Multiple port bi-directional power converter

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The invention relates generally to the field of bi-directional power conversion devices. More specifically, the invention is directed towards a bi-directional DC-AC or DC-DC power conversion device.

[0004] 2. Description of Related Art

[0005] Known commercial vehicles, such as a recreational vehicle or a boat, may have multiple DC ports. The DC ports may be battery terminals, and each battery may have different characteristics and charging needs. In particular, such batteries may be maintained at different voltages. Further, power may be transferred between batteries having different voltages and between the batteries and an AC port, such as an AC generator. Devices exist for transferring power between a plurality of DC ports of the same or different voltages and between DC and AC ports. However, such known devices are often inefficient. In these known devices, current flowing through each DC port may not be entirely or even substantially DC, which decreases power transfer efficiency.

[0006] For example, a known conversion device may convert directly between a first DC port voltage and a second voltage, where the second voltage may be at least four times the first DC port voltage, and may between thirteen and sixteen times the first voltage. A direct conversion between the first DC port voltage and the second voltage may decrease efficiency of power transfer. Further, a known conversion device may comprise a transformer. In such a device, a turns ratio between a secondary side of the transformer and a primary side of the transformer may be equal to a ratio between the second voltage and the first DC port voltage. Therefore, a direct conversion between the first DC port voltage and the second voltage also may increase transformer leakage inductance by providing a turns ratio between the secondary side and the primary side of greater than four.

[0007] Further, it has become increasingly useful to utilize hydrogen fuel cells as DC ports. However, hydrogen fuel cells often may change their voltages inefficiently in response to a change in a voltage measured at a load. Moreover, the known devices for transferring power between a plurality of DC ports of the same or different voltages and between DC and AC ports may not efficiently compensate for the hydrogen fuel cell's often inefficient response to changes in the voltage measured at the load.

[0008] Therefore a need has arisen for an apparatus that overcomes these and other shortcomings of the related art. An object of the present invention is that a bi-directional power converter for transferring power between a plurality of power supply ports is provided. Another technical advantage of the present invention is that the bi-directional power converter may transfer power in either direction between any combination of the power supply ports and a plurality of AC ports. Still another technical advantage of the present invention is that the bi-directional power converter may transfer power in either direction when the plurality of power supply ports each have different voltages. Still yet another technical advantage of the present invention is that the bi-directional power converter may provide a substantially or entirely DC current flowing through the power supply ports.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a bi-directional power converter is described. The converter comprises a first bi-directional DC-DC conversion device having a first plurality of bi-directional DC-DC converters. It further may comprise a plurality of power supply ports, each connected to at least one of the first plurality of bi-directional DC-DC converters and a voltage medium capacitor. The power supply ports transfer power to each other. The voltage medium capacitor is connected to each of the first plurality of bi-directional DC-DC converters and has a first capacitor voltage greater than a second voltage measured at each of the power supply ports.

[0010] In another embodiment of the present invention, a bi-directional power converter is described. The converter comprises a first bi-directional DC-DC conversion device having a first plurality of bi-directional DC-DC converters. It further may comprise a plurality of power supply ports, each connected to at least one of the first plurality of bi-directional DC-DC converters, which power supply ports transfer power to each other, and a voltage medium capacitor, which is connected to each of the first plurality of bi-directional DC-DC converters and has a first capacitor voltage greater than a second voltage measured at each of the power supply ports. In addition, the converter comprises at least one second bi-directional DC-DC conversion device having a second plurality of bi-directional DC-DC converters. Moreover, the first bi-directional DC-DC conversion device and each of the second bi-directional DC-DC conversion devices are connected in parallel. Further, the converter comprises a third bi-directional DC-DC converter device, which is connected to the voltage medium capacitor and a voltage high capacitor, and a bi-directional AC-DC conversion device, which is connected to the voltage high capacitor and at least one inductor, which is connected to a plurality of AC ports.

