CPC H02M 3/158 (2013.01) [H02M 1/38 (2013.01); H02M 7/4833 (2021.05); H02M 7/4835 (2021.05)] | 15 Claims |
1. A power converter having integrated capacitor blocked transistor (ICBT) cells, comprising:
an upper arm comprising a first plurality of ICBT cells connected in series;
a lower arm comprising a second plurality of ICBT cells connected in series and
a controller configured to:
provide an upper control signal pair to individual ones of the first plurality of ICBT cells of the upper arm and a lower control signal pair to individual ones of the second plurality of ICBT cells of the lower arm to control an output of the power converter;
determine whether an over-voltage exists as compared to a rated ICBT capacitor voltage for an ICBT cell in at least one of the upper arm or the lower arm, wherein the determination comprises:
measuring voltages of the ICBT capacitors;
determining which ICBT capacitor among the ICBT capacitors in the at least one of the upper arm or the lower arm has a greater capacitor voltage than a rated value; and
sensing a current in the at least one of the upper arm or the lower arm; and
apply a delay to both control signals of the upper control signal pair or the lower control signal pair provided to the ICBT cell having the over-voltage, to balance a voltage potential among ICBT capacitors in at least one of the upper arm and the lower arm, wherein:
in response to the current being positive, the delay is applied to the control signal pair for the ICBT cell having the greater capacitor voltage than a rated value in the arm at a turn-off event, or
in response to the current being negative, the delay is applied to the control signal pair for the ICBT cell having the greater capacitor voltage than a rated value in the arm at a turn-on event.
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