Voltage-compliant dc-dc converter module

Claim 2

A voltage-compliant power converter module which converts power from an input source for delivery to a load, said load being external to said voltage-compliant power converter module and including an external filter capacitance of value Ce for providing ripple filtering of the load voltage delivered to said load, said load being corrected to said voltage-compliant power converter module via load interconnections external to said voltage-compliant power converter module, said load interconnections being characterized by a total parasitic load inductance of value Ll, said voltage-compliant power converter module comprising input terminations for connection to said input source, output terminations for connection to said load interconnections, switching power conversion circuitry connected to receive input power via said input terminations from said input source, said power conversion circuitry including one or more switching devices, said switching devices delivering a pulsating voltage waveform at switching frequencies within a nominal operating range, power delivery circuitry for receiving said pulsating voltage waveform from said switching power conversion circuitry and delivering power to said loads via said output terminations and said load interconnections, said power delivery circuitry including an output capacitor, of value Co, an output inductor, of value Lo, and output interconnections between said output capacitor and said output terminations, said output interconnections and said output terminations being characterized by a total parasitic output inductance of value Lp, said output inductor, said external filter capacitor, said output capacitor, said parasitic load inductance and said parasitic output inductance defining a first breakpoint frequency, f1, given by the expression on the right side of the following equality: ##EQU33## which is lower than the lowest switching frequency in the nominal operating range, the output capacitance, Co, of said output capacitor included within said power delivery circuitry being less and (a) the expression on the right side of the following inequality: ##EQU34## and (b) the expression on the right side of the following inequality: ##EQU35## wherein Vo is the output voltage, Io is the load current, Vm is the maximum input filter voltage, fopmin is the maximum operating frequency, and Ls=Lo+Lp-Ll.

Claim 3

The voltage-compliant power converter module of claim 1 further comprising control circuitry for setting the average value of said pulsating voltage waveform by controlling the switching of said switching devices based on the value of an electrical parameter delivered to said control circuitry.

Claim 4

The voltage-compliant converter module of claim 2 further comprising sense terminations for delivering said electrical parameter to said control circuitry.

Claim 5

The voltage-compliant power converter of claim 2 or 3 wherein said controller sets the average value of the pulsating voltage waveform delivered by said switching devices to said power delivery circuitry based upon a comparison of a setpoint voltage, Vsp, to an electrical parameter delivered to said controller, said electrical parameter being indicative of said load voltage.

Claim 6

The converter of claim 1 wherein said output capacitance is zero.

Claim 7

The voltage-compliant power converter module of claim 1 wherein some or all of said output inductance, Lo, is external to said converter module.

Claim 8

A voltage-compliant power converter system comprising an input power source, a load, a voltage-compliant power converter which converts power from an input source for delivery to said load, said load being external to said voltage-compliant power converter and including an external filter capacitance of value Ce for providing ripple filtering of the load voltage delivered to said load, said load being connected to said voltage-compliant power converter via load interconnections external to said voltage-compliant power converter, said load interconnections being characterized by a total parasitic load inductance of value Ll, said voltage-compliant power converter comprising input terminations for connection to said input power source, output terminations for connection to said load interconnections, switching power conversion circuitry connected to receive input power via said input terminations from said input power source, said power conversion circuitry including one or more switching devices, said switching devices delivering a pulsating voltage waveform at switching frequencies within a nominal operating range, power delivery circuitry for receiving said pulsating voltage waveform from said switching power conversion circuitry and delivering power to said loads via said output terminations and said load interconnections, said power delivery circuitry including an output capacitor, of value Co, an output inductor, of value Lo, and output interconnections between said output capacitor and said output terminations, said output interconnections and said output terminations being characterized by a total parasitic output inductance of value Lp, said output inductor, said external filter capacitor, said output capacitor, said parasitic load inductance and said parasitic output inductance defining a first breakpoint frequency, f1, given by the expression on the right side of the following equality: ##EQU36## which is lower than the lowest switching frequency in the nominal operating range, the output capacitance, Co, of said output capacitor included within said power delivery circuitry being less and (a) the expression on the right side of the following inequality: ##EQU37## and (b) the expression on the right side of the following inequality: ##EQU38## wherein Vo is the output voltage, Io is the load current, fopmin is the maximum operating frequency, and Ls=Lo+Lp+Ll.

Claim 9

A voltage-compliant power converter system comprising an input power source, a load, a voltage-compliant power converter which converts power from an input source for delivery to said load, said load being external to said voltage-compliant power converter and including an external filter capacitance of value Ce for providing ripple filtering of the load voltage delivered to said load, said load being connected to said voltage-compliant power converter via load interconnections external to said voltage-compliant power converter, said load interconnections being characterized by a total parasitic load inductance of value Ll, said voltage-compliant power converter comprising input terminations for connection to said input power source, output terminations for connection to said load interconnections, switching power conversion circuitry connected to receive input power via said input terminations from said input power source, said power conversion circuitry including one or more switching devices, said switching devices delivering a pulsating voltage waveform at switching frequencies within a nominal operating range, power delivery circuitry for receiving said pulsating voltage waveform from said switching power conversion circuitry and delivering power to said loads via said output terminations and said load interconnections, said power delivery circuitry including an output capacitor, of value Co, an output inductor, of value Lo, and output interconnections between said output capacitor and said output terminations, said output interconnections and said output terminations being characterized by a total parasitic output inductance of value Lp, said output inductor, said external filter capacitor, said output capacitor, said parasitic load inductance and said parasitic output inductance defining a first breakpoint frequency, f1, given by the expression on the right side of the following equality: ##EQU36## which is lower than the lowest switching frequency in the nominal operating range, the output capacitance, Co, of said output capacitor included within said power delivery circuitry being less and (a) the expression on the right side of the following inequality: ##EQU37## and (b) the expression on the right side of the following inequality: ##EQU38## wherein Vo is the output voltage, Io is the load current, fopmin is the maximum operating frequency, and Ls=Lo+Lp+Ll.

Claim 10

The voltage-compliant power converter module of claim 7 further comprising control circuitry for setting the average value of said pulsating voltage waveform by controlling the switching of said switching devices based on the value of an electrical parameter delivered to said control circuitry.

Claim 11

The voltage-compliant power converter module of claim 8 further comprising sense terminations for delivering said electrical parameter to said control circuitry.

Claim 12

The voltage-compliant power converter of claim 8 or 9 wherein said controller sets the average value of the pulsating voltage waveform delivered by said switching devices to said power delivery circuitry based upon a comparison of a setpoint voltage, Vsp, to an electrical parameter delivered to said controller, said electrical parameter being indicative of said load voltage.

Claim 13

The converter of claim 7 wherein said output capacitance is zero.

Claim 14

The voltage-compliant power converter module of claim 7 wherein some or all of said output inductance, Lo, is external to said converter module.