Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
  • H02M1/00—Details of apparatus for conversion
  • H02M1/38—Means for preventing simultaneous conduction of switches
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
  • H02M1/00—Details of apparatus for conversion
  • H02M1/32—Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
  • H02M7/00—Conversion of ac power input into dc power output; Conversion of dc power input into ac power output
  • H02M7/02—Conversion of ac power input into dc power output without possibility of reversal
  • H02M7/04—Conversion of ac power input into dc power output without possibility of reversal by static converters
  • H02M7/12—Conversion of ac power input into dc power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode
  • H02M7/21—Conversion of ac power input into dc power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal
  • H02M7/217—Conversion of ac power input into dc power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only
  • H02M7/219—Conversion of ac power input into dc power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only in a bridge configuration
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
  • H02M7/00—Conversion of ac power input into dc power output; Conversion of dc power input into ac power output
  • H02M7/42—Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal
  • H02M7/44—Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal by static converters
  • H02M7/48—Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode
  • H02M7/53—Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal
  • H02M7/537—Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters
  • H02M7/539—Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters with automatic control of output wave form or frequency
  • H02M7/5395—Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters with automatic control of output wave form or frequency by pulse-width modulation

Definitions

• the invention relates in particular to a voltage converter, in particular for a rotating electrical machine or for a DC-DC voltage converter.
• the voltage converter comprises a protection device making it possible to detect a failure of one of the power components of the switching arm and its method of protection.
• a reversible machine is a rotating electric machine capable of working reversibly, on the one hand, as an electric generator in alternator function and, on the other hand, as an electric motor, for example to start the heat engine of the vehicle such than a motor vehicle.
• the on-board electrical network of the vehicle is used to supply the various electrical equipment of the vehicle.
• An electrical power supply from the electrical network is provided by at least one battery, which can be recharged by a rotating electrical machine.
• a rotating electrical machine comprises a voltage converter, a rotor that rotates about an axis and a fixed stator.
• alternator mode when the rotor is rotating, it induces a magnetic field in the stator which transforms it into direct electric current via the voltage converter in order to supply the vehicle's electrical consumers and recharge the battery.
• motor mode the stator is electrically supplied via the voltage converter which functions as an inverter and induces a magnetic field driving the rotor in rotation, for example to start the heat engine.
• the voltage converter comprises a switching arm for each phase of the stator of the machine or for each winding of a transformer. Each switching arm comprising two electrical power components such as transistors. In the event of a failure of at least one of the electric power components of the switching arm, the electric currents flowing in said switching arm can quickly damage the non-failing components and damage the electrical network and in particular discharge the battery.
• the present invention aims to make it possible to avoid the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a means of detecting a failure of the switching arm which is effective and easy to implement.
• the present invention therefore relates to a voltage converter intended to be electrically connected to an electrical network, the voltage converter comprising at least one switching arm comprising a ground terminal intended to be electrically connected to an electrical ground of the electrical network, a power supply terminal intended to be electrically connected to a positive terminal of the electrical network, a first and a second power component each operating as a switch arranged to switch between a blocked state and a state passing, the power components being arranged in series with respect to each other between the ground terminal and the power supply terminal, a phase terminal arranged between the first power component and the second power component and being intended to be electrically connected to an electrical winding.
• the voltage converter further comprises a switching arm protection device configured to detect a failure mode in which the first and the second power component are in the on state, the protection device comprising a measurement module arranged to emit an offset voltage from a measurement voltage of the switching arm and of a reference voltage and a detection module arranged to emit an integral signal corresponding to the integral of the offset voltage.
• On state means the fact that the power component allows an electric current to flow, unlike “off state” where the current does not flow through said component. This can be a state in which the power component is functional and is commanded by a voltage converter control module to be active or a state in which the power component has a fault.
• the invention makes it possible to detect a failure of one of the power components in an efficient, rapid, reliable, compact and inexpensive.
