Power assembly, motor controller and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a power assembly, a motor controller and a vehicle, and relates to the technical field of power semiconductors, the power assembly at least comprises a first power device, a second power device and a diode; the second power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor; the second power device forms a first branch; the first power device and the diode are connected in parallel to form a second branch; the current flowing direction in the first power device is opposite to the current flowing direction in the diode; the first branch and the second branch are connected in parallel. According to the motor controller, the characteristics of high switching frequency, high efficiency and the like of the gallium nitride power semiconductor are utilized, so that the power assembly has the performance of high switching frequency and high efficiency, and the efficiency and power density of the motor controller are improved. And the second branch is connected in parallel, so that the power assembly has the performance of high voltage resistance and high current circulation, and can be adapted to a motor controller in a high-voltage and high-power scene.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of power semiconductor technology, and more particularly to a power component, a motor controller, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] The development of new energy vehicles is rapid, and the motor controller, as the control center of the electric drive system of new energy vehicles, is currently the focus of research and development. As the voltage level of the high-voltage system of new energy vehicles becomes higher and higher, higher requirements are placed on the operation of the motor controller under medium and high voltage levels.

[0003] The core component of a motor controller is a power semiconductor. To further improve the efficiency and power density of the motor controller, the switching frequency of the power semiconductor can be increased. However, due to the high voltage characteristics, related technologies increase the topological complexity of the motor controller to improve the switching frequency of the power semiconductor. But complex topologies also bring problems such as potential fluctuations, computational complexity, and high real-time control requirements.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the problems existing in the related technologies, this disclosure provides a power component, a motor controller, and a vehicle.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a power component is provided, comprising at least: a first power device, a second power device, and a diode;

[0007] The second power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor;

[0008] The second power device forms the first branch;

[0009] The first power device and the diode are connected in parallel to form the second branch; the current flow direction in the first power device is opposite to the current flow direction in the diode.

[0010] The first branch and the second branch are connected in parallel.

[0011] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, a third power device is also included; said third power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor;

[0012] The third power device and the second power device are connected in series to form the first branch.

[0013] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the rated current of the first power device is greater than the rated current of the third power device.

[0014] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, it further includes: at least one fourth power device; said fourth power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor;

[0015] The rated current of the fourth power device is the same as that of the third power device.

[0016] Each of the fourth power devices is connected in parallel with the third power device.

[0017] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the rated current of the first power device is greater than the rated current of the second power device.

[0018] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the first power device is an insulated gate bipolar transistor;

[0019] The rated current of the first power device is equal to the rated current of the diode.

[0020] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the collector of the first power device is electrically connected to the cathode of the diode, and the emitter of the first power device is electrically connected to the anode of the diode.

[0021] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the first power device is a silicon insulated gate bipolar transistor.

[0022] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, it further includes: at least one fifth power device; said fifth power device is an insulated gate bipolar transistor;

[0023] The rated current of the fifth power device is the same as that of the first power device.

[0024] Each of the fifth power devices is connected in parallel with the first power device.

[0025] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the diode is a silicon-based power diode or a silicon carbide power diode.

[0026] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, it further includes: at least one sixth power device; said sixth power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor;

[0027] The rated current of the sixth power device is the same as that of the second power device.

[0028] Each of the sixth power devices is connected in parallel with the second power device.

[0029] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the first power device is a silicon-based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor.

[0030] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a motor controller is provided, comprising a plurality of power components as described in any of the first aspects, and a plurality of inductors;

[0031] Two of the power components are connected in series to form a phase conversion bridge arm, and the connection point is the midpoint of each phase conversion bridge arm; the multi-phase conversion bridge arms are connected in parallel.

[0032] The midpoint of one of the aforementioned points is electrically connected to the inductor of one of the aforementioned points.

[0033] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the power component includes: a first power device, a second power device, a diode, and a third power device; the third power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor; the third power device and the second power device are the same power device.

[0034] The third power device and the second power device are connected in series to form the first branch.

[0035] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the current flowing through any of the power components is the load current;

[0036] In response to the load current being less than a first current threshold, the first power device is in a turn-off state, while the second power device and the third power device are in an operating state.

[0037] The first current threshold is determined based on the output characteristic curves of the first power device and the second power device.

[0038] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the current flowing through any of the power components is the load current;

[0039] In response to the load current being greater than the second current threshold, the first power device is in the operating state, while the second power device and the third power device are in the off state.

