TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Power Conversion Apparatus
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
5 [0001]
The present invention relates to a power conversion
apparatus, and particularly to a power conversion apparatus
having semiconductor switching elements.
10 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002]
As a related art power conversion apparatus capable of
suppressing a switching surge, there has been known one shown
in “Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Laid-Open No.
15 2010-41790”, hereinafter referred to as “Patent Document 1”.
This power conversion apparatus is equipped with a DC power
supply line, a DC intermediate capacitor, and an inverter.
Of these, the DC power supply line is connected to an
output terminal of a converter that outputs a DC voltage. The
20 DC intermediate capacitor is an element that smoothes and
stabilizes the DC voltage outputted from the converter. The
DC intermediate capacitor is connected to the DC power supply
line. The inverter is a circuit that converts the DC power
supply voltage smoothed by the DC intermediate capacitor to
25 a three-phase AC voltage. The inverter is connected to the
3
DC power supply line.
[0003]
Further, the power conversion apparatus is equipped with
a capacitor connected in parallel with the DC power supply line.
An LC resonant circuit is configured by the capacitor 5 and the
inductance of the DC power supply line. This LC resonant circuit
is capable of suppressing a switching surge generated with the
switching of the inverter.
[0005]
10 The power conversion apparatus of the Patent Document
1 needs to prepare a capacitor separately besides the DC
intermediate capacitor in order to suppress the switching surge.
In addition, this capacitor needs to be one having a large
capacitance to absorb an electrical charge generated by a surge
15 phenomenon.
[0006]
Further, while wiring inductances Ls1 and Ls2 are clearly
shown in FIG. 8 of the Patent Document 1 as an equivalent circuit,
the wiring inductances of an actual power conversion circuit
20 are distributedly generated and besides its effective
inductance is hard to be grasped under the influence of a current
flowing through nearby other wiring. Thus, as described in
the Patent Document 1, it is difficult to clearly grasp the
wiring inductance and configure a desired parallel resonant
25 circuit using capacitors to be provided separately.
4
[0007]
Further, when steep switching (switching at high dV/dt
and di/dt) is performed, the influence of an ignored small
parasitic inductance becomes remarkable at the conventional
low di/dt. Therefore, it is not possible for a large-5 capacity
and large-sized capacitor to ignore the influence of parasitic
inductances generated in its lead wires and terminals or the
like, thus creating a vicious circle that brings about a new
surge phenomenon.
10 [0008]
Thus, in order to suppress the switching surge, there
is generally provided as described in FIG. 9 of the Patent
Document 1, a countermeasure method for connecting in parallel
with a switching element, a snubber circuit in which a capacitor
15 Cs is series-connected to a parallel circuit comprised of a
snubber diode Ds and a snubber resistor Rs.
[0009]
However, the above capacitor Cs also causes a wiring
inductance so that a surge voltage and a voltage resonant
20 vibration continuous with it are generated in an inter-terminal
voltage of the switching element (e.g., between its drain and
source).
[0010]
Such a resonant phenomenon can be attributed mainly to
25 the snubber circuit added for the switching surge control, the
5
parasitic inductance of a power module storing switching
elements therein, the parasitic capacitance of the switching
element, etc. A measure is required separately to suppress
radiation noise and conduction noise generated by this
5 resonance.
[0011]
Particularly at the time of turning-off in the switching
operations of the power conversion apparatus, a surge peak
voltage is generated and thereafter a surge voltage vibration
10 caused by the resonant impedance of a path having a current
change continues. When switching is steep although the
suppression by the snubber circuit has heretofore been performed,
a high frequency resonance of a few tens of MHz or higher is
generated due to the parasitic L in the snubber circuit, the
15 parasitic capacitance of the module, and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012]
The present invention has been devised to solve the above
20 problems. An object of the present invention is to rapidly
realize convergence of a resonant vibration and reduce the power
level of a harmonic wave as radiation noise due to the resonant
vibration in a power conversion apparatus having semiconductor
switching elements.
