Bi-polar bi-directional energy balancing power-conversion engine
The invention provides a power converter and method for controlling same, comprising a plurality of switch elements, an inductive reactor, and at least two ports for the movement of electrical energy. Any energy-moving port may be made unipolar, bidirectional, bipolar, or bidirectionally bipolar. Ports may be equipped with sensing circuitry to allow the converter output to be controlled responsively to an input signal. The invention may be configured to be used in many ways, for example, as a power-supply, as an amplifier, or as a frequency converter. The invention may comprise energy predictive calculating means to obtain excellent transient response to line and load variations. The invention may also include a switch to create a low impedance path around the inductor to allow current to recirculate through the inductor when it is not needed at any of the ports.
1. A switched-mode power converter for bidirectional, bipolar energy movement comprising:
a power input port;
a power output port;
an inductive reactor for temporary energy storage;
a plurality of switching devices for connecting the power input port, the power output port and the inductive reactor;
a sensor generating a feedback signal responsive to the voltage or current at the output port;
a reference signal; and
a control circuit for turning the switches on and off in response to the reference signal and feedback signal such that:
the voltage polarity of the input and output ports can be switched between inverting and non-inverting; and
for any polarity the energy may be switched between flowing from the input port to the output port and flowing from the output port to the input port.
2. The switched mode power converter of claim 1 wherein the energy flowing from the input port to the output port is stored for a period of time in the inductor.
3. The switched mode power converter of claim 1 wherein energy flows from the input port to the output port directly.
4. The switched mode power converter of claim 1 wherein the energy flowing from the output port to the input port is stored for a period of time in the inductor.
5. The switched mode power converter of claim 1 wherein energy flows from the output port to the input port directly.
6. The switched mode power converter of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further capable of allowing current to recirculate through the inductor.
7. The switched mode power converter of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further capable of controlling the charging of the inductive reactor so that the amount of energy placed into the inductive reactor during inductive reactor charging is based approximately upon a per-chopping-cycle load energy requirement at the output port.
8. The switched mode power converter of claim 1 wherein said converter is a DC-to-DC power converter, an AC-to-AC power converter, an AC-to-DC power converter, or a DC-to-AC power converter.
9. The switched mode power converter of claim 1 wherein said converter is synchronous or asynchronous.
10. The power converter of claim 1 in which current in the inductor flows in different directions.
11. The power converter of claim 1 further comprising a circuit for estimating the inductor current wherein the control circuit further controls the switches based on the sign and magnitude of the inductor current.
12. An integrated bidirectional direct-coupled switched-mode power converter comprising:
a unipolar power-moving port;
a bipolar power-moving port;
a reference signal;
an inductor for temporary energy storage;
a plurality of switches for direct coupling the unipolar port, the bipolar port, and the inductive reactor;
a sensor generating a feedback signal responsive to the voltage or current at the output port; and
a control circuit for turning the switches on and off in response to the feedback signal to maintain a desired relationship between the voltage or current at one of the power moving ports and the reference signal; and
wherein the voltage polarity of the input and output ports can be switched between inverting and non-inverting.
13. The power converter of claim 12 in which current in the inductive reactor flows in different directions.
14. The power converter of claim 12 further comprising a circuit for estimating the inductor current wherein the control circuit further controls the switches based on the sign and magnitude of the inductor current.