Power converter, and method for manufacturing power converter

Abstract

To provide a power converter capable of making common structures of sizes or numbers of terminals of a DCAC converter and a DCDC converter.SOLUTION: A power converter comprises an external input terminal connected with an external power source, an external output terminal connected with an external load, and a power conversion section including a plurality of power modules each for converting DC power supplied from the power source into AC power or DC power of a different voltage. Any one of the external input terminal and the external output terminal includes two first external terminals connected with the power source or a positive electrode of the load and one second external terminal connected with the power source or the positive electrode or a negative electrode of the load.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to power converters and methods of manufacturing power converters. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a DC-DC converter that controls multiple switching elements (power semiconductor elements) to transform power supplied from a DC power source and output the transformed power to a load, such as a motor driven via an inverter circuit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-060851 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, the world has become increasingly electrified, and there is a demand for power converters that can be connected to power sources and load devices to meet various needs, such as automobiles, ships, and photovoltaic (PV) power generation.

[0005] Power converters can be broadly divided into two types: DC-AC converters and DC-DC converters. DC-AC converters are used for motor drives in automobiles and ships, AC power output, etc. DC-DC converters are used for charging and discharging storage batteries, PV and EV charging stations, etc.

[0006] A DCAC converter requires three output terminals corresponding to each of the three phases (U, V, and W phases). On the other hand, a DC-DC converter, when forming a three-phase buck-boost chopper, requires a total of four output terminals: the three-phase output terminals and a terminal (negative output terminal) for connecting the negative wiring that returns from the negative side of a load such as a storage battery. In other words, the number of output terminals differs between DCAC converters and DC-DC converters. Furthermore, DC-DC converters must be larger to accommodate the increased number of output terminals. For this reason, there has been little progress in standardizing the structure between DCAC converters and DC-DC converters.

[0007] Also, for example, to reduce the number of negative output terminals in a DC-DC converter, the negative wiring on the input side of the converter may be branched off and routed outside the converter and connected to the negative side of the load. However, routing the negative wiring outside the converter in this way increases the area of ​​the PN wiring loop that runs from the converter's positive input terminal (P) through the load and back to the negative input terminal (N). An increase in the PN wiring loop area increases noise, reducing the converter's electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance.

[0008] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a power converter and a method for manufacturing a power converter that enable a DC-AC converter and a DC-DC converter to have a common structure in terms of size and number of terminals. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a power converter includes an external input terminal connected to an external power source, an external output terminal connected to an external load, and a power conversion unit having a plurality of power modules that convert DC power supplied from the power source into AC power or DC power of a different voltage, and either the external input terminal or the external output terminal has two first external terminals connected to the positive pole of the power source or the load, and one second external terminal connected to the positive pole or negative pole of the power source or the load.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a power converter includes an external input terminal connected to an external power source, an external output terminal connected to an external load, and a power conversion unit having a plurality of power modules that converts DC power supplied from the power source into AC power or DC power of a different voltage, and includes the steps of: when the power converter is a DC / AC converter, connecting two first external terminals and one second external terminal that either the external input terminal or the external output terminal has to a positive electrode of the load; and when the power converter is a DC / DC converter, connecting the first external terminal to the positive electrode of the power source or the load, and connecting the second external terminal to the negative electrode of the power source or the load. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the above aspect, it is possible to standardize the size and the number of terminals of the DC-AC converter and the DC-DC converter. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a configuration example of a DC / AC converter according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a configuration example of a DC-DC converter according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of each component of the DC-DC converter according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a DC-DC converter in a first comparative example. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of each component of a DC-DC converter in a first comparative example. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a DC-DC converter in a second comparative example. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of each component of a DC-DC converter in a second comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] First Embodiment Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0014] (Power converter configuration) FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the configuration of a DC-AC converter according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the configuration of a DC-DC converter according to the first embodiment. A power converter 1 according to this embodiment is a DC-AC converter 1A or a DC-DC converter 1B. FIG. 1 shows an example of a circuit diagram of the DC-AC converter 1A, and FIG. 2 shows an example of a circuit diagram of the DC-DC converter 1B.

