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DE-102024139330-A1 - Low-loss active high-voltage circuit breaker

DE102024139330A1DE 102024139330 A1DE102024139330 A1DE 102024139330A1DE-102024139330-A1

Abstract

Vehicle propulsion system comprising a battery for supplying direct current (DC), an inverter with a wide-bandgap transistor for converting the DC to alternating current (AC) in response to a transistor control signal applied to a gate of the wide-bandgap transistor, a high-voltage power switch connected antiparallel to the wide-bandgap transistor to provide a path for current when the wide-bandgap transistor is off, an inverter controller with a power supply for providing DC, a current sensor for detecting a current level of the DC, and a high-voltage transistor for generating the transistor control signal in response to a variation in the current level and DC, and an electric motor configured to produce electromotive torque in response to the AC voltage to propel a vehicle.

Inventors

  • Chandra S. Namuduri
  • Benjamin S. Ngu
  • Khorshed Mohammed Alam
  • Rashmi Prasad
  • Yilun Luo

Assignees

  • GM Global Technology Operations LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241220
Priority Date
20241108

Claims (10)

  1. Vehicle propulsion system comprising: a battery for supplying a DC voltage; an inverter with a wide-bandgap transistor for converting the DC voltage into an AC voltage in response to a transistor control signal applied to a gate of the wide-bandgap transistor; a high-voltage power switch connected antiparallel to the wide-bandgap transistor to provide a path for current when the wide-bandgap transistor is off; an inverter controller with a power supply for providing a DC current, a current sensor for detecting a current level of the DC current, and a high-voltage transistor for generating the transistor control signal in response to a variation in the current level and DC current; and an electric motor configured to produce electromechanical torque in response to the AC voltage to propel a vehicle.
  2. Vehicle drive system according to Claim 1 , where the current sensor is a dual comparator.
  3. Vehicle drive system according to Claim 1 , wherein the high-voltage transistor comprises a PNP transistor and an NPN transistor configured in parallel.
  4. Vehicle drive system according to Claim 1 , whereby the benefit provision is an isolated bias benefit provision.
  5. Vehicle drive system according to Claim 1 , where the high-voltage transistor is a high-voltage diode exhibiting a linear increase in a voltage drop proportional to the current level up to a predetermined current level.
  6. Vehicle drive system according to Claim 2 , where the high-voltage transistor exhibits a larger than linear increase in the voltage drop proportional to the current level above the predetermined current level.
  7. Vehicle drive system according to Claim 2 , where the high-voltage transistor exhibits a less than linear increase in the voltage drop proportional to the current level above the predetermined current level.
  8. Vehicle drive system according to Claim 1 , wherein the high-voltage transistor includes internal control logic configured to automatically switch it to a low on-resistance state in response to a cathode rotating negatively with respect to an anode, and to return to a blocking state in response to a current being reversed in the high-voltage transistor.
  9. Vehicle drive system according to Claim 1 , wherein the high-voltage transistor is triggered synchronously between an on-state and an off-state in response to at least one of an internal current sensing signal polarity, an external current sensor and a trigger circuit.
  10. A method for powering a vehicle, comprising: generating a direct current using an isolated bias power supply; detecting a current level of the direct current using a current sensor; generating a transistor control signal in response to the direct current and current level exceeding a threshold; generating an alternating voltage using a wide-bandgap transistor in response to the transistor control signal and a direct voltage from a battery; generating a short circuit across the wide-bandgap transistor using a high-voltage power switch connected antiparallel to the wide-bandgap transistor to provide a path for current when the wide-bandgap transistor is off, in response to the direct current and current level not exceeding the threshold; and Propelling the vehicle using an electromotive force generated by an electric motor in response to alternating current.

Description

Introduction The present description relates generally to electric vehicle motors and battery systems, and in particular to a method and a device comprising a high-voltage (HV) circuit breaker that uses a single- or multi-chip parallel combination of semiconductor devices to reduce losses and package size, which can be triggered by using self-sensing of voltage and/or current or by external current sensor, control-based prediction, diode temperature or by suitable analog comparators and logic circuits. Electric motors are used in electric vehicles (EVs) to convert electrical energy from the battery into mechanical energy to turn the wheels. There are typically two main types of electric motors used in EVs: induction motors and permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMS). Induction motors are the most common type of electric motor used in EVs. They are also very efficient and can deliver high torque. PMS are often used in high-performance EVs, such as sports cars and race cars. Modern EVs typically have two electric motors, one for each axle, but some EVs may have a single motor located under the hood or four motors, one for each wheel. Description This document describes vehicle control methods and systems and associated electrical systems for providing vehicle propulsion systems, methods for manufacturing and operating such systems, and motor vehicles and other equipment such as aircraft, trucks, buses, forklifts, construction vehicles, and other electric vehicles equipped with battery-powered electric motors. As an example, and not a limitation, various embodiments of systems are presented to provide a novel low-loss active high-voltage switching transistor for use in an electric vehicle inverter. According to one aspect of the present description, a vehicle propulsion system comprises a battery for supplying a direct current (DC) voltage, an inverter with a wide-bandgap transistor for converting the DC voltage into an alternating current (AC) voltage in response to a transistor control signal applied to a gate of the wide-bandgap transistor, a high-voltage power switch connected antiparallel to the wide-bandgap transistor to provide a path for current when the wide-bandgap transistor is off, an inverter controller with a power supply for providing a DC current, a current sensor for detecting a current level of the DC current, and a high-voltage transistor for generating the transistor control signal in response to a variation in the current level and DC current, and an electric motor configured to produce electromotive torque in response to the AC voltage to propel a vehicle. According to another aspect of the present description, the current sensor is a dual comparator. According to another aspect of the present description, the high-voltage transistor comprises a positive-negative-positive (PNP) transistor and a negative-positive-negative (NPN) transistor configured in parallel. According to another aspect of the present description, where the benefit provision is an isolated bias benefit provision. According to another aspect of the present description, the high-voltage transistor is a high-voltage diode that exhibits a linear increase in a voltage drop proportional to the current level up to a predetermined current level. According to another aspect of the present description, the high-voltage transistor exhibits a larger than linear increase in the voltage drop proportional to the current level above the predetermined current level. According to another aspect of the present description, the high-voltage transistor exhibits a less than linear increase in the voltage drop proportional to the current level above the predetermined current level. According to another aspect of the present description, the high-voltage transistor includes internal control logic configured to automatically switch it to a low on-resistance state in response to a cathode rotating negatively with respect to an anode, and in response to a The current of the high-voltage transistor is reversed, returning to a blocking state. According to another aspect of the present description, the high-voltage transistor is triggered synchronously between an on-state and an off-state in response to at least one of an internal current sensing signal polarity, an external current sensor and a trigger circuit. According to another aspect of the present description, a method for propelling a vehicle comprises generating a direct current using an isolated bias power supply, detecting a current level of the direct current using a current sensor, generating a transistor control signal in response to the direct current and current level exceeding a threshold, generating an alternating voltage using a wide-bandgap transistor in response to the transistor control signal and a direct voltage from a battery, creating a short circuit across the wide-bandgap transistor using a high-voltage power switch connected antiparallel to the wide-bandgap transistor