• the protection device is arranged to detect a situation in which one of the power components is in an on state due to a failure and the other component is in an on state due to its operation.
• the measurement voltage of the switch arm is measured at the level of the ground terminal or at the level of the supply terminal of the switch arm. This makes it possible to detect a failure at the level of the switching arm and no longer at the level of the power component itself. This reduces the size of the protective device.
• the measurement voltage is measured at the terminals of an electrical component or measured at a point of an electrical trace. This simplifies the voltage measurement.
• the reference voltage corresponds to a signal of the same nature, and in particular cleaner, than the measurement voltage.
• the reference voltage is a ground voltage measured at a place other than the measurement voltage.
• the reference voltage is a power supply voltage measured at a place other than the measurement voltage.
• the reference voltage is measured at the level of a positive input/output terminal of the voltage converter or of a ground terminal of the voltage converter.
• the reference voltage is a voltage measured outside a switching zone.
• the switching zone is formed by a power module carrying the switching arm and/or by a capacitor module carrying at least one filtering capacitor. This allows to have a cleaner signal without parasitic component.
• the measurement module comprises a resistor and an inductor arranged in series. This makes it easy to determine the offset voltage.
• the measurement module comprises a loop inductor, the offset voltage being the voltage across said loop inductor.
• the integral signal corresponds to the variation of the current crossing the loop inductor, i.e. the integral signal is the image of the integral of the voltage across the divided loop inductor by the value of the inductance.
• the measurement module comprises a filtering capacity.
• the detection module comprises a capacitor arranged between a ground potential and an output terminal of the detection module, a first resistor arranged between an input terminal of the detection module and said output terminal and a second resistor arranged between a ground potential and the output terminal of the detection module.
• the association between the capacitance and the two resistors makes it possible to determine the slope of the integral signal of the offset voltage.
• the two resistors make it possible to determine an offset of the integral signal to prevent said signal from reaching a negative value which could damage the comparison module.
• the detection module further comprises a Zener diode arranged between the input terminal and the first resistor. This improves the accuracy of the integral signal.
• the detection module further comprises a third resistor arranged between the capacitor and the first resistor and the second resistance. This makes it possible to give a delay to the integral signal which makes it possible to avoid false detections by the comparison module.
• the detection module further comprises a protection diode arranged between the first resistor and the input terminal.
• the protection device further comprises a comparison module arranged to emit a comparison signal making it possible to determine whether the integral signal is greater than a threshold value. For example, the compare signal is active when the integral signal is greater than the threshold value.
• the comparison module comprises a comparator.
• the protection device further comprises a storage module arranged to emit an error signal when the failure mode is detected.
• the first and the second power component are transistors in particular of the MOSFET type (acronym for "Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor” which translates to field effect transistor) metal-oxide-semiconductor structure ).
• MOSFET Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor
• the switching arm comprises a filter capacitor electrically connected between the power supply terminal and the ground terminal.
• the present invention also relates to a rotating electrical machine comprising a voltage converter as described above.
• the rotating electrical machine can advantageously form an alternator, an alternator-starter, a reversible machine or an electric motor.
• the rotary electrical machine comprises a stator comprising an electrical winding forming several phases, each phase being electrically connected to a switching arm via the phase terminal.
• the voltage converter can also form a DC-DC (Direct Current/Direct Current) voltage converter, called a DC-DC voltage converter.
• the present invention also relates to a method for protecting a switching arm of a voltage converter as described above intended to be electrically connected to an electrical network, the switching arm comprising: a ground terminal intended to be electrically connected to an electrical ground of the electrical network, a supply terminal intended to be electrically connected to a positive terminal of the electrical network, a first and a second operating power component, each, as a switch arranged to switch between an off state and an on state, the power components being arranged in series with respect to each other between the ground terminal and the power supply terminal, a phase terminal arranged between the first power component and the second power component and being intended to be electrically connected to an electrical winding.