[0011] Other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

[0012] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, needs satisfied thereby, and features and advantages thereof, reference now is made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a bi-directional DC-DC conversion device having two bi-directional DC-DC converters connected to each other via a voltage medium capacitor, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic of a bi-directional DC-DC conversion device having four bi-directional DC-DC conversion devices of FIG. 1 arranged in parallel, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic of a high frequency bi-directional DC-DC conversion device, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a schematic of a bi-directional high voltage DC-AC conversion device, according to still another embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 5 is a diagram of waveforms for the bi-directional DC-DC conversion device of FIG. 1, according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 6 is a diagram of waveforms for the bi-directional DC-DC conversion device of FIG. 2, according to yet a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a bi-directional power converter, according to still a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a bi-directional power converter, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Preferred embodiments of the present invention and their features and advantages may be understood by referring to FIGS. 1-8, in which like numerals are used for like corresponding parts in the various figures.

[0022] The present invention allows bi-directional power converters to transfer power in either direction between a plurality of power supply ports, which, in one embodiment, may be a plurality of DC ports. Alternatively, the present invention may allow power transfer, in either direction, between a combination of the plurality of DC ports and a plurality of AC ports. With this invention, a plurality of power supply ports are provided, which may be DC ports. Each DC port may be connected to a bi-directional DC-DC converter. This arrangement of a plurality of DC ports connected to a plurality of DC-DC converters may be a DC-DC conversion device, in which each bi-directional DC-DC converter of the bi-directional conversion device may convert between a voltage medium and a voltage measured at its connected DC port. The voltage medium may be measured at the voltage medium capacitor. The voltage medium may be greater than the voltage measured at each of the DC ports. For example, the voltage medium may be about 50 volts. Further, each of the DC ports may be pulse width modulated to maintain the voltage measured at the voltage medium capacitor at a substantially constant value. In this preferred embodiment power transfers between DC ports having different voltages regardless of the voltage measured at the individual DC ports. In addition, a plurality of the bi-directional DC-DC converter devices may be connected in parallel with each other, and each DC-DC converter of each DC-DC conversion device further may be connected to at least one of DC port. The plurality of bi-directional DC-DC conversion devices may generate a current flowing through each DC port that is substantially or entirely a DC current.

[0023] In addition, the voltage medium capacitor may be connected to another bi-directional DC-DC conversion device, which may be a high frequency inverter circuit. For example, the inverter circuit may operate at about 70 KHz. Further, this bi-directional DC-DC conversion device may include a transformer having a primary side and a secondary side. The secondary side may have a voltage high, which may be measured at a voltage high capacitor. The voltage high may be defined as a voltage of at least four times the voltage measured at each DC port, and no more than four times the voltage measured at the voltage medium capacitor. The voltage high may be about 190 volts. Further, a transformer may isolate the voltage medium capacitor from the voltage high capacitor, and may convert between the voltage measured at the voltage medium capacitor and the voltage measured at the voltage high capacitor. Moreover, because conversion is between the voltage measured at the voltage medium capacitor and the voltage measured at the voltage high capacitor, the voltage step-down or step-up performed by this bi-directional DC-DC conversion device may be much less than a direct conversion between the voltage measured at the voltage high capacitor and the voltage measured at one of the DC ports. In addition, a turns ratio between a secondary side and a primary side of the transformer may be the same as a ratio between the conversion voltages. Therefore, the turns ratio between the secondary side and the primary, side may be substantially less for the conversion between the voltage measured at the voltage high capacitor and the voltage measured at the voltage medium capacitor, than would be the turns ratio for the conversion between the voltage measured at the voltage high capacitor and the voltage measured at one of the DC ports. In particular, the turns ratio may be less than four, which may decrease transformer leakage inductance.

[0024] Moreover, the voltage high capacitor may be connected to a bi-directional AC-DC conversion device. The bi-directional AC-DC conversion device may be connected to a plurality of AC ports. Further, the plurality of AC ports may be connected to output switches, which further may be connected to at least one inductor. Thus, the present invention may allow power transfer in either direction between a plurality of DC ports, or, alternatively, between a combination of the plurality of DC ports and a plurality of AC ports.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic of a first bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 100aaccording to an embodiment of the present invention is described. In this embodiment, first bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 100amay include first bi-directional DC-DC converter 102aand second bi-directional DC-DC converter 104a. First bi-directional DC-DC converter 102amay include a primary first switching device 106a, a primary second switching device 108a, a primary first inductor 110a, and a primary first capacitor 112a. Primary first switching device 106aand primary second switching device 108amay each comprise a plurality of switches. Primary first switching device 106aand primary second switching device 108amay each be a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (“MOSFET”) with an internal diode, or alternatively, may be an internal gate biased transistor (“IGBT”). In this embodiment, primary first inductor 110a, which may be an input or output inductor, may be connected in parallel with primary first capacitor 112a, and in series with a source side of primary first switching device 106aand a drain side of primary second switching device 108a. Further, primary first switching device 106aand primary second switching device 108amay be connected in parallel via the source side of primary first switching device 106aand the drain side of primary second switching device 108a, thereby forming a primary first junction 128a.

