Galvanic Isolation for Power Semiconductor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional control systems for power semiconductor devices face challenges in handling voluminous data communications, voltage disturbances, and noise, particularly in high-frequency environments, which limits their ability to provide instantaneous protection and efficient data transmission across different common mode voltage environments.
Innovation Solution
The system employs galvanic isolation and multiplexing of signals using a serial communication link with a continuous bit stream, sampling, and filtering to enable full duplex transmission of command and feedback signals, leveraging increasing bandwidth and decreasing costs of isolation devices, while using fiber optics for communication between common mode domains to prevent propagation of faults.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional control systems use copper wires to route analog signals, then signal transmission is simple, but voltage disturbances and noise increase due to different common mode voltage environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (analog-to-digital converter with galvanic isolation) that mediates between the high-voltage power domain and low-voltage control domain. This converter acts as a barrier that prevents common mode voltage differences from causing noise and disturbances while allowing signal transmission, thus resolving the contradiction between simple routing and noise immunity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct electrical connection (copper wire) with a digital communication system that uses galvanic isolation. This substitution eliminates the harmful electrical coupling between different common mode voltage environments while maintaining signal transmission capability, addressing the noise and disturbance issues.
2Reliability
If analog signals are transmitted across bridge potentials using optocouplers, then galvanic isolation is achieved, but the common mode voltage capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the isolation system by using high-voltage-rated optocouplers or isolation devices that can withstand higher common mode voltage differences. This parameter change allows the system to maintain galvanic isolation while adapting to higher voltage environments, resolving the contradiction between isolation reliability and voltage capability.
3Speed
If continuous analog signals are used for instantaneous protection, then fast response is achieved, but common mode rejection ratio deteriorates at higher frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes direct analog signal transmission with a digital sampling system that uses galvanic isolation. By converting analog signals to digital signals at the boundary between high-voltage and low-voltage domains, the system achieves both fast response for instantaneous protection and high common mode rejection ratio, as digital signals are inherently immune to common mode disturbances.
4Reliability
If multiple separate isolation devices are used for different signals, then signal integrity is maintained, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple signal isolation functions into a single integrated analog-to-digital converter with galvanic isolation capability. This consolidation maintains signal integrity for multiple channels while reducing the total number of isolation devices required, thus resolving the contradiction between signal integrity and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a universal isolation device (such as an isolated ADC or isolated communication interface) that can handle multiple different signal types (analog, digital, command, feedback) through a single galvanic isolation barrier. This multi-functional approach maintains signal integrity across different channels while reducing device count and complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides robust, low-latency, and high-precision signal transmission, enabling instantaneous protection and reducing exposure to obsolescence, with the ability to reuse components across different applications, thus enhancing the reliability and flexibility of power semiconductor device control systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first channel and a second channel configured to provide galvanic isolation of information communicated between the controller and the at least one power semiconductor device interface
Implementation Method 2
using fiber optics for communication between common mode domains to prevent propagation of faults
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling power semiconductor devices are described. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, there is disclosed a system. The system may include a serial communication link between a controller and a power electronics module, where a continuous bit stream passes through the serial communications link.