• the detection method is arranged to detect, via a protection device, a failure mode in which the first and the second power component are in the on state, said method comprising a step of determining an offset voltage from a measurement voltage of the switching arm and a reference voltage and a detection stage arranged to emit an integral signal corresponding to the integral of the offset voltage.
• FIG. 1 represents, schematically and partially, a rotating electrical machine comprising a voltage converter connected to an electrical network according to an exemplary implementation of the invention.
• the [Fig. 2] partially represents a mechatronic plan showing a switching arm and a first example of a protection device according to an implementation of the invention.
• FIG. 3 represents, schematically and partially, a top view of the voltage converter of FIG.
• the [Fig. 4] represents, schematically and partially, part of a second example of a protection device according to another implementation of the invention.
• the [Fig. 5] illustrates several curves representing an example of an integral signal and a comparison signal.
• FIG. 6 represents, schematically and partially, a flowchart of a method for protecting a switching arm of a voltage converter according to an exemplary implementation of the invention.
• FIG. 1 represents an example of a polyphase rotating electrical machine 10, in particular for a vehicle such as a motor vehicle or a drone, connected to an electrical network comprising in particular a battery 11 .
• the machine is connected to the battery via a positive terminal B+ and a ground terminal GND.
• This machine 10 transforms mechanical energy into electrical energy and therefore supplies the electrical network via terminal B+ with direct current, in alternator mode, and can operate in motor mode to transform electrical energy into mechanical energy while being powered by the electrical network via said B+ terminal.
• This rotating electrical machine 10 is, for example, an alternator, an alternator-starter, a reversible machine or an electric motor.
• the machine can be of the synchronous or asynchronous type.
• the machine 10 comprises a box on which is mounted a voltage converter 15.
• the voltage converter can be remote from the machine or mounted inside the box.
• the machine 10 comprises a rotor 12 fixed in rotation to a shaft and a stator 13.
• the rotor 12 can for example be a claw rotor comprising two pole wheels and an electric coil or be made up of a stack of laminations housing permanent magnets or even a squirrel-cage rotor.
• the stator 13 may comprise a body on which is mounted a winding electric.
• the winding is formed of one or more phases, also called electrical winding, comprising at least one electrical conductor.
• the winding can be of the corrugated or concentric type and can be formed by one or more electric wires or by a plurality of conductive segments in the form of a bar or a pin.
• the electric winding comprises three electric phases 14.
• the electric winding could comprise another number of electric phases such as five or six electric phases. Each phase has one end forming a phase output which is electrically connected to the voltage converter 15.
• the rotating electrical machine 10 is electrically interfaced via the voltage converter 15 to the electrical network via the B+ terminal.
• the voltage converter 15 comprises at least one switching arm 16 for each phase 14. In the example illustrated in Figure 1, the voltage converter 15 comprises three switching arms 16.
• Each switching arm 16 comprises a ground terminal 17 electrically connected to the electrical ground terminal GND of the electrical network, a supply terminal 18 electrically connected to a positive terminal B+ of the electrical network, a first and a second component power Q1, Q2, a phase terminal 19 arranged between the first power component Q1 and the second power component Q2 and electrically connected to an electrical phase 14.
• the first power component Q1 is arranged between the supply terminal 18 and the phase terminal 19 and the second power component Q2 is arranged between the ground terminal 17 and said phase terminal 19.
• Each power component functions as a switch arranged to switch between an off state and an on state. In the off state, the switch is open and electrical current does not flow through the component. In the on state, the switch is closed and electric current flows through the component.
• the on state can correspond to a deliberately on state when the component is driven or an involuntarily on state when a failure of the component leads to a short-circuit of said component.
• Each power component Q1, Q2 can comprise a control terminal 20 connected to a control module 21 of the power component and making it possible to control said component between the state passing and off state.
• each power component Q1, Q2 is a transistor, in particular of the MOSFET type.
• the voltage converter 15 comprises a protection device 22 of the switching arm 16, shown in Figure 2.