[0026] In addition, first bi-directional DC-DC converter 102amay be connected to a power supply port 122 via primary first capacitor 112aand primary first inductor 110a. Power supply port 122 may be a DC port, and the DC port may be a battery. Moreover, the battery may be a rechargeable battery. Alternatively, the DC port may be a photovoltaic array. The photovoltaic array may be pulse width modulated to maintain a voltage measured at the photovoltaic array at a maximum power point for the array. In a modification of the above-described embodiment, the DC port may be a hydrogen fuel cell, a DC load, a DC hydro generator, or a DC wind generator. Moreover, a voltage measured at the DC port may vary in response to a change in a voltage measured at a load. However, with respect to the hydrogen fuel cell, such response may be inefficient. In this embodiment, first bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 100aalso may include a bank of rechargeable batteries. Such rechargeable batteries may be one of the other DC ports. Moreover, the rechargeable batteries may serve as an energy buffer between the hydrogen fuel cell and the load, and also may supplement the hydrogen fuel cell during the changing of the voltage measured at the load. Further, first bi-directional DC-DC converter 102aalso may be connected to a voltage medium capacitor 126 via a drain side of primary first switching device 106a.

[0027] Similarly, a second bi-directional DC-DC converter 104amay include a secondary first switching device 106′a, a secondary second switching device 108′a, a secondary first inductor 110′a, and a secondary first capacitor 112′a. Secondary first switching device 106′aand secondary second switching device 108′amay each comprise a plurality of switches. Secondary first switching device 106′aand secondary second switching device 108′amay each be a MOSFET with an internal diode, or alternatively, may be an IGBT. In this embodiment, secondary first inductor 110′a, which may be an input or output inductor, may be connected in parallel with secondary first capacitor 112′a, and in series with a source side of secondary first switching device 106′aand a drain side of secondary second switching device 108′a. Further, secondary first switching device 106′aand secondary second switching device 108′amay be connected in parallel via the source side of secondary first switching device 106′aand the drain side of secondary second switching device 108′a, thereby forming a secondary first junction 128′a.

[0028] In addition, second bi-directional DC-DC converter 104amay be connected to a power supply port 124 via secondary first capacitor 112′aand secondary first inductor 110′a. Power supply port 124 may be a DC port, and the DC port may be a battery. Moreover, the battery may be a rechargeable battery. Alternatively, the DC port may be a photovoltaic array. The photovoltaic array may be pulse width modulated to maintain a voltage measured at the photovoltaic array at a maximum power point for the array. In a modification of the above-described embodiment, the DC port may be a hydrogen fuel cell, a DC load, a DC hydro generator, or a DC wind generator. Moreover, a voltage measured at the DC port may vary in response to a change in a voltage measured at a load. However, with respect to the hydrogen fuel cell, such response may be inefficient. In this embodiment, first bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 100a also may include a bank of rechargeable batteries. The rechargeable batteries may form one of the other DC ports. The rechargeable batteries may serve as an energy buffer between the hydrogen fuel cell and the load, and also may supplement the hydrogen fuel cell during the changing of the voltage measured at the load. Further, second bi-directional DC-DC converter 104aalso may be connected to voltage medium capacitor 126 via a drain side of secondary first switching device 106′a.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 5, in this embodiment, primary first switching device 106aand primary second switching device 108amay compliment each other. When primary first switching device 106ais open, primary second switching device 108amay be closed, or alternatively, when primary first switching device 106ais closed, primary second switching device 108amay be open. The opening and closing of primary first switching device 106amay result in primary first switching device 106ahaving a duty cycle related to a time ratio, where the time ratio may be an amount of time that primary first switching device 106ais closed divided by an amount of time that first bi-directional DC-DC converter 102ais in operation. When primary first switching device 106ais closed, a current may flow from voltage medium capacitor 126 to power supply port 122, which current may not be an entirely or substantially DC current. The voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 may be equal to the voltage measured at power supply port 122 divided by the time ratio. Thus, the duty cycle of primary first switching device 106amay determine a relative difference between the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 and power supply port 122. Further, if the voltage measured at power supply port 122 changes, the duty cycle of primary first switching device 106aalso may change, such that the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 may remain substantially constant. This substantially constant voltage may be greater than the voltage measured at power supply port 122, and the substantially constant voltage may be about 50 volts. In a modification of the above described embodiment, this substantially constant voltage may be between about 1.01 and about 5 times the voltage measured at power supply port 122, and the substantially constant voltage may be between 50 and 70 volts. Further, DC-DC conversion may be between the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 and the voltage measured at power supply port 122.

