Control of parallel connected power devices

Abstract

A method and arrangement for controlling semiconductor power switches, e.g. IGBTs, in parallel connected power devices, e.g. in frequency converters, wherein the semiconductor power switches connect either the positive or the negative pole of the intermediate DC-voltage of the power device to an output phase of the power device. In the method the voltages of those output phases which are connected in parallel are measured, the timing differences of the output voltage state changes are calculated on the basis of the output voltage measurement results, and the control signals of the semiconductor power switches are advanced or delayed such that the output voltage state changes in the phases which are connected together via output impedances occur at desired time instants.

Claims

1. A method for controlling semiconductor power switches in parallel connected power devices, wherein the semiconductor power switches of each of parallel connected power devices connect either the positive or the negative pole of the intermediate DC-voltage of respective power device to an output phase of the power device, wherein at least one output phase of each power device of the parallel connected power devices is connected to a common output terminal such that the common output terminal is connected to at least two output phases, wherein the method comprises the steps of: measuring the voltages of output phases, which are connected in parallel, for the parallel connected power devices, calculating timing differences of output voltage state changes on the basis of the measured output voltages of at least two power devices of the parallel connected power devices, the calculating of the timing differences includes comparing a timing of each measured output voltage of the output phases for determining differences in timing of the output voltages of the output phases connected in parallel, and advancing or delaying the control signals of the semiconductor power switches on the basis of the calculated timing differences such that the output voltage state changes in the phases which are connected together via output impedances occur at desired time instants.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control signals of the semiconductor power switches are advanced or delayed such that the output voltage state changes in the phases which are connected together via output impedances occur essentially simultaneously.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control signal of the faster phase switch is delayed compared to the control signal of the slower one, and/or the control signal of the slower phase switch is advanced compared to the control signal of the faster one.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the waveforms of the output voltages of those output phases which are connected in parallel are measured, and the time integrals of the output voltages over a predefined period are calculated for output phases which are connected in parallel, and the differences of calculated time integrals in the phases which are connected together via output impedances are used as criterions for determining output voltage timing differences.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the time integrals of the output voltages over a predefined period are calculated such that the integral calculation for each phase starts before or at the output voltage state change occurrence.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the waveforms of the output voltages of those output phases which are connected in parallel are measured, and the time instants when the output voltages pass one or several predefined voltage levels are determined, the differences of determined time instants when passing of comparable voltage levels in the phases which are connected together via output impedances are used as criterions for determining output voltage timing differences.

7. The method according claim 1, wherein the output voltage timing difference calculation is executed essentially continuously during the operation of the power device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determined output voltage timing differences are stored as parameters in the control unit of the power device.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the output voltage timing difference calculation is executed during the manufacturing process and/or during commissioning.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the parallel connected power devices is an inverter.

11. An arrangement for controlling semiconductor power switches in parallel connected power devices, wherein the semiconductor power switches of each parallel connected power devices are arranged to connect either the positive or the negative pole of the intermediate DC-voltage of respective power device to an output phase of the power device, wherein at least one output phase of each power device of the parallel connected power devices is connected to a common output terminal such that the common output terminal is connected to at least two output phases, wherein: the arrangement is arranged to measure the voltages of output phases, which are connected in parallel, for the parallel connected power devices, to calculate the timing differences of output voltage state changes on the basis of the measured output voltages of at least two power devices of the parallel connected power devices, the calculating of the timing differences includes comparing a timing of each measured output voltage of the output phases for determining differences in timing of the output voltages of the output phases connected in parallel, and to advance or delay the control signals of the semiconductor power switches on the basis of the calculated timing differences such that the output voltage state changes in the phases which are connected together via output impedances occur as desired time instants.

12. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the arrangement is configured to advance or delay the control signals of the semiconductor power switches such that the output voltage state changes in the phases which are connected together via output impedances occur essentially simultaneously.

13. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the arrangement is arranged to delay the control signal of the faster phase switch compared to the control signal of the slower one, and/or advance the control signal of the slower phase switch compared to the control signal of the faster one.

14. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein: the arrangement is arranged to measure the waveforms of the output voltages of those output phases which are connected in parallel, and to calculate the time integrals of the output voltages over a predefined period for output phases which are connected in parallel, and to use the differences of calculated time integrals in the phases which are connected together via output impedances as criterions for determining output voltage timing differences.

15. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the arrangement is arranged to calculate the time integrals of the output voltages over a predefined period such that the integral calculation for each phase starts before or at the output voltage state change occurrence.

16. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein: the arrangement is arranged to measure the waveforms of the output voltages of those output phases which are connected in parallel, to determine the time instants when the output voltages pass one or several predefined voltage levels, and to use the differences of determined time instants when passing of comparable voltage levels in the phases which are connected together via output impedances as criterions for determining output voltage timing differences.

17. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the arrangement is arranged to execute the output voltage timing difference calculation essentially continuously during the operation of the power device.

18. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the arrangement comprises storing means to which the arrangement is arranged to store the output voltage timing differences as parameters.

19. The arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the output voltage timing difference calculation is executed during the manufacturing process and/or during commissioning.

20. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the arrangement comprises means for measuring the output phase currents.

21. The arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the means for measuring the output phase currents are internal means.

22. The arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the means for measuring the output phase currents are external means.

23. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein each of the parallel connected power devices is an inverter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Below the invention appears a more detailed explanation using examples with references to the enclosed figures, wherein

(2) FIG. 1 presents a main circuit of parallel connected frequency converters,

(3) FIG. 2 presents a main circuit of parallel connected phase switches,

(4) FIGS. 3A-3C present control data transfer topologies in a parallel connection,

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates output voltages in a parallel connection, and

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates output voltages in a parallel connection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 presents a main diagram of parallel connected frequency converters as an example of power device arrangement wherein the method according to the present invention may be applied. In the arrangement, frequency converters FC.sub.1 and FC.sub.2 are connected in parallel via output three-phase inductors L.sub.01 and L.sub.02 for supplying a common motor M. The main function of the output inductors is to improve load current sharing during the switching instants. The number of parallel connected devices in this and the following exemplary figures is for simplicity two, but this is not any limitation for the present invention, more similar devices FC.sub.3 . . . may be connected in the same arrangement as well.

(8) In the example the main circuit of FC.sub.1 is presented in detail. It is a known and typical frequency converter, containing a diode-bridge rectifier REC.sub.1 which rectifies the three-phase supply voltage L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3 into a constant intermediate DC-link voltage U.sub.DC1 which is smoothed by a capacitor C.sub.DC1, a three-phase inverter unit INU.sub.1, consisting of IGBT-switches V.sub.1 . . . V.sub.6 with antiparallel free-wheeling diodes D.sub.1 . . . D.sub.6, and a control unit CU.sub.1. An inductive component is normally used in either side of the rectifier in order to filter the harmonics of the supply phase current, but as an irrelevant component from the present invention point of view it has been left out from the figure. The basic function of the inverter is to create a three-phase adjustable output voltage U.sub.1, V.sub.1, W.sub.1 for the motor M. This type of a device is known as two-level converter, due to two poles of the DC-link voltage. As is apparent to a person skilled in the art, the present invention is not limited only for two-level converters, but it can be applied also to higher voltage level converters.

(9) The parallel connected another frequency converter FC.sub.2 is presented in a block diagram level. Each frequency converter may be complete and have own units as presented in the figure, or they may have e.g. a common rectifier and common intermediate circuit. All parallel connected devices have a common control unit CU, which is in fast data transfer connection with frequency converterspecific control units CU.sub.1, CU.sub.2 . . . .

(10) FIG. 2 presents an example of an arrangement for connecting phase switches of parallel connected inverter units FC.sub.11, FC.sub.12 in parallel. A phase switch means components that are able to connect the output phase terminal either of DC-link pole. E.g. in FC.sub.11 the IGBTs V.sub.11, V.sub.14 and free-wheeling diodes D.sub.11, D.sub.14 belong to the U-phase switch. The output terminals U.sub.11, U.sub.12 of the parallel connected phases are connected via inductive filters L.sub.11, L.sub.12 to the common output terminal U.sub.10.

(11) In the example the inverter units have internal means for measuring the output phase currents (i.sub.U11, i.sub.U12) and the output phase voltages (u.sub.U11, u.sub.U12). The output voltage is normally measured against the negative pole of the DC-link voltage (U.sub.DC1, U.sub.DC2), and according to the present invention it may be measured just by one or several comparators in order to find out the exact moment of time when the output voltage passes a predefined voltage level (levels), or it may be measured by an analog circuit in order to find out the time integral of the voltage wave shape. It is worth to note that though the direct output voltage measurement has been referred to in descriptive examples, the output voltages may be measured also indirectly by measuring the voltages across each IGBT. The internal output phase voltage measurement means is absolutely required only in case of dynamic implementation of the present invention, the static case may be realized also by external measurement means. CU.sub.11, CU.sub.12 are symbolizing inverter specific control units, which receive the measurement information, generates the gate control pulses (u.sub.G11, u.sub.G14, u.sub.G21, u.sub.G24) for the IGBTs and communicates via the communication links DB.sub.11, DB.sub.12 with a common control unit CU.sub.10, which in this exemplary topology calculates the modulation pattern (=position references for the phase switches). In praxis the control units CU.sub.11, CU.sub.12 may comprise several separate subunits, like a control board for signal handling and a gate driver for gate control pulse generation.

(12) FIG. 3A-3C present some examples of communication topologies that may be used for connecting electrical devices, like frequency converters, in parallel according to the present invention.

(13) FIG. 3A presents a topology wherein the main control unit CU.sub.20 communicates directly via data bus communication links DB.sub.21, DB.sub.22, DB.sub.23 with inverter specific control units CU.sub.21, CU.sub.22, CU.sub.23. In this arrangement the control units CU.sub.21, CU.sub.22, CU.sub.23 send their measurement data to CU.sub.20, which calculates the modulation patterns and sends them to each inverter specific control units CU.sub.21, CU.sub.22, CU.sub.23. The individual modulation patterns are calculated either according to the measurements in dynamic implementation case or according to the stored delay difference compensating parameters in static implementation case.

(14) FIG. 3B presents a topology, wherein a signal division unit SD.sub.30 is added between the main control unit CU.sub.30 and the inverter specific control units CU.sub.31, CU.sub.32, CU.sub.33. In this case the main control unit is physically the same in spite of the number of parallel connected units, and it calculates a basic modulation pattern. The time delay advances or delays to the inverter specific pulse patterns can be calculated in SD.sub.30 either according to the measurement data it receives from inverters via data buses DB.sub.31, DB.sub.32, DB.sub.33 or according to the stored delay difference compensating parameters.

(15) FIG. 3C presents a ring topology, wherein the same communication link DB.sub.40 connects the main control unit CU.sub.40 with all control units CU.sub.41, CU.sub.42, CU.sub.43 of parallel connected inverters. In this arrangement each control unit CU.sub.41, CU.sub.42, CU.sub.43 sends by turns their own measurement data to the main control unit, which then calculates and sends individual modulation patterns to each inverter specific control unit.

(16) FIG. 4 illustrates the principle according to an embodiment of the present invention on how the asynchronous switching of parallel connected electric devices, like frequency converters, is determined. Here u.sub.Uref is the basic reference signal, i.e. the position reference for both U phase switches when no timing difference compensation is applied, and u.sub.U1, u.sub.U2 are the corresponding output voltages of two parallel connected U phase switches. According to an embodiment of the present invention, virtual switching time delays of both phase switches are determined, and if they differ from each other the difference will be compensated in the following similar state changes by advancing or delaying the control pulses of the parallel connected IGBTs. In praxis this means that either the position reference of the faster phase switch (i.e. phase switch having shorter virtual switching time delay) is delayed compared to that of the slower one, or the position reference of the slower phase switch is advanced, respectively. It is also possible to set controlled timing differences to the output voltage state changes, e.g. in order to compensate the effect of load impedance imbalances to equal load current sharing. In this case timing differences can be set in such a way that the output voltage state changes of different outputs occur at different time instants.