• the protection device detects a failure mode in which the first and the second power component Q1, Q2 of the same switching arm 16 are both at the same time in the on state.
• FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a protection device 22 associated with a switching arm 16. Only a part comprising the power component Q2 of the arm is shown in FIG. 2.
• the protection device 22 comprises a module measurement 23.
• the measurement module 23 makes it possible to determine an offset voltage which will be transmitted at the input of a detection module 24 of the protection device 22.
• the offset voltage corresponds to the image of the derivative of the current at the point of the switch arm.
• the offset voltage is determined by calculating a difference between a measurement voltage of switching arm 16 and a reference voltage of voltage converter 15. The difference is for example calculated by calculating the difference between said two voltages.
• the measurement module 23 comprises a resistor R1 and an inductor L1 arranged in series making it possible to determine said deviation.
• the switch arm measurement voltage is measured at the ground terminal 17 of the switch arm 16.
• a loop inductor R2 can be arranged at the level of the ground terminal 17, and in particular between the second power component Q2 and the ground terminal 17, the offset voltage can then be measured between the terminals of the inductance R2.
• the offset voltage can be measured by any other means or taken directly from a point on an electrical trace forming the ground terminal 17 of the switching arm 16.
• the reference voltage corresponds to the voltage of the ground terminal GND of the voltage converter 15. It is therefore a voltage of the same nature as that of the voltage measurement, here a ground voltage.
• the reference voltage is preferably taken so as to have a cleaner signal than that of the measurement voltage.
• the reference voltage can be measured outside a switching zone formed by the switching arm.
• the voltage converter 15 comprises several power modules 8 each comprising at least one switching arm 16.
• the voltage converter can also comprise several filter capacitors 9 which can may or may not be associated with a power module 8.
• the filtering capacitors may also form part of the switching zone.
• each switching arm 16 comprises a filter capacitor 9 connected between the power supply terminal 18 and the ground terminal 17.
• the filter capacitor 9 is connected in parallel with the power components Q1, Q2.
• the voltage converter comprises a capacitor module formed of several filter capacitors 9 arranged independently of the power modules 8.
• the measurement voltage of the switch arm can be measured at the level of the supply terminal 18 of the switch arm 16 and the reference voltage can be measured at the level of the positive terminal B+ of the voltage converter 15.
• the measurement module 23 can then determine an offset voltage corresponding to the difference between said two voltages of the supply terminal and of the positive terminal in the same way as described above.
• the measurement module 23 may also include a filter capacitor C1, visible in Figure 2, to smooth the offset voltage.
• the protection device 22 further comprises a detection module 24 receiving the offset voltage from the measurement module 23 as input.
• the detection module 24 is used to shape the offset voltage to output said modulus 24 an integral signal.
• the integral signal therefore corresponds to the integral of the offset voltage to which a O offset or voltage offset.
• the loop inductor R2 is formed of a resistor and an inductor L.
• the voltage across the terminals of the loop inductor R2 is equal to the value of the inductor L multiplied by the derivative current.
• the integral signal corresponds to the variation of the current crossing the loop inductor R2, i.e. the integral signal is the image of the integral of the voltage across the terminals of the loop inductor R2 divided by the value of the inductance L.
• the detection module 24 comprises a capacitor C2 arranged between a ground potential and an output terminal 25 of the detection module, a first resistor R3 arranged between an input terminal 26 of the detection module and said output terminal 25 and a second resistor R4 arranged between a ground potential and the output terminal 25.
• Capacitor C2 and resistor R4 are arranged in parallel to each other.
• the combination of the capacitance and the resistances makes it possible to define the slope of the curve I, illustrated in figure 5, representing the integral of the offset voltage.
• the combination of resistors also makes it possible to apply a voltage shift O to said I curve to prevent the value of the integral from reaching a negative voltage value.
• the detection module 24 may include a protection diode D1 arranged between the first resistor R3 and the input terminal 26. The diode prevents the electric current from flowing from the detection module to the measurement module. 23.
