Precharge system and method

This application claims priority to China Patent Application No. 202110710247.2, filed on Jun. 25, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

The present disclosure relates to power electronical technology field, and more particularly to a precharge system and method.

For avoiding the overcurrent phenomenon on bus capacitors during the start-up process, the precharge circuit is utilized to precharge the bus capacitor. Generally, the precharge circuit comprises a precharge switch and a precharge resistor. In the conventional precharge method, as shown in FIG. 1 , during precharging the bus capacitor, the precharge switch is controlled to be turned on constantly for charging the bus capacitor continuously. After the bus voltage on the bus capacitor reaches a preset value or the precharge switch has been turned on for a preset time length, the precharge switch is turned off to finish the precharging.

However, during the precharging process, since the precharge switch is maintained in an on state, the precharge resistor works and consumes the power continuously. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2 , the overload ability of the resistor is inversely proportional to the time of the resistor working with load. Therefore, as the working time of the precharge resistor increases, the overload ability of the precharge resistor decreases gradually, namely the overload power of the precharge resistor decreases gradually.

Based on the conventional precharge method and the resistor characteristic stated above, the conventional precharge circuit has to employ the precharge resistor with large rated power. Accordingly, the type of the precharge resistor is limited, and the volume and cost of the precharge resistor are increased.

Therefore, there is a need of providing a precharge system and method in order to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional technologies.

The present disclosure provides a precharge system and method. Through controlling the precharge switch to switch between an on state and an off state for multiple times, the precharge resistor intermittently works with a consuming power which is close to a limit power. Therefore, the precharge system is allowed to employ the precharge resistor with low rated power so as to reduce the volume and cost of the precharge resistor, and it is faster for the precharge system to complete the precharging.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a precharge method configured to control a precharge system is provided. The precharge system comprises a load circuit and a precharge circuit, and the load circuit comprises an input terminal, an input switch and a bus capacitor. The input terminal is configured to receive an input current. The input switch is coupled between the input terminal and the bus capacitor. The precharge circuit is connected in parallel to the input switch and comprises a precharge resistor and a precharge switch connected in series. The precharge method comprises: during the load circuit being in a precharge mode, controlling the input switch to be in an off state, and controlling the precharge switch to switch between an on state and an off state for multiple times; and during the load circuit being in a work mode, controlling the input switch to be in an on state. During the load circuit being in the precharge mode, when the precharge switch is in the on state, a consuming power of the precharge resistor is larger than a threshold power and is smaller than or equal to a limit power of the precharge resistor, the input current flows through the precharge resistor to charge the bus capacitor, and a bus voltage on the bus capacitor increases. When the precharge switch is in the off state, the consuming power of the precharge resistor is zero, and the bus capacitor stops being charged.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a precharge system is provided. The precharge system comprises a load circuit, a precharge circuit and a control circuit, and the load circuit comprises an input terminal, an input switch and a bus capacitor. The input terminal is configured to receive an input current. The input switch is coupled between the input terminal and the bus capacitor. The precharge circuit is connected in parallel to the input switch and comprises a precharge resistor and a precharge switch connected in series. During the load circuit being in a precharge mode, the control circuit controls the input switch to be in an off state and controls the precharge switch to switch between an on state and an off state for multiple times. When the precharge switch is in the on state, a consuming power of the precharge resistor is larger than a threshold power and is smaller than or equal to a limit power of the precharge resistor, the input current flows through the precharge resistor to charge the bus capacitor, and a bus voltage on the bus capacitor increases. When the precharge switch is in the off state, the consuming power of the precharge resistor is zero, and the bus capacitor stops being charged. During the load circuit being in a work mode, the control circuit controls the input switch to be in an on state.

The present disclosure provides a precharge system and method. Through controlling the precharge switch to switch between an on state and an off state, the precharge resistor intermittently works with a consuming power which is larger than a threshold power and is smaller than or equal to a limit power. Accordingly, when the precharge resistor works, the consuming power of the precharge resistor is maintained at a power level which is close to the limit power. Therefore, the precharge system is allowed to employ the precharge resistor with low rated power so as to reduce the volume and cost of the precharge resistor, and it is faster for the precharge system to complete the precharging. In addition, since the precharge resistor dissipates heat intermittently, the reliability of the overall system is improved.

The above contents of the present disclosure will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic oscillogram showing a waveform of bus capacitor and a switching sequence of precharge switch in the case of employing the conventional precharge method;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the relation between an overload power and a working time of a resistor;

FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating a precharge system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic oscillogram showing waveforms of a driving signal of a precharge switch and a bus voltage of FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the relation between the consuming power and the working time of the precharge resistor of FIG. 3 ;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic flow charts illustrating a precharge method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this disclosure are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.

FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating a precharge system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3 , the precharge system 1 comprises a precharge circuit 10 and a load circuit 20 , and the load circuit 20 comprises an input terminal 21 , an input switch 22 and a bus capacitor Cbus. The input terminal 21 is configured to receive an input current. The input switch 22 is coupled between the input terminal 21 and the bus capacitor Cbus. The precharge circuit 10 is connected in parallel to the input switch 22 , and the precharge circuit 10 comprises a precharge resistor 11 and a precharge switch 12 connected in series. The input current can be a direct current, and the direct current is used to charge the bus capacitor Cbus. In an embodiment, the input current is an alternating current (i.e., the input terminal 21 is connected to an alternating current source), and the load circuit 20 further comprises a rectifier circuit 23 . The rectifier circuit 23 is coupled between the input switch 22 and the bus capacitor Cbus, and is configured to convert the alternating current into a direct current for charging the bus capacitor Cbus. In FIG. 3 , the load circuit 20 is exemplified as a two-phase circuit. In this embodiment, the load circuit 20 comprises two input switches 22 , the precharge system 1 comprises two precharge circuits 10 , and the two precharge circuits 10 are connected in parallel to the two input switches 22 respectively. In fact, the number of phases of the load circuit 20 is not limited, the load circuit 20 is for example but not limited to a single-phase, two-phase or three-phase circuit. When the number of phases of the load circuit 20 changes, the number of the input switch 22 and the precharge circuit 10 changes accordingly. In addition, the precharge system 1 further comprises a control circuit 30 . The control circuit 30 is electrically connected to the load circuit 20 and the precharge circuit 10 and is configured to control the operation of the precharge system 1 . It is noted that the precharge method described as follows in the present disclosure are all performed by the control circuit 30 for controlling the operation of the precharge system 1 accordingly.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are exemplified to explain the precharge method for controlling the precharge system 1 of the present disclosure. In FIG. 4 , S 12 is the driving signal of the precharge switch 12 , and Vbus is the bus voltage on the bus capacitor Cbus. As shown in FIG. 4 , during the time period from the timing t 0 to t 5 , the load circuit 20 is in a precharge mode, the input switch 22 is controlled to be in the off state, and the precharge switch 12 is controlled to switch between the on state and the off state for multiple times. After the timing t 5 , the load circuit 20 is in a work mode, and the input switch 22 is controlled to be in the on state. Further, when the load circuit 20 is in the work mode, the precharge switch 12 may be controlled to be in the off state or the on state. The operation of the precharge system 1 during the load circuit 20 being in the precharge mode is described particularly as follows.

At the timing t 0 , the precharge switch 12 is turned on. During the time period from the timing t 0 to t 1 , the precharge switch 12 is in the on state, the input current flows through the precharge resistor 11 and charges the bus capacitor Cbus, and thus the bus voltage Vbus increases. At the timing t 1 , the precharge switch 12 is turned off. During the time period from the timing t 1 to t 2 , the precharge switch 12 is in the off state, the bus capacitor Cbus stops being charged, and the bus voltage Vbus is constant. In an embodiment, the bus voltage Vbus may decrease slightly. Please refer to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 . FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the relation between the consuming power and the working time of the precharge resistor 11 , and the actual work region of the precharge resistor 11 is illustrated by a shadow part in FIG. 5 . At the timing t 0 , the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 is equal to the limit power P 1 . In an embodiment, at the timing t 0 , the consuming power of the precharge switch 11 can be any value which is smaller than the limit power P 1 and is larger than a threshold power P 2 . The limit power P 1 is larger than the rated power of the precharge resistor 11 . During the time period from the timing t 0 to t 1 , the precharge switch 12 is in the on state for allowing the precharge resistor 11 to work. As the working time of the precharge resistor 11 increases, the thermal energy is gradually accumulated within the precharge resistor 11 , which causes a permitted maximum of the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 gradually decreases toward the threshold power P 2 . It is noted that the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 is maintained to be larger than the threshold power P 2 and to be smaller than or equal to the limit power P 1 during the time period from the timing t 0 to t 1 . During the time period from the timing t 1 to t 2 , the precharge switch 12 is in the off state, and the precharge resistor 11 stops working. Under this circumstance, the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 is zero so that the precharge resistor 11 can dissipate heat for making itself return to be close to the initial status, and the permitted maximum of the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 gradually increases toward the limit power P 1 . In an embodiment, the permitted maximum of the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 may return to equal the limit power P 1 .

