IP Library Granted Patent US 10,862,402
Granted Patent B2
US 10,862,402 · App. 16/238,237 · Granted Dec 8, 2020

System and method for power converter including inverter, resonant circuit. and voltage multiplier

Inventor: Saijun Mao (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
H02M7/10H02M3/33569H02M3/33592H02M7/103H02M2001/0054H02M2001/0067H02M2007/4815
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,862,402
App. No.
16/238,237
Granted
Dec 8, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to various embodiments, a system and method for a power converter including an inverter and a first voltage multiplier is disclosed. The inverter is configured to convert a first DC voltage into a first AC voltage. The first voltage multiplier is coupled to an output of the inverter and configured to convert the first AC voltage into a second DC voltage higher than a peak value of the first AC voltage. The first voltage multiplier includes a plurality of stages, each stage including two diodes, and each diode in a first stage of the plurality of stages including at least one of a silicon carbide diode and a gallium nitride diode.

Claims (46)

1. A power converter, comprising:

an inverter configured to convert a first DC voltage into a first AC voltage, the inverter comprising two legs, each leg comprising a first switching device and a second switching device coupled in series, a first output terminal coupled between the first and second switching devices of the first leg, and a second output terminal coupled between the first and second switching devices of the second leg;

a resonant circuit coupled to the inverter, the resonant circuit configured to process the first AC voltage into a second, filtered AC voltage, the resonant circuit comprising a first resonating unit and a second resonating unit, the first resonant unit coupled between the first output terminal of the inverter and a first output terminal of the resonant circuit, the second resonant unit coupled between the second output terminal of the inverter and a second output terminal of the resonant circuit; and

a voltage multiplier coupled to the resonant circuit without a transformer between the inverter and the voltage multiplier, the voltage multiplier configured to convert the second, filtered AC voltage into a second DC voltage, the voltage multiplier comprising a plurality of stages, each stage comprising two diodes;

the first resonating unit coupled between the first output terminal of the inverter and a first input terminal of the voltage multiplier via a first path;

the second resonating unit coupled between the second output terminal of the inverter and a second input terminal of the voltage multiplier via a return path.

2. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein:

each diode in a first stage of the plurality of stages is at least one of a silicon carbide diode and a gallium nitride diode; and

each diode in a second stage of the plurality of stages is a silicon diode.

3. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein:

at least a part of the voltage multiplier is printed on a substrate; and

each diode in the voltage multiplier has a flat shape and is mounted on a surface of the substrate.

4. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein each stage further comprises two capacitors.

5. The power converter according to claim 4 , wherein:

at least a part of the voltage multiplier is printed on a substrate; and

each of the capacitors has a flat shape and is mounted on a surface of the substrate.

6. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein the first resonating unit comprises a capacitor and an inductor coupled in series.

7. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein the second resonating unit comprises a capacitor and an inductor coupled in series.

8. A method for operating a power converter, the power converter including an inverter and resonant circuit coupled to a voltage multiplier without a transformer between the inverter and the voltage multiplier, the resonant circuit having a first resonating unit and a second resonating unit, the first resonating unit coupled to the voltage multiplier via a first path, the second resonating unit coupled to the voltage multiplier via a return path, the voltage multiplier having a plurality of stages, each stage having two diodes, the method comprising:

converting a first DC voltage into a first AC voltage via the inverter;

processing the first AC voltage into a second, filtered AC voltage via the resonant circuit; and

converting the second, filtered AC voltage into a second DC voltage via the voltage multiplier.

9. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein the second DC voltage is higher than a peak value of the first AC voltage.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the second DC voltage is higher than a peak value of the first AC voltage.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein:

each diode in a first stage of the plurality of stages is at least one of a silicon carbide diode and a gallium nitride diode; and

each diode in a second stage of the plurality of stages is a silicon diode.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein each stage further comprises two capacitors.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first resonating unit comprises a capacitor and an inductor coupled in series.

14. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the second resonating unit comprises a capacitor and an inductor coupled in series.

15. A power converter, comprising:

an inverter configured to convert a first DC voltage into a first AC voltage, the inverter comprising two legs, each leg comprising a first switching device and a second switching device coupled in series, a first output terminal coupled between the first and second switching devices of the first leg, and a second output terminal coupled between the first and second switching devices of the second leg;

a resonant circuit coupled to the inverter, the resonant circuit configured to process the first AC voltage into a second, filtered AC voltage, the resonant circuit comprising a first resonating unit and a second resonating unit, the first resonant unit coupled between the first output terminal of the inverter and a first output terminal of the resonant circuit, the second resonant unit coupled between the second output terminal of the inverter and a second output terminal of the resonant circuit;

a first voltage multiplier coupled to the first resonating unit without a transformer between the inverter and the first voltage multiplier, the first voltage multiplier configured to convert the second, filtered AC voltage into a second DC voltage, the first voltage multiplier comprising a first plurality of stages, each stage of the first plurality of stages comprising two diodes; and

a second voltage multiplier coupled to the second resonating unit without a transformer between the inverter and the second voltage multiplier, the second voltage multiplier configured to convert the second, filtered AC voltage into a third DC voltage, the second voltage multiplier comprising a second plurality of stages, each stage of the second plurality of stages comprising two diodes;

the first resonating unit coupled between the first output terminal of the inverter and the first input terminals of the first and second voltage multipliers via a first path;

the second resonating unit coupled between the second output terminal of the inverter and the second input terminals of the first and second voltage multipliers via a return path.

16. The power converter according to claim 15 , wherein:

the second DC voltage is higher than a peak value of the first AC voltage; and

the third DC voltage is higher than the peak value of the first AC voltage.

17. The power converter according to claim 15 , wherein:

each diode in a first stage of the first and second plurality of stages is at least one of a silicon carbide diode and a gallium nitride diode; and

each diode in a second stage of the first and second plurality of stages is a silicon diode.

18. The power converter according to claim 15 , wherein an output terminal of the first voltage multiplier is coupled in series with an output terminal of the second voltage multiplier.

19. The power converter according to claim 15 , wherein the first resonating unit comprises a capacitor and an inductor coupled in series.

20. The power converter according to claim 15 , wherein the second resonating unit comprises a capacitor and an inductor coupled in series.

Assignments (5)
QUITCLAIM ASSIGNMENT Recorded Apr 9, 2026
From: EDISON INNOVATIONS LLC
To: BUNKER HILL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 074326/0549 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2025
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 070636/0815 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 26, 2025
From: GE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
To: DOLBY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 070643/0907 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: DOLBY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
To: EDISON INNOVATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 070293/0273 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2019
From: MAO, SAIJUN
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 047891/0846 →