[0040] Wherein, the second current threshold is equal to the rated current of the second power device.

[0041] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the current flowing through any of the power components is the load current;

[0042] In response to the load current being greater than or equal to a first current threshold and less than or equal to a second current threshold, the first power device, the second power device, and the third power device are all periodically turned on.

[0043] In this configuration, the first power device, the second power device, and the third power device are all simultaneously turned on.

[0044] The second power device and the third power device are turned off simultaneously;

[0045] For the same cycle, the turn-off time of the second power device lags behind the turn-off time of the first power device by a fixed duration.

[0046] The first current threshold is determined based on the output characteristic curves of the first power device and the second power device.

[0047] The second current threshold is equal to the rated current of the second power device.

[0048] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the first power device is an insulated gate bipolar transistor;

[0049] The fixed duration is greater than the zero-voltage turn-off duration of the first power device.

[0050] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, a control unit is further included, which is electrically connected to the first power device, the second power device and the third power device respectively, and sends control signals to make the waveform of the load current conform to the target waveform.

[0051] In some possible implementations of this disclosure, the target waveform is a sine wave.

[0052] In some possible embodiments of this disclosure, the peak value of the target waveform is the peak current value;

[0053] The peak current is less than the maximum operating current of the first power device.

[0054] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, including: a motor controller as described in any of the second aspects above.

[0055] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects:

[0056] This disclosure discloses a power component incorporated into a motor controller, comprising at least a first power device, a second power device, and a diode. The second power device is a gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductor. The first power device and the diode are connected in parallel to form a second branch, which is then connected in parallel with the first branch formed by the second power device to form the power component. Utilizing the high switching frequency and high efficiency characteristics of GaN power semiconductors, the power component exhibits high switching frequency and high efficiency, thereby improving the efficiency and power density of the motor controller. Furthermore, the parallel connection of the second branch enables the power component to possess high voltage withstand capability and the ability to carry high current, thus adapting it to motor controllers operating in high-voltage, high-power scenarios.

[0057] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0058] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0059] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a power component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 .

[0060] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a power component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 .

[0061] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a motor controller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0062] Figure 4 This is a waveform diagram of a load current according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Figure 5 These are the output characteristic curves of the first power device and the second power device in a specific example shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0064] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the conduction timing corresponding to work area II in a specific instance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0065] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a capacitor-clamped three-level motor controller in the related art, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] Figure 8 This is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0067] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail herein, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. Various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatus, and / or systems described herein will become apparent upon understanding this disclosure. For example, the order of operations described herein is merely illustrative and is not limited to those orders set forth herein, but can be changed as will become apparent upon understanding this disclosure, except for operations that must be performed in a particular order. Furthermore, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of features known in the art may be omitted.

[0068] The embodiments described below, which are examples of some of the embodiments of this disclosure, do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0069] The specific implementation methods of the embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0070] like Figure 1 The diagram shown is a simplified structural illustration of a power component according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 This power component can be used in motor controllers in vehicles, which can be new energy vehicles.

[0071] like Figure 1 As shown, the power component includes at least:

[0072] First power device 10, second power device 20, diode 30;

[0073] The second power device 20 is a gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductor. It should be noted that gallium nitride power semiconductors are a new type of power electronic device based on gallium nitride (GaN) material. They can operate at higher frequencies and are highly efficient; they have lower on-resistance, resulting in less energy loss during current conduction; and they support faster switching rates, helping to reduce the size of passive components. GaN material also has high thermal stability, allowing the device to operate at higher temperatures.

[0074] The second power device 20 forms the first branch; the first power device 10 and the diode 30 are connected in parallel to form the second branch; the current flow direction in the first power device 10 is opposite to the current flow direction in the diode 30; the first branch and the second branch are connected in parallel.

[0075] Understandably, the high switching frequency and high efficiency of gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors enable power components to achieve these characteristics, thereby improving the efficiency and power density of motor controllers. Furthermore, by connecting a second branch in parallel, the power components gain high voltage withstand capability and the ability to carry high current, making them suitable for motor controllers in high-voltage, high-power scenarios. Moreover, GaN power semiconductors can be fabricated on silicon substrates, a more mature process that offers potential for cost reduction.