[0015] The power converter 1 includes a first connection unit 10, a second connection unit 11, a capacitor 12, a power conversion unit 13, and a current transformer 15 as components common to the DC-AC converter 1A and the DC-DC converter 1B.

[0016] When the power converter 1 is a DC-AC converter 1A, as shown in FIG. 1, the first connection unit 10 is connected to a DC power source 2, and the second connection unit 11 is connected to an AC load 3. The DC power source 2 is a power source that supplies DC power, such as a storage battery, a PV, or an EV charging station. The AC load 3 is an electric machine that is driven by AC power, such as a motor. The AC load 3 may also be a power grid to which discharged power from a storage battery or generated power from a PV is transmitted. That is, in the example of FIG. 1, the first connection unit 10 functions as an "external input terminal," and the second connection unit 11 functions as an "external output terminal."

[0017] When the power converter 1 is a DC-DC converter 1B, as shown in Fig. 2, the first connection part 10 is connected to a DC power supply 2, and the second connection part 11 is connected to a DC load 5 via a DCL 4 (DC reactor). The DC load 5 is a storage battery that charges and discharges DC power, an electric machine that is driven by DC power, or the like. That is, in the example of Fig. 2, the first connection part 10 functions as an "external input terminal," and the second connection part 11 functions as an "external output terminal."

[0018] The DC load 5 may be a charging station for a PV or an EV, and may supply power (i.e., provide a negative load) to a storage battery, which is the DC power source 2, or to another DC load connected to the first connection unit 10. In this case, the first connection unit 10 functions as an "external output terminal," and the second connection unit 11 functions as an "external input terminal."

[0019] In this embodiment, for simplicity of explanation, an example will be described in which the DC power supply 2 is a storage battery or a PV, the AC load 3 is a motor, and the DC load 5 is a storage battery, and the power converter 1 converts power input from the DC power supply 2 and outputs it to the AC load 3 or the DC load 5. Therefore, in the following explanation, the first connection unit 10 will also be referred to as the "external input terminal," and the second connection unit 11 will also be referred to as the "external output terminal."

[0020] The external input terminal 10 has a positive terminal 10p and a negative terminal 10n. The positive terminal 10p is connected to the positive side of the DC power supply 2, and the negative terminal 10n is connected to the negative side of the DC power supply 2.

[0021] The external output terminal 11 has three terminals: a U-phase terminal 11u, a V-phase terminal 11v, and a W-phase terminal 11w. Two of the U-phase terminal 11u, the V-phase terminal 11v, and the W-phase terminal 11w are first external terminals connected to the positive pole of a load (the AC load 3 or the DC load 5), and the remaining one is a second external terminal connected to the positive pole or the negative pole of the load.

[0022] When the power converter 1 is a DC-AC converter 1A, the U-phase terminal 11u, the V-phase terminal 11v, and the W-phase terminal 11w input and output AC power of U phase, V phase, and W phase, respectively. The U-phase terminal 11u, the V-phase terminal 11v, and the W-phase terminal 11w are each connected to an AC load 3 (motor).

[0023] Furthermore, when the power converter 1 is a DC-DC converter 1B, two of the U-phase terminal 11u, the V-phase terminal 11v, and the W-phase terminal 11w become positive terminals (first external terminals) connected to the positive electrode of the DC load 5, and the remaining one becomes a negative terminal (second external terminal) connected to the negative electrode of the DC load 5.

[0024] In the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the U-phase terminal 11u and the W-phase terminal 11w (the U-phase terminal and the W-phase terminal of the DCAC converter 1A) are set as first external terminals, and the V-phase terminal 11v (the V-phase terminal of the DCAC converter 1A) is set as a second external terminal. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, in the DC-DC converter 1B, the U-phase terminal 11u and the W-phase terminal 11w, which are the first external terminals, are positive terminals connected to the positive electrode of the DC load 5 via a positive electrode wiring Lp. Furthermore, the V-phase terminal 11v, which is the second external terminal, is a negative terminal connected to the negative electrode of the DC load 5 via a negative electrode wiring Ln. Note that which terminal is set as the second external terminal may be arbitrarily changed.

[0025] Capacitor 12 is a smoothing capacitor that smoothes the voltage supplied to power converter 1.

