WO2003009652A1

WO2003009652A1 - Multiload ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring

Info

Publication number: WO2003009652A1
Application number: PCT/ES2001/000280
Authority: WO
Inventors: Felipe Carlos Alayeto Tellez
Original assignee: Sunshower España, S.L.
Priority date: 2001-07-13
Filing date: 2001-07-13
Publication date: 2003-01-30

Abstract

The invention relates to a multiload ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring comprising an AC/DC converter (3), a DC/DC converter (4), a capacitive module (5) and a high-frequency DC/AC converter (6), controlled by a frequency modulator (16). The multiload ballast (1) is connected to an alternating-voltage single-phase network with a standard frequency of 50-60 Hz (8) by means of a harmonic filter (7) and to the load (2) which can comprise ultraviolet lamps (13, 14 and 15) having different powers. In this way, the connections between the electronic ballast equipment and the lamps are greatly simplified by means of the coil - L-C capacitor stages.

Description

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WITH STMPLTFTΓADO WIRING

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present specification refers to an application for a Patent of Invention, relating to a multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring with simplified wiring, whose obvious purpose is to achieve its application and operation in parallel with a certain number of lamps of any type, that is, a single multi-load ballast may be working at any given time, for example with several lamps of 60, 80, 100, 140, 160 and 200 watts simultaneously, or with any other lamp of different power, performing its performance not only by maintaining , but substantially improving the advantages of the use of high frequency electronic methods, devices and electronic devices incorporated in the lamps, such as ultraviolet (UV) fluorescent fluorescents, using wiring that provides extreme simplification to the connections between the electronic ballast equipment and the lamps through the coil - condenser stages.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention has its application within the industry dedicated to the manufacture of electronic ballasts, and can also be manufactured by the industry dedicated to the manufacture of devices, devices and auxiliary elements for lighting and UN radiation lamps, as well as other radiation equipment Electromagnetic and by the electromedicine industry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The applicant is aware of the existence at present of a plurality of electronic ballasts for one or two fluorescent lighting lamps, the applicant having no knowledge of the existence in the market of ballasts for a large number of lamps, and much less of ballasts that allow to handle at the same time lamps of different type and different powers.

The applicant is also aware of the existence of several patents applied for in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and as a European Patent mentioned below, of which there is no knowledge of their commercial application. On a large scale, in some cases due to a substantial complexity, lack of practical utility, low level of reliability of the whole or unfeasible price.

The recovered patents are as follows. Namely:

US 5021717.- Operating system for multiple fluorescent lamps. This system has no application in fluorescent lamps, proposing two inverters, one for preheating and low power, and another for high power supply, with a delay of 1 second between the connection of both, the high frequency system being 30 Khz. and 120N.

The connection is made with two groups of two-wire conductors, one for preheating and the other for supply. The connection to the tube bus is made in pairs of tubes, using a LC series resonant circuit for each pair.

The patent describes a very complex preheating system and of doubtful practical realization.

US 4888525 and US 4888526.- Sun tanning apparatus having electronic operating system & Operating system for sun tanning apparatus, in which Νilssen, likewise holder of the aforementioned Patent, uses the system of the mentioned Patent, for a system of application to the lamp, connecting in parallel a number of tubes in pairs to a double power bus. The preheating system as well as the permanent operation system does not allow the use of lamps of different powers simultaneously.

The system converts 60 hz. and the input voltage at 350 N (specifically in US Patent 4888526) and 120N (in US Patent 4888525) of high frequency (30 Khz.) of sinusoidal alternation. The current limitation is imposed by a transformer for each pair of tubes, and is independent of the number of pairs of tubes. It has the disadvantage of creating a line current distortion, since it does not have a power factor corrector.

US 4896078.- Distributed ballasting system for sun tanning apparatus, in which Nilssen again presents an invention similar to those mentioned above, with industrial application to tanning.

