Method and apparatus for detecting ground faults in inverter outputs on a shared DC bus
US9899953B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 27, 2016 |
| Grant date | Feb 20, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 27, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02M1/008
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system to detect a ground fault at the output of an inverter section prior to powering up a motor drive system is disclosed. A low voltage power supply is connected to the DC bus prior to connecting the input power source to the rectifier section. If a ground fault exists, the voltage potential on the DC bus causes conduction through one of the freewheeling diodes connected in parallel to the power switching device on the output of the inverter section. A fault detection circuit generates a signal corresponding to the presence of the low voltage potential when the low voltage is applied to the DC bus. If a ground fault is present at the output of one of the inverter sections, the motor drive system prevents the AC voltage from being applied to the rectifier section.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.