[0026] The power conversion unit 13 has power modules 132 and 133 arranged in an arrangement unit 131 .

[0027] When the power converter 1 is a DC-AC converter 1A, the power conversion unit 13 is an inverter that converts DC power into AC power and outputs it. As shown in Fig. 1, the power conversion unit 13 of the DC-AC converter 1A has three arrangement units 131 each provided with a power module 132 corresponding to the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase. The positive terminal 132a and the negative terminal 132b of each power module 132 are connected to the positive wiring Lp and the negative wiring Ln, respectively. The output terminal 132c of each power module 132 is connected to the U-phase terminal 11u, the V-phase terminal 11v, and the W-phase terminal 11w of the external output terminal 11, respectively.

[0028] Furthermore, when the power converter 1 is a DC-DC converter 1B, the power conversion unit 13 is a buck-boost chopper that converts DC power into DC power of a different voltage and outputs it. In the example of FIG. 2, the power conversion unit 13 of the DC-DC converter 1B is a two-phase buck-boost chopper having two power modules 133. A positive terminal 133a and a negative terminal 133b of each power module 133 are connected to a positive wiring Lp and a negative wiring Ln, respectively. An output terminal 133c of each power module 133 is connected to a U-phase terminal 11u and a W-phase terminal 11w of the external output terminal 11, respectively.

[0029] Moreover, in the DC-DC converter 1B, one of the arrangement sections 131 of the power conversion unit 13 is not provided with a power module 133, but is wired with a negative wiring Ln. A terminal block may be provided in this arrangement section 131 instead of the power module 133. As shown in FIG. 2, the negative wiring Ln returning from the negative electrode of the DC load 5 is drawn into the DC-DC converter 1B from one of the external output terminals 11 (V-phase terminal 11v) and merges with the negative wiring Ln inside the converter. In this way, the number of external output terminals 11 and the layout of the arrangement sections 131 of the power conversion unit 13 can be made common between the DC-AC converter 1A and the DC-DC converter 1B.

[0030] Note that the DC-DC converter 1B will have a two-phase interleaved configuration, and therefore output will be reduced if the same power module 132 as the DC-DC converter 1A is used. For this reason, the power module 133 of the DC-DC converter 1B may have a larger current capacity than the power module 132 of the DC-DC converter 1A. In other words, depending on the required output, the power module 132 for the DC-DC converter 1A and the power module 133 for the DC-DC converter 1B may be arbitrarily selected from multiple types of power modules that have the same external size but different current capacities.

[0031] The current transformer 15 is provided on a power line connecting the power conversion unit 13 and the external output terminal 11, and measures the current input to and output from the power converter 1 via the external output terminal 11. As in the example of Fig. 1, three current transformers 151, 152, and 153 are provided corresponding to the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase power modules 132, respectively. Furthermore, in the DC-DC converter 1B, as in the example of Fig. 2, two current transformers 151 and 153 are provided corresponding to the two power modules 133, respectively.

[0032] (Example of DC-DC converter configuration) 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating an example of the arrangement of components of the DC-DC converter according to the first embodiment, in which (a) is a plan view of the DC-DC converter 1B, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in (a).

[0033] 3, the external input terminal 10 is provided so as to extend toward one end side 100a in a first direction D1 (the up-down direction on the paper). The external output terminal 11 is provided so as to protrude to the outside from a connector interface 101 arranged on the other side 100b in the first direction D1. The side in the first direction D1 where the external input terminal 10 is provided is also referred to as the input side, and the side where the external output terminal 11 is provided is also referred to as the output side (DCL4 side). Note that in other embodiments, both the external input terminal 10 and the external output terminal 11 may be provided on the same surface of the housing 100 (for example, the connector interface 101).

[0034] 3(a), the arrangement sections 131 of the power conversion section 13 are arranged side by side in the second direction D2 (the left-right direction on the paper). One power module 133 is provided on each of the arrangement sections 131 at both ends in the second direction D2. The output terminals 133c of the power modules 133 are connected to the U-phase terminal 11u (corresponding to the U-phase of the DCAC converter 1A) and the W-phase terminal 11w (corresponding to the W-phase of the DCAC converter 1A) of the external output terminals 11, respectively. The positive terminal 133a and the negative terminal 133b of the power module 133 are connected to the positive terminal 12p and the negative terminal 12n of the capacitor 12, respectively.

