Power Converter Bus Bar Slits for Surge Voltage Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power converter circuits in hybrid vehicles experience interference due to surge voltages when semiconductor modules are connected by bus bars, leading to inefficiencies and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of bus bars with slits or curved portions that increase the length of current paths between power converter circuits, reducing the impact of surge voltages by attenuating their transfer between connected modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If semiconductor modules are connected by bus bars to constitute power converter circuits, then electrical connection and power transmission are achieved, but interference between power converter circuits occurs due to surge voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar is segmented by introducing slits that divide the continuous conductive path into separate sections. Each power converter circuit has its own dedicated region on the bus bar, separated from other circuits by the slits. This segmentation prevents surge voltage from one circuit from directly affecting other circuits, while still maintaining electrical connection within each circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The slits act as intermediary elements between different power converter circuits on the bus bar. By introducing these intermediate barriers, the direct electrical coupling between circuits is reduced, allowing each circuit to operate independently while sharing the common bus bar structure for power transmission.
2Device complexity
If bus bars connect multiple power converter circuits, then structural integration is achieved, but surge voltage transfers between circuits causing interference
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar structure is segmented by adding slits that create distinct regions for different power converter circuits. This segmentation maintains the integrated bus bar structure while preventing surge voltage transfer between circuits, effectively solving the contradiction between structural integration and electrical isolation.
3Ease of manufacture
If common bus bars are used for multiple semiconductor modules, then manufacturing simplicity is achieved, but interference between circuits increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar is manufactured as a single integrated piece with slits introduced during fabrication. This segmentation approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving circuit isolation, as the slits can be created using standard manufacturing processes like laser cutting or punching, avoiding the need for multiple separate bus bars.
Data Source
AI summary
A positive-electrode connecting plate (66) that connects positive-electrode terminals (28, 36, 48) of a plurality of power converter circuits is provided with slits (100, 102). The positive-electrode connecting plate has a positive-electrode bus bar portion (78) on which a first inverter corresponding region (94) that is connected to the positive-electrode terminal (36) of a first inverter as one of the power converter circuits via a positive-electrode connecting piece (80a), a second inverter corresponding region (96) that is connected to the positive-electrode terminal (48) of a second inverter as one of the power converter circuits via a positive-electrode connecting piece (80b) and a boost converter corresponding region (98) that is connected to the positive-electrode terminal (28) of a boost converter as one of the power converter circuits via a positive-electrode connecting piece (80c) are defined. The slits extend from an edge (82) of the positive-electrode bus bar portion along the boundaries between the regions.