IP Library Granted Patent US 8,525,366
Granted Patent B2
US 8,525,366 · App. 13/492,093 · Granted Sep 3, 2013

DC power source for a high voltage power apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,525,366
App. No.
13/492,093
Granted
Sep 3, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A dc power source for a high voltage power apparatus, the dc power source including one or more strings including a plurality of dc power source units connected in series, and switches configured to connect and disconnect said strings. The switches are solid-state switches distributed among the power source units of each string, and all solid-state switches in the string are arranged so that they are turned on and off simultaneously. Each switch is connected in parallel with a first controllable semiconductor in a first direction and connected in parallel with a second controllable semiconductor in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and the dc power source includes a control unit configured to bypass a failed switch by triggering the forward biased of the first or second controllable semiconductor connected to the failed switch in case a fault in the switch is detected.

Claims (21)

1. A dc power source for a high voltage power apparatus, the dc power source comprising:

one or more strings including a plurality of dc power source units connected in series, and switches configured to connect and disconnect the strings, characterized in that

said switches are solid-state switches distributed among the power source units of each string,

all solid-state switches in the string are arranged so that they are turned on and off simultaneously,

each switch is connected in parallel with a first controllable semiconductor in a first direction and connected in parallel with a second controllable semiconductor in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and

the dc power source comprises a control unit configured to bypass a failed switch by triggering the forward biased of the first or second controllable semiconductor connected to the failed switch in case a fault in the switch is detected.

2. The dc power source according to claim 1 , characterized in that each switch is provided with a gate control unit configured to detect a fault in the switch and to bypass the switch by triggering the forward biased of the first or second controllable semiconductor connected to the switch upon detecting a fault in the switch.

3. The dc power source according to claim 1 , characterized in that the dc power source units comprise series-connected battery cells.

4. The dc power source according to claim 1 , characterized in that each switch comprises a plurality of interconnected controllable semiconductors.

5. A method for control and supervise of a dc power source, the dc power source comprising:

one or more strings including a plurality of dc power source units connected in series, and switches configured to connect and disconnect the strings, characterized in that

said switches are solid-state switches distributed among the power source units of each string,

all solid-state switches in the string are arranged so that they are turned on and off simultaneously,

each switch is connected in parallel with a first controllable semiconductor in a first direction and connected in parallel with a second controllable semiconductor in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and

the dc power source comprises a control unit configured to bypass a failed switch by triggering the forward biased of the first or second controllable semiconductor connected to the failed switch in case a fault in the switch is detected,

characterized in that the method comprises:

measuring the voltage over each switch,

detecting whether the voltage over any of the switches is above a threshold value, and

performing a bypass of the switch upon detecting that the voltage over said switch is above a threshold value, by triggering its forward biased first or second controllable semiconductor.

6. The method according to claim 5 , characterized in that the method further comprises:

disconnecting a string which includes the switch when the triggered controllable semiconductor is turned-off.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2020
From: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
To: ABB POWER GRIDS SWITZERLAND AG
Reel/Frame 052916/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2012
From: PAPASTERGIOU, KONSTANTINOS; HERMANSSON, WILLY; DEMETRIADES, GEORGIOS
To: ABB RESEARCH LTD.
Reel/Frame 028454/0001 →