By EP 0618753 A2.- Electronic ballast for transilluminators and crosslinkers, its holder Kovalsky describes a low-power ballast for small tubes, equipped with a single self-oscillating inverter with coupling to the transformer load, being high frequency but not having control of it, and its lamps are 16. The total system power does not exceed 90 w.

Invention Patent GB 2180418 whose statement is "Fluorescent lamp supply circuit", its applicant Macfarlane describes an apparatus capable of governing several tubes, based on the use of an inverter for each pair of tubes, in order to control the current of each tube for voltage and current protections. The system consists of the addition of a plurality of low power systems which increases complexity j decreases reliability and forces the use of lamps of equal power.

The main converter (AC 50 Hz to DC), can feed a certain amount of these inverters depending on the power it has. The inverters operate in the range of 20-80 Khz., The device does not have a harmonic filter for high power concentrations. So the system introduces a high line current distortion, with a high crest factor, which does not make the system suitable for medium or high powers.

The applicant as stated above also knows the existence of an Invention Patent applied for in the United Kingdom with the GB number

2261332 A, whose statement is "Driving circuits for discharge devices", in which its applicant Greenwood describes how to connect UNA lamps via two conductors, so that if they have "N" lamps, N + l conductors are needed.

The invention contemplates the possibility of switching capacitors of the resonant stages LC, in order to have two different frequencies as far as resonance is concerned.

The invention also has two working frequencies, a first one for preheating (1-80 Khz.), And a second one of 17 Khz. for normal supply. To date, in all connection developments to link a ballast to a load of N lamps, it was necessary to use a minimum N + l number, since the capacitor associated with each lamp had to reach both cathodes.

This wiring system becomes enormously complex as the number of fluorescent lamps grows; and obliges the use of cumbersome and complicated marking and numbering systems in all wires to achieve a correct connection.

The switching of capacitors for frequency variation is a method of poor reliability that causes sudden jumps that result in overvoltages that shorten the life of the lamp.

According to the aforementioned, it is found that none of the Invention Patents recovered, cited above, have the quality of having the correction of the power factor, as well as frequency control by several steps, nor any of the Patents cited It contemplates different types of lamps and a high quantity of them for the same equipment that simultaneously controls them centrally.

The obvious solution to the current problem in this area, and in particular for the use of a multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring, would be to have an invention that contemplates the possibility of having deficiencies in referenced inventions. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring that the invention proposes, constitutes in itself an obvious novelty within its specific field of application, since according to its characteristics, it is possible to have an invention that is configured as an electronic ballast of high power, is able to turn on and control a number of groups of lamps of different types and powers simultaneously, for which it has a control mode that allows the soft lighting of each and every lamp, regardless of the power they present.

More specifically, the multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring object of the invention, is constituted from a main equipment or multi-load ballast itself, which is responsible for generating and supplying the high frequency voltages; of a couple LC (coil - condenser), by lamp, close to each lamp (allowing a substantial simplification of the connection) and a high frequency bus that connects them, so that both, ie the main equipment and the load can Be placed a great distance.

The main team consists of the following elements. Namely:

- A varistor and an EMI filter of input current harmonics, which allows electromagnetic compatibility.

- A medium power AC / DC converter. - A power factor corrector that forms a sinusoidal current and that raises the internal bus voltage from continuous to 400v.

- A capacitive group of energy storage that in turn generates a continuous voltage that can vary from 120 to 385 volts.

- A DC / AC inverter group of high power and variable frequency that is adequately controlled in stages, in order to achieve the correct ignition, as well as the correct operation of all lamps.

- A pair of remote inductance-capacitor for each lamp that is connected to the system, taking into account that the characteristics, as well as the value of the inductance will be sized for each type of lamp, while that the capacitor characteristics of each lamp are the same and independent of the type of lamp.

The power delivered to the lamp is controlled by varying the frequency; at more frequency less power delivered to each of the lamps.