[0030] Similarly, with regard to second bi-directional DC-DC converter 104a, secondary first switching device 106′aand secondary second switching device 108′amay compliment each other. When secondary first switching device 106′ais open, secondary second switching device 108′amay be closed, or alternatively, when secondary first switching device 106′ais closed, secondary second switching device 108′amay be open. The opening and closing of secondary first switching device 106′amay result in secondary first switching device 106′ahaving a duty cycle determined by a time ratio, where the time ratio may be an amount of time that secondary first switching device 106′ais closed divided by an amount of time that second bi-directional DC-DC converter 104ais operating. When secondary first switching device 106′ais closed, a current may flow from voltage medium capacitor 126 to power supply port 124. The voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 may be equal to the voltage measured at power supply port 124 divided by the time ratio. Thus, the duty cycle of secondary first switching device 106′amay determine a relative difference between the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 and power supply port 124. Further, if the voltage measured at power supply port 122 changes, the duty cycle of secondary first switching device 106′aalso may change, such that the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 may remain substantially constant. This substantially constant voltage may be greater than the voltage measured at power supply port 124, and the substantially constant voltage may be about 50 volts. In a modification of the above described embodiment, this substantially constant voltage may be between about 1.01 and about 5 times the voltage measured at power supply port 124, and the substantially constant voltage may be between 50 and 70 volts. Further, DC-DC conversion may be between the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 and the voltage measured at power supply port 124. In addition, because first bi-directional converter 102aand second bi-directional converter 104aare connected to each other via primary first switching device 106aand secondary first switching device 106′a, power may be transferred between these power supply ports.

[0031] Moreover, if power supply port 122 and power supply port 124 have equal voltages, then the duty cycles of primary first switching device 106 and secondary first switching device 106′amay be the same. However, if power supply port 122 has a voltage that is not equal to a voltage measured at power supply port 124, then the duty cycles of primary first switching device 106aand secondary first switching device 106′amay be different. Further, because primary first switching device 106 and secondary first switching device 106′ may have their own individual duty cycles, the duty cycles may be individually adjusted, such that the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 may remain substantially constant. Therefore, this embodiment may be used for power supply ports having different values. In addition, multiple power supply ports may be utilized and may be connected to bi-directional DC-DC converters.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic of a bi-directional DC-DC conversion device according to another embodiment of the present invention is described. In this embodiment, first bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 100amay be connected in parallel with at least one, second bi-directional DC-DC conversion device. Specifically, in this embodiment, first bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 100a may be connected in parallel with second bi-directional DC-DC conversion devices 100b, 100c, and 100d. Second bi-directional DC-DC conversion devices 100b-dmay each include first parallel bi-directional DC-DC converters 102b-dand second parallel bi-directional DC-DC converters 104b-d. Each of first parallel bi-directional DC-DC converters 102b-dmay include primary first parallel switching devices 106b-dand primary second parallel switching devices 108b-d. Further, each of second parallel bi-directional DC-DC converters 104b-dmay include secondary first parallel switching devices 106′b-dand secondary second switching devices 108′b-d. Each of the second bi-directional conversion devices 100b-doperates substantially similarly to bi-directional conversion device 100a. Further, the elements that may comprise second bi-directional conversion devices 100b-doperate substantially similarly to those described with respect to bi-directional conversion device 100a. Therefore, the following discussion focuses on differences between the foregoing embodiments.

