RESEARCH
CPES Patent Information
US Patent: 12176171
Single Passive Gate-Driver for Series Connected Power Devices in DC Circuit Breaker Applications
Jian Liu, Lakshmi Ravi, Dong Dong, Rolando Burgos, Steven Schmalz
Issued: December 24, 2024
Abstract:
Gate control of power semiconductor devices using reduced gate drivers is disclosed. A circuit breaker may include a multitude of transistors, such as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), connected in series with one another. Each transistor may be connected to a respective gate resistor. Diodes may be connected between various gate resistors. One or more resistor-capacitor (RC) snubber circuits may be provided in parallel with one or more of the transistors. Likewise, one or more metal-oxide varistors (MOVs) may be connected in parallel to one or more of the transistors. A gate driver (e.g., a single gate drive) may be connected to the one or more diodes and an emitter of at least one of transistors.
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