Afterwards, at the timing t 2 , the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 is equal to the limit power P 1 again. In an embodiment, the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 at the timing t 2 may be any value which is slightly smaller than the limit power P 1 and is larger than the threshold power P 2 . During the time period from the timing t 2 to t 3 , the precharge switch 12 is in the on state, the bus capacitor Cbus is charged, the bus voltage Vbus increases, and the precharge resistor 11 works again. As the working time of the precharge resistor 11 increases, the thermal energy is gradually accumulated within the precharge resistor 11 , which causes the permitted maximum of the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 gradually decreases toward the threshold power P 2 again. During the time period from the timing t 2 to t 3 , the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 is maintained to be larger than the threshold power P 2 and to be smaller than or equal to the limit power P 1 . During the time period from the timing t 3 to t 4 , the precharge switch 12 is in the off state, and the precharge resistor 11 stops working. Under this circumstance, the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 is zero so that the precharge resistor 11 dissipates heat for making itself return to be close to the initial status again, namely the permitted maximum of the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 gradually increases toward the limit power P 1 . In an embodiment, the permitted maximum of the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 may return to equal the limit power P 1 again. During the time period from the timing t 3 to t 4 , the bus capacitor Cbus stops being charged, and the bus voltage Vbus is constant. In an embodiment, the bus voltage Vbus may decrease slightly. During the time period from the timing t 4 to t 5 , the precharge switch 12 is in the on state, the bus capacitor Cbus is charged, and the bus voltage Vbus increases. For the same reason, the variation trend of the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 during the time period from the timing t 4 to t 5 is the same as that during the time period from the timing t 0 to t 1 and the time period from the timing t 2 to t 3 . It could be understood that the times of switching the precharge switch 12 between the on state and the off state during the load circuit 20 being in the precharge mode are not limited to that shown in FIG. 5 and can be adjusted according to actual requirements of the precharge system.

From the above descriptions, during the time period A (i.e., the time period from the timing t 0 to t 1 , the time period from the timing t 2 to t 3 , and the time period from the timing t 4 to t 5 ), the precharge resistor 11 works and gradually accumulates the thermal energy therein, and the permitted maximum of the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 decreases gradually toward the threshold power P 2 . During the time period B (i.e., the time period from the timing t 1 to t 2 , the time period from the timing t 3 to t 4 , and the time period after the timing t 5 ), the precharge resistor 11 stops working and dissipates heat, and the permitted maximum of the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 increases gradually toward the limit power P 1 . In an embodiment, the permitted maximum of the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 may return to equal the limit power P 1 . Therefore, through controlling the precharge switch 12 to switch between the on state and the off state, the precharge resistor 11 intermittently works with the consuming power which is larger than the threshold power P 2 and is smaller than or equal to the limit power P 1 . Accordingly, when the precharge resistor 11 works, the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 is maintained at a power level which is close to the limit power P 1 . By the precharge method of the present disclosure, the precharge system 1 is allowed to employ the precharge resistor 11 with low rated power so as to reduce the volume and cost of the precharge resistor 11 , and it is faster for the precharge system 1 to complete the precharging. In addition, since the precharge resistor 11 dissipates heat intermittently, the reliability of the overall system is improved.

In addition, in the precharge method of the present disclosure, it can be preset that the load circuit 20 in the precharge mode enters the work mode automatically while a specific condition is satisfied. The specific condition may be that the time length of the load circuit 20 being in the precharge mode reaches a preset time length, or that the times of switching the precharge switch 12 reach preset times, but not limited thereto. Moreover, the precharge method of the present disclosure can determine whether to control the load circuit 20 in the precharge mode to enter the work mode in real time. The basis of determining whether to control the load circuit 20 in the precharge mode to enter the work mode is not limited and can be decided according to actual application environments and requirements. For example, in an embodiment, the bus voltage Vbus is detected in real time, and the load circuit 20 in the precharge mode is controlled to enter the work mode if the bus voltage Vbus is larger than or equal to a preset voltage. Correspondingly, the precharge system 1 further comprises a voltage detector (not shown) electrically connected to the control circuit 30 and the bus capacitor Cbus. In another embodiment, the accumulated time length of the precharge switch 12 being in the on state is accounted in real time, and the load circuit 20 in the precharge mode is controlled to enter the work mode if the accumulated time length is larger than or equal to a preset time length. In further another embodiment, a difference between the bus voltage Vbus and the input voltage on the input terminal 21 is calculated in real time, and the load circuit 20 in the precharge mode is controlled to enter the work mode if the difference is smaller than or equal to a preset value. Further, the timing and frequency of determining whether to control the load circuit 20 in the precharge mode to enter the work mode is not limited.

Moreover, the specific time length of the time periods A and B shown in FIG. 4 are not limited and only have to ensure that the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 is always larger than the threshold power P 2 and smaller than or equal to the limit power P 1 . It is noted that the time periods A and B only represent the time period of the precharge switch 12 being in the on state and the off state respectively, and it is unnecessary to make the time length of each time period A or B the same.

