IP Library Granted Patent US 11,881,763
Granted Patent B2
US 11,881,763 · App. 16/973,548 · Granted Jan 23, 2024

Control device and method for discharging a DC link capacitor, power converter, and vehicle

Inventors: Rainer Edelhäuser (Nuremberg, DE); Philipp Erdtmann (Eckental, DE); Thomas Götze (Höchstadt/Aisch, DE); Philip Hubner (Erlangen, DE)
Assignee: VALEO SIEMENS EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
H02M1/322B60L15/04H02M1/08B60K6/28B60Y2200/91B60Y2200/92H02P27/08
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,881,763
App. No.
16/973,548
Granted
Jan 23, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a control device for discharging a DC link capacitor by means of a discharging device including a load resistor and a switch element connected in series with the load resistor, the control device includes a generator unit, which is configured to generate a pulse width-modulated actuation signal for the switch element with an ascertained duty cycle, and a control unit, which is configured to ascertain the duty cycle in such a way that, in the time average, a desired discharge current flows through the load resistor.

Claims (25)

1. A control device for discharging a DC link capacitor, comprising:

a discharging device including a load resistor and a switch element connected in series with the load resistor,

a generator unit, which is connected to the switch element and configured to generate a pulse width-modulated actuation signal for the switch element with an ascertained duty cycle, and

a control unit, which is connected to the generator unit and configured to ascertain the duty cycle in such a way that, in a time average, a desired discharge current flows through the load resistor,

wherein the control unit is configured to ascertain the duty cycle as a function of a piece of voltage information that describes a DC link voltage dropping across the DC link capacitor, and

wherein the duty cycle of the actuation signal is ascertained to increase with decreasing the DC link voltage.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to ascertain the duty cycle in such a way that the discharge current causes a power consumption by the load resistor which is substantially constant in the time average.

3. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises a target value ascertainment unit, which is configured to ascertain a discharge current target value as a function of the piece of voltage information.

4. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the target value ascertainment unit is configured to ascertain the discharge current target value as a function of an inverse of the DC link voltage.

5. The control device according to claim 4 , wherein the target value ascertainment unit is configured to ascertain the discharge current target value as a sum of the inverse and an offset.

6. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit comprises a controller, which is configured to ascertain the duty cycle as a function of a deviation of the time average of the current from a discharge current target value.

7. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to calculate the duty cycle as a ratio of a product of the resistance value of the load resistor and the desired power consumption thereof to the DC link voltage squared.

8. A power converter, comprising the DC link capacitor, and the discharging device by means of which the DC link capacitor can be discharged and which comprises the load resistor and the switch element connected in series with the load resistor, and the control device according to claim 1 actuating the discharging device.

9. A vehicle, comprising an electric motor for driving the vehicle and the power converter according to claim 8 , which is configured to supply the electric motor with electricity.

10. A control device for discharging a DC link capacitor, comprising:

a discharge device including a load resistor and a switch element connected in series with the load resistor,

a generator unit, which is connected to the switch element and configured to generate a pulse width-modulated actuation signal for the switch element with an ascertained duty cycle, and

a control unit, which is connected to the generator unit and configured to ascertain the duty cycle in such a way that, in a time average, a desired discharge current flows through the load resistor,

wherein the control unit is configured to ascertain the duty cycle as a function of a piece of current information that describes a time average of a current flowing through the load resistor.

11. The control device according to claim 10 , further comprising a low pass unit, which is configured to generate the piece of current information from a current measurement value describing the instantaneous current.

12. A control device for discharging a DC link capacitor, comprising:

a discharge device including a load resistor and a switch element connected in series with the load resistor,

a generator unit, which is connected to the switch element and configured to generate a pulse width-modulated actuation signal for the switch element with an ascertained duty cycle, and

a control unit, which is connected to the generator unit and configured to ascertain the duty cycle in such a way that, in a time average, a desired discharge current flows through the load resistor,

wherein the control unit is designed as an analog circuit or as a microprocessor.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 22, 2026
From: VALEO EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH; VALEO SIEMENS EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH; SIEMENS AUTOMOTIVE EPOWERTRAIN SYSTEMS GMBH; BLITZ E16-802 GMBH
To: VALEO ELECTRIFICATION
Reel/Frame 076028/0968 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2020
From: EDELHÄUSER, RAINER; ERDTMANN, PHILIPP; GÖTZE, THOMAS; HUBNER, PHILIP
To: VALEO SIEMENS EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
Reel/Frame 054592/0033 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2018 115 295.7 · Jun 26, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210257903A1 · Aug 19, 2021