25
6
[0013]
Therefore, there is provided a power conversion apparatus
of the present invention, which is configured by connecting
a smoothing capacitor circuit, a first series circuit comprised
of switching elements and a second series 5 circuit comprised
of snubber circuits in parallel with a DC power supply, and
connecting between a connecting point of the switching elements
of the first series circuit and a connecting point of the snubber
circuits of the second series circuit, wherein a
10 compensation-impedance circuit configured by connecting a
second capacitor in series with a parallel circuit of a first
capacitor and a reactance is connected in parallel with the
DC power supply.
[0014]
15 According to the present invention, it is possible to
provide a power conversion apparatus capable of suppressing
a surge voltage vibration generated with switching.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
20 [0015]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of
a power conversion apparatus according to a first embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a mounting configuration
of a compensation-impedance circuit 8 applicable to the first
25 embodiment;
7
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the frequency dependence
of impedance in the power conversion apparatus;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a transient response
waveform in a related art system using no
compensation-5 impedance;
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a transient response
waveform in the present invention system using the
compensation-impedance;
FIG, 6 is a diagram depicting an FFT analysis result
10 of a drain-source voltage VDS in each of FIGS. 4 and 5;
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of
a power conversion apparatus according to a second embodiment;
and
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example
15 of a power conversion apparatus according to a third embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016]
In the present invention, there are provided means for
20 in consideration of the frequency characteristics of an
impedance increased at a resonant frequency, reducing the value
of the impedance and dispersing the frequency characteristics
to a plurality of frequencies, and means for suppressing a surge
voltage vibration.
25 [0017]
8
One example of a plurality of the inventions that solves
the above problems is taken as follows: There is provided a
power conversion apparatus of the present invention, which is
configured by connecting a smoothing capacitor circuit, a first
series circuit comprised of switching elements and 5 a second
series circuit comprised of snubber circuits in parallel with
a DC power supply, and connecting between a connecting point
of the switching elements of the first series circuit and a
connecting point of the snubber circuits of the second series
10 circuit, wherein a compensation-impedance circuit configured
by connecting a second capacitor in series with a parallel
circuit of a first capacitor and a reactance is connected in
parallel with the DC power supply.
[0018]
15 Here, for example, the frequency characteristics of
impedance between an input and an output of the
compensation-impedance circuit may be configured to have at
least one or more pole frequencies and one or more zero point
frequencies.
20 [0019]
Further, the pole frequencies and the zero point
frequencies of the compensation-impedance circuit may be
configured in such a manner that one of the zero point frequencies
is arranged on a low frequency side, and one of the pole
25 frequencies is arranged on a high frequency side with respect
9
to a resonant frequency included in a surge voltage vibration
generated with switching of the power conversion apparatus.
[0020]
In these respective configurations, further, the first
series circuit comprised of the switching elements may c5 onfigure
a module, and the compensation-impedance circuit may be
configured to be connected between a positive power supply
terminal and a negative power supply terminal of the module.
[0021]
10 Also, likewise, in the respective configurations,
further, the first series circuit comprised of the switching
elements may configure a module equipped with a positive power
supply terminal and a negative power supply terminal.
Furthermore, the compensation-impedance circuit may be
15 configured to be connected between the vicinity of a drain of
the switching element that configures an upper arm and the
vicinity of a source of the switching element that configures
a lower arm.
