POWER CONVERSION SYSTEM

Abstract: In a power conversion system, a DC voltage of a DC power supply (1) is converted into a predeter­ mined high-frequency voltage by an inverter (2), and a high-frequency low voltage generated from the inverter (2) is converted into a high-frequency high voltage by a transformer (3). A high-frequency high voltage generated from a secondary winding of the transformer (3) is converted into a predetermined low-frequency voltage by a frequency changing circuit (4). The commutating operation of the frequency changing circuit (4) is performed by a control circuit (1000) in response to the output current of the frequency changing circuit (4) and in synchronism with the starting time of the short-circuiting prevention period of the inverter (2). As a result, the converted output of the power conversion system is prevented from decreasing.

Description: The present invention relates to a power conversion system of the kind defined in the preamble of claim 1. A power conversion system like that may be used, for example, for no interrution power supply. In a conventional power conversion system comprising an inverter for forming an alternating current from a direct current high frequencies are used for a reduced size and an improved performance. Examples for a power conversion system in which a high-frequency voltage generated in an inverter is applied through a transformer and converted into a low-frequency voltage at a frequency changing circuit to reduce the size and to improve the performance are disclosed in JP-A-61-236371 and in JP-A-61-293170. A basic concept for a conventional power conversion system of that kind is shown in Fig. 1. The system shown in Fig. 1 comprises a DC power supply 1, an inverter 2 including gate turn-off thyristors (thereinafter referred to as GTO) 21, 22, 23 and 24 and diodes 25, 26, 27 and 28, a transformer 3 and a frequency changing circuit 4 including a first bilateral switching circuit 401 having a GTO 41 and a GTO 42 and a second bilateral switching circuit 402 having a GTO 43 and a GTO 44. The switching circuits 401 and 402 include a center tap connection. A reactor 15 and a capacitor 16 form a filter 5 for improving the waveform of the output voltage of the frequency changing circuit 4. A current detector 7 is connected between a center tap of the transformer 3 and the output of the frequency changing circuit. A control circuit 100 includes control signal forming circuits 101 and 102 for forming a control signal to be applied to the GTO 21 to 24 of the inverter 2 and to the GTO 41 to 44 of the frequency changing circuit 4. A polarity signal forming circuit 103 operates to generate a signal of a constant frequency (carrier frequency) which determines the polarity of the output voltage from the inverter 2. The output waveforms from the circuit 103 are shown in Fig. 2 which also includes driving signal waveforms from the switching circuits 401 and 402. A short-circuiting prevention period generation circuit 104 generates a short-circuit prevention period signal for the inverter 2, and a voltage width determining circuit 105 serves to determine the time width of the output voltage of the inverter 2. A voltage polarity determining circuit 106 operates to determine the polarity of the output voltage of the frequency changing circuit, and a current polarity discrimination circuit 107 is provided for discriminating the polarity of the output current of the frequency changing circuit 4. The operation of the conventional system described above will now be explained referring to Fig. 2. The GTO 21 to 24 of the inverter 2 are turned on and off to produce a voltage determined by the voltage width determining circuit 105, and short-circuiting prevention periods t₁ to t₂ and t₄ to t₅ are inserted during which a short-circuiting of the DC power supply 1 is prevented. The frequency changing circuit 4 selects one of the switching circuits 401 and 402 in accordance with the output of the polarity signal forming circuit 103 and the outputs of the voltage polarity determining circuit 106 and of the current polarity discrimination circuit 107. When an output S1 of the circuit 101 and an output of a voltage polarity determining circuit 106 for determining the polarity of an output of the frequency changing circuit 4 coincide with each other in polarity, the switching circuit 401 is selected, and when the output of the circuit 101 and the output of the circuit 106 are different from each other in their polarities, the switching circuit 402 is selected. In this manner, a high-frequency voltage formed in the inverter 2 is converted into a low-frequency voltage. In the aforementioned prior art system, the starting time of the commutating operation for switching the switching element of the frequency changing circuit is set to coincide with the end time t₂ of the short-circuiting prevention period of the inverter as shown in Fig. 2. During the short-circuiting prevention period t₁ to t₂, however, a current path is formed from the diode to the transformer to diode to the DC power supply, and therefore a voltage is produced at the output of the inverter, which in turn appears as an unnecessary reverse voltage at the output of the frequency changing circuit. As a result, the voltage which otherwise could be produced during the output period t₂ to t₄ is thus reduced only during a period less the commutation period t₂ to t₃ and the short-circuiting prevention period t₁ to t₂, thereby posing the problem of a reduced output voltage of the power conversion system. Further, the commutation operation, though possible during the period when the polarity of the output voltage coincides with that of the current flowing in the reactor 5, cannot be effected and therefore an interrupting operation is required during the period when the polarity of the output voltage is different from that of the reactor current. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a power conversion system in which during one all period of the output voltage, a frequency changing circuit is switched on by using an inverter voltage, and commutated in synchronization with a starting time of a short-circuiting prevention period of the inverter, so that the voltage produced during the short-circuiting prevention period is prevented from appearing at the output of the frequency changing circuit, and thus the output voltage is prevented from decreasing. In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, there is provided according to the present invention a power conversion system comprising a control circuit for controlling the on and off timings of a switching element of a frequency changing circuit and an inverter in accordance with the polarity of the output voltage and output current and the magnitude of the output current of the frequency changing circuit. During the commutation period of the frequency changing circuit, the output voltage becomes zero, and therefore as long as the polarity of the output voltage coincides with that of the output current, the on-timing of the switching device of the frequency changing circuit is set to coincide with the starting time of the short-circuiting prevention period of the inverter. By doing so, the short-circuiting prevention period overlaps the commutation period so that the unnecessary voltage generated during the short-circuiting prevention period is not produced as a reverse voltage, thus dampening the reduction in the output voltage. During the period when the output voltage is different in polarity from the output current, the unnecessary voltage generated during the short-circuiting prevention period is not produced as a reverse voltage, and therefore the output voltage reduction is dampened. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and advantages will be made apparent by the detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a circuit configuration of a conventional power conversion system; Fig. 2 shows waveforms produced from main circuits useful for operation of the power conversion system shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a circuit configuration of a power conversion system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 4A to 4F show configurations of the respective blocks of the control circuit included in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing waveforms produced from main circuits useful for operation of the power conversion system shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a diagram showing waveforms produced by main circuits useful for operation of the power conversion system according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 shows a configuration of a frequency changing circuit of a power conversion system according to a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 8 shows a configuration of a power conversion system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; Fgis. 9A, 9B and 9C are diagrams showing waveforms useful for explaining the operation of general operation of the system shown in Fig. 8. Figs. 10A, 10B, 10C and 10D are timing charts useful for explaining the operation of the system of Fig. 8 in detail; Fig. 11 shows a configuration of a control circuit of the power conversion system shown in Fig. 8; Figs. 12A and 12B are diagrams showing waveforms useful for explaining the operation of the control circuit included in Fig. 11; and Figs. 13A to 13D show configuration of the respective blocks of the control circuit shown in Fig. 11. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, those parts which are identical to the parts used in the conventional power conversion system are designated by the same reference numerals as corresponding parts in Fig. 1 respectively and will not be described. In the first embodiment of the invention, a control circuit 1000 includes a voltage width determining circuit 1050, a short-circuiting prevention period generation circuit 1040, a polarity signal generation circuit 1030, first and second control signal generation circuits 1010, 1020, a voltage polarity determining circuit 1060, and a current polarity discrimination circuit 1070. The voltage width determining circuit 1050 for determining the time width of the output voltage of the inverter 2, as shown in Fig. 4A, includes a sinusoidal wave generator 1051, a saw-toothed wave generation circuit 1052, a rectification circuit 1053 and a comparator 1054. A sinusoidal wave signal generated from the sinusoidal wave generator 1051 is rectified through the rectification circuit 1053. The rectified signal from the rectification circuit 1053 is applied to the negative input of the comparator 1054, and the saw-toothed wave signal from the saw-toothed wave generation circuit 1052 is applied to the positive input of the comparator 1054 at the same time. The comparator 1054 compares the rectified sinusoidal wave signal with the saw-toothed wave signal and produces an output voltage width determining signal for determining the time duration of an output voltage of the inverter 2. The short-circuiting prevention period generation circuit 1040 for generating a short-circuiting