US 12,255,550 B2
Current source inverter using bidirectional switches with bidirectional power flow capability
Thomas Merlin Jahns, Madison, WI (US); Hang Dai, Madison, WI (US); Bulent Sarlioglu, Madison, WI (US); Renato Amorim Torres, Madison, WI (US); and Woongkul Lee, Madison, WI (US)
Assigned to Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Madison, WI (US)
Filed by Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Madison, WI (US)
Filed on Mar. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/692,332.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/160,232, filed on Mar. 12, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0294365 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. H02M 7/5387 (2007.01); H02M 1/00 (2006.01); H02M 7/5395 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 7/53871 (2013.01) [H02M 1/0048 (2021.05); H02M 7/5395 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A switching circuit for a current source inverter comprising:
a reverse-voltage-blocking (RB) commutation switch;
a first inverter leg comprising
a first dual-gate bidirectional (DGBD) switch; and
a second DGBD switch connected in series with the first DGBD switch; and
a second inverter leg comprising
a third DGBD switch; and
a fourth DGBD switch connected in series with the third DGBD switch, wherein the RB commutation switch, the first inverter leg, and the second inverter leg are connected in parallel between a first bus line and a second bus line, wherein a pair of switches comprising a first switch selected from the first DGBD switch or the second DGBD switch of the first inverter leg and a second switch selected from the third DGBD switch or the fourth DGBD switch of the second inverter leg are configured to switch between a first DGBD on-state and a second DGBD on-state when in an inverting operating mode, and wherein the pair of switches comprises a first pair of switches and a second pair of switches; and
a controller configured to:
select the first pair of switches from different inverter legs of the first inverter leg and the second inverter leg for switching between the first DGBD on-state and the second DGBD on-state during a first time period of a switching cycle;
select the second pair of switches from the different inverter legs of the first inverter leg and the second inverter leg for switching between the first DGBD on-state and the second DGBD on-state during a second time period of the switching cycle that immediately follows completion of the first time period, wherein the second pair of switches includes a single switch from the first pair of switches and a single switch from an inverter leg not included in the first pair of switches;
control a switching state of each DGBD switch of the first to the fourth DGBD switches, wherein the switching state is selected from the first DGBD on-state, the second DGBD on-state, and a DGBD off-state; and
control switching between an on-state and an off-state of the RB commutation switch, wherein the RB commutation switch is in the on-state during a transition time period initiated prior to the completion of the first time period and stopped after a start of the second time period,
wherein, when in the first DGBD on-state, a current with a positive polarity or a negative polarity is conducted through a respective DGBD switch of the first to the fourth DGBD switches, and
wherein, when in the second DGBD on-state, a reverse voltage is blocked by the respective DGBD switch of the first to the fourth DGBD switches, and the current with the positive polarity is conducted through the respective DGBD switch of the first to the fourth DGBD switches.