[0033] In this embodiment, primary first parallel switching devices 106b-dand secondary first switching devices 106′b-dmay be connected to the drain side of primary first switching device 106aand secondary first switching device 106′a, respectively. In addition, primary first parallel switching devices 106b-dand secondary first switching devices 106′b-dalso may be connected to power supply ports 122 and 124, respectively. As described above in reference to FIG. 1, primary first parallel switching devices 106b-dand secondary first switching devices 106′b-dmay have individual duty cycles that may control the relative difference between the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 and power supply ports 122 and 124, respectively. Therefore, primary first parallel switching devices 106b-dand secondary first switching devices 106′b-dmay have the same duty cycles as primary first switching device 106aand secondary first switching device 106′a, respectively, and also may determine the relative value between the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 and power supply ports 122 and 124, respectively. Similarly, primary second parallel switching devices 108b-dand secondary second switching devices 108′b-dmay have the same duty cycles as primary second switching device 108a and secondary second switching device 108′a.

[0034] Moreover, primary first parallel switching devices 106b-dand secondary first switching devices 106′b-dmay have duty cycles that are out of phase with the duty cycles of primary first switching device 106a and secondary first switching device 106′a, respectively. The degree of phase difference between the duty cycles of primary first parallel switching devices 106b-dand secondary first switching devices 106′b-d, and primary first switching device 106aand secondary first switching device 106′a, respectively, may depend upon the number of first bi-directional DC-DC conversion devices 100aand second bi-directional DC-DC conversion devices 100b-dconnected in parallel. In particular, the phase difference between the duty cycle of primary first switching device 106aand primary first parallel switching device 106bmay be equal to a quotient of 360 degrees divided by a number of first bi-directional DC-DC conversion devices 100aand second bi-directional DC-DC conversion devices 100b-dconnected in parallel (e.g., four (4)). In this embodiment, this phase difference may be 90 degrees. Further, the phase difference between primary first switching device 106aand primary first parallel switching device 106cmay be twice as great as the phase difference between primary first switching device 106aand primary first parallel switching device 106b. In this embodiment, this phase difference may be 180 degrees. In additional, the phase difference between primary first switching device 106aand primary first parallel switching device 106cmay be three times as great as the phase difference between primary first switching device 106aand primary first parallel switching device 106b. In this embodiment, this phase difference may be 270 degrees. Similarly, secondary first parallel switching devices 106′b-dmay have duty cycles that are out of phase with the duty cycle of secondary first switching device 106′a. Moreover, primary second parallel switching devices 108b-dand secondary second parallel switching devices 108′b-dmay have duty cycles that are out of phase with the duty cycles of primary second switching device 108aand secondary second switching device 108 ′a, respectively.

[0035] In this embodiment, first parallel bi-directional DC-DC converters 102b-dand second parallel bi-directional DC-DC converters 104b-dalso may include primary first parallel inductors 110b-dand secondary first parallel inductors 110′b-d, respectively. Referring to FIG. 6, a current flowing through power supply port 122 may be a summation of a current flowing through primary first inductor 110aand primary first parallel inductors 110b-d. As shown in FIG. 6, a current flowing through primary first inductor 110aand each primary first parallel inductors 110b-dmay be saw tooth shaped. Because there may be a phase difference in the duty cycles of primary first switching device 106a and primary first parallel switching devices 106b-d, the current flowing through primary first inductor 110aand primary first parallel inductors 110b-dalso may be out of phase. Further, the current flowing through primary first inductor 110aand primary first parallel inductors 110b-dmay be out of phase, such that when the currents flowing through these inductors is summed, a substantially or entirely DC current may flow through power supply port 122. Further, a current flowing into voltage medium capacitor 126 may always be greater than zero amps. Similarly, a substantially or entirely DC current may flow through power supply port 124.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 3, a schematic describes a high frequency bi-directional DC-DC conversion device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a third bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 300 may be connected to first bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 100aof FIG. 1, or alternatively, to bi-directional device 100aconnected in parallel with second bi-directional DC-DC conversion devices 100b-d, as shown in FIG. 2. Third bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 300 may be an inverter circuit, and may include a first plurality of switches and second plurality of switches. The switches may be MOSFETS, or alternatively, may be IGBT's. The first plurality of switches may include switches 302, 304, 306, and 308. A drain side of switches 302 and 306 may be connected to voltage medium capacitor 126, and a source side of switches 302 and 306 may be connected to a primary side 320aof a transformer 320. Further, a drain side of switches 304 and 308 may be connected to primary side 320a. The second plurality of switches may include switches 310, 312, 314, and 316. A drain side of switches 310 and 314 may be connected to a voltage high capacitor 318, and a source side of switches 310 and 314 may be connected to a secondary side 320bof transformer 320. Further, a drain side of switches 312 and 316 may be connected to secondary side 320b.