[0022]
20 A more specific configuration of a power conversion
apparatus of the present invention is, for example, a power
conversion apparatus having a DC power supply, a smoothing
capacitor connected to the DC power supply through wirings,
a power semiconductor module connected to the smoothing
25 capacitor through a positive power supply bus-bar and a negative
10
power supply bus-bar, a gate drive control circuit connected
to the power semiconductor module, an inductive load connected
to an intermediate output terminal of the power semiconductor
module, snubber circuits connected between a positive power
supply terminal of the power semiconductor module 5 and the
intermediate output terminal and between a negative power supply
terminal and the intermediate output terminal, and a
compensation-impedance circuit connected to the positive power
supply terminal and the negative power supply terminal of the
10 power semiconductor module. The compensation-impedance
circuit has two terminals for input/output thereof. The
frequency characteristics of impedance between the input and
output of the compensation-impedance circuit have at least one
or more pole frequencies and one or more zero point frequencies.
15 With respect to a frequency to be suppressed of frequency
components included in a surge voltage vibration generated with
switching of the power conversion apparatus, one of the zero
point frequencies is arranged on a low frequency side and one
of the pole frequencies is arranged on a high frequency side,
20 whereby the amplitude of the surge voltage vibration of the
power conversion apparatus is suppressed.
[0023]
Here, the compensation-impedance circuit may be
configured by series-connecting one of terminals of a first
25 capacitor and one of terminals of a second capacitor,
11
parallel-connecting an inductance between the two terminals
of the second capacitor, and providing the two terminals of
the other of the terminals of the first capacitor and the other
of the terminals of the second capacitor as the input and output
terminals of the compensation-impedance circuit. T5 he
frequency dependence of the impedance of the
compensation-impedance circuit may be configured to be adjusted
by adjusting at least any one of the capacitance of the first
capacitor, the capacitance of the second capacitor and the
10 inductance in such a manner that one of the first zero point
frequencies is arranged on a low frequency side and one of the
first pole frequencies is arranged on a high frequency side.
[0024]
Further, the compensation-impedance circuit may be
15 comprised of a plurality of conductors that interpose an
insulating substrate therebetween. The first capacitor may
be configured between a first conductor and a second conductor
of the conductors. The second capacitor may be configured
between the first conductor and a third conductor of the
20 conductors. The inductance may be configured by the third
conductor. Two connecting terminals connected to the second
and third conductors respectively may be configured to be
connected to the positive power supply terminal and the negative
power supply terminal of the power semiconductor module.
25 [0025]
12
Furthermore, the compensation-impedance circuit may be
configured to be capable of changing at least either one of
the capacitance of the first capacitor and the capacitance of
the second capacitor by separating a part of at least either
one conductor pattern of the second conductor and the 5 he third
conductor. The change in at least either one of the capacitance
of the first capacitor and the capacitance of the second
capacitor may be configured in such a manner that the suppression
of the amplitude of the surge voltage vibration of the power
10 conversion apparatus is maximized.
[0026]
Another more specific configuration of a power conversion
apparatus of the present invention is, for example, a power
conversion apparatus having a DC power supply, a smoothing
15 capacitor connected to the DC power supply through wirings,
a power semiconductor module connected to the smoothing
capacitor through a positive power supply bus-bar and a negative
power supply bus-bar, a gate drive control circuit connected
to the power semiconductor module, an inductive load connected
20 to an intermediate output terminal of the power semiconductor
module, snubber circuits connected between a positive power
supply terminal of the power semiconductor module and the
intermediate output terminal and between a negative power supply
terminal and the intermediate output terminal, and a
25 compensation-impedance circuit contained in the power
13
semiconductor module. The compensation-impedance circuit has
two terminals for input/output thereof. The frequency
characteristics of impedance between the input and output of
the compensation-impedance circuit have at least one or more
pole frequencies and one or more zero point frequencies. W5 ith
respect to a frequency to be suppressed of frequency components
included in a surge voltage vibration generated with switching
of the power conversion apparatus, one of the zero point
frequencies is arranged on a low frequency side and one of the
10 pole frequencies is arranged on a high frequency side, whereby
the amplitude of the surge voltage vibration of the power
conversion apparatus is suppressed.
