US 12,463,549 B2
Electrical power converter
Jordi Everts, Son en Breugel (NL); and Noud Slaats, Son en Breugel (NL)
Assigned to PRODRIVE TECHNOLOGIES INNOVATION SERVICES B.V., Son en Breugel (NL)
Appl. No. 17/997,793
Filed by PRODRIVE TECHNOLOGIES INNOVATION SERVICES B.V., Son en Breugel (NL)
PCT Filed May 3, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/061598
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 2, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/224194, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 11, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2025505 (NL), filed on May 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0223860 A1, Jul. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. H02M 7/219 (2006.01); H02J 7/02 (2016.01); H02M 1/00 (2006.01); H02M 1/42 (2007.01); H02M 3/156 (2006.01); B60L 53/20 (2019.01)
CPC H02M 7/219 (2013.01) [H02J 7/02 (2013.01); H02M 1/0067 (2021.05); H02M 1/4225 (2013.01); H02M 1/4233 (2013.01); H02M 3/156 (2013.01); B60L 53/20 (2019.02)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrical converter for converting an AC signal having three phase voltages to a DC signal, the electrical converter comprising:
three phase terminals (A, B, C), a first DC terminal (P) and a second DC terminal (N);
a first converter stage operably coupled to the three phase terminals and comprising a first intermediate node (x) and a second intermediate node (y), wherein the first converter stage is configured for converting between the AC signal at the three phase terminals and a first signal at the first intermediate node (x) and the second intermediate node (y);
a second converter stage operably coupled to the first and second DC terminals (P, N) and comprising a third intermediate node (r) and a fourth intermediate node(s), wherein the second converter stage comprises a boost circuit operable to convert between a second signal at the third and fourth intermediate nodes (r, s) and the DC signal at the first and second DC terminals (P, N), wherein the boost circuit comprises at least one first active switch (Sxm, Smy);
a link connecting the first intermediate node (x) to the third intermediate node (r) and the second intermediate node (y) to the fourth intermediate node(s),
a current injection circuit operable to connect, through second active switches, between a phase terminal having a smallest absolute instantaneous voltage value of the three phase terminals and the first and second DC terminals (P, N), or between the phase terminal having the smallest absolute instantaneous voltage value and the first and second intermediate nodes;
a controller implemented with a first mode of operation in which the at least one first active switch (Sxm, Smy) and the second active switches are operated through a pulse width modulation;
wherein the electrical converter further comprises a third converter stage operably coupled to the first and second DC terminals (P, N) and operable to convert the DC signal at the first and second DC terminals to a fourth signal at at least two third terminals (P′, N′);
wherein the controller is implemented with a second mode of operation in which the third and fourth intermediate nodes (r, s) are continuously connected to the first and second DC terminals (P, N) respectively such that the second converter stage is inoperative, the second active switches are operated through the pulse width modulation, and the third converter stage is configured to be operated in a constant power mode; and
wherein the controller comprises a first input configured to receive a third signal representative of a set or measured voltage at the first and second DC terminals, wherein the controller is configured to determine a threshold representative of an instantaneous full-wave rectified voltage value of the AC signal and to operate in the second mode of operation based on comparison between the third signal and the threshold.