Each type of lamp has two well-defined working modes, being a first preheating mode, in which the cathodes are heated so that an ignition without overvoltages is achieved, minimizing the loss of cathode emitting capacity that normally occurs in the start-up, a high frequency corresponding to this work mode, while in the second work mode, a lower frequency is observed, not less than 30khz, and in which the lamp operates at its nominal power.

The remote inductances associated with each lamp are designed so that each and every one of the lamps, regardless of the power they have, work at their nominal value at the same working frequency.

The frequencies that allow a correct preheating of each type of tube are greater than the lamp's more power, that is, the preheating frequency of a 160-watt lamp is greater than the preheating frequency of a 100-watt lamp.

In accordance with the above, the frequency control mode is as follows. Namely:

First of all, the entire load is subjected to the preheating frequency of lamps that have the highest frequency (fi) of the order of 100 kilohertz, therefore, it will be the most powerful lamps that will light up with a soft start , while the remaining lamps will remain off.

At the moment you, it is changed to the next preheating frequency, this being the one of the types of lamps of greater power that remain off (f ₂ ).

At this time the lamps of greater power were already lit, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, lighting up after the change to the next preheating frequency, the lamps of the lower power closest to the power of the first lit lamps, remaining the rest of the lamps off, that is to say all the lamps of lower power.

At the moment t ₂ a second change occurs, the control shifts the oscillation frequency of the inverter in the same way to the immediately lower preheating frequency (f ₃ ).

Subsequently, the frequency will change in order from highest to lowest, that is to say that all types of lamps will go on in a smooth way, starting with the most powerful lamps, in order to end with the lowest power lamps.

As the frequency decreases gradually, the lamp that is on increases its power consumption, until it reaches the working point (fwork) somewhat higher than 30 kilohertz, where the frequency is stabilized. All lamps will then be running at their nominal power activated by the multi-load ballast.

Consequently, by using the multi-load ballast, it is possible for a single team to simultaneously work with lamps of different powers and types, making it clear that a very particular mode of operation is achieved when all lamps are of the same type. In this case there are only two frequency hops.

The electronic ballast object of the invention, due to its power distribution system remotely with a multi-conductor high frequency bus and with the L-C stage system, considerably simplifies its connection with the lamps.

With the electronic ballast object of the invention it has been possible to administer a power of 2,560 watts with an efficiency greater than 95% and this reducing by a factor of twenty the volume of the previous equipment. On the other hand, part of the object of the invention is to short-circuit the cathodes that are not connected to the coil, so that the N + 1 wires required for wiring are reduced to 1. Due to the enormous simplification that is proposed, it is more advantageous the more connected lamps are

As an example, there are machines on the market today with more than

30 tubes in its upper part, which due to their weight must place their reactances at the base of the bed. This implies the passage of at least 60 (sixty) cables from the base to the top, in the current state of the art and with this development this could be reduced to 4 (four) cables in total.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, this descriptive report is attached, as an integral part thereof, a set of drawings in which for illustrative purposes and not limiting, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a block diagram corresponding to the constituent assembly of the invention, configured as a multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring.

Figure 2.- Diagrammatically shows the fluorescent charge of the lamps, composed of several LC resonant stages, and their connection to the ultraviolet lamps.

Figure 3.- Shows the evolution of the frequency over time, representing n frequency hops to indicate the different n types of tubes connected in the load.

Figure 4.- Shows alternative wiring variants.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Following the figure number 1, it can be seen how the multi-load ballast (1) for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring, is connected to a single-phase alternating voltage network of standard frequency 50 - 60 Hz. (8), through a filter harmonics (7) and connecting to the load (2), specifically to the fluorescent load of ultraviolet lamps, remotely with a high frequency bus (9), consisting of two or three wires.

Specifically, the multi-load electronic ballast (1) is composed of an alternating / continuous converter (3), a continuous / continuous converter (4), which functions as a corrector of the power factor with high frequency modulation, as well as of a capacitive group (5) and a high frequency continuous / alternating converter (6), which is controlled with a frequency modulator (16).

