A system and a control method for generating multiple independent alternating current (AC) voltages from a direct current (DC) voltage source in a single-inductor multiple-output (SIMO) inverter are disclosed. The system comprising: a DC voltage source (101) for providing electrical energy; a front-stage DC-DC power converter (105) comprising exactly one inductor as an energy storage element for power conversion and a main switching element; a plurality of selectable output branches (106), wherein each output branch comprises an output selection switch (107), a resonant tank (110), and a transmitter coil (109), wherein the resonant tank converts output power of the DC-DC power converter into AC power for feeding the transmitter coil; and a controller (104) for determining ON/OFF states of the main switching element and the output selection switch of each of the output branches. The system and the method can provide simple, compact, scalable, and low-cost solutions by employing only a single inductor to drive multiple independent transmitting coils.

Power converter circuitry includes a direct current (DC) input comprising a first DC input node and a second DC input node, an alternating current (AC) output comprising a first AC output node coupled to the first DC input node and a second AC output node, a first boost switch coupled between the second DC input node and a boost intermediate node, a second boost switch coupled between the boost intermediate node and a common node, a boost inductor coupled between the boost intermediate node and the first DC input node, a link capacitor coupled between the second DC input node and the common node, a first half-bridge switch coupled between the second DC input node and a half-bridge intermediate node, a second half-bridge switch coupled between the half-bridge intermediate node and the common node, and a half-bridge inductor coupled between the half-bridge intermediate node and the second AC output node.

A voltage command estimator is configured to estimate a minimum required variable DC bus voltage based on the first direct-axis current/voltage command, the first quadrature-axis current/voltage command, the second direct-axis current/voltage command, and the second quadrature-axis current/voltage command for a respective time interval. The voltage command estimator is configured to provide the estimated minimum required variable DC bus voltage to a voltage regulator to adjust the observed voltage level of the variable DC voltage bus to the estimated minimum required variable DC bus voltage to maintain the operation, as commanded by the voltage/current commands, of the first electric machine under the first variable load and the second electric machine under the second variable load at the time interval.

A multi-output power supply device includes an inductor, a first output terminal, a second output terminal, an FET, an FET, a chopper circuit, and a controller. The FET adjusts a current output from the inductor to the first output terminal. The FET adjusts a current output from the inductor to the second output terminal. The chopper circuit has the FET and the inductor. The FET is connected in parallel with the FET, and conducts or cuts off a current. The inductor is provided between the FET and the second output terminal. For example, the controller lowers a potential from the first output terminal by turning on the FET and sets a potential difference between a drain terminal and a source terminal of the FET to zero to suppress a switching loss when the FET is turned on.

A cascaded architecture composed of interconnected blocks that are each designed to process constant power and eliminate bulk energy storage are provided. Further, local controls within each block natively achieve both block- and system-level aims, making the system modular and scalable. Further methods of providing power conversion using such interconnected clocks are also provided.

A universal power converter of the present application may include a link stage between an input stage and an output stage that operates at a higher frequency than the frequency of the input power source. As a result, a more compact capacitor may be used, thus reducing the size of the power converter. In some embodiments, the link stage may be a partially resonant link that permits zero current switching (ZCS). ZCS operation may reduce switching losses during operation. Universal power converters of the present application utilizing ZCS may be implemented using naturally commutated switches, such as silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs), instead of transistor switches. Such power converters utilizing SCRs may be more reliable than power converters utilizing transistor switches. Additionally, control circuitry required to operate such power converters may be simplified. Accordingly, a more compact, efficient, and reliable universal power converter may be achieved.

A single-stage multi-input forward DC-DC chopper type high-frequency link's inverter with series simultaneous power supply includes a multi-input single-output combined isolated bidirectional forward DC-DC chopper, a plurality of input filters connected to non-common ground and a common output filter circuit. The plurality of input filters and the output filter circuit are connected by the multi-input single-output combined isolated bidirectional forward DC-DC chopper. Each input end of the multi-input single-output combined isolated bidirectional forward DC-DC chopper is connected to output ends of each input filter in a one-to-one correspondence. The output ends of the multi-input single-output combined isolated bidirectional forward DC-DC chopper are connected to the output filter circuit. The inverter has multiple input sources connected to non-common ground, the power is supplied in a time-sharing or simultaneous manner, a high-frequency electrical isolation is performed between the output and the input.

Method for contactlessly transmitting electrical energy to a load (17) using a transmission system (1), having the steps of: converting alternating current from an alternating current source (4) into direct current using a primary rectifier (5), converting the direct current generated by the primary rectifier (5) into alternating current using a primary inverter (7), changing a primary parameter (di) at a component (38) of a primary part (2) of the transmission system, such that the electrical power consumed by a load (17) is changed as a result, contactlessly transmitting the electrical energy of the alternating current generated by the primary inverter (7) from a primary coil (9) to a secondary coil (12), converting the alternating current generated in the secondary coil (12) into direct current using a secondary rectifier (15), changing a secondary parameter at a component (16) of a secondary part (3) of the transmission system (1), such that the electrical power consumed by the load (17) is changed as a result, supplying electrical energy as direct current to the load (17), wherein an A-efficiency of the contactless transmission of energy with respect to a secondary A-parameter is determined, the secondary parameter is then changed from the secondary A-parameter to at least one secondary B-parameter and a B-efficiency is determined for the at least one secondary B-parameter, and that efficiency with the maximum efficiency is selected from the A-efficiency and from the at least one B-efficiency and this selected maximum efficiency is referred to as C-efficiency, and energy is then contactlessly transmitted with a secondary C-parameter assigned to the C-efficiency as an iteration step for determining the secondary C-parameter.

A vehicle operates an internal combustion engine according to an automatic start-stop function to reduce fuel consumption. A first DC bus is adapted to connect to a plurality of DC loads. A primary battery is coupled between the first DC bus and a ground. A first alternator is driven by the internal combustion engine to supply electrical power to the first DC bus. A second DC bus is connected to a positive terminal of an auxiliary battery. A negative terminal of the auxiliary battery is connected to the first DC bus. A second alternator is driven by the internal combustion engine to supply electrical power to the second bus at a voltage corresponding to a sum of voltages of the primary and auxiliary batteries. An inverter receives electrical power from the second DC bus to generate an AC output adapted to connect to accessory AC loads.

A controller for use in a power converter includes a control loop clock generator that is coupled to generate a switching frequency signal in response to a sense signal representative of a characteristic of the power converter, a load signal responsive to an output load of the power converter, and a hard switch sense output. A hard switch sense circuit is coupled to generate the hard switch sense output in response to the switching frequency signal and a rectifier conduction signal that is representative of a polarity of an energy transfer element of the power converter. A request transmitter circuit is coupled to generate a request signal in response to the switching frequency signal to control switching of a switching circuit coupled to an input of the energy transfer element of the power converter.