[0076] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 2 The diagram shown is a simplified structural illustration of a power component according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 .exist Figure 1 In addition to the above, it also includes: a third power device 40; the third power device 40 is a gallium nitride power semiconductor; the third power device 40 and the second power device 20 are connected in series to form a first branch. It should be noted that the drain of the second power device 20 is electrically connected to the source of the third power device 40 to form the first branch. Those skilled in the art will understand that multiple gallium nitride power semiconductors can be connected in series in the first branch according to actual voltage withstand requirements. This disclosure does not limit the number of semiconductors; based on actual voltage withstand requirements, an appropriate number of gallium nitride power semiconductors are selected to minimize device cost while ensuring safety.

[0077] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the third power device 40 and the second power device 20 are the same power devices, that is, they are of the same type, specification or model, thereby ensuring balanced voltage and current distribution, simplifying drive design, and ensuring high consistency and stability of output characteristics.

[0078] It can be understood that the second power device 20 and the third power device 40 require very precise synchronized gate drive signals to avoid small delay differences causing one of the devices to withstand almost the full voltage and break down.

[0079] It should be noted that a single gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductor typically operates with a withstand voltage of 600–650V. However, if the goal is to apply GaN power semiconductors in motor controllers of high-voltage vehicles, it is difficult to meet their high-voltage requirements. For example, a medium-voltage 400V platform requires power semiconductors with a withstand voltage of over 750V; a high-voltage 800V platform requires power semiconductors with a withstand voltage of over 1200V. By connecting two or more GaN power semiconductors in series on the same branch, the voltage withstand capability and voltage blocking capability of the first branch can be improved, thereby increasing the withstand voltage of the power component and enabling it to adapt to high-voltage operating scenarios.

[0080] In the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the rated current of the first power device 10 is greater than the rated current of the second power device 20, and the rated current of the first power device 10 is greater than the rated current of the third power device 40. This expands the current capability of the power component, far exceeding the current capability of a single gallium nitride power semiconductor, thereby enabling the power component to carry high current. Furthermore, since a higher rated current for a gallium nitride power semiconductor results in higher cost, by setting the rated currents of the second power device 20 and the third power device 40 to be lower than the rated current of the first power device 10, the cost of the power component can be minimized while ensuring safe operation.

[0081] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the first power device 10 is an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), a composite fully controllable voltage-driven power semiconductor device composed of a BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor) and a MOS (Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistor). It combines the advantages of MOSFET's high input impedance and high speed characteristics with BJT's low on-state voltage drop and high current carrying capacity, making it widely used in mid-to-high frequency applications. Because IGBTs can withstand higher voltages and currents, they are suitable for high-voltage, high-power applications, thus enabling the power components to be suitable for high-voltage, high-power scenarios.

[0082] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the first power device 10 is a silicon insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), which is a silicon-based IGBT. Its production cost is significantly lower than that of IGBTs made from other novel materials, and it offers higher reliability and stability. By applying silicon insulated gate bipolar transistors, the manufacturing cost of power components can be greatly reduced.

[0083] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, when the voltage requirement for the power component application is low voltage, the first power device 10 is a silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (Si MOSFET), which is a field-effect transistor manufactured based on silicon material. This can minimize manufacturing costs while ensuring the operational safety of the power component.

[0084] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the rated current of the first power device 10 is equal to the rated current of the diode 30. For example... Figure 1As shown, the collector of the first power device 10 is electrically connected to the cathode of the diode 30, and the emitter of the first power device 10 is electrically connected to the anode of the diode 30. By connecting the diode 30 and the first power device 10 in parallel, and ensuring that the current flowing through them is the same in magnitude and opposite in direction, functions such as freewheeling, rectification, and reduction of voltage spikes can be achieved.

[0085] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, diode 30 is a silicon-based power diode or a silicon carbide power diode. Silicon-based power diodes are cost-effective and have a wider range of applications. Silicon carbide power diodes also have high-speed switching capability, better thermal performance, and lower energy loss, and can be adaptively selected according to the application scenario of the power component.

[0086] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in order to improve the overall current capability, multiple identical power semiconductor devices can be connected in parallel.

[0087] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the power component further includes: at least one fourth power device; the fourth power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor; wherein the rated current of the fourth power device is the same as the rated current of the third power device 40; each fourth power device is connected in parallel with the third power device 40. Specifically, the fourth power device and the third power device 40 are the same power device. By connecting multiple identical gallium nitride power semiconductors in parallel, the current capability and reliability of the overall component formed in parallel are improved.