The fluorescent charge of lamps (2), is represented in figure number 2, and is composed of several resonant stages LC (10), (11) and (12), through which ultraviolet lamps (13) are connected ), (14) and (15) respectively.

In figure number 3, the evolution of the frequency with time has been represented, representing "n" frequency hops to indicate the different "n" types of tubes, connected in the fluorescent load of ultraviolet lamps (2), being consequently necessary "n + l" frequency hops.

An example of practical implementation of the multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring would be for 2560 watts, which would allow it to be applied, for example, to 25 tubes of 100 W, or 16 tubes of 160 W, with a reduced size and costs semiconductor optimum, because these are very commercially extended to the aforementioned powers.

The equipment is connectable in a universal single-phase voltage network (8) (88-

264N AC), and frequency (50-60 Hz.). Following the figure number 1, an EMI / RFI filter (7) is observed, which consists of two LC stages in common mode of configuration in PI (CLC) and one stage in differential mode composed of a low pass filter (LC), and the combination of both filters eliminates harmonics produced by the static converters of the equipment, that is to say by the DC / DC power factor corrector (4), and by the DC / AC converters (6).

An AC / DC converter (3) that can be any medium power bridge rectifier. A DC / DC converter (4), which is a power factor corrector with high frequency control, which operates by medium current control, and the topology used is the "boost chopper" or continuous / continuous elevator converter.

This continuous / continuous elevator converter performs the function of correcting the waveform of the line intensity, leaving it sinusoidal, and raises the voltage of the internal DC bus, for example from 31 IV to 400V. The power factor of the line current obtained by this procedure is 0.99, improving the crest factor to the optimum limit.

As stated above, the invention presents a capacitive energy storage assembly (5), which is composed of 2 groups of capacitors, connected in series as a capacitive divider to obtain a voltage of 200N.

Finally, following figure number 1, the multi-load ballast presents a group of high power oscillators (6), which will be formed by a number Ν of inverters, in this case two, which will be governed simultaneously with the same loop of control, and each inverter will supply a load of 1280 W, so the semiconductors will be reduced and economical.

The oscillator control system will be carried out with a controller

P M (pulse width modulation) commercial, working with the frequency stages described in figure number 3, in which you must take into account that the figures located in the lower area and horizontally correspond to a time of action of the invention.

On the outside of the multi-load ballast (1) or main equipment, there are the LC series-parallel resonant stages referenced with (10), (11) and (12), associated with the tubes or lamps (13), (14) and (15), allowing this feature a substantially simplified connection, since according to the power of each lamp, this will be the value of the associated series inductance, but always calculated so that at the same final working frequency, all the tubes operate at their nominal power.

The multi-load ballast or main equipment (1) is connected remotely to the load by means of the high frequency bus (9), which is composed of several conductors, one common and the other high frequency, one for each inverter.

The load (2), as shown in figure number 2, can be composed of a certain number of lamps of one type of power, for example 80W (13), plus a certain number of others of different power, for example 100 W (14), and more for different groups of different types of lamps (15).

That is, the multi-load electronic ballast (1) can work with a variable number of tubes (13), (14) and (15), as well as with tubes of different power simultaneously, taking into account that if the sum of the power of all the connected tubes (13), (14) and (15), must always be less than the maximum power dimensioned in the main equipment (1), in this case of 2560 watts, obtaining from this characteristic the fact that the Multi-load electronic ballast, be configured as a very versatile application invention, which can be applied in multiple practices not currently contemplated for this type of elements.

The new wiring derives from short-circuiting the cathodes that are not connected to the coil. When making this modification the electrical repercussions are minimal. The overvoltage in the tube is the same as in the wiring used today, since the voltage between the two terminals of the same cathode is very small. In this scheme it is only a common cable to all lamps that is used in a reduced way, leaving a terminal of the cathode unconnected to simplify it even more.