[0035] 3(b), the power module 133 may be mounted directly on the heat sink 18. Furthermore, a gate driver 16 and a controller 17 for switching the switches of the power module 133 are provided on the upper surface of the power module 133.

[0036] 3(a), the power conversion unit 13 has a central arrangement portion 131 in the second direction D2 where no power module 133 is provided, and a negative wiring Ln that feeds back from the negative electrode of the DC load 5 is wired. The negative wiring Ln is drawn into the housing 100 from a V-phase terminal 11v (corresponding to the V-phase of the DCAC converter 1A) of the external output terminal 11, and is connected to a negative terminal 12n of the capacitor 12.

[0037] The negative wiring Ln may be drawn into the housing 100 from the U-phase terminal 11u (corresponding to the U-phase of the DCAC converter 1A) or the W-phase terminal 11w (corresponding to the W-phase of the DCAC converter 1A) of the external output terminal 11. That is, the negative wiring Ln may be wired to the arrangement portion 131 on the left side or the arrangement portion 131 on the right side of the power conversion unit 13. In order to maintain symmetry of the wiring and suppress an increase in noise, it is desirable to wire the negative wiring Ln to the central arrangement portion 131 as in the example of FIG. 3.

[0038] (Comparative Example 1) Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram showing the configuration of a DC-DC converter in Comparative Example 1. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of each component of the DC-DC converter in Comparative Example 1. Figs. 4 and 5 show the configuration of a conventional DC-DC converter 9A in which the number of external output terminals is increased to four.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, the DC-DC converter 9A includes an external input terminal 90, an external output terminal 91, a capacitor 92, a power conversion unit 93, and a current transformer 95.

[0040] The external output terminal 91 of the DC-DC converter 9A has a total of four terminals: output terminals 91u, 91v, 91w, and a negative output terminal 91n to which a negative wiring Ln returning from the negative side of the DC load 905 is connected.

[0041] The power conversion unit 93 of the DC-DC converter 9A has three power modules 931. Output terminals 931c of the power modules 931 are connected to output terminals 91u, 91v, and 91w of the external output terminal 91, respectively.

[0042] 5, the negative wiring Ln is drawn into the housing 900 from the added negative output terminal 91n and connected to the negative terminal 931b of one of the power modules 931. In the example of FIG. 5, the negative output terminal 91n is added to one side in the second direction D2 (the left side of the paper), and the negative wiring Ln is connected to the negative terminal 931b of the power module 931 on one side in the second direction D2. Therefore, in the configuration of Comparative Example 1, the size of the housing 900 in the second direction D2 must be increased by the length d to accommodate the added negative output terminal 91n and the wiring space for the negative wiring Ln.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the power converter 1 according to this embodiment has an external output terminal 11 that includes two first external terminals 11u and 11w connected to the positive pole of a load (AC load 3 or DC load 5) and one second external terminal 11v connected to the positive or negative pole of the load. This configuration allows the power converter 1 according to this embodiment to have the same number of terminals and housing size for the external output terminal 11 as the DC-AC converter 1A (FIG. 1) and the DC-DC converter 1B (FIG. 2). Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the DC-DC converter 1B according to this embodiment can reduce the area of ​​the PN wiring loop (shaded area in FIG. 2) that runs from the positive pole P of the capacitor 12 through the DC load 5 and returns to the negative pole N of the capacitor 12, compared to the area of ​​the PN wiring loop (shaded area in FIG. 4) in the DC-DC converter 9A according to Comparative Example 1. This reduces the influence of noise compared to conventional converters and suppresses degradation of EMC performance.

[0044] (Comparative Example 2) Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram showing the configuration of a DC-DC converter in Comparative Example 2. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of each component of the DC-DC converter in Comparative Example 2. Figs. 4 and 5 show the configuration of a conventional DC-DC converter 1B in which the negative wiring Ln is led out of the housing 900 without increasing the number of external output terminals.