[0088] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the power component further includes: at least one fifth power device; the fifth power device is an insulated-gate bipolar transistor; wherein the rated current of the fifth power device is the same as the rated current of the first power device 10; each fifth power device is connected in parallel with the first power device 10. Specifically, the fifth power device and the first power device 10 are the same power device. Connecting multiple identical IGBTs in parallel improves the current capability and reliability of the overall component formed by the parallel connection.

[0089] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the power component further includes: at least one sixth power device; the sixth power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor; wherein the rated current of the sixth power device is the same as the rated current of the second power device 20; each sixth power device is connected in parallel with the second power device 20. Specifically, the sixth power device and the second power device 20 are the same power device. By connecting multiple identical gallium nitride power semiconductors in parallel, the current capability and reliability of the overall component formed in parallel are improved.

[0090] It should be noted that when connecting multiple power devices in parallel to increase the current capability of the resulting component, the switching behavior of the multiple power devices must be synchronized to avoid affecting the stability and reliability of the power assembly. Protection mechanisms, such as overcurrent protection or short-circuit protection, can also be implemented to prevent the spread of faults caused by the failure of a single power device.

[0091] This invention also provides a motor controller, including multiple power components provided in any of the above embodiments, and multiple inductors, wherein two power components are connected in series to form a phase conversion bridge arm, and the connection point is the midpoint of each phase conversion bridge arm; the multiple phase conversion bridge arms are connected in parallel; and a midpoint is electrically connected to an inductor.

[0092] It should be noted that the motor controller in a vehicle is one of the key components of electric drive systems such as electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and is responsible for converting the direct current supplied by the battery into alternating current to drive the electric motor.

[0093] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a motor controller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The motor controller includes a three-phase converter arm and three inductors (L1, L2, L3). Each phase converter arm includes two power components, that is, it includes six power components 100. Each power component includes: a first power device 10, a second power device 20, a diode 30, and a third power device 40. The second power device 20 and the third power device 40 are gallium nitride power semiconductors, and the third power device 40 and the second power device 20 are the same power device. The third power device 40 and the second power device 20 are connected in series to form a first branch, and the first power device 10 and the diode 30 are connected in parallel to form a second branch. The current flow direction in the first power device 10 is opposite to the current flow direction in the diode 30, and the first branch and the second branch are connected in parallel. In other words, the motor controller includes a first power device (Q1, Q4, Q7, Q10, Q13, Q16), diodes (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6), a second power device (Q2, Q5, Q8, Q11, Q14, Q17), a third power device (Q3, Q6, Q9, Q12, Q15, Q18), and inductors L1, L2, L3.

[0094] To achieve the functions of a motor controller, such as inversion, it is necessary to control the on / off state of the three-phase converter arms to ensure that the current output by the motor controller meets requirements, such as outputting a three-phase sinusoidal current. It should be noted that the current flowing through any power component is the load current. The operating range of the power component can be determined based on the real-time value of the load current, thereby controlling the operating state of each power device within the power component.

[0095] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the target waveform of the load current. Based on the magnitude of the load current, each cycle is divided into three operating regions: Operating Region I, Operating Region II, and Operating Region III.

[0096] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, in response to a load current less than a first current threshold, the first power device 10 is in a turned-off state, while the second power device 20 and the third power device 40 are in an operating state; wherein, the first current threshold is determined based on the output characteristic curves of the first power device 10 and the second power device 20. That is, in the operating region I, when the load current is less than the first current threshold i1, the two power devices in the first branch operate simultaneously, while the first power device 10 does not operate. It should be noted that the simultaneous operation of the two power devices in the first branch can be achieved by the two power devices in the first branch periodically turning on or off simultaneously, that is, turning on for a period of time and then turning off for a period of time within one cycle according to the issued PWM signal, so that the load current conforms to the target waveform.

[0097] It should be noted that the first current threshold i1 is determined based on the intersection of the output characteristic curves of the first power device 10 and the second power device 20, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the output characteristic curves of the first power device 10 and the second power device 20 in a specific example are shown. The first power device 10 is an IGBT, and the solid line in the figure is the on-state voltage drop curve of the IGBT. The second power device 20 is a GaN power semiconductor, and the dashed line in the figure is the on-state voltage drop curve of the GaN power semiconductor. The current value corresponding to the intersection of the two is the first current threshold i1.

