Method and apparatus for providing welding type power with flux balancing
A welding-type power supply includes a controller, a preregulator, a preregulator bus, and an output converter. The controller has a preregulator control output and an output converter control output. The controller has a converter control output connected to the control input, and a flux balancing module. The converter control output is responsive to the flux balancing module such that the flux in the transformer remains balanced.
1. A welding-type power supply comprising:
a dual stacked boost preregulator, providing a pregulated signal and having a preregulator control input;
a switched output converter, disposed to receive the preregulated signal and to provide a welding type power output, and having a transformer and a control input;
a controller, having a preregulator control output connected to the preregulator control input, a current balance module, wherein the preregulator control output is responsive to the current balance module.
2. The welding-type power supply of claim 1 , wherein the dual stacked boost pregulator includes a plurality of inductors, and further comprising a feedback circuit connected to monitor a current in the plurality of inductors and to the controller.
3. The welding-type power supply of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of inductors is a given number of inductors and wherein the feedback circuit includes half of the given number of current sensors.
4. The welding-type power supply of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inductors is a given number of inductors and wherein the feedback circuit includes the given number of current sensors.
5. A method of providing welding-type power comprising:
switching a dual stacked boost preregulator to provide a preregulated signal;
switching an output converter that receives the preregulated signal to provide welding type power, including providing the power through a transformer;
controlling the switching of the dual stacked boost preregulator such that an output current in the dual stacked boost preregulator remains balanced.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dual stacked boost preregulator includes a plurality of inductors, and further comprising monitoring a current in the plurality of inductors and providing feedback to the controller indicative of the current.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of inductors is a given number of inductors and wherein each of the given number of inductors includes a current sensor associated therewith, and wherein monitoring includes monitoring the given number of current sensors.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of inductors is a given number of inductors and wherein there are one half the given number of a current sensor, and wherein monitoring includes monitoring the one half the given number of current sensors.
9. A welding-type power supply, comprising:
means for providing a preregulated signal, wherein the means for providing includes a dual stacked boost circuit;
means for receiving the preregulated signal and for providing welding type power through a transformer;
means for controlling the dual stacked boost circuit such that an output current of the means for providing a preregulated signal remains balanced.
10. The welding-type power supply of claim 9 , wherein the dual stacked boost circuit includes a plurality of inductors, and further comprising means for monitoring a current in the plurality of inductors and providing feedback to the controller indicative of the current.
11. The welding-type power supply of claim 9 , wherein the means for monitoring includes one current sensor for each inductor in the plurality of inductors.
12. The welding-type power supply of claim 11 , wherein the means for monitoring includes one current sensor for every two inductors in the plurality of inductors.