prevention period signal for the inverter 2, as shown in Fig. 4B, includes an OR circuit 1041 and a monostable multivibrator 1042. The OR circuit 1041 is supplied with signals from the polarity signal forming circuit 1030 for forming a polarity signal and the voltage width determining circuit 1050 for determining the time width of the output voltage of the inverter 2, and produces an OR signal, which triggers the monostable multivibrator 1042 to generate a short-circuiting prevention period signal having a predetermined time duration. The first control signal generation circuit 1010 for applying a control signal to the GTO 21, 22, 23, 24 of the inverter 2, as shown in Fig. 4C, includes a pulse distributor 1011, a flip-flop 1012, a buffer circuits 1013, 1014, AND circuits 1015, 1016, 1017, 1018 and a frequency dividing circuit 1019. The pulse distributor is supplied with a short-circuiting prevention period signal from the short-circuiting prevention period generation circuit 1040 and distributes it among AND circuits 1015, 1016, 1017 and 1018 at one input terminal through buffer circuits 1013 and 1014. The flip-flop circuit 1012 is supplied with a polarity signal from the polarity signal forming circuit 1030 through the frequency dividing circuit 1019 at the data input, and a voltage width determining signal from the voltage width determining circuit 1050 at the clock input. An output signal of the flip-flop circuit 1012 is applied to the other input terminals of the AND circuits 1017 and 1018, and the polarity signal of the polarity signal forming circuit 1030 is applied through the frequency dividing circuit 1019 to the other input terminals of the AND circuits 1015 and 1016. The AND circuits 1015, 1016, 1017 and 1018 apply a control signal to the gates of the GTO 21, 22, 23 and 24. The voltage polarity determining circuit 1060 for determining the polarity of the output voltage of the frequency changing circuit 4, as shown in Fig. 4D, includes a comparator 1061. The positive input terminal of the comparator 1061 receives the voltage width determining signal from the voltage width determining circuit which signal is compared with the earth potential to generate a voltage polarity determining signal. The current polarity discrimination circuit 1070 for discriminating the polarity of the output current of the frequency changing circuit 4, as shown in Fig. 4E, includes a comparator 1071. The positive input terminal of the comparator 1071 receives a current detection signal from the current detector 7, which detection signal is compared with the earth potential thereby to generate a current polarity discrimination signal. The current detector 7 includes a current transformer (CT) in this invention. The second control signal generation circuit 1020 for applying a control signal to the gates of the GTO 41, 42 and GTO 43, 44 of the frequency changing circuit 4, as shown in Fig. 4F, includes AND circuits 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024, 1025, 1026, 1027 and 1028 and OR circuits 1121, 1122, 1123 and 1124. The first inputs of the AND circuits 1021 to 1028 receive a polarity signal from the polarity signal generation circuit (including an oscillation circuit) 1030 for generating a polarity signal for the output voltage of the frequency changing circuit 4, and the second input terminals of the respective AND circuits receive a voltage polarity determining signal from the voltage polarity determining circuit 1060. Further, the third input terminals of the respective AND circuits receive a current polarity discrimination signal from the current polarity discrimination circuit. The OR circuit 1121, supplied with an AND signal from the AND circuits 1021 and 1022, applies a control signal to the GTO 41. The OR circuit 1122, supplied with an AND signal from the AND circuits 1023 and 1024, applies a control signal to the GTO 42. The OR circuit 1123 is supplied with an AND signal from the AND circuits 1025 and 1026, and applies a control signal to the GTO 43. The OR circuit 1124 supplied with an AND signal from the AND circuits 1027 and 1028 applies a control signal to the GTO 44. The operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Fig. 5. The frequency changing circuit 4 selects a switching element conducted in accordance with the polarity signal for the output voltage of the inverter 2, a polarity signal for the output voltage of the frequency changing circuit 4 and a polarity signal for the output current of the circuit 4, and the starting time of the commutating operation is controlled to the starting time t₁ of the short-circuiting prevention period. As a result, the short-circuiting prevention period t₁ to t₂ is overlapped with at least a part of the commutation period t₁ to t₃, and therefore the voltage applied to the inverter during the short-circuiting prevention period t₁ to t₂ contains less unnecessary reverse voltage. As a consequence, the reduction of the output voltage of the frequency changing circuit 4 is reduced only to the voltage associated with the period t₂ to t₃ providing the difference between the commutation period and the short-circuiting prevention period, and thus the reduction in the output voltage of the power conversion system is suppressed. The operation of a second embodiment comprising an absolute value circuit 1080 shown by a dotted line in Fig. 