[0037] In this embodiment, primary side 320aand secondary side 320bmay be coupled to each other and may provide isolation between voltage medium capacitor 126 and voltage high capacitor 318. In addition, the first plurality of switches may operate in two modes of operation. In a first mode of operation, switches 304 and 306 may be concurrently closed. When switches 304 and 306 are concurrently closed, switches 302 and 308 may remain concurrently open. In a second mode of operation, switches 304 and 306 may be concurrently open. When switches 304 and 306 are concurrently open, switches 302 and 308 may remain concurrently closed. The second plurality of switches may similarly operate in two modes of operation, and may be synchronized with the first plurality of switches. Thus, the first plurality of switches may form a bi-directional H-bridge between voltage medium capacitor 126 and primary side 320a. The second plurality of switches may similarly form a bi-directional H-bridge between voltage high capacitor 318 and primary side 320b. Moreover, the first and second plurality of switches may form a bi-directional H-bridge between primary side 320aand secondary side 320b. In this embodiment, a direction of a current flow between primary side 320aand secondary side 320bmay depend upon whether the first and second plurality of switches are operating in the first or second modes of operation. Further, DC-DC conversion may occur between the voltage measured at voltage high capacitor 318 and the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126.

[0038] In this embodiment, the voltage measured at voltage high capacitor 318 may be defined as at least four times the voltage measured at each DC port, and not more than four times the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 318. In a modification of the above-described embodiment, the voltage measured at voltage high capacitor 318 may be between about thirteen and about sixteen times the voltage measured at each DC port, and no more than four times the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 318. Further, the voltage measured at voltage high capacitor 318 may be maintained at a substantially constant voltage. In one embodiment, the voltage measured at voltage high capacitor 318 may be about 190 volts. In addition, a secondary side 320band a primary side 320amay have a turns ratio. Secondary side 320bmay have more turns than primary side 320a, and the turns ratio may be equal to a voltage ratio between the voltage measured at voltage high capacitor 318 and the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126. Further, because the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126 may be greater than the voltage measured at power supply ports 122 and 124, the turns ratio between secondary side 320band primary side 320amay be substantially less for the conversion between the voltage measured at voltage high capacitor 318 and the voltage measured at voltage medium capacitor 126, than it would be for the conversion between the voltage measured at voltage high capacitor 318 and the voltage measured at one of the DC ports. In particular, the turns ratio may be less than about four, which may decrease transformer leakage inductance.

[0039] In a modification of the above described third embodiment, third bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 300 may be modified to include a zero resonant voltage switching technique circuit. For example, such a zero resonant voltage switching technique circuit may be an inductor and an AC capacitor connected in series with each other and in series with primary side 320a, or, alternatively, with secondary side 320b. The switching of the first and second plurality of switches may be synchronized with each other. Further, an inductance of the inductor and a capacitance of the capacitor may be pre-selected such that a combined resonant frequency of the inductor and capacitor may be about the same as a desired switching frequency of the first and second plurality of switches. Further, the desired switching frequency of the first and second plurality of switches may depend on the desired duty cycle of the first and second plurality of switches. When then the first and second plurality of switches apply a voltage to the inductor and capacitor in the first mode of operation, a current spike may flow through the inductor and capacitor. However, because the switching frequency and the resonant frequency may be about the same, the current may drop back to zero. When the current drops back to zero, the first and second plurality of switches may operate in the second mode of operation, and the current spike may flow through the inductor and capacitor in a direction opposite to its direction in the first mode of operation. This may allow bi-directional power transfer through the use of zero resonant voltage switching technique circuit.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 4 a schematic describes a bi-directional DC-AC conversion device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Bi-directional DC-AC conversion device 400 may be connected to third bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 300, or alternatively, may be connected to the modified third bi-directional DC-DC conversion device 300, which may include the zero resonant voltage switching technique circuit. Bi-directional DC-AC conversion device 400 may include a third plurality of switches. The third plurality of switches may be MOSFETS, or alternatively, may be IGBT's. The third plurality of switches may include switches 402, 404, 406, and 408. A drain side of switches 402 and 406 may be connected to voltage high capacitor 318, and a source side of switches 402 and 406 may be connected to inductor 410. Further, a drain side of switches 404 and 408 may be connected to inductor 410. Inductor 410 may be an input or output inductor, and may be connected to a filter 422, and filter 422 may reduce a switching noise produced by the third plurality of switches. Inductor 410 also may be connected to output switches 412 and 414. Further, the third plurality of switches may be closed when a voltage measured at inductor 410 is phase locked and within a predetermined range. The predetermined range may be between negative 180 volts and positive 180 volts. Output switches 412 and 414 further may be connected to AC ports 416, 418, and 420, respectively. In one embodiment, the output switches may be a mechanical relay or a solid state semiconductor switch. Further, AC ports 416, 418, and 420 may be a public grid, an AC generator, or an AC load.

