IGBT SHORT-CIRCUIT DETECTION AND PROTECTION CIRCUIT AND IGBT-BASED CONTROLLABLE RECTIFIER CIRCUIT

Abstract

An IGBT short-circuit detection and protection circuit, comprising: a driving unit, the output end thereof outputting a PWM driving signal and being connected to gate ends of a first IGBT (IGBT1) and a second IGBT (IGBT2), so as to simultaneously control the turning ON/OFF of the first IGBT and the second IGBT; a comparing unit, comprising a threshold pin and a detection pin (Vdesat), the threshold pin being connected to a threshold voltage, the detection pin being connected by means of a first diode (D1) and a second diode (D3) to collectors (C) of the first IGBT and the second IGBT, respectively, the detection pin supplying a detection current to the first diode and the second diode, cathodes of the first diode and the second diode being connected to the collectors of the first IGBT and the second IGBT, respectively; when the voltage at the detection pin is higher than the threshold voltage, the driving unit controlling the first IGBT and the second IGBT to be turned off. The IGBT short-circuit detection protection circuit achieves bidirectional short-circuit protection of two IGBTs in inverse series connection, without requiring an additional protection circuit.

Claims

1. A short-circuit detection and protection circuit comprising: a plurality of transistors configured to provide power switching; a plurality of drive units, wherein a drive unit of the plurality of drive units is configured to generate a drive signal to control switching of a pair of transistors of the plurality of transistors; and a plurality of comparison units, wherein a comparison unit of the plurality of comparison units comprises a threshold pin and a detection pin, wherein the threshold pin of is coupled to a reference voltage, and wherein the detection pin is coupled to a first collector of a first transistor of the pair of transistors via a first diode, coupled to a second collector of a second transistor of the pair of transistors via a second diode, and coupled to a supply current.

2. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 1, wherein the comparison unit is configured to cause the drive unit to switch off the pair of transistors in response to detecting a voltage of the detection pin greater than the reference voltage.

3. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of drive units comprises three drive units, and wherein the plurality of comparison units comprises three comparison units coupled to respective pairs of three different pairs of transistors.

4. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 3, wherein each different pair of transistors of the three different pairs of transistors is configured to provide power switching for a respective phase of a three-phase power supply.

5. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transistors provides power switching for an alternating current power supply.

6. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 1, wherein the comparison unit is incorporated into an integrated circuit with the drive unit.

7. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transistors comprises insulated-gate bipolar transistors.

8. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 1, wherein a cathode of the first diode is directly coupled to the first collector and an anode of the first diode is directly coupled to the detection pin.

9. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 1, comprising: a first flyback diode coupled in a first reverse-parallel-connection between the first collector and a first emitter of the first transistor; and a second flyback diode coupled in a second reverse-parallel-connection between the second collector and a second emitter of the second transistor.

10. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 1, wherein the pair of transistors is reverse-series-connected.

11. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 1, wherein the detection pin comprises a non-inverting input of the comparison unit.

12. The short-circuit detection and protection circuit of claim 1, wherein the drive signal comprises a pulse-width-modulated drive signal.

13. A system comprising three insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) units, wherein a first IGBT unit of the three IGBT units comprises: a pair of transistors configured to provide power switching of a first phase of a three-phase power supply, wherein of each transistor of the pair of transistors is configured to be switched via a drive signal received at a respective gate of each transistor of the pair of transistors; a drive unit coupled to the respective gate of each transistor of the pair of transistors, wherein the drive unit is configured to generate the drive signal; and a comparison unit comprising a threshold pin and a detection pin, wherein the threshold pin is coupled to a reference voltage, wherein the detection pin is coupled to a first collector of a first transistor of the pair of transistors via a first diode, coupled to a second collector of a second transistor of the pair of transistors via a second diode, and coupled to a detection supply current, wherein the comparison unit is configured to cause the drive unit to switch off the pair of transistors in response to detecting a voltage of the detection pin greater than the reference voltage, wherein the first transistor is coupled to the first phase of the three-phase power supply, and wherein the second transistor is coupled to a third transistor of a second IGBT unit of the three IGBT units and a fourth transistor of a third IGBT unit of the three IGBT units.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the pair of transistors comprises: a first flyback diode coupled in a first reverse-parallel-connection between the first collector and a first emitter of the first transistor; and a second flyback diode coupled in a second reverse-parallel-connection between the second collector and a second emitter of the second transistor.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein an anode of the first flyback diode is coupled to the first emitter, and wherein a cathode of the first flyback diode is coupled to the first collector.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first transistor is coupled to the phase via an inductor.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the detection pin comprises a non-inverting input of the comparison unit.