[0098] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, in response to a load current greater than a second current threshold, the first power device 10 is in a conducting state, while the second power device 20 and the third power device 40 are in a turning-off state; wherein, the second current threshold is equal to the rated current of the second power device 20 or the third power device 40, that is... Figure 5 i in rate In other words, in operating region III, the first power device 10 operates independently. This means the first power device 10 can be periodically turned on or off, that is, it can be turned on for a period of time and then off for a period of time within one cycle according to the issued PWM signal, so that the load current conforms to the target waveform.

[0099] It should be noted that, as Figure 4 As shown, this load current has a peak value, which is the peak current i of the motor controller. max Since the first power device 10 operates independently within operating area III, its current handling capability must be greater than i. maxIn some embodiments of this disclosure, the peak value of the target waveform is the peak current value, which is less than the maximum operating current value of the first power device 10 to ensure safety.

[0100] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, in response to a load current greater than or equal to a first current threshold and less than or equal to a second current threshold, the first power device 10, the second power device 20, and the third power device 40 are all periodically turned on; wherein, the first power device 10, the second power device 20, and the third power device 40 are turned on simultaneously; the second power device 20 and the third power device 40 are turned off simultaneously; for the same cycle, the turn-off time of the second power device 20 lags behind the turn-off time of the first power device 10 by a fixed duration; wherein, the first current threshold is determined based on the output characteristic curves of the first power device 10 and the second power device 20; and the second current threshold is equal to the rated current of the second power device 20.

[0101] In operating region II, the load current is greater than or equal to i1 and less than or equal to i. rate The first power device 10, the second power device 20, and the third power device 40 all operate. For example... Figure 6 The diagram shows the turn-on timing of power devices Q1, Q2, and Q3 in a power module over one cycle. It can be seen that at time t1, Q1, Q2, and Q3 are all turned on simultaneously, maximizing the turn-on speed of the power module and reducing turn-on losses. At time t2, Q1 turns off first. At this time, Q2 and Q3 remain on, allowing Q1 to achieve zero-voltage turn-off. Q2 and Q3 turn off at time t3, and the time interval between t3 and t2 is greater than the zero-voltage turn-off duration of Q1.

[0102] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the first power device 10 is an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), and the fixed duration is longer than the zero-voltage turn-off duration of the first power device 10. Since the turn-off loss of GaN power semiconductors is much lower than that of IGBTs, setting a fixed duration longer than the zero-voltage turn-off duration of the first power device 10 can achieve zero-voltage turn-off of the first power device 10, thereby reducing turn-off losses.

[0103] For work area II, via Figure 6 The turn-on timing control shown can fully utilize the high efficiency of GaN power semiconductors. Furthermore, during the time interval t1 to t2, if Q2 and Q3 are short-circuited, the current flowing through Q2 and Q3 increases rapidly, and their on-state voltage drop rises accordingly. Figure 5As shown, under high current, the on-state voltage drop of Q1 is relatively low, and the short-circuit current will gradually migrate to Q1. This reduces the short-circuit current of Q2 and Q3, thus improving their short-circuit withstand capability. Compared to GaN power semiconductors alone, whose short-circuit withstand time is typically less than 500ns due to their high electron mobility and wide bandgap, the short-circuit withstand time of Q2 and Q3 is significantly extended, enabling better application of motor controllers in high-voltage, high-current, and high-power scenarios.

[0104] This demonstrates that the high efficiency of GaN power semiconductors can be fully utilized in operating regions I and II to improve the overall efficiency of the motor controller. In operating region III, the high voltage and high current capabilities of the first power device 10 are fully utilized to ensure the peak current i of the motor controller. max Output capability. This allows for a reduction in the investment in GaN power semiconductors while ensuring safety, thereby lowering costs and maintaining both performance and cost control.

[0105] In some embodiments of this disclosure, regardless of the operating area, the periodic conduction waveform of any power device can be controlled by a corresponding PWM signal. The duty cycle of the PWM signal is not specifically limited. The load current waveform is adjusted by feedback to conform to the target waveform, which is a sine wave.