[0041] In this embodiment, the third plurality of switches may operate in two modes. In a first mode, switch 408 may remain closed, while switches 402 and 404 may alternately open and close at a high frequency, such that when switch 402 is open, switch 404 may be closed. Alternatively, when switch 402 is closed, switch 404 may be open. The opening and closing of switches 402 and 404 may be at a high frequency, such as about 70 KHz. In a second mode of operation, switch 404 may remain closed, while switches 406 and 408 may alternately open and close at a high frequency, such that when switch 406 is open, switch 408 may be closed. Alternatively, when switch 406 is closed, switch 408 may be open. The opening and closing of switches 406 and 408 again may be at a high frequency, such as about 70 KHz. In addition, the third plurality of switches may form a bi-directional H-bridge between voltage high capacitor 318 and AC ports 416 and 418. The direction of current flow between voltage high capacitor 318 and AC ports 416, 418, and 420 depends on whether the third plurality of switches is operating in the first or second mode of operation. Further, power may be transferred between any combination of AC ports 416, 418, and 420 and power supply ports 122 and 124. The direction of power transfer between AC ports 416, 418, and 420 and power supply ports 122 and 126 depends on whether the third plurality of switches is operating in the first or second mode of operation.

[0042] Further, when the third plurality of switches are operating in the first mode of operation, a voltage may be measured at inductor 410 having a waveform shape of a positive half of a sine wave at low frequencies. When the third plurality of switches are operating in the second mode of operation, a voltage may be measured at inductor 410 having a waveform shape of a negative half of the sine wave at low frequencies. In addition, the third plurality of switches may be pulse modulated to determine a shape and amplitude of the output voltage measured at inductor 410.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 7, a block diagram of a bi-directional power converter 700 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. All of the elements which may comprise bi-directional power converter 700 may operate the same as in the above-described embodiments. Bi-directional power converter 700 may comprise DC ports 122 and 124. DC port 122 may be connected to DC/DC converter 102aand DC port 124 may be connected to DC/DC converter 104a, as depicted in FIG. 1. Further, DC/DC converters 102aand 104amay be connected to voltage medium capacitor 126, as depicted in FIG. 1. Voltage medium capacitor 126 may be connected to DC/DC conversion device 300, which further may connected to voltage high capacitor 318, as depicted in FIG. 3. Voltage high capacitor 318 may be connected to AC/DC conversion device 400, which further may be connected to AC ports 416, 418, and 420, as depicted in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, power may be transferred, in either direction, between a combination of DC ports 122 and 124, and AC ports 416, 418, and 420.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 8, a block diagram of a bi-directional power converter 800 according to another embodiment of the present invention is described. All of the elements which may comprise bi-directional power converter 800 may operate the same as in the above-described embodiments. Bi-directional power converter 800 may comprise DC ports 122 and 124. DC port 122 may be connected to DC/DC converters 102a-dand DC port 124 may be connected to DC/DC converters 104a-d, as depicted in FIG. 2. Further, DC/DC converters 102a-dand 104a-dmay be connected to voltage medium capacitor 126, as depicted in FIG. 2. Voltage medium capacitor 126 may be connected to DC/DC conversion device 300, which further may connected to voltage high capacitor 318, as depicted in FIG. 3. Voltage high capacitor 318 may be connected to AC/DC conversion device 400, which further may be connected to AC ports 416, 418, and 420, as depicted in FIG. 4. In this embodiment, power may be transferred, in either direction, between a combination of DC ports 122 and 124, and AC ports 416, 418, and 420.

[0045] While the invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other variations and modifications of the preferred embodiments described above may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification is considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.