US5576940A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Front-end power converter for distributed power systems
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1995-01-09
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Granted: 1996-11-19
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Expires: 2015-01-09
Abstract
Abstract A front end converter for interfacing prime power to a lower voltage distribution bus, e.g., Vdc, in a distributed power system has a natural droop characteristic which emulates a series resistor, but without associated losses. With this droop characteristic, converters are paralleled and share load current without any interconnecting control signals, thus avoiding any single point of failure and the need for several high-voltage isolation devices. The drooping effect also has a damping effect, resulting in a more stable power system.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert L. Steigerwald
- 👤 Ljubisa D. Stevanovic
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 18:51
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J1/00; H02J1/10; H02J1/102; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/22; H02M3/24; H02M3/28; H02M3/325; H02M3/335; H02M3/33507; H02M3/33523; H02J1/108
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A power converter for interfacing prime power with a lower voltage distribution bus, comprising: a front-end converter for providing a regulated dc voltage on a dc voltage bus from a source of said prime power and for providing an ac voltage at a pair of output terminals of said front-end converter; a transformer having a predetermined leakage inductance, a primary winding of said transformer being coupled across said output terminals of said front-end converter; and a rectifier coupled to a secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier providing a rectified output voltage on said distribution bus; said leakage inductance of said transformer being selected to provide a damping effect and a droop characteristic for said converter in a substantially lossless and passive manner such that said output voltage sags as an output current in said distribution bus increases.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A power converter for interfacing prime power with a lower voltage distribution bus, comprising: a front-end converter for providing a regulated dc voltage on a dc voltage bus from a source of said prime power and for providing an ac voltage at a pair of output terminals of said front-end converter; a transformer having a predetermined leakage inductance, a primary winding of said transformer being coupled across said output terminals of said front-end converter; and a rectifier coupled to a secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier providing a rectified output voltage on said distribution bus; said leakage inductance of said transformer being selected to provide a damping effect and a droop characteristic for said converter in a substantially lossless and passive manner such that said output voltage sags as an output current in said distribution bus increases.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The converter of claim 1 wherein said front-end converter comprises a bridge converter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The converter of claim 1 wherein said front-end converter comprises an up-front converter for providing said regulated dc voltage and further comprises a second converter coupled to said dc voltage bus for providing said ac voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The converter of claim 3 wherein said second converter comprises a bridge converter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The converter of claim 1, further comprising feedback control to regulate the ac voltage applied to the primary winding of said transformer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The converter of claim 1, further comprising feedforward control to regulate the ac voltage applied to the primary winding of said transformer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The converter of claim 1, further comprising an output filter for smoothing said output voltage.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The converter of claim 1 wherein said primary and secondary windings of said transformer are separated by a predetermined distance to achieve said predetermined leakage inductance and relatively high voltage isolation between said primary and secondary windings.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
118 words
A power converter for interfacing prime power with a lower voltage distribution bus, comprising: a front-end PWM converter for providing a substantially regulated ac output voltage from said prime power; a transformer having a predetermined leakage inductance, a primary winding of said transformer being coupled across said output terminals of said PWM converter; and a rectifier coupled to a secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier providing a rectified output voltage on said distribution bus; said leakage inductance of said transformer being selected to provide a damping effect and a droop characteristic for said power converter in a substantially lossless and passive manner such that said output voltage sags as an output current in said distribution bus increases.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
118 words
A power converter for interfacing prime power with a lower voltage distribution bus, comprising: a front-end PWM converter for providing a substantially regulated ac output voltage from said prime power; a transformer having a predetermined leakage inductance, a primary winding of said transformer being coupled across said output terminals of said PWM converter; and a rectifier coupled to a secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier providing a rectified output voltage on said distribution bus; said leakage inductance of said transformer being selected to provide a damping effect and a droop characteristic for said power converter in a substantially lossless and passive manner such that said output voltage sags as an output current in said distribution bus increases.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The converter of claim 9 wherein said PWM converter comprises a bridge converter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The converter of claim 9, further comprising feedback control to regulate the ac voltage applied to the primary winding of said transformer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The converter of claim 9, further comprising feedforward control to regulate the ac voltage applied to the primary winding of said transformer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The converter of claim 9, further comprising an output filter for smoothing said output voltage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