[0106] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the system further includes a control unit electrically connected to the first power device 10, the second power device 20, and the third power device 40, respectively, to send control signals to make the waveform of the load current conform to the target waveform. It should be noted that the control unit in the motor controller is responsible for processing input signals and executing algorithms to generate control signals, and may be a microcontroller (MCU), digital signal processor (DSP), programmable logic controller (PLC), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.

[0107] To better illustrate the advantages of the power components provided in the embodiments of this disclosure in motor controllers, a topology of a motor controller using GaN power semiconductors in related technologies is now provided for comparison and explanation.

[0108] like Figure 7As shown, to enable the application of GaN power semiconductors with lower withstand voltage in new energy vehicle motor controllers, a capacitor-clamped three-level motor controller is provided. Q1A-Q6A, Q1B-Q6B, and Q1C-Q6C in the figure all use GaN power semiconductors. It can be seen that by increasing the complexity of the topology, the withstand voltage requirement of the power semiconductor can be reduced by half. However, the topology is more complex, requiring 1-2 times more power semiconductor devices, resulting in higher costs. Furthermore, three-level motor controllers are prone to midpoint potential imbalance. Small differences in capacitor values ​​and equivalent series resistances can lead to different capacitor charging and discharging rates during inverter operation, causing a shift in the midpoint potential. Different motor operating states (such as starting, acceleration, deceleration, and braking) can cause significant changes in load current, easily leading to midpoint potential fluctuations. Differences in the turn-on and turn-off times of switching devices, as well as delays in drive signals, can result in uneven influence of the inverter on the midpoint potential under different switching states. The number of space vectors in a three-level motor controller is much greater than that in a two-level motor controller. Its sector division and vector action time calculation are more complex, requiring a large number of trigonometric function calculations and coordinate transformations, which places higher demands on the controller's computing power and real-time performance.

[0109] The embodiments provided in this disclosure Figure 3 The motor controller shown, by applying the power components described above that combine the advantages of IGBT's large capacity and low cost with GaN power semiconductors' high efficiency and high frequency, can realize a two-level motor controller topology. This enables high-power motor controllers for both medium-voltage and high-voltage platforms, avoiding the aforementioned shortcomings of three-level motor controllers. Furthermore, by adjusting the control strategy specifically for different operating areas, without changing the GaN power semiconductor chip structure or using additional short-circuit protection circuits, the short-circuit withstand capability of the GaN power semiconductor in the power components can be indirectly improved, ensuring both safety and cost savings.

[0110] This disclosure also provides a vehicle including a motor controller as described in the above embodiments.

[0111] Figure 8 This is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle 800 according to an exemplary embodiment. For example, vehicle 800 may be a hybrid vehicle, a non-hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, or other types of vehicle. Vehicle 800 may be an autonomous vehicle, a semi-autonomous vehicle, or a non-autonomous vehicle.

[0112] Reference Figure 8The vehicle 800 may include various subsystems, such as an infotainment system 810, a perception system 820, a decision control system 830, a drive system 840, a computing platform 850, and a battery system 860. The vehicle 800 may also include more or fewer subsystems, and each subsystem may include multiple components. Furthermore, each subsystem and each component of the vehicle 800 can be interconnected via wired or wireless means.

[0113] In some embodiments, the infotainment system 810 may include a communication system, an entertainment system, and a navigation system, etc.

[0114] The perception system 820 may include several sensors for sensing information about the environment surrounding the vehicle 800. For example, the perception system 820 may include a global positioning system (which may be GPS, BeiDou, or other positioning systems), an inertial measurement unit (IMU), lidar, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic radar, and a camera device.

[0115] The decision control system 830 may include a computing system, a vehicle controller, a steering system, a throttle, and a braking system.

[0116] The drive system 840 may include components that provide powered motion to the vehicle 800. In one embodiment, the drive system 840 may include an engine, an energy source, a transmission system, and wheels. The engine may be one or a combination of internal combustion engines, electric motors, and compressed air engines. The engine is capable of converting energy provided by the energy source into mechanical energy.

[0117] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the drive system 840 may include a motor controller as described above.

[0118] Some or all of the functions of the vehicle 800 are controlled by a computing platform 850. The computing platform 850 may include at least one processor 851 and a memory 852, the processor 851 being able to execute instructions 853 stored in the memory 852.

[0119] The processor 851 can be any conventional processor, such as a commercially available CPU. The processor may also include, for example, a Graphic Processing Unit (GPU), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a System on Chip (SOC), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or a combination thereof.