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that in the second embodiment, the time length of the shorting prevention period of the inverter 2 is controlled by an absolute value circuit 1080 in proportion to the absolute value of the output current of the frequency changing circuit 4. The absolute value circuit 1080 includes a rectification circuit. The commutation period of the frequency changing circuit 4 is substantially proportional to the absolute value of the output current of the frequency changing circuit, and therefore it is possible to superpose the short-circuiting prevention period on the commutation period during the period t₁ to t₂ by controlling the time length of the short-circuiting prevention period in a manner to be proportional to the absolute value of the output current. As a result, the frequency changing circuit 4 is capable of producing a voltage during the period t₂ to t₄, as should be originally produced, thus making it possible to reduce to zero the reduction in the output voltage of the power conversion system which otherwise might be caused by the absence of output voltage during the commutation period as well as the voltage generated during the short-circuiting prevention period. Fig. 7 shows a third embodiment of the system according to the present invention. In the third embodiment, the frequency changing circuit 4 in the first and second embodiments comprises four switching circuits 401, 402, 403 and 404 connected in bridge connection. The third embodiment operates the same way and has the same effect as the first and second embodiments. In the aforementioned embodiments, the GTO 21, 22, 23, 24 and GTO 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 are used as switching elements, which may alternatively be self-quenching elements such as transistors or MOSFETs having an interrupting ability. Also, the GTO 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 as the switching elements of the frequency changing circuit 4 may be replaced by other elements having no interrupting ability. Further, the embodiment under consideration, which has been described as a single-phase circuit, may be applied to three-phase and other multiple-phase circuits with equal effect. A fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 8, and the circuit operation is briefly explained with reference to Fig. 9. The inverter 2 forms an AC voltage e₁ indicated by solid line which is pulse-width modulated into a sinusoidal waveform e out defined by dotted line in Fig. 9A, and a voltage e₂ is generated across the secondary winding of the transformer 3. The frequency changing circuit 4, in order to form an output voltage e out shown by dotted line from the AC voltage e₂ shown in Fig. 9A, controls the on/off operation of the switching elements 41, 42, 43, 44 to the polarity of the output voltage e out shown in Fig. 9B, thereby forming an output voltage e L of the frequency changing circuit shown in Fig. 9C. A filter 5 including a reactor 15 and a capacitor 16 produces a sinusoidal wave output voltage e out from the output voltage e L . The operation of the inverter 2 and the frequency changing circuit 4 will be described in detail. The output of the frequency changing circuit 4 is connected with a load through a waveform improving filter 5 including a reactor 15 and a capacitor 16. Depending on the magnitude and the load power factor of the load, the phase of the current i L flowing in the reactor 15 against the output voltage e out is determined. During a single cycle of the output voltage e′ out therefore, the output voltage e out may be not in phase with the current i L in a section while they have the same polarity in another section. Fig. 10 shows the operation of the inverter 2 and the frequency changing circuit 4 during different sections of a cycle of the output voltage e out when the output voltage e out has the same polarity as and is different in polarity from the current i L resepetively. The operation during the section when the polarity of the output voltage e out is identical to that of the current i L will be explained. The period t₄₁ to t₄₂ indicates the time width of the pulse required for the output of the frequency changing circuit 4 to obtain an output voltage e out in the same period. The switching element 24 of the inverter 2 is turned off at the time point t₄₀. At the same time, a signal for turning on the switching element 43 of the frequency changing circuit 4 is applied. By the time point t₄₀, the current i L is positive and the element 41 turned on, so that the current is flowing from point C toward point D in the secondary winding of the transformer. Thus a current is flowing from point A toward point B in the transformer primary. As a result, a current in opposite polarity flows in the power supply 1 through the diodes 26, 27 connected in parallel in opposite polarity to the elements 22 and 23, and a voltage of a polarity shown in Fig. 10A is applied to the primary winding of the transformer. Since a signal for turning on the element 43 is applied a short-circuiting current increasing at a change rate determined by the leakage inductance value of the transformer 3 and the voltage across the power supply 1 through a short-circuiting circuit formed through the elements 43 and 41 in the secondary of the transformer, thus starting the commutation from the element 41 to 43. In the process, the secondary circuit of the transformer is short-circuited, and therefore the voltage e L is 0. At the time t₄₁, the element 23 is turned on. Upon completion of the commutating operation from the element 41 to 43 at the time t₄₁ when the current in the element 41 becomes zero, the voltage shown in Fig. 10D is produced at the output e L . The device 22 is turned on at the time t₄₂. The current then