A high-voltage power supply system including a high-voltage regulator, a function generator, and a triggering circuit. The high-voltage regulator includes a microcontroller, a digital-to-analog convertor in communication with the microcontroller, and a high-voltage DC-DC converter in communication with the digital-to-analog converter. The function generator includes a high-voltage inverter including one or more MOSFET switches. The high-voltage inverter is in communication with the microcontroller of the high-voltage regulator. The triggering circuit includes one or more high-voltage electromechanical switches.

In a control circuit for a power converter applicable to a system including a rotary electric machine, a fail-safe controller performs, in response to determination that there is a failure in the system, a short-circuit control routine that turns on predetermined turn-on arm switches, and turns off predetermined turn-off arm switches. The turn-on arm switches bare one of (i) upper-arm switches and (ii) lower-arm switches, and the turn-off arm switches are the other of (i) the upper-arm switches and (ii) the lower-arm switches. An on determiner detects a drive state of each turn-on arm switch upon determination that the turn-on is instructed for the corresponding turn-on arm switch, and determines, based on the drive state of each turn-on arm switch, whether the turn-on arm switches are switchable to be on in preparation for a short-circuit control routine performed by a short-circuit controller.

In a control circuit for a power converter applicable to a system including a rotary electric machine, a fail-safe controller performs, in response to determination that there is a failure in the system, a short-circuit control routine that turns on predetermined turn-on arm switches, and turns off predetermined turn-off arm switches. The turn-on arm switches bare one of (i) upper-arm switches and (ii) lower-arm switches, and the turn-off arm switches are the other of (i) the upper-arm switches and (ii) the lower-arm switches. An on determiner detects a drive state of each turn-on arm switch upon determination that the turn-on is instructed for the corresponding turn-on arm switch, and determines, based on the drive state of each turn-on arm switch, whether the turn-on arm switches are switchable to be on in preparation for a short-circuit control routine performed by a short-circuit controller.

A power supply system 1 includes: a DC power supply 30; a variable voltage power supply 7 serving as an isolated bidirectional DC/DC converter that outputs power of a variable voltage E2 from a pair of secondary-side input/output terminals 72p and 72n; a positive electrode power line 21 and a negative electrode power line 22 that are connected to both electrodes of the DC power supply 30; a switching circuit 5 including a plurality of arm switching elements 51, 52, 53, and 54 that connect the power lines 21 and 22 and a load 4; a backflow prevention switching element 34 that is provided on the positive electrode power line 21 between the pair of secondary-side input/output terminals 72p and 72n; a power supply driver 6 that operates the variable voltage power supply 7 and the backflow prevention switching element 34; and a switching circuit driver 8.

A power supply system 1 includes: a DC power supply 30; a variable voltage power supply 7 serving as an isolated bidirectional DC/DC converter that outputs power of a variable voltage E2 from a pair of secondary-side input/output terminals 72p and 72n; a positive electrode power line 21 and a negative electrode power line 22 that are connected to both electrodes of the DC power supply 30; a switching circuit 5 including a plurality of arm switching elements 51, 52, 53, and 54 that connect the power lines 21 and 22 and a load 4; a backflow prevention switching element 34 that is provided on the positive electrode power line 21 between the pair of secondary-side input/output terminals 72p and 72n; a power supply driver 6 that operates the variable voltage power supply 7 and the backflow prevention switching element 34; and a switching circuit driver 8.

A power conversion circuit is used in a solar array suitable for, e.g., roadside adjacent installation. The power conversion circuit includes an inverter with a first stage electrically coupled to one or more solar panels. A third stage of the circuit has a DC to AC converter that provides less than a 50 VAC load voltage to a load, and a second stage that is coupled between the first and third stages and provides an isolated electrical power coupling therebetween. A sync interface communicatively couples a controller to other controllers dedicated to one or more other respective inverters of the solar array via a sync signal. The controllers synchronize the third stages of the inverters via the sync signal. The third stages of the inverters are coupled in series to provide a load output voltage.

A power conversion circuit is used in a solar array suitable for, e.g., roadside adjacent installation. The power conversion circuit includes an inverter with a first stage electrically coupled to one or more solar panels. A third stage of the circuit has a DC to AC converter that provides less than a 50 VAC load voltage to a load, and a second stage that is coupled between the first and third stages and provides an isolated electrical power coupling therebetween. A sync interface communicatively couples a controller to other controllers dedicated to one or more other respective inverters of the solar array via a sync signal. The controllers synchronize the third stages of the inverters via the sync signal. The third stages of the inverters are coupled in series to provide a load output voltage.

A power conversion device that converts electric power between a DC circuit and an AC circuit includes a leg circuit including a plurality of sub modules connected in series. A first sub module of the plurality of sub modules includes a first energy accumulation element, a first semiconductor circuit including two switching elements connected in series, and a second semiconductor circuit. The second semiconductor circuit includes a series circuit including a switching element and a semiconductor element connected in series, a second energy accumulation element connected in parallel to the series circuit, and an element including a resistive component connected in series to a parallel circuit including the series circuit and the second energy accumulation element.

A power conversion device that converts electric power between a DC circuit and an AC circuit includes a leg circuit including a plurality of sub modules connected in series. A first sub module of the plurality of sub modules includes a first energy accumulation element, a first semiconductor circuit including two switching elements connected in series, and a second semiconductor circuit. The second semiconductor circuit includes a series circuit including a switching element and a semiconductor element connected in series, a second energy accumulation element connected in parallel to the series circuit, and an element including a resistive component connected in series to a parallel circuit including the series circuit and the second energy accumulation element.

A power conversion device including a switching element includes: a temperature change estimation unit estimating temperature change in a semiconductor chip containing the switching element; a number calculator calculating the number of power cycles to fracture of the semiconductor chip due to power cycles; and a degradation degree calculator computing a degree of degradation of the semiconductor chip caused by the power cycles. The temperature change estimation unit calculates a maximum value and a minimum value of temperature of the semiconductor chip in one power cycle based on a first threshold of temperature fall allowed when it is determined that the temperature of the semiconductor chip is rising, and a second threshold of temperature rise allowed when it is determined that the temperature of the semiconductor chip is falling. The number calculator calculates the number of power cycles to fracture based on the maximum value and the minimum value.