[0045] The external output terminal 91 of the DC-DC converter 9B has three output terminals 91u, 91v, and 91w.

[0046] The power conversion unit 93 of the DC-DC converter 9B has three power modules 931. Output terminals 931c of the power modules 931 are connected to output terminals 91u, 91v, and 91w of the external output terminal 91, respectively.

[0047] 6 and 7, the negative wiring Ln is routed from the negative pole of the load along the outside of the housing 900 and connected to the negative terminal 90n of the external input terminal 90. This makes it possible to cut the cost required for adding a negative output terminal and to prevent the size of the housing 900 from increasing. However, since the negative wiring Ln is routed outside the housing 900, the area of ​​the PN wiring loop of the DC-DC converter 9B (the shaded area in FIG. 6) increases, making it more susceptible to noise and reducing EMC performance.

[0048] 2 and 6, in the DC-DC converter 1B according to this embodiment, the area of ​​the PN wiring loop (the shaded portion in FIG. 2) can be made smaller than the area of ​​the PN wiring loop (the shaded portion in FIG. 6) of the DC-DC converter 9B of Comparative Example 2. This makes it possible to reduce the influence of noise more than before and suppress deterioration of EMC performance.

[0049] Furthermore, there may be more noise sources, such as wiring of other semiconductors, outside the housing than inside. For this reason, in the configuration of Comparative Example 2, in order to suppress the influence of noise, measures such as covering the periphery of the negative wiring Ln arranged outside the housing 900 with a shielding plate or the like are necessary, which increases costs. On the other hand, in the DC-DC converter 1B according to this embodiment, the negative wiring Ln is routed inside the housing 100, so there is no need to cover the negative wiring Ln with a shielding plate, and therefore the EMC performance can be improved at a lower cost than in Comparative Example 2.

[0050] (Action and effect) As described above, the power converter 1 according to this embodiment includes an external input terminal 10 connected to an external power supply 2, an external output terminal 11 connected to external loads 3 and 5, and a power conversion unit 13 having a plurality of power modules 132 and 133 that convert DC power supplied from the power supply 2 into AC power or DC power of a different voltage. Either the external input terminal 10 or the external output terminal 11 has two first external terminals (e.g., a U-phase terminal 11u and a W-phase terminal 11w) connected to the positive electrodes of the power supply 2 or the loads 3 and 5, and one second external terminal (e.g., a V-phase terminal 11v) connected to the positive or negative electrode of the power supply 2 or the loads 3 and 5.

[0051] By doing so, the power converter 1 can have the same number of external terminals and the same size of housing for the DC-AC converter 1A and the DC-DC converter 1B.

[0052] In addition, the second external terminal 11v is connected to the positive electrode of the AC load 3 when the power converter 1 is a DC-AC converter 1A, and is connected to the negative electrode of the DC load 5 when the power converter 1 is a DCDC converter 1B.

[0053] In this way, when the power converter 1 is configured as a DC-DC converter 1B, any of the three terminals of the external output terminals 11 can be used as a terminal for connecting the negative wiring Ln. This eliminates the need to add a negative output terminal as in the above-described comparative example 1, thereby suppressing cost increases. In addition, the connector interface 101 can be shared between the DC-DC converter 1B and the DC-AC converter 1A.

[0054] The power conversion unit 13 also has three arrangement units 131 in which power modules 132, 133 can be arranged. When the power converter 1 is a DC-AC converter 1A, a power module 132 is arranged in each of the arrangement units 131. When the power converter 1 is a DC-DC converter 1B, a power module 133 is arranged in each of the two arrangement units 131, and a negative wiring Ln that connects the second external terminal 11v and the negative electrode of the DC load 5 is arranged in one arrangement unit 131.

[0055] By doing so, when the power converter 1 is configured as a DC-DC converter 1B, the negative electrode wiring Ln can be wired inside the housing 100. This eliminates the need to secure a separate space for wiring the negative electrode wiring Ln inside the housing 900, as in the above-described comparative example 1, and therefore makes it possible to suppress an increase in the size of the DC-DC converter 1B. Furthermore, compared to the above-described comparative examples 1 and 2, it is possible to reduce the area of ​​the PN wiring loop that runs from the positive electrode P of the capacitor 12 through the DC load 5 and returns to the negative electrode N of the capacitor 12, thereby reducing the influence of noise and suppressing a deterioration in EMC performance.

