Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for achieving current balance in parallel connected switching devices

US5338994A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
10References
33Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 4, 1993
Grant dateAug 16, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 4, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K17/125
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A scheme for maintaining current balance within a plurality of semiconductor devices, particularly thyristors and gate turn-off thyristors, which plurality is connected between two electrical power sources which devices are configured to be simultaneously conductive to share the current between the two sources, employs the scheme for maintaining the current within the several devices of the plurality equal. The scheme provides for the generation of individual current signals which represent the individual current magnitudes within the several devices. Further generated is an average current signal representing the average current within the plurality. A difference signal is generated with respect to each of the individual current signals which represents the difference between the average and the individual current signal. The difference signal is then employed to vary the time of application of the next control signal to the associated one of the devices to thereby minimize current imbalance within the plurality.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.