A power converter may include a plurality of power conversion circuits, a plurality of temperature sensors, and a controller. Each of the power conversion circuits may include a switching element. The plurality of power conversion circuits may be connected in parallel. Each of the temperature sensors may measure a temperature of one of the switching elements. The controller may select the power conversion circuit to be driven in an ascending order of the temperatures of the switching elements measured by the temperature sensors based on a supplied current value Iin supplied to the power converter.

A bidirectional phase-shift full bridge converter includes a primary side having switch devices forming a full-bridge power stage and a first inductor connected to the power stage, a secondary side having switch devices forming a power stage and a second inductor connected to that power stage, a transformer, and a controller for controlling switching of the switch devices to transfer energy from the primary to secondary side in a first mode, and to transfer energy from the secondary to primary side in a second mode. In the second mode, the controller controls switching of the switch devices to pre-charge the first inductor at, near or above a current level of the second inductor prior to transferring energy from the secondary to primary side, so that the current in the first inductor is at, near or above the current in the second inductor at the beginning of the energy transfer.

Each of a plurality of specified chopper cells which are some of a plurality of chopper cells included in each leg circuit in a power conversion device is configured as a full bridge. A control device controls operations of first and second switching elements of each specified chopper cell based on a circulating current which circulates through each leg circuit. The control device controls operations of third and fourth switching elements of each specified chopper cell based on a voltage of a capacitor of the specified chopper cell.

Each of a plurality of specified chopper cells which are some of a plurality of chopper cells included in each leg circuit in a power conversion device is configured as a full bridge. A control device controls operations of first and second switching elements of each specified chopper cell based on a circulating current which circulates through each leg circuit. The control device controls operations of third and fourth switching elements of each specified chopper cell based on a voltage of a capacitor of the specified chopper cell.

An improved interface for renewable energy systems is disclosed for interconnecting a plurality of power sources such as photovoltaic solar panels, windmills, standby generators and the like. The improved interface for renewable energy systems includes a multi-channel micro-inverter having novel heat dissipation, novel mountings, electronic redundancy and remote communication systems. The improved interface for renewable enemy systems is capable of automatic switching between a grid-tied operation, an off grid operation or an emergency power operation.

A switching element driving device for driving first and second switching elements of a half bridge circuit, the first and second switching elements being respectively formed in upper and lower arm units of the half bridge, and having respectively first and second freewheeling diodes connected thereto in antiparallel. The switching element driving device includes upper and lower arm driving circuits respectively configured to output first and second driving signals for driving the first and second switching elements, and a drive capability decision circuit configured to, responsive to turning on of the first switching element, set drive capability of the first driving signal to a first level and to change the drive capability of the first driving signal to a second level upon detecting a reverse recovery current of the second freewheeling diode of the second switching element, the first level being higher than the second level.

A switching element driving device for driving first and second switching elements of a half bridge circuit, the first and second switching elements being respectively formed in upper and lower arm units of the half bridge, and having respectively first and second freewheeling diodes connected thereto in antiparallel. The switching element driving device includes upper and lower arm driving circuits respectively configured to output first and second driving signals for driving the first and second switching elements, and a drive capability decision circuit configured to, responsive to turning on of the first switching element, set drive capability of the first driving signal to a first level and to change the drive capability of the first driving signal to a second level upon detecting a reverse recovery current of the second freewheeling diode of the second switching element, the first level being higher than the second level.

A method, circuit configuration and bridge circuit for charging a capacitance effective on the main current terminals of a semiconductor switch, in particular an intrinsic capacitance, in particular the drain-source capacitance of a MOSFET semiconductor switch or the collector-emitter capacitance of an IGBT semiconductor switch, the precharging, in particular the at least partial charging, of the effective capacitance being forcibly controlled via a charging current path.

A method, circuit configuration and bridge circuit for charging a capacitance effective on the main current terminals of a semiconductor switch, in particular an intrinsic capacitance, in particular the drain-source capacitance of a MOSFET semiconductor switch or the collector-emitter capacitance of an IGBT semiconductor switch, the precharging, in particular the at least partial charging, of the effective capacitance being forcibly controlled via a charging current path.

A third power supply circuit subjects a reference voltage to DC-DC conversion to generate a power supply voltage common to a second driver circuit for driving a second switching device and a fourth driver circuit for driving a fourth switching device. Wirings from a substrate on which the third power supply circuit is provided to a substrate on which the second driver circuit and the fourth driver circuit are provided are used by the third power supply circuit to supply the power supply voltage commonly to the second driver circuit and the fourth driver circuit. A first impedance device, a second impedance device, a third impedance device, and a fourth impedance device are provided in a substrate on which the second driver circuit and the fourth driver circuit are provided.