IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,537,432
Granted Patent B2
US 12,537,432 · App. 18/520,307 · Granted Jan 27, 2026

Method and device for compensating leakage currents in an electrical power converter

Inventors: Daniel Spesser (Illingen, DE); Tim Pfizenmaier (Leonberg, DE); Florian Mayer (Tamm, DE); Stefan Endres (Erlangen, DE)
Assignees: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft; Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
H02M1/0038H02J7/0029H02J7/02H02M1/0009H02M1/0043H02M1/32H02J7/00304H02J2207/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,537,432
App. No.
18/520,307
Granted
Jan 27, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method compensates for leakage currents in a protective conductor of an electrical power converter. The method includes: using a first differential current sensor for determining a differential current depending on a phase conductor current in a phase conductor and a neutral conductor current in a neutral conductor; feeding a compensation current into the phase conductor and/or into the neutral conductor via a first compensation circuit; using a second differential current sensor for capturing a signal representing remaining residual leakage current; converting the signal representing the residual leakage current to a frequency domain; generating a compensation signal for the residual leakage current in a frequency-selective manner; converting the compensation signal to a time domain; supplying the converted compensation signal converted to the first compensation circuit or a second compensation circuit; and feeding a residual compensation current corresponding to the compensation signal into the phase conductor(s) and/or into the neutral conductor.

Claims (26)

1 . A method ( 100 ) for compensating leakage currents in a protective conductor of an electrical power converter, electrical power converter further having a neutral conductor (N) and at least one phase conductor (L), the method comprising:

determining ( 102 ) a differential current depending on a phase conductor current in the at least one phase conductor (L) and on a neutral conductor current in the neutral conductor (N) in a first differential current sensor ( 210 );

generating ( 104 ) and feeding ( 106 ) a compensation current into the at least one phase conductor (L) and/or into the neutral conductor (N), said compensation current compensating a leakage current caused by the differential current, by means of a first compensation circuit ( 208 );

capturing ( 108 ) a signal representing a remaining residual leakage current by means of a second differential current sensor ( 206 ) associated with a guard circuit ( 206 );

converting ( 110 ) the signal representing the residual leakage current to a frequency domain;

generating ( 112 ) a compensation signal that is suitable for compensating at least parts of the residual leakage current in a frequency-selective manner;

converting ( 114 ) the compensation signal to a time domain;

supplying ( 116 ) the compensation signal converted to the time domain to the first compensation circuit ( 208 ) or to a second compensation circuit ( 207 ); and

feeding ( 118 ) a residual compensation current corresponding to the compensation signal into the at least one phase conductor (L) and/or into the neutral conductor (N), by means of the first compensation circuit ( 208 ) or the second compensation circuit ( 207 ).

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a frequency spectrum of the residual leakage current.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising generating the residual compensation current depending on the determined frequency spectrum and a predefined phase shift.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising feeding the compensation current and/or the residual compensation current in via a capacitive coupling.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising feeding the compensation current and/or the residual compensation current in via an inductive coupling.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising feeding the compensation current and/or the residual compensation current in via a galvanic coupling.

7 . A non-transitory computer program product comprising commands which, when the program is executed by a microprocessor of a control device, prompt the control device to carry out the method of claim 1 .

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium, on which the non-transitory computer program of claim 7 is stored.

9 . A device ( 200 ) for compensating leakage currents in a protective conductor of an electrical power converter that further has a neutral conductor (N) and at least one phase conductor (L), the device ( 200 ) comprising:

a determining device ( 210 ) for determining a differential current depending on both a phase conductor current in the at least one phase conductor (L) and a neutral conductor current in the neutral conductor (N);

a first compensation circuit ( 208 ) for feeding a compensation current into the at least one phase conductor (L) and/or into the neutral conductor (N), the compensation current compensating a leakage current caused by the differential current;

a guard circuit ( 206 ) with a differential current sensor that is configured to capture a signal representing a remaining residual leakage current;

a circuit ( 220 ) for converting the signal representing the residual leakage current to the frequency domain;

at least one controller ( 222 ) for generating a compensation signal that is suitable for compensating at least parts of the residual leakage current in a frequency-selective manner; and

a circuit ( 224 ) for converting the compensation signal to the time domain; wherein

the device is configured to feed a residual compensation current corresponding to the compensation signal by means of the first compensation circuit ( 208 ) or the second compensation circuit ( 207 ) into the at least one phase conductor (L) and/or into the neutral conductor (N).

10 . A charging device for charging an electrical energy store, having a power supply ( 202 ) and the device of claim 9 .

11 . The charging of claim 10 , wherein the charging device is a galvanically non-isolated charging device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2024
From: SPESSER, DANIEL; PFIZENMAIER, TIM; MAYER, FLORIAN
To: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 066288/0378 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 27, 2023
From: ENDRES, STEFAN
To: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
Reel/Frame 065671/0821 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2022 131 311.5 · Nov 28, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240178738A1 · May 30, 2024
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