[0027]
Here, the power semiconductor module may be configured
15 to have a main terminal on a positive power supply side, a main
terminal on a negative power supply side, an intermediate output
terminal and a first insulating substrate to which a group of
the main terminals is connected. The compensation-impedance
circuit may be configured to be connected to the first insulating
20 substrate.
[0028]
In these respective configurations, further, the power
semiconductor module may be comprised of a plurality of
conductors that interpose an insulating substrate therebetween.
25 The compensation-impedance circuit may be configured in such
14
a manner that a first conductor of the conductors configures
a first parallel plate capacitor taking the insulating substrate
as a dielectric between the first conductor and a second
conductor of the conductors, a third conductor of the conductors
configures a second parallel plate capacitor taking 5 ing the
insulating substrate as a dielectric between the third conductor
and the second conductor, and a meander-like pattern generating
an inductance is formed in a part of the third conductor and
further that one end of the meander-like pattern is connected
10 to the second conductor by a first viahole group, and the first
conductor and the third conductor are respectively provided
as an input terminal and an output terminal. The first conductor
may be configured to be connected to a fourth conductor of the
conductors, the third conductor may be configured to be connected
15 to a fifth conductor of the conductors, and the fourth conductor
and the fifth conductor may respectively be configured to be
connected to a main terminal for the positive power supply
terminal and a main terminal for the negative power supply
terminal and may respectively be configured to be connected
20 to the positive power supply terminal and the negative power
supply terminal of the power semiconductor module. The fourth
conductor may be configured to be connected to a drain of a
first switching element chip and a cathode of a free wheeling
diode chip, and a sixth conductor of the conductors may be
25 configured to be connected to a gate terminal of the first
15
switching element chip through a bonding wire. A seventh
conductor of the conductors may be configured to be connected
to a source of the first switching element chip and an anode
of the free wheeling diode chip through bonding wires and
connected to a drain of a second switching element 5 chip and
a cathode of a free wheeling diode chip, and further the seventh
conductor may be configured to be connected to a main terminal
for an intermediate terminal of the power semiconductor module.
An eighth conductor of the conductors may be configured to be
10 connected to a gate terminal of the second switching element
chip through a bonding wire. A ninth conductor of the conductors
may be configured to be connected to a source of the second
switching element chip and the anode of the free wheeling diode
chip through bonding wires, and connected to a tenth conductor
15 being a rear side conductor of the conductors through a second
viahole group. The tenth conductor may be configured to be
connected to the fifth conductor through a third viahole group.
The compensation-impedance circuit may be configured to be
formed on a mixed substrate common to the power semiconductor
20 module.
[0029]
Also, in these respective configurations, further, an
insulation breakdown voltage between the input and output
terminals of the compensation-impedance circuit may be
25 configured to be more than twice the DC power supply voltage
16
of the power conversion apparatus.
[0030]
Embodiments of the present invention will be described
hereinafter using the accompanying drawings.
5 [First Embodiment]
[0031]
A first embodiment will describe an example of a power
conversion apparatus 100 that suppresses vibrations in surge
voltage.
10 [0032]
A configuration diagram of the power conversion
apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment is shown in
FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the power conversion apparatus 100 is
comprised of a DC power supply 1, a smoothing capacitor 2, a
15 positive power supply bus-bar 3a, a negative power supply bus-bar
3b, a power semiconductor module 4, a gate drive control circuit
5, an inductive load 6, a snubber circuit 7, and a
compensation-impedance circuit 8.
[0033]
20 Of these, the DC power supply 1 is connected to both
ends of the smoothing capacitor 2 through wirings 11a and 11b
each including a parasitic resistance and a parasitic inductance.
Incidentally, in the description which follows, the description
of the parasitic resistance accompanying wiring will be omitted
25 unless otherwise required. This is because the parasitic
17
resistance and the parasitic inductance are generated in the
wiring, but the value of the parasitic resistance is not
principal in regard to the present invention.
[0034]
The smoothing capacitor 2 is comprised of 5 a parasitic
inductance 22 generated in series with a main capacitor 21.
