elements · CPC title

• H02M1/084 Primary

  using a control circuit common to several phases of a multi-phase system · CPC title

• H02M5/458

  using semiconductor devices only · CPC title