Asymmetric power converter for improved efficiency and operation
Systems and methods for operating an asymmetric power converter for improved efficiency, service life, and operation are provided herein. In some embodiments, the system includes a power electronics module (PEM) configured to convert between alternating current (AC) power and direct current (DC) power. The power electronics module includes a power converter having a nominal power rating, and an overrated power converter having an overrated power rating with respect to the nominal power rating, wherein the power converter is one of an AC to DC power converter and a DC to DC power converter and the overrated power converter is the other of the AC to DC power converter and the DC to DC power converter.
1 . A system
for converting between alternating current (AC) power and direct current (DC) power, the system comprising:
one or more power converters having a nominal power rating; and
one or more overrated power converters having an overrated power rating with respect to the nominal power rating, wherein:
the one or more power converters and the one or more overrated power converters are electrically coupled to provide the DC power,
the one or more power converters is one of one or more AC to DC power converters and one or more DC to DC power converters,
the one or more overrated power converters is the other of the one or more AC to DC power converters and the one or more DC to DC power converters,
a total number of the one or more power converters is the same as a total number of one or more overrated power converters, and
no other power converters are configured to be electrically coupled with the one or more power converters and the one or more overrated power converters to provide the DC power.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more overrated power converters has a power conversion efficiency that is greater when operating at the nominal power rating than at the overrated power rating.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more overrated power converters has an expected service life that is longer at the nominal power rating than at the overrated power rating.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more overrated power converters occupies more than half of a packaging space of the power electronics module.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein more than half of a total heat capacity of the system is utilized by the one or more overrated power converters when operating at the overrated power rating.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more power converters is the one or more AC to DC power converters and the one or more overrated power converters is the one or more DC to DC power converters.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more power converters is coupled in series to the one or more overrated power converters.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system converts between AC and DC power using a plurality of power electronics modules, wherein:
each power electronics module of the plurality of power electronics modules comprises at least one of the one or more power converters and at least one of the one or more overrated power converters;
each power electronics module of the plurality of power electronics modules comprises an AC to DC power converter and a DC to DC power converter; and
the system further comprises a shared DC bus, wherein an output of the AC to DC power converter of each of the plurality of power electronics modules is electrically coupled to the shared DC bus.
9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising control circuitry configured to:
cause output power of at least two of the AC to DC power converters to provide a net DC power over the shared DC bus to one of the DC to DC power converters; and
cause the one DC to DC power converter to provide a net DC power to a load.
10 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising an output switching bus configured to provide a net output power from at least two of the DC to DC power converters to a load.
11 . The system of claim 8 further comprising control circuitry configured to:
cause output power of one of the one or more AC to DC power converters to be provided as shared DC power over the shared DC bus to at least two of the one or more DC to DC power converters.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the overrated power rating is two or more times the nominal power rating.
13 . A method comprising:
converting an alternating current (AC) input power to a direct current (DC) output power using one or more power converters having a nominal power rating and one or more overrated power converters having an overrated power rating with respect to the nominal power rating, wherein:
the one or more power converters and the one or more overrated power converters are electrically coupled to provide the DC output power,
the one or more power converters is one of one or more AC to DC power converters and one or more DC to DC power converters,
the one or more overrated power converters is the other of the one or more AC to DC power converters and the one or more DC to DC power converters,
a total number of the one or more power converters is the same as a total number of one or more overrated power converters, and
no other power converters are configured to be electrically coupled with the one or more power converters and the one or more overrated power converters to provide the DC output power.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein operating the one or more overrated power converters at the nominal power rating improves an efficiency of the one or more overrated power converters as compared to operating the one or more overrated power converters at the overrated power rating.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein operating the one or more overrated power converters at the nominal power rating extends a service life of the one or more overrated power converters as compared to operating the one or more overrated power converters at the overrated power rating.
16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising packaging the one or more power converters and the one or more overrated power converters in a single enclosure having a volume, wherein the one or more overrated power converters occupies more than half of the volume.
17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising packaging the one or more power converters and the one or more overrated power converters in a single enclosure with a heat capacity limit, wherein the one or more overrated power converters utilizes more than half of the heat capacity limit.
18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein converting the AC input power to the DC output power comprises:
electrically coupling a plurality of power electronics modules through a shared DC bus, wherein each power electronics module of the plurality of power electronics modules comprises at least one of the one or more power converters and at least one of the one or more overrated power converters.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising coupling a net power output from the plurality of power electronics modules to a load.
20 . A power cabinet comprising:
a plurality of power electronics modules configured to convert alternating current (AC) input power to direct current (DC) output power, each power electronics module of the plurality of power electronics modules comprising an AC to DC converter and a DC to DC converter, wherein:
one of the AC to DC converter and the DC to DC converter has a nominal power rating and the other one of the AC to DC converter and the DC to DC converter has an overrated power rating greater than the nominal power rating,
a total number of AC to DC converters of the power electronics modules is the same as a total number of DC to DC converters of the plurality of power electronics modules, and
no other power converters are configured to be electrically coupled with the AC to DC converters and the DC to DC converters of the plurality of power electronics modules to provide the DC output power.