[0056] The first external terminals 11u, 11w and the second external terminal 11v are arranged side by side in one direction (second direction D2 in FIG. 3), and the second external terminal 11v is arranged midway between the two first external terminals 11u, 11w.

[0057] In this way, the power converter 1 (DC-DC converter 1B) can maintain symmetry of the wiring within the casing 100 and suppress noise.

[0058] Furthermore, when the power converter 1 is a DC-DC converter 1B, the power module 133 included in the power conversion unit 13 has a larger current capacity than the power module 132 included in the power conversion unit 13 when the power converter 1 is a DC-AC converter 1A.

[0059] In this way, the power converter 1 can suppress a decrease in output power due to the reduction of one power module 133 in the DC-DC converter 1B.

[0060] <Other embodiments> Although one embodiment has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above, and various design changes are possible. In other embodiments, the order of the above-described processes may be changed as appropriate.

[0061] For example, as described above, in the DC-DC converter 1B, the DC load 5 may be a power source that supplies power (provides a negative load) such as a storage battery, a PV, or an EV charging stand. In this case, the second connection unit 11 functions as an "external input terminal" to which DC power is input from the DC load 5 (power source). Therefore, the "DC load 5" and the "external output terminal 11" in the first embodiment can be read as a "power source" and an "external input terminal," respectively.

[0062] <Additional Notes> The above-described embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0063] (1) According to the first aspect, the power converter 1 includes an external input terminal connected to an external power source, an external output terminal connected to an external load, and a power conversion unit 13 having a plurality of power modules 132, 133 that convert DC power supplied from the power source 2 into AC power or DC power of a different voltage, and either the external input terminal or the external output terminal has two first external terminals 11u, 11w connected to the positive pole of the power source or the load, and one second external terminal 11v connected to the positive pole or the negative pole of the power source or the load.

[0064] By doing so, the power converter 1 can have the same number of terminals of the external output terminal 11 and the same size of the housing between the DC-AC converter 1A and the DC-DC converter 1B.

[0065] (2) According to the second aspect, in the power converter 1 according to the first aspect, the second external terminal 11v is connected to the positive pole of the load when the power converter 1 is a DC-AC converter 1A, and is connected to the negative pole of the power source or the load when the power converter 1 is a DC-DC converter 1B.

[0066] In this way, when the power converter 1 is configured as a DC-DC converter 1B, any of the three terminals of the external output terminals 11 can be used as a terminal for connecting the negative wiring Ln. This eliminates the need to add a negative output terminal as in the above-described comparative example 1, thereby suppressing cost increases. In addition, the connector interface 101 can be shared between the DC-DC converter 1B and the DC-AC converter 1A.

[0067] (3) According to the third aspect, in the power converter 1 according to the first or second aspect, the power conversion unit 13 has three placement sections 131 in which power modules 132, 133 can be placed, and when the power converter 1 is a DC-AC converter 1A, a power module 132 is placed in each of the placement sections 131, and when the power converter 1 is a DCDC converter 1B, a power module 133 is placed in each of the two placement sections 131, and a negative wiring Ln connecting the second external terminal 11v and the negative electrode of the power source or the load 5 is placed in one placement section 131.

[0068] By doing so, when the power converter 1 is configured as a DC-DC converter 1B, the negative electrode wiring Ln can be wired inside the housing 100. This eliminates the need to secure a separate space for wiring the negative electrode wiring Ln inside the housing 900, as in the above-described comparative example 1, and therefore makes it possible to suppress an increase in the size of the DC-DC converter 1B. Furthermore, compared to the above-described comparative examples 1 and 2, it is possible to reduce the area of ​​the PN wiring loop that runs from the positive electrode P of the capacitor 12 through the DC load 5 and returns to the negative electrode N of the capacitor 12, thereby reducing the influence of noise and suppressing a deterioration in EMC performance.

[0069] (4) According to a fourth aspect, in the power converter 1 according to any one of the first to third aspects, the first external terminals 11u, 11w and the second external terminal 11v are arranged side by side in one direction, and the second external terminal 11v is arranged midway between the two first external terminals 11u, 11w.