[0120] The memory 852 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk or optical disk.

[0121] In addition to instruction set 853, memory 852 can also store data, such as road maps, route information, vehicle position, direction, speed, and other data. The data stored in memory 852 can be used by computing platform 850.

[0122] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0123] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A power component, characterized in that, It includes at least: a first power device, a second power device, and a diode; The second power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor; The second power device forms the first branch; The first power device and the diode are connected in parallel to form the second branch; the current flow direction in the first power device is opposite to the current flow direction in the diode. The first branch and the second branch are connected in parallel.

2. The power component according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The third power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor. The third power device and the second power device are connected in series to form the first branch.

3. The power component according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rated current of the first power device is greater than the rated current of the third power device.

4. The power component according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: At least one fourth power device; the fourth power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor; The rated current of the fourth power device is the same as that of the third power device. Each of the fourth power devices is connected in parallel with the third power device.

5. The power component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rated current of the first power device is greater than the rated current of the second power device.

6. The power component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first power device is an insulated-gate bipolar transistor; The rated current of the first power device is equal to the rated current of the diode.

7. The power component according to claim 6, characterized in that, The collector of the first power device is electrically connected to the cathode of the diode, and the emitter of the first power device is electrically connected to the anode of the diode.

8. The power component according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first power device is a silicon insulated gate bipolar transistor.

9. The power component according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, Also includes: At least one fifth power device; the fifth power device is an insulated-gate bipolar transistor; The rated current of the fifth power device is the same as that of the first power device. Each of the fifth power devices is connected in parallel with the first power device.

10. The power component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diode is a silicon-based power diode or a silicon carbide power diode.

11. The power component according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: At least one sixth power device; the sixth power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor; The rated current of the sixth power device is the same as that of the second power device. Each of the sixth power devices is connected in parallel with the second power device.

12. The power component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first power device is a silicon-based metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor.

13. A motor controller, characterized in that, include: Multiple power components as described in any one of claims 1 to 12, and multiple inductors; Two of the power components are connected in series to form a phase conversion bridge arm, and the connection point is the midpoint of each phase conversion bridge arm; the multi-phase conversion bridge arms are connected in parallel. The midpoint of one of the aforementioned points is electrically connected to the inductor of one of the aforementioned points.

14. The motor controller according to claim 13, characterized in that, The power component includes: a first power device, a second power device, a diode, and a third power device; the third power device is a gallium nitride power semiconductor; the third power device and the second power device are the same type of power device. The third power device and the second power device are connected in series to form the first branch.

15. The motor controller according to claim 14, characterized in that, The current flowing through any of the power components is the load current; In response to the load current being less than a first current threshold, the first power device is in a turn-off state, while the second power device and the third power device are in an operating state. The first current threshold is determined based on the output characteristic curves of the first power device and the second power device.

16. The motor controller according to claim 14, characterized in that, The current flowing through any of the power components is the load current; In response to the load current being greater than the second current threshold, the first power device is in an operating state, while the second power device and the third power device are in an off state. Wherein, the second current threshold is equal to the rated current of the second power device.

17. The motor controller according to claim 14, characterized in that, The current flowing through any of the power components is the load current; In response to the load current being greater than or equal to a first current threshold and less than or equal to a second current threshold, the first power device, the second power device, and the third power device are all periodically turned on. In this configuration, the first power device, the second power device, and the third power device are all simultaneously turned on. The second power device and the third power device are turned off simultaneously; For the same cycle, the turn-off time of the second power device lags behind the turn-off time of the first power device by a fixed duration. The first current threshold is determined based on the output characteristic curves of the first power device and the second power device. The second current threshold is equal to the rated current of the second power device.

18. The motor controller according to claim 17, characterized in that, The first power device is an insulated-gate bipolar transistor; The fixed duration is greater than the zero-voltage turn-off duration of the first power device.

19. The motor controller according to claim 17, characterized in that, Also includes: The control unit is electrically connected to the first power device, the second power device and the third power device respectively, and sends control signals to make the waveform of the load current conform to the target waveform.

20. The motor controller according to claim 19, characterized in that, The target waveform is a sine wave.

21. The motor controller according to claim 19, characterized in that, The peak value of the target waveform is the peak current value; The peak current is less than the maximum operating current of the first power device.

22. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: The motor controller according to any one of claims 13 to 21.

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