18. An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)-based controllable rectifier circuit, comprising: a three-phase alternating current (AC) power supply; and a plurality of reverse-series-connected IGBT units, wherein a first reverse-series-connected IGBT unit of the plurality of reverse-series-connected IGBT units comprises: a first IGBT; a second IGBT, wherein a first emitter of the first IGBT is coupled to a second emitter of the second IGBT, and wherein a collector of the first IGBT is coupled to a phase of the three-phase AC power supply; a drive unit configured to supply a pulse-width-modulated drive signal to a first gate of the first IGBT and a second gate of the second IGBT to simultaneously control switching of the first IGBT and the second IGBT; and a comparison unit comprising a threshold pin and a detection pin, wherein the threshold pin is coupled to a threshold voltage signal, and wherein the detection pin is coupled to the first collector via a first diode, coupled to a second collector of the second IGBT via a second diode, and coupled to a detection current supply, wherein, in response to a determination that a detection voltage on the detection pin is greater than the threshold voltage, the drive unit is configured to switch off the first IGBT and the second IGBT.

19. The IGBT-based controllable rectifier circuit of claim 18, wherein the second collector of the second IGBT is coupled to a third collector of a third IGBT of a second reverse-series-connected IGBT unit of the plurality of reverse-series-connected IGBT units and is coupled to a fourth collector of a fourth IGBT of a third reverse-series-connected IGBT unit of the plurality of reverse-series-connected IGBT units.

20. The IGBT-based controllable rectifier circuit of claim 18, wherein the first collector of the first IGBT is coupled to the phase of the three-phase AC power supply via an inductive element.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

[0019] The purpose of the accompanying drawings of the present invention set out below, which form part of the present invention, is to enable understanding of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention and descriptions thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings, for the purpose of explaining the principles of the present invention.

[0020] In the drawings:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic circuit diagram of an IGBT short-circuit detection and protection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a schematic circuit diagram of a short-circuit detection and protection circuit for a pair of reverse-series-connected IGBTs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a schematic circuit diagram of an IGBT-based controllable rectifier circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 4 is intended to explain the principles of IGBT short-circuit detection and protection in a first current direction in the controllable rectifier circuit shown in FIG. 3.

[0025] FIG. 5 is intended to explain the principles of IGBT short-circuit detection and protection in a second current direction in the controllable rectifier circuit shown in FIG. 3.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a schematic circuit diagram of an IGBT-based rectifier circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

[0027] In the following description, a large number of specific details are given in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention could be implemented in the absence of one or more of these details. In other examples, certain technical features known in the art have not been described, in order to avoid confusion with the present invention.

[0028] It should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in different forms, and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments set out here. Conversely, the provision of these embodiments will make the disclosure thorough and complete, and fully transmit the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Identical reference labels shall represent identical elements throughout.

[0029] In order to enable thorough understanding of the present invention, detailed steps and detailed structures will be set out in the following description to explain the technical solution of the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, but the present invention may also be implemented in other ways, besides these detailed descriptions.

[0030] Based on the abovementioned principle that a rapid increase in Ic is followed by an increase in Vce according to the relationship between Vce and Ic, the present invention provides an IGBT short-circuit detection and protection circuit, for IGBT short-circuit detection and protection. As FIG. 1 shows, the circuit comprises a drive chip IC containing a comparator; the drive chip can output a PWM drive signal to control the switching of the IGBT on and off, i.e. when the PWM drive signal is HIGH, the IGBT is switched on, and when the PWM drive signal is LOW, the IGBT is switched off. The comparator in the drive chip IC has a threshold pin and a detection pin Vdesat. The threshold pin is an inverting input terminal, and is connected to a threshold voltage; the detection pin Vdesat is a non-inverting input terminal, and is connected to a collector C of an IGBT via a diode D. The detection pin Vdesat supplies a detection current for the diode D by means of a constant current source in the drive chip, e.g. a detection current of magnitude 250 uA. A cathode of the diode D is connected to the collector C of the IGBT, the collector C of the IGBT is connected to an input voltage, and an emitter E of the IGBT is connected to a drive signal reference ground voltage. When the IGBT is conducting, a current flows from the collector towards the emitter; at this time, the diode D is also conducting, and an input voltage of the detection pin Vdesat is the voltage drop of the diode D+the voltage drop Vce between the collector and emitter of the IGBT. If the IGBT experiences a short circuit, the current Ic between the collector and emitter increases, hence the voltage drop Vce between the collector and emitter also increases.

[0031] When the voltage at the detection pin Vdesat is greater than the threshold voltage e.g. the 7V stated in FIG. 1, the comparator in the drive chip flips, and the PWM drive signal outputted by the drive chip then changes to LOW, and the IGBT is switched off, realizing short-circuit protection.