[0070] In this way, the power converter 1 (DC-DC converter 1B) can maintain symmetry of the wiring within the casing 100 and suppress noise.

[0071] (5) According to the fifth aspect, in the power converter 1 according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, when the power converter 1 is a DC-DC converter 1B, the power module 133 of the power conversion unit 13 has a larger current capacity than the power module 132 of the power conversion unit 13 when the power converter 1 is a DC-AC converter 1A.

[0072] In this way, the power converter 1 can suppress a decrease in output power due to the reduction of one power module 133 in the DC-DC converter 1B.

[0073] (6) According to a sixth aspect, there is provided a method for manufacturing a power converter 1 including an external input terminal connected to an external power source, an external output terminal 11 connected to an external load, and a power conversion unit 13 having a plurality of power modules 132, 133 that converts DC power supplied from a power source 2 into AC power or DC power of a different voltage, the method including the steps of: when the power converter 1 is a DC-AC converter 1A, connecting two first external terminals 11u, 11w and one second external terminal 11v that either the external input terminal or the external output terminal has to a positive electrode of the load 3; and when the power converter 1 is a DCDC converter 1B, connecting the first external terminals 11u, 11w to the positive electrode of the power source or the load, and connecting the second external terminal 11v to the negative electrode of the power source or the load.

[0074] In this way, it is possible to manufacture a power converter 1 in which the number of external terminals and the size of the housing are the same for the DC-AC converter 1A and the DC-DC converter 1B. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1 Power Converter 1A DC / AC converter 1B DC / DC converter 10. First connection section (external input terminal) 10n negative terminal 10p positive terminal 11 Second connection part (external output terminal) 11u U phase terminal (1st external terminal) 11v V phase terminal (2nd external terminal) 11w W phase terminal (1st external terminal) 12 Capacitors 12n negative terminal 12p positive terminal 13 Power conversion section 131 Placement section 132, 133 Power Module 15 Current transformer 16 Gate Drivers 17 Controller 18 Heatsink 100 cabinets 101 Connector Interface 2 DC power supply 3 AC load 5 DC load Ln negative wiring Lp positive wiring

Claims

1. an external input terminal connected to an external power supply; an external output terminal to be connected to an external load; a power conversion unit having a plurality of power modules that converts DC power supplied from the power supply into AC power or DC power of a different voltage; Equipped with One of the external input terminal and the external output terminal has two first external terminals connected to a positive electrode of the power supply or the load, and one second external terminal connected to a positive electrode or a negative electrode of the power supply or the load. Power converter.

2. The second external terminal is When the power converter is a DC / AC converter, the power converter is connected to the positive terminal of the load; When the power converter is a DC-DC converter, it is connected to the negative electrode of the power source or the load. The power converter of claim 1 .

3. The power conversion unit three placement sections in which the power modules can be placed; When the power converter is a DC / AC converter, the power modules are arranged in the arrangement sections, When the power converter is a DC-DC converter, the power modules are arranged in the two arrangement sections, respectively, and a negative wiring connecting the second external terminal and a negative electrode of the power supply or the load is arranged in one of the arrangement sections. The power converter according to claim 2 .

4. the first external terminal and the second external terminal are arranged side by side in one direction, the second external terminal is disposed midway between the two first external terminals; 4. The power converter according to claim 1.

5. When the power converter is a DC-DC converter, the power module included in the power conversion unit has a larger current capacity than when the power converter is a DC-AC converter.

4. The power converter according to claim 1.

6. an external input terminal connected to an external power supply; an external output terminal to be connected to an external load; a power conversion unit having a plurality of power modules that converts DC power supplied from the power supply into AC power or DC power of a different voltage; A method for manufacturing a power converter comprising: When the power converter is a DC-AC converter, connecting two first external terminals and one second external terminal of one of the external input terminal and the external output terminal to a positive electrode of the load; When the power converter is a DC-DC converter, connecting the first external terminal to a positive electrode of the power supply or the load, and connecting the second external terminal to a negative electrode of the power supply or the load; A method for manufacturing a power converter having the above structure.

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