• FIG 4 illustrates another embodiment of the detection module 24.
• the detection module 24 may include a diode D2, in particular of the Zener diode type, arranged between the input terminal 26 and the first resistor R3.
• diode D2 is arranged between diode D1 and first resistor R3.
• the Zener type diode makes it possible to filter the offset voltage received before it is shaped into an integral signal, which makes it possible to have a more precise integral signal.
• the detection module 24 may also include a third resistor R5, visible in Figure 4, arranged between the capacitor C1 and the first resistor R3 and the second resistor R4.
• the resistor makes it possible to slow down the slope of the integral to avoid false detection of the failure mode and can be associated with the first mode or the second embodiment of said detection module 24.
• FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the detection module in which said module 24 comprises a filter capacitor C3.
• the measurement module does not include a capacitor C1.
• the protection device 22 may include a comparison module 27.
• the comparison module 27 receives the integral signal from the detection module 24 as input and outputs a comparison signal.
• the comparison module 27 comprises a comparator making it possible to compare the integral signal with a threshold signal to determine the comparison signal.
• the comparison module 27 includes a comparator 28 in the form of an operational amplifier.
• the comparator 28 receives at one of its inputs the integral signal and at the other of its inputs the threshold signal.
• the threshold signal is for example a constant threshold voltage.
• the threshold voltage is for example determined from a voltage V to which is applied a voltage divider bridge formed in particular by two resistors R6, R7.
• the comparison module 27 includes a comparator 29 in the form of a TL431 type voltage regulator.
• the threshold signal is then an internal value of the comparator 29.
• the comparison signal When the integral signal is greater than the threshold value, then the comparison signal is active and when the integral signal is less than said threshold value, then the comparison signal is inactive.
• the comparison signal takes for example the form of a square wave signal whose voltage is equal to OV when the signal is inactive and whose voltage is equal to a certain voltage value different from OV when the signal is active.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a graph comprising several curves and whose ordinate axis is the voltage U and the abscissa axis is the time t.
• Curve I corresponds to the integral signal
• curve S corresponds to the threshold signal
• curve E corresponds to the comparison signal.
• curve E is active when curve I crosses and exceeds curve S.
• the protection device 22 may also comprise a storage module 30 receiving the comparison signal and emitting an error signal in the event of detection of the failure mode, that is to say when the comparison signal is asset.
• the storage module 30 is independent of the comparison module 27.
• the storage module 30 and the comparison module 27 form one and the same module.
• the comparison module and the storage module can be done in different ways and can be done via a voltage converter control module or even be done at the vehicle computer.
• the protection device 22 makes it possible to carry out a method 50 of protecting a switching arm 16 making it possible to detect a failure mode in which the first and the second power component Q1, Q2 are in the passing state.
• the method 50 comprises a step 51 for determining the offset voltage and a detection step 52 arranged to emit the integral signal.
• the method 50 may also include a comparison step 53 to emit the comparison signal and a warning step 54 to emit the error signal.
• the machine 10 preferably comprises a protection device 22 for each of its switching arms 16.
• the protection devices may be identical or have variants according to the embodiments described above.
• the present invention finds applications in particular in the field of voltage converters for alternators or reversible machines or electric motors, but it could also be applied to any type of rotating machine. Alternatively, the present invention finds applications in DC-DC voltage converters.
• the phase terminal is then electrically connected to a winding of a transformer

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Measurement Of Current Or Voltage (AREA)
• Inverter Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=76375239

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• 2021
  • 2021-04-23 FR FR2104260A patent/FR3122295A1/fr active Pending
• 2022
  • 2022-04-22 EP EP22724702.0A patent/EP4327444A1/de active Pending
  • 2022-04-22 CN CN202280030022.5A patent/CN117178466A/zh active Pending
  • 2022-04-22 WO PCT/EP2022/060651 patent/WO2022223756A1/fr active Application Filing

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