[0032] On the basis of the IGBT short-circuit detection and protection circuit described above, the present invention also provides an IGBT short-circuit detection and protection circuit, for subjecting a pair of reverse-series-connected IGBTs to short-circuit detection and protection. As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of IGBTs comprises a first IGBT (IGBT 1) and a second IGBT (IGBT 2). An emitter E of the first IGBT is connected to an emitter E of the second IGBT, and a collector of the first IGBT is connected to an input voltage. An output terminal of a drive chip IC containing a comparator outputs a PWM drive signal, and is connected to gate terminals of the first IGBT and the second IGBT, to simultaneously control the switching on of the first IGBT and the second IGBT. The comparator in the drive chip IC has a threshold pin and a detection pin Vdesat; the threshold pin is connected to a threshold voltage, and the detection pin Vdesat is connected to the collectors of the first IGBT and the second IGBT via a first high voltage isolating diode D1 and a second high voltage isolating diode D3 respectively. The detection pin Vdesat supplies a detection current for the first high voltage isolating diode D1 and the second high voltage isolating diode D3; cathodes of the first high voltage isolating diode D1 and the second high voltage isolating diode D3 are connected to the collectors C of the first IGBT and the second IGBT respectively.

[0033] In addition, a first flyback diode D2 and a second flyback diode D4 are reverse-parallel-connected between the collector C and emitter E of the first IGBT and the second IGBT respectively. The expression reverse-parallel-connected used here means that only one of the IGBT and the flyback diode can conduct.

[0034] When an input voltage of the detection pin Vdesat is greater than the threshold voltage, the PWM drive signal outputted by the drive chip IC changes to LOW, and the first IGBT and the second IGBT switch off. Specifically, when current flows in the direction IGBT1->flyback diode D4, a Vce voltage acquisition unit D1 for current in a first direction will acquire the voltage drop across the IGBT1 in real time, and feed it into the non-inverting input terminal Vdesat of the comparator for comparison with a valve value of the inverting input terminal, thereby realizing short-circuit protection for current in the first direction; when current flows in the direction IGBT2->flyback diode unit D2, a Vce voltage acquisition unit D3 for current in a second direction will acquire the voltage drop across the IGBT2 in real time, and feed it into the non-inverting input terminal Vdesat of the comparator for comparison with a valve value of the inverting input terminal, thereby realizing short-circuit protection for current in the second direction.

[0035] Furthermore, the abovementioned circuit of the present invention provides an IGBT-based controllable rectifier circuit; as shown in FIG. 3, the rectifier circuit comprises a three-phase AC power supply having three phase inputs R, S and T, with each phase input being connected to a corresponding energy storage inductance L1/L2/L3 respectively, and each phase output being connected to a reverse-series-connected IGBT unit respectively.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 3, an R phase output is connected to a first reverse-series-connected IGBT unit via the inductance L1; the first IGBT unit comprises a first IGBT (IGBT 1) and a second IGBT (IGBT 2), an emitter of the first IGBT (IGBT 1) being connected to an emitter of the second IGBT (IGBT 1), a collector of the first IGBT (IGBT 1) being connected to the R phase, and a collector of the second IGBT (IGBT 2) being connected to a collector of one of the other two IGBT units. The first IGBT unit further comprises a short-circuit detection and protection circuit; the short-circuit detection and protection circuit comprises high voltage isolating diodes and flyback diodes, and a first drive chip IC1 containing a comparator. An output terminal of the first drive chip IC1 outputs a PWM1 drive signal, and is connected to gate terminals of the first IGBT and the second IGBT, to simultaneously control the switching on of the first IGBT and the second IGBT. The comparator in the first drive chip IC1 has a threshold pin and a detection pin Vdesat; the threshold pin is connected to a threshold voltage, and the detection pin Vdesat is connected to the collectors of the first IGBT and the second IGBT via a first diode D1 and a second diode D3 respectively. The detection pin Vdesat supplies a detection current for the first diode D1 and the second diode D3; cathodes of the first diode D1 and the second diode D3 are connected to the collectors C of the first IGBT and the second IGBT respectively. A first flyback diode D2 and a second flyback diode D4 are reverse-parallel-connected between the collector C and emitter E of the first IGBT and the second IGBT respectively.

