Systems and methods for controlling a converter for powering a load

1. A method for powering a load, comprising:

providing a power converter comprising electrical circuitry comprising at least a first leg and a second leg;

supplying an input power signal to the power converter;

supplying at least a first gating control signal to the first leg;

supplying at least a second gating control signal to the second leg; and

outputting at least one output power signal to the load responsive at least in part to the first and the second gating control signals supplied;

wherein the first gating signal and the second gating signal each comprise a waveform comprising a notch; and

wherein the second gating control signal is phase shifted relative to the first gating control signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each notch of the first and the second gating signals comprises a notch width between approximately 5 degrees to approximately 20 degrees.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each notch of the first and the second gating signals comprises a notch width of approximately 7 degrees.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relative phase shift between the first and the second gating signals comprises between an approximately 5 degree to an approximately 40 degree phase shift.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relative phase shift between the first and the second gating signals comprises an approximately 30 degree phase shift.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and the second gating control signals comprises an effective switching frequency between approximately 1 times to approximately 3 times the fundamental frequency of the power converter.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and the second gating control signals comprises an effective switching frequency of approximately 1.5 times the fundamental frequency of the power converter.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the load comprises at least one high speed electrical motor.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting at least the notch width or the relative phase shift of at least one of the first gating control signal or the second gating control signal to improve at least one of switching loss or harmonic distortion of the output power signal.

10. A system for providing power to a load, comprising:

a voltage source operable to supply a power signal;

a power converter comprising electrical circuitry comprising at least a first leg and a second leg;

at least one gating controller operable to supply at least a first gating control signal to the first leg and at least a second gating control signal to the second leg of the power converter;

wherein the first gating signal and the second gating signal each comprise a waveform comprising a notch; and

wherein the first gating control signal is phase shifted relative to the second gating control signal; and

wherein the converter is operable to receive the power signal from the voltage source and output at least one output power signal to the load responsive at least in part to the first and the second gating control signals supplied.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein each notch of the first and the second gating signals comprises a notch width between approximately 5 degrees to approximately 20 degrees.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein each notch of the first and the second gating signals comprises a notch width of approximately 7 degrees.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the relative phase shift between the first and the second gating signals comprises between an approximately 5 degree to an approximately 40 degree phase shift.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the relative phase shift between the first and the second gating signals comprises an approximately 30 degree phase shift.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the first and the second gating control signals comprises an effective switching frequency between approximately 1 times to approximately 3 times the fundamental frequency of the power converter.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the first and the second gating control signals comprises an effective switching frequency of approximately 1.5 times the fundamental frequency of the power converter.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the load comprises at least one high speed electrical motor.

18. The system of claim 10 , further comprising adjusting at least the notch width or the relative phase shift of at least one of the first gating control signal or the second gating control signal to improve at least one of switching loss or harmonic distortion of the output power signal.

19. A method for powering a load, comprising:

providing a three-phase wye-connected H-bridge power converter, wherein each phase of the H-bridge power converter comprises two legs;

supplying an input power signal to the H-bridge power converter;

supplying a different gating control signal to each leg of each phase of the H-bridge power converter, wherein each gating control signal comprises a waveform comprising a notch, and wherein each gating control signal is phase shifted relative to the other respective gating control signal supplied to the other leg of the same phase; and

outputting at least one output power signal to the load responsive at least in part to the gating control signals supplied.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein each gating control signal comprises an effective switching frequency of approximately 1.5 times the fundamental frequency of the power converter, wherein the notch of each gating control signal comprises a notch width of approximately 7 degrees, and wherein the relative phase shift between each gating control signal supplied to the same phase comprises an approximately 30 degree phase shift.