Furthermore, in the precharge method of the present disclosure, the time length of the time periods A and B can be set in advance so as to simplify the switching control for the precharge switch 12 , but not exclusively. In an embodiment, the precharge method of the present disclosure can adjust the time length of each time period A or B in real time. For example, when the load circuit 20 is in the precharge mode, the precharge method further comprises steps of detecting a temperature of the precharge resistor 11 and controlling the time length of the precharge switch 12 being in the on and off state according to the temperature of the precharge resistor 11 . Correspondingly, the precharge system 1 further comprises a temperature sensor (not shown) electrically connected to the control circuit 30 and the precharge circuit 10 . The particular steps are described in detail as follows. Firstly, the precharge switch 12 is controlled to be in the on state, and a first temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is detected. Then, the first temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is compared with a first threshold temperature, and the precharge switch 12 is controlled to switch from the on state to the off state if the first temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is larger than or equal to the first threshold temperature. Afterwards, the precharge switch 12 is maintained in the off state, and a second temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is detected. Then, the second temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is compared with a second threshold temperature, and the precharge switch 12 is controlled to switch from the off state to the on state if the second temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is smaller than or equal to the second threshold temperature. Finally, the above steps are repeated until the load circuit 20 in the precharge mode enters the work mode. In an embodiment, the first threshold temperature is higher than the second threshold temperature.

In an embodiment, when the precharge switch 12 switches between the on state and the off state, the limit power P 1 of the precharge resistor 11 may vary dynamically. The limit power P 1 may be determined according to the type of the precharge resistor 11 and the time length of the precharge switch 12 being in the on state each time.

In an embodiment, when the precharge switch 12 switches between the on state and the off state, the threshold power P 2 can be adjusted dynamically. The threshold power P 2 may be determined according to the times of switching the precharge switch 12 between the on state and the off state, the time length of the precharge switch 12 being in the on state each time, the time length of the precharge switch 12 being in the off state each time, the temperature coefficient of the precharge resistor 11 , and the condition of dissipating heat.

In addition, when the precharge system 1 breaks down, the precharge method of the present disclosure is able to discover and shut down the system in time. For example, in an embodiment, under the circumstance that the load circuit 20 is in the precharge mode and the times of switching the precharge switch 12 between the on state and the off state is equal to preset times, if the bus voltage Vbus is smaller than a preset voltage and a difference between the bus voltage Vbus and the input voltage is larger than a preset value, the load circuit 20 in the precharge mode is controlled to enter a breakdown mode, and the precharge system 1 is shut down.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart illustrating a precharge method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The precharge method can be applied to the precharge system 1 described above. In the precharge method, as shown in FIG. 6 , during the load circuit 20 being in a precharge mode, the input switch 22 is controlled to be in an off state, and the precharge switch 12 is controlled to switch between an on state and an off state for multiple times. In particular, when the precharge switch 12 is in the on state, a consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 is larger than a threshold power P 2 and is smaller than or equal to a limit power P 1 of the precharge resistor 11 , the input current flows through the precharge resistor 11 to charge the bus capacitor Cbus, and a bus voltage Vbus on the bus capacitor Cbus increases. When the precharge switch 12 is in the off state, the consuming power of the precharge resistor 11 is zero, and the bus capacitor Cbus stops being charged. In addition, during the load circuit 20 being in a work mode, the input switch 22 is controlled to be in an on state.

In an embodiment, when the load circuit 20 is in the precharge mode, the precharge method further comprises detecting a temperature of the precharge resistor 11 , and controlling a time length of the precharge switch 12 being in the on state and the off state according to the temperature of the precharge resistor 11 , which comprises the steps as shown in FIG. 7 . Firstly, in Step S 1 , the precharge switch 12 is controlled to be in the on state, and a first temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is detected. Then, in Step S 2 , the first temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is compared with a first threshold temperature, and the precharge switch 12 is controlled to switch from the on state to the off state if the first temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is larger than or equal to the first threshold temperature. Then, in Step S 3 , the precharge switch 12 is maintained in the off state, and a second temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is detected. Finally, in Step S 4 , the second temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is compared with a second threshold temperature, and the precharge switch 12 is controlled to switch from the off state to the on state if the second temperature of the precharge resistor 11 is smaller than or equal to the second threshold temperature. The steps S 1 to S 4 are repeated until the load circuit 20 in the precharge mode enters the work mode.

In summary, the present disclosure provides a precharge system and method. Through controlling the precharge switch to switch between an on state and an off state, the precharge resistor intermittently works with a consuming power which is larger than a threshold power and is smaller than or equal to a limit power. Accordingly, when the precharge resistor works, the consuming power of the precharge resistor is maintained at a power level which is close to the limit power. Therefore, the precharge system is allowed to employ the precharge resistor with low rated power so as to reduce the volume and cost of the precharge resistor, and it is faster for the precharge system to complete the precharging. In addition, since the precharge resistor dissipates heat intermittently, the reliability of the overall system is improved.

While the disclosure has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.