flows from point C toward E in the secondary winding of the transformer, and therefore a current in the primary winding flows from point B toward point A. In the inverter 2, a current flows through the diode 25 connected in parallel to the element 21 in opposite polarity and the element 23, and therefore the voltage across the primary winding of the transformer becomes zero. The output voltage also becomes zero. Then, at the time t′₄₂, the element 21 is turned on, but the polarity of the current remains unchanged, so that an operation similar to that during the period t₄₂ to t′₄₂ is performed. At the time t₅₀, the element 23 of the inverter 2 is turned off and the element 41 of the frequency changing circuit 4 turned on, with the result that a signal is applied. Since a current opposite in polarity to the one at the time t₄₀ flows in the primary winding of the transformer, a positive voltage is applied from the inverter 2 to the transformer 3, thus starting the commutation from the element 43 to element 41. The commutation completes at the time t₅₁. As a result, as shown in Fig. 10D, during the period from the time t₅₁ to the time t₅₂ when the element 21 is turned off, the output voltage e L continues to be generated. Similar operation is performed subsequently. The time length required for commutating operation from the element 41 to 43 and from the element 43 to 41 is determined by the voltage value of the power supply 1, the leakage inductance of the transformer 3 and the associated value of the current i L . These values are used to determine the periods from the time t₄₀ to t₄₁ and from the time t₅₀ to t₅₁. At the same time, the inverter 2 and the frequency changing circuit 4 are actuated at the time t₄₀ and t₅₀ in the abovementioned timings respectively before the time t₄₁ and t₅₁ at which the output voltage e L should otherwise have been produced, thereby producing an output not affected by the commutating operation. The operation during the period when the polarity of the output voltage e L is different from that of the output voltage will be explained. During this period, when the inverter 2 and the frequency changing circuit 4 are actuated in the above-mentioned timings, the switching operation of the switching element of the frequency changing circuit 4 cannot be performed by use of the voltage e₁ applied to the transformer 3. The period from the time t₁₁ to t₁₂ represents the time width of the voltage pulse required for the output of the frequency changing circuit to produce an output voltage e out . At the time point t′₁₁, the elements 21, 24 are on, with the voltage e₁ positive as shown. The current i L is negative and therefore a current is flowing from the point D toward the point C through the element 42 in the secondary winding of the transformer. At the time t₁₂, a voltage for turning on the element 44 is applied. Since the elements 21, 24 are on, a voltage of the same polarity as during the period from the time t₁₁ to t₁₂ continues to flow without regard to the particular polarity. Since the element 44 is on, a short-circuiting current flows through the elements 42 and 44 of the frequency changing circuit 4 by the voltage e₁, and when the commutating operation starts with the current zero in the element 42 at the time t₁₃ the commutating operation is completed. At the time point t₁₃, a current flows from point E toward point C in the secondary winding of the transformer through the element 44, and in the primary current from the point A toward point B. A current flows in the inverter 2 through a diode 26 and a element 24 connected in parallel in opposite polarities to the element 22, and therefore the voltage e₁ becomes zero after time t₁₃, so that the voltage e L , as shown, is reduced to zero after time point t₁₂. At the time point t′₁₃, the device 22 is turned on but the state of the voltage e L remains unchanged. The switching operation of the switching element cannot be effected by use of the applied voltage e₁ to the transformer 3. The period t₁₁ to t₁₂ represents the time width of the voltage pulse required for the output of the frequency changing circuit for producing an output voltage t out during the same period. At time point t₁₁, the element 21 is turned on, and the elements 22, 23 off. At this time, a current is flowing from point D toward point C via the element 42 in the secondary winding of the transformer. As a consequence, a current flows in the inverter 2 through a diodes 25, 28 and a power supply 1 in parallel in opposite polarity to the elements 21 and 24, and therefore a voltage of the polarity shown in Fig. 10A is generated. Even when the element 24 is turned on the time t′₁₁, this condition remains unchanged. Then, a signal for turning on the element 44 is applied at the time t₁₂. A voltage of the same polarity as during the period t₁₁ to t₁₂ continues to be generated in the inverter 2 regardless of the polarity of the current since the elements 21 and 24 are on. Since the element 44 is turned on, on the other hand, a short-circuiting current flows in the frequency changing circuit 4 via the elements 42 and 44 by the voltage e₁, so that the commutating operation is started, and the commutating operation is completed at the time t₁₃ when the current in the element 42 is reduced to zero. At the time t₁₃, a current flows through the element 44 from point E toward point C in the secondary winding of the transformer, and from point A toward point B in the primary winding. A current flows through the diode 26 connected in parallel to the element 22 in opposite polarities in the