[0035]
The positive power supply bus-bar 3a and the negative
power supply bus-bar 3b connect both ends of the smoothing
10 capacitor 2 to a positive power supply terminal 47 and a negative
power supply terminal 48 of the power semiconductor module 4,
but a wiring at each of such portions mainly functions as the
inductance (parasitic inductance).
[0036]
15 The power semiconductor module 4 has a configuration
in which a switching element 41 and a free wheeling diode 43
are connected in reversely parallel to each other in an upper
arm, and a switching element 42 and a free wheeling diode 44
are connected in reversely parallel to each other in a lower
20 arm. A point of connection between the upper and lower arms
is an intermediate terminal 49. A gate drive terminal 4G1 and
a source drive terminal 4S1 of the switching element 41 are
connected to a gate driving circuit 5a. Further, a gate drive
terminal 4G2 and a source drive terminal 4S2 of the switching
25 element 42 are connected to a gate driving circuit 5b.
18
Incidentally, it is needless to say that parasitic inductances
45a to 45e generated in main terminals and an insulating
substrate that configure the power semiconductor module 4 are
represented in FIG. 1, but it is not shown that inductance
elements are directly wire-connected on an actual 5 circuit.
[0037]
The gate drive control circuit 5 is used to drive the
switching elements 41 and 42 of the power semiconductor module
4. A gate drive signal therefor is generated inside the gate
10 drive control circuit 5.
[0038]
The inductive load 6 is connected as an output load of
the power semiconductor module 4 and is, for example, a filter
reactor for connecting to a motor, a power system network or
15 the like. In the present embodiment, a reference to the type
of load will be omitted because it is not involved in the advantage
of the invention.
[0039]
The snubber circuit 7 (7a, 7b) is shown using a discharge
20 block type RCD snubber circuit as an example. The snubber
circuit 7a is connected between the positive power supply
terminal 47 and the intermediate terminal 49 of the power
semiconductor module 4, and the snubber circuit 7b is connected
between the intermediate terminal 49 and the negative power
25 supply terminal 48 of the power semiconductor module 4,
19
respectively. The snubber circuit 7 (7a, 7b) is comprised of
a snubber capacitor 71, a diode 72, and a resistor 73.
Incidentally, in the illustration shown in the figure, the
parasitic inductance in the snubber circuit 7 (7a, 7b) is
represented as 74. This is also not intended to show 5 on an
actual circuit that each inductance element is directly
wire-connected.
[0040]
In the snubber circuit 7 (7a, 7b) having such a
10 configuration, the relatively large capacitance of the
capacitor 71 is required to draw the energy accumulated in the
parasitic inductance 74 into the capacitor 71 upon the generation
of a switching surge when each of the switching elements 41
and 42 is turned off. In the case of steep switching in
15 particular, a switching surge due to the parasitic inductance
74 of the elements of the snubber circuit 7 is generated by
being affected by the series parasitic inductance 74.
[0041]
The power conversion apparatus 100 according to the first
20 embodiment is one in which the compensation-impedance circuit
8 has been devised. The compensation-impedance circuit 8 is
connected between the positive and negative power supply
terminals 47 and 48 of the power semiconductor module 4 and
is comprised of serially connected two capacitors 81 and 82,
25 and an inductor 83 connected in parallel with the capacitor
20
82. Incidentally, the inductor 83 is not a parasitic inductance,
but an inductance element directly wire-connected on an actual
circuit.
[0042]
The capacitances of the respective elements of t5 he
capacitors 81 and 82 and the inductor 83 that configure the
compensation-impedance circuit 8 are defined from the viewpoint
of suppressing variations in surge voltage due to the switching
surge. To this end, the dependence of their combined impedance
10 on the frequency is such that the values of the components are
determined to have at least more than one of a zero point frequency
(fcz) and a pole frequency (fcp) and to take the zero point
frequency fcz