Modular power converters usable alone or in a multiphase power converter
View Patent ↗A power converter module for use alone or with other modules in a multiphase power converter. The power converter module has an enclosure that surrounds internal components to prevent radiation of electromagnetic energy, which internal components also limit conduction of electromagnetic energy. The internal components include an EMI filter, a ripple filter, a power converter, and a control interface that communicates with a control system of a power conversion system. The control interface includes a memory that stores information related to the power converter modules so as to improve interchangeability of similar power modules with the multiphase power converter.
1. A power converter comprising:
circuitry for converting an input to an output having different electrical characteristics;
at least one heat sink thermally coupled with said circuitry; and
a connection coupling said heat sink to a ground, said connection including an electrical resistance.
2. A power converter according to claim 1 , wherein said circuitry is thermally coupled to said heat sink via a switching network.
3. A power converter according to claim 1 , wherein said resistance has a resistance value of:
R
=
L
C
+
/
-
50
%
,
wherein R is said resistance value, L is the inductance associated with said heat sink and C is the total capacitance of said heat sink.
4. A power converter according to claim 1 , wherein said circuitry includes a switching network thermally coupled to a plurality of heat sinks.
5. A power converter according to claim 4 , wherein each of said plurality of heat sinks include a corresponding respective one of a plurality of resistances that allows each of said plurality of heat sinks to be in communication with a ground.
6. A power converter according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of said plurality of resistances is equal to about the characteristic impedance of the parallel resonance between a series filter inductance and a heat sink-to-substrate capacitance of said switch network.
7. A power converter according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of said plurality of resistances has a resistance value of:
R
=
L
C
+
/
-
50
%
,
wherein R is said resistance value, L is the inductance associated with each of said plurality of heat sinks and C is the corresponding respective capacitance of one of said plurality of heat sinks.
8. A power converter according to claim 4 , wherein each of said plurality of heat sinks is in communication with a ground via a single resistance.
9. A power converter according to claim 1 , further including a control system, wherein said circuitry is electronically coupled to said control system.
10. A power converter according to claim 9 , further including:
a control interface connected to said circuitry and said control system;
a first filter for filtering out first components from said output; and
a second filter for filtering out second components from said output.
11. A power converter according to claim 10 , further including input nodes for receiving said input and output nodes for providing said output, wherein conducted electromagnetic radiation as measured at said input nodes and said output nodes is below 1 dB volts above 150 kHz and below 1 dB millivolts above 20 MHz.
12. A power converter according to claim 11 , further including an enclosure surrounding said circuitry, said control interface, said first filter and said second filter.
13. A power converter according to claim 1 , further including:
a control interface connected to said circuitry and configured for connection to a control system;
a first filter for filtering out first components from said output;
a second filter for filtering out second components from said output, wherein said second filter is an EMI filter for filtering components of said output that may create electromagnetic interference; and
a negative input, a positive input, and a neutral output and a phase output, wherein said EMI filter includes a first EMI filter connected to said negative input and said neutral output and a second EMI filter connected to said positive input and said neutral output.
14. A power converter according to claim 13 , further including an enclosure surrounding said circuitry, said control interface, said first filter and said second filter.
15. A multiphase power converter system for converting an input to an output having a plurality of phases, the system comprising:
a control system;
a plurality of power converter modules connected to said control system, one for each of said plurality of phases, each of said plurality of power converter modules having:
a power converter for converting an input into an output having one phase of a plurality of phases;
a control interface connected to said power converter and said control system; and
a switching network that has at least one heat sink in communication with a ground via an electrical resistance.
16. A system according to claim 15 , wherein said resistance has a resistance value of:
R
=
L
C
+
/
-
50
%
,
wherein R is said resistance value, L is the inductance associated with said heat sink and C is the total capacitance of said heat sink.
17. A system according to claim 15 , wherein said switching network includes a plurality of heat sinks and wherein each of said plurality of heat sinks includes a corresponding respective one of a plurality of resistances that allows each of said plurality of heat sinks to be in communication with a ground.
18. A power converter according to claim 17 , wherein at least one of said plurality of resistances is equal to about the characteristic impedance of the parallel resonance between a series filter inductance and a heat sink-to-substrate capacitance of said switching network.
19. A power converter according to claim 17 , wherein at least one of said plurality of resistances has a resistance value of:
R
=
L
C
+
/
-
50
%
,
wherein R is said resistance value, L is the inductance associated with each of said plurality of heat sinks and C is the corresponding respective capacitance of one of each of said plurality of heat sinks.
20. A power converter according to claim 15 , wherein each of said plurality of heat sinks is in communication with a ground via a single resistance.