[0037] Similarly, an L phase output is connected to a second reverse-series-connected IGBT unit via the inductance L2, and a T phase output is connected to a third reverse-series-connected IGBT unit via the inductance L3. The second reverse-series-connected IGBT unit is formed of a third IGBT (IGBT 3), a fourth IGBT (IGBT 4), a third high voltage isolating diode D5, a fourth high voltage isolating diode D7, a third flyback diode D6, a fourth flyback diode D8 and a second drive chip IC2. The third reverse-series-connected IGBT unit is formed of a fifth IGBT (IGBT 5), a sixth IGBT (IGBT 5), a fifth high voltage isolating diode D9, a sixth high voltage isolating diode D11, a fifth flyback diode D10, a sixth flyback diode D12 and a third drive chip IC3. The connections of the second and third reverse-series-connected IGBT units are similar to the connections of the first reverse-series-connected IGBT unit, so are not described superfluously here.

[0038] In addition, the collectors of the second IGBT, the fourth IGBT and the sixth IGBT are connected to each other.

[0039] The content described above forms the IGBT-based controllable rectifier circuit of the present invention; the principle of rectification thereof is similar to that of a conventional three-switch two-level APFC circuit, so is not described superfluously here. Short-circuit detection and protection of the IGBTs in the controllable rectifier circuit in this embodiment is explained below with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0040] Here, a current between the R phase and the S phase is taken as an example for illustration; other inter-phase scenarios are similar. As shown in FIG. 4, when PWM1 and PWM2 are both HIGH and the inter-RS voltage is in a positive half-cycle, the direction of current is R->L1->IGBT1->D4->IGBT4->D6->L2->S (the direction indicated by the dotted-line arrow in FIG. 4). Since PWM1 is HIGH, IGBT1 and IGBT2 are both in a conducting state, but according to the inter-RS voltage polarity, there is current flow through IGBT1; at this time, the diode D1 is conducting, but there is no current flow through IGBT2, and the diode D3 is cut off, therefore the voltage of the non-inverting input terminal Vdesat of the comparator in the first drive chip IC1=the voltage across the diode D1+the voltage drop across IGBT1. By the same principle, the diode D7 is conducting, but the diode D5 is cut off, and the non-inverting input terminal Vdesat of the comparator in the second drive chip IC2=the voltage across the diode D7+the voltage drop across IGBT4.

[0041] When an IGBT experiences a short circuit, the voltage drop across the IGBT increases sharply; when the voltage of the non-inverting input terminal Vdesat of the drive chip IC1/IC2 is greater than the set valve value of the inverting input terminal, the drive chip IC1/IC2 automatically carries out soft turn-off of the drive signal PWM (i.e. changes it to LOW), thereby realizing short-circuit protection for current in the direction from R->S.

[0042] As FIG. 5 shows, when PWM1 and PWM2 are both HIGH and the inter-RS voltage is in a negative half-cycle, the direction of current is S->L2->IGBT3->D8->IGBT2->D2->L1->R (the direction indicated by the dotted-line arrow in FIG. 5). Since PWM2 is HIGH, IGBT3 and IGBT4 are both in a conducting state, but according to the inter-RS voltage polarity, there is current flow through IGBT3; at this time, the diode D5 is conducting, but there is no current flow through IGBT4, and the diode D7 is cut off; the voltage of the non-inverting input terminal Vdesat of the comparator in the second drive chip IC2=the voltage across the diode D5+the voltage drop across the IGBT3.

[0043] By the same principle, the diode D3 is conducting, but the diode D1 is cut off, and the non-inverting input terminal Vdesat of the comparator in the first drive chip IC1=the voltage across the diode D3+the voltage drop across the IGBT2.

[0044] When an IGBT experiences a short circuit, the voltage drop across the IGBT increases sharply; when the voltage of the non-inverting input terminal of the drive chip IC1/IC2 is greater than the set valve value of the inverting input terminal, the drive optocoupler automatically carries out soft turn-off of the drive signal, thereby realizing short-circuit protection for current in the direction from S->R.

[0045] It can be understood that in the embodiment above, the comparator and the drive signal for controlling switching on of the IGBT are integrated in the drive chip IC; this enables the circuit to be simplified, to provide stability, but separate devices could also be used as required, i.e. with the IGBT drive signal and detection of the voltage between the collector and emitter being realized by means of a drive unit providing a drive signal PWM and a comparison unit respectively. This could likewise realize the abovementioned IGBT short-circuit detection and protection functions; a specific circuit is shown in FIG. 6, and will be easily understood by those skilled in the art based on the description above, so is not described superfluously here.

[0046] The present invention has already been explained by means of the embodiments above, but it should be understood that the embodiments above are merely intended to serve as examples for the purpose of illustration, not to restrict the present invention to the scope of the embodiments described. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments above. Many more types of changes in form and amendments could be made based on the teaching of the present invention, and all such changes in form and amendments shall fall within the scope of protection claimed in the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the attached claims and their equivalent scope.