139 words
A power converter for interfacing prime power with a lower voltage distribution bus, comprising: a rectifier for providing a rectified voltage from an ac line voltage; a high power factor, front-end converter for providing a regulated ac voltage at a pair of output terminals of said front-end converter from said rectified voltage; a transformer having a predetermined leakage inductance, a primary winding of said transformer being coupled across said output terminals of said front-end converter; and a rectifier coupled to a secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier providing a rectified output voltage on said distribution bus; said leakage inductance of said transformer being selected to provide a damping effect and a droop characteristic for said converter in a substantially lossless and passive manner such that said output voltage sags as an output current in said distribution bus increases.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
139 words
A power converter for interfacing prime power with a lower voltage distribution bus, comprising: a rectifier for providing a rectified voltage from an ac line voltage; a high power factor, front-end converter for providing a regulated ac voltage at a pair of output terminals of said front-end converter from said rectified voltage; a transformer having a predetermined leakage inductance, a primary winding of said transformer being coupled across said output terminals of said front-end converter; and a rectifier coupled to a secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier providing a rectified output voltage on said distribution bus; said leakage inductance of said transformer being selected to provide a damping effect and a droop characteristic for said converter in a substantially lossless and passive manner such that said output voltage sags as an output current in said distribution bus increases.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The converter of claim 14 wherein said front-end converter comprises an up-front converter for providing a regulated dc voltage on a dc voltage bus from said rectified voltage and further comprises a second converter coupled to said dc voltage bus for providing said ac voltage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The converter of claim 15 wherein said second converter comprises a bridge converter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The converter of claim 14, further comprising feedback control to regulate the ac voltage applied to the primary winding of said transformer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The converter of claim 14 wherein said primary and secondary windings of said transformer are separated by a predetermined distance to achieve said predetermined leakage inductance and relatively high voltage isolation between said primary and secondary windings.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
166 words
In a distributed power system comprising at least two power converters coupled in parallel, each of said power converters interfacing prime power with a lower voltage distribution bus, each of said power converters comprising: a front-end converter for providing a regulated dc voltage on a dc voltage bus from a source of said prime power and for providing an ac voltage at a pair of output terminals of said front-end converter; a transformer having a predetermined leakage inductance, a primary winding of said transformer being coupled across said output terminals of said front-end converter; and a rectifier coupled to a secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier providing a rectified output voltage on said distribution bus; said leakage inductance of said transformer being selected to provide a damping effect and a droop characteristic for said converter in a substantially lossless and passive manner such that said output voltage sags as an output current in said distribution bus increases; and said power converters sharing current approximately equally.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
166 words
In a distributed power system comprising at least two power converters coupled in parallel, each of said power converters interfacing prime power with a lower voltage distribution bus, each of said power converters comprising: a front-end converter for providing a regulated dc voltage on a dc voltage bus from a source of said prime power and for providing an ac voltage at a pair of output terminals of said front-end converter; a transformer having a predetermined leakage inductance, a primary winding of said transformer being coupled across said output terminals of said front-end converter; and a rectifier coupled to a secondary winding of said transformer, said rectifier providing a rectified output voltage on said distribution bus; said leakage inductance of said transformer being selected to provide a damping effect and a droop characteristic for said converter in a substantially lossless and passive manner such that said output voltage sags as an output current in said distribution bus increases; and said power converters sharing current approximately equally.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4628426A
Cited
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-11-19 | 2000-05-20 | 2000-11-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-11-19 | 2004-05-20 | 2004-11-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-11-19 | 2008-05-20 | 2008-11-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |