INTERCONNECTION FOR CONNECTING A SWITCHED MODE INVERTER TO A LOAD

Abstract

An interconnection for connecting a switched mode inverter to a load, the interconnection comprising: a plurality of insulated conductors; sleeving means sleeving the insulated conductors together; and at least one lossy toroidal inductor core concentric with and partially surrounding the sleeving means to hold the plurality of insulated conductors together; wherein the at least one lossy toroidal inductor core is arranged to act as a common mode inductor to minimise current flowing through the interconnection to a stray capacitance of the load. Preferably, high frequency eddy current effects are minimised in the interconnection by a suitable choice of diameters of conductive cores of the plurality of insulated conductors and the spacing between the centres of the conductive cores.

Claims

1. A method of passing current through an interconnection connecting a switched mode inverter to a load, wherein the interconnection comprises: a) a plurality of insulated conductors; b) sleeving means sleeving the insulated conductors together; and c) at least one lossy toroidal inductor core concentric with and partially surrounding the sleeving means to hold the plurality of insulated conductors together; wherein the method comprises: passing electrical current in a first direction from the switched mode inverter to the load through a first plurality of the insulated conductors; and passing electrical current in a second direction from load to the switched mode inverter through a second plurality of the insulated conductors, wherein the at least one lossy toroidal inductor core acts as a common mode inductor to minimise current flowing through the interconnection to a stray capacitance of the load.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulated conductors have a core diameter and center-to-center spacing between the cores that minimizes losses due to effects of high frequency eddy currents.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interconnection further comprises a central insulating member wherein the plurality of insulated conductors are arranged around the central insulating member.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plurality of insulated conductors are arranged substantially in a circle around the central insulating member and wherein the first plurality of insulated conductors through which the electrical current is passed in the first direction are arranged in a first semicircle and wherein the second plurality of insulated conductors through which the electrical current is passed in the second direction are arranged in a second semicircle opposed to the first semicircle.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plurality of insulated conductors are arranged substantially in a circle around the central insulating member and wherein members of the first plurality of insulated conductors through which the electrical current is passed in the first direction alternate with members of the second plurality of insulated conductors through which the electrical current is passed in the second direction.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of insulated conductors comprises a plurality of PVC-insulated copper-core cables.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interconnection comprising a plurality of lossy toroidal inductor cores spaced along the interconnection, the plurality of lossy toroidal inductor cores holding the plurality of insulated conductors together and acting as a common mode inductor to minimise current flowing to a stray capacitance of the load.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one lossy toroidal inductor core has a quality factor less than 2 at a frequency of 100 kHz.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising performing pulse wave modulation of the load.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising passing a multiphase current through the plurality of insulated conductors and between the switched mode inverter and the load.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, comprising: passing electrical current in a first direction from the switched mode inverter to the load through a group of the first plurality of the insulated conductors for each phase; and passing electrical current in a second direction from the switched mode inverter to the load through a group of the second plurality of the insulated conductors for each phase, the group of the first plurality of insulated conductors and the group of the second plurality of conductors being grouped together for each of the phases; wherein the interconnection comprises at least one lossy toroidal inductor core arranged as a common mode inductor on each phase group.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, comprising passing a three-phase pulse current through the plurality of insulated conductors and between the switched mode inverter and the load.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one lossy toroidal inductor core comprises a magnetic material having a particle size or lamination thickness of 300 m or more.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Embodiments of the invention are further described hereinafter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an interconnection, for which the present invention may be used, for connecting a switched mode inverter to a load;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a waveform typically used for pulse wave modulation in the interconnection of FIG. 1;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-section drawing of an interconnection according to the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a transverse cross-section of an interconnection according to the present invention;

[0033] FIG. 5 is an illustration of toroidal cores suitable for use in the interconnections of FIG. 3 or 4;

[0034] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing magnetic cores spaced along the interconnection of FIG. 3 or 4;

[0035] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a three-phase interconnection embodiment of the present invention; and

[0036] FIG. 8 is a transverse cross-section drawing of an interconnection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] In the Figures like reference numerals denote like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of a cable interconnection according to an embodiment of the invention that would be suitable for connecting a first connector A of an SMI 10 to a first connector A1 of a load 1 1 and connecting a second connector B of the SMI 10 to a second connector Bl of the load 1 1 in FIG. 1.

[0039] In FIG. 3, electrical conductor cross-sections 31 1-313 marked A, with current flowing into the page, are go conductors connecting the first connector A of the SMI to the first connector A1 of the load and the electrical conductor cross-sections 321-323 marked B, with current flowing out of the page, are return conductors connecting the second connector Bl of the load to the second connector B of the SMI.

[0040] Minimisation of high frequency eddy current effects, which undesirably make the ratio of the AC resistance RAC to the DC resistance RDC much greater than 1, is dependent on two key parameters: a diameter d of the individual conductors 341 and a spacing Sp between centres of the individual conductors 341. The calculations required for such minimisation are available in numerous standard texts but only for a relatively simple example, such as, for example, in alternating current resistance, Bell System Technical Journal, Volume 4, April 1925, page 327. The far more complex arrangements of conductors required in this invention can be solved using computer aided design. It is important to retain the mechanical arrangement of the conductors to minimise loss in much the same way as coaxial cable needs to be kept coaxial to perform its function correctly.

[0041] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cables 311-313, 321-323 that comprise the conductors are arranged transversely in two opposed semicircular halves respectively of a circle around an insulating central member 33. Arranging the conductors substantially in a circle causes the high frequency current to flow at the outer surface of the cores of the interconnection. A conducting central member would do little to increase the current flow so that using, for example, copper for the central member instead of a less expensive insulating member would increase the cost of the interconnection without improving electrical conductivity.

[0042] Individual cables such as Tri-rated B S6231 single core PVC insulated flexible cables with a single core copper conductor 341 insulated by a PVC insulating outer layer 342 are suitable for uses as the cables 311-313 and 321 -323. To keep the interconnection loosely in its required pattern, the group of cables 311-313, 321-323 and insulating centre member 33 are sheathed in expandable braided insulated sleeving 351, such as RS 408-205. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, to keep the cables in their grouping, torroidal cores 352 of a suitable magnetic material, to form the inductance L1 of FIG. 1, also act as clamps to keep or hold the cables grouped together to form the interconnection. Although it is convenient for the toroidal cores to be used to hold the insulated conductors together as well as acting as common mode inductors, embodiments of the invention are envisaged in which the toroidal cores act solely as a common mode inductor and other clamping or holding means are used to clamp or hold the insulated conductors of the interconnection together.

[0043] Any magnetic material normally currently used in inductor design is suitable for use in the toroidal cores. Appropriate laminar iron dust cores, or ferrites can be used. An important feature is that the magnetic material particle size is much greater or the laminations of the core are much thicker than would be used in a normal or typical inductor. This is to increase eddy current loss and thus increase resistance. For a 100 kHz inductor, a particle size or lamination thickness in a typical inductor is approximately 25 m. Using a particle size or lamination thickness of 300 82 m or even more in the present invention, eddy current loss becomes sufficiently high to produce a lossy inductor at 100 kHz.

[0044] A quality factor Q, which is a ratio of the reactive component to the resistive component of the common mode choke, is intentionally very low, so causing resistive dissipation of the common mode switching edge transitions rather than reflection. A value of Q below 2 is ideal, compared with a typical inductor which would have a value of the quality factor greater than 50. As shown in FIG. 6, the magnetic cores are spaced at intervals along the interconnection suitable for the magnetic cores to act both as inductors and cable clamps. A wide variety of suitable cores from Micrometals Inc., 5615 E. La Palma Avenue, Anaheim, Calif. 92807 USA or Fair-Rite Products Corp. PO Box 288, 1 Commercial Row, Wallkill, N.Y. 12589 can be employed for the toroidal inductor cores. A photograph of a typical interconnect arrangement, including two toroidal cores, is shown in FIG. 4.

[0045] In the invention, the lossy choke dissipates as heat the noise generated at the SMI or at the load, thereby reducing or eliminating the EMC problem of the prior art.

[0046] The cable grouping shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is only one example of possible groupings of the insulated conductors. Other groupings which can be usefully used include a grouping with alternate cables located around a circle being used as go and return conductors. FIG. 8 shows a similar arrangement to that which is depicted in FIG. 3. Like reference numerals in FIGS. 3 and 8 depict like components. The components will not be described again in detail in connection with FIG. 8. FIG. 8 depicts an arrangement in which a plurality of insulated conductors are arranged in a circle with members 311, 312, 313 of a first plurality A of insulated conductors alternating with members 321, 322, 323 of a second plurality B of insulated conductors. The first plurality A of insulated conductors is arranged for passing current in a first direction (into the page of FIG. 8) through the interconnection and the second plurality of insulated conductors is arranged for passing a current in a second direction (out of the page of FIG. 8), opposed to the first direction, through the interconnection. Also a random assembly, with or without the central insulating core of the conductors, will under many circumstances prove adequate. The total number of cables to be used in the interconnection is determined by a predetermined required current rating. It is found that, by correct calculation and appropriate design, the total amount of copper used in an interconnection of the invention is no greater than that required for an equivalent direct current interconnection. However, the overall diameter of the interconnection of the invention may be larger than required for an equivalent DC interconnection, because of the required insulation and spacing between individual conductors.

[0047] For a three-phase application, a suitable arrangement of cables is shown in FIG. 7. This arrangement uses a pair of cables per lead and each go and return pair for each of the phases is grouped together and the common mode inductors L.sub.A, L.sub.B and L.sub.C are arranged on each phase grouping of leads. The inductance formed by the loops between the three-phase SMI having phased sources U.sub.n, V.sub.n and W.sub.n and the load having terminals A1, A2, Bl, B2, C1 and C2 should be minimised as shown in FIG. 7. It will be understood that the lines connecting A1 and C2; A2 and Bl and B2 and CI do not represent leads but imply interconnects. The arrangement shown is typical for a 2,500 Hz PWM waveform with 50 A rms rating per phase from a source voltage of 690V rms. This has each individual lead formed of a pair of parallel 4 mm.sup.2 1.1 kV rated SIWO-KUL cables with four cables closely grouped in a bundle and sleeved together. Ten suppression cores of type RS 239-062 are fitted over the sleeved bundle of four cables to clamp the cables together and provide the common mode inductor or choke. It will be seen that separate inductors L.sub.A, L.sub.B, L.sub.C are used for each group of cables with the same phase.

[0048] Thus this invention when applied to poly-phase systems uses a simple method that overcomes at least some of the problems in the prior art, uses standard electrical single core wires in a suitable arrangement, instead of specialised and more expensive coaxial cable, and provides the required inductance L1 using multiple magnetic toroidal cores that double as cable clamps to keep the cables in a required arrangement.

[0049] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words comprise and contain and variations of them mean including but not necessarily limited to, and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

[0050] Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. all of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.