(17) The determination of the virtual switching time delay can be based on the difference between the time integrals of an ideal phase voltage (with no switching delay) and the real measured output voltage. E.g. in the exemplifying FIG. 4 for phase U11 the ideal voltage integral A.sub.UREF, the real voltage integral A.sub.U11 and the virtual switching time delay t.sub.vU11 after an upward state change can be calculated according to the following formulas [2] . . . [4]:

(18) $\begin{array}{cc}{A}_{\mathrm{UREF}}={}_{t_{40}}^{t_{41}}{U}_{\mathrm{DC}1}\mathrm{dt}& \left[2\right]\\ A_{U11}={}_{t_{40}}^{t_{41}}{u}_{U1}\mathrm{dt}& \left[3\right]\\ t_{\mathrm{vU}11}=\frac{A_{\mathrm{UREF}}-A_{U11}}{A_{\mathrm{UREF}}}\left(t_{41}-t_{40}\right)& \left[4\right]\end{array}$

(19) In this example the voltage time integrals are calculated over a predefined period, advantageously from the reference signal change moment t.sub.40 until a time instant t.sub.41, where the U11 phase voltage has reached the final DC intermediate link level U.sub.DC1 and voltage transients after the state change have been settled down.

(20) The virtual switching time delay t.sub.vU21 of the output phase U21 will be calculated in a similar way on the basis of corresponding time integral A.sub.U21, and according to the present invention the possible difference between virtual delays t.sub.vU11 and t.sub.vU21 will be compensated during the next similar output phase state change after time instant t.sub.44.

(21) A similar determination of virtual switching time delays can be executed also after the opposite position change (t.sub.42-t.sub.43). It is possible to use different integration times from what is presented in FIG. 4, e.g. by calculating the time integral until the next opposite position change instant (from t.sub.40 to t.sub.42) or even to the next similar position change instant (from t.sub.40 to t.sub.44).

(22) FIG. 5 illustrates another method for determining the time difference between the output voltage state changes. In this case the output voltage is compared to a predetermined level, e.g. to the middle of the DC-link voltage (U.sub.DC1/2 and U.sub.DC2/2). The different time instants in passing these voltage levels (t.sub.51-t.sub.52 at upward voltage pulse, t.sub.54-t.sub.55 at downward voltage pulse) can directly be used as the correction time advance/delay for the next similar situation. It is also possible to use more than one level for the voltage comparison in order to gain a more accurate result, e.g. 10%, 50% and 90% of DC-link voltage, and optionally also use the average or weighted average of the comparison results for timing difference correction.

(23) As a final result of the output phase voltage state change advancing/delaying process according to the present invention, all parallel connected output phases will change their states essentially simultaneously.

(24) According to the dynamic embodiment of the invention, the output voltages are measured and the compensation of the signal handling path delay differences is executed essentially continuously during the operation of the device.

(25) According to the static embodiment of the invention, the nature of the measurement of output voltages is non-recurring, i.e. they are measured e.g. only during the manufacturing process or during commissioning, and the IGBT-specific compensation advances or delays, calculated according to the detected output voltage differences, are stored as parameters in the control unit of the device. This embodiment may be implemented e.g. so that all state changes of output voltages are adjusted to occur after a constant delay period from the state changes of phase switch position reference signals. The delay parameters may be determined and stored as a function of one or several load conditions.

(26) While the invention has been described with reference to the previous embodiments, it should be recognized that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but many modifications and variations will become apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. E.g., though the direct output voltage measurement has been referred to in descriptive examples, the output voltages may be measured also indirectly by measuring the voltages across each IGBT.