The output card, which contains the coils and capacitors of each tube, would evolve as it originally was to a simpler appearance and with fewer connections. The wiring, therefore, that previously needed N + l wires, now uses only one. It should be remembered that the wiring mentioned here can have multiple variants, having used the one that has a better performance-saving wiring ratio. Figure 4 shows some variations in the way the lamps are connected to the electronic ballast.

These different new ways of posing the wiring present several drawbacks. Some only increase the number of wires and connections without providing hardly any functional advantages, for example the wiring of Figure N ° 4- A. Others, such as the proposals of Figures N ° 4-B and C, simplify and further reduce the wiring but would have strong resonance peaks if the lamp did not start well because it was broken or simply because it was not connected.

It is not considered necessary to make this description more extensive so that any person skilled in the art understands the scope of the invention and the advantages derived therefrom.

The materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements will be subject to variation, provided that this does not imply an alteration to the essentiality of the invention.

The terms in which this report has been described should always be taken broadly and not limitatively.

Claims

RFTVTNDT Γ AC Í ONFS

1.- Multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring, characterized by being constituted from an alternating / continuous converter (3), a continuous / continuous converter (4), which acts as a corrector of the power factor with high modulation frequency, a capacitive group (5) and a high frequency continuous / alternating converter (6), controlled with a frequency modulator (16), presenting the fluorescent load of ultraviolet lamps (2) a composition of several LC resonant stages ( 10), (11) and (12), through which the ultraviolet lamps of different powers (13), (14) and (15) are connected, connecting the multi-charge electronic ballast (1) to a single-phase voltage network 50-60 Hz standard frequency alternating. (8) through a harmonic filter (7), and connecting to the load (2) remotely with a high frequency bus (9) formed by several conducting wires, being one of them common and the or tros of high frequency, one for each inverter, generating the electronic multi-load ballast (1), starting and supplying energy simultaneously to a large number of lamps (13), (14) and (15), preferably ultraviolet radiation (2 ), composed of lamps of different nominal powers (13), (14) and (15), operating these in nominal conditions, and allowing a smooth ignition of all lamps without overvoltages, using the frequency modulator (16), being liable to be connected in a universal network of alternating or continuous single-phase voltage.

2. Multi-charge ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring, according to the first claim, characterized in that it develops a stage control mode (16), gently lighting all the lamps without overvoltages, producing the ignition of the lamps in the direction of higher to lower power whatever its number at each stage.

3. Multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the frequency modulator (16) turns on the lamps (13), (14) and (15) without overvoltage in a staggered manner, as a consequence of a preheating by variable frequency, from higher to lower power.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

4. Multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring, according to the first claim, characterized in that the harmonic filter (7) is configured as an EMI / RFI filter, composed of two LC stages in common mode of configuration in PI (CLC) ) and a stage in differential mode composed of a low pass filter (LC), eliminating the harmonics produced by the DC / DC power factor corrector (4), and by the DC / AC converters (6).

5. Multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring, according to the first claim, characterized in that the DC / DC converter (4) is a power factor corrector with high frequency control, which operates by medium current control, performing the function of correcting the waveform of the line intensity, leaving it sinusoidal, and raising the bus voltage until a power factor of 0.99 is obtained.

6. Multi-load ballast for electromagnetic radiation with simplified wiring, according to the first claim, characterized in that the high-frequency continuous-alternating converter (6), configured as a group of high-power oscillators, is formed by a number N of governed inverters simultaneously with the same control loop, each of the inverters handling a load equal to the total load (2) divided by the number N of inverters, the oscillators being controlled by a PWM controller (pulse width modulation).

7.- Simplified cabling, applicable to the multi-load electronic ballast object of the present report, as well as for any electronic equipment intended for electromagnetic radiation and specifically those intended for lighting and UV radiation lamps, capable of supporting two or more lamps, characterized in that , this simplification of the wiring lies in short-circuiting the cathodes of the lamps (13, 14, 15), connecting with each other and next to the lamps opposite to the inductances, inside the LC card (10, 11, 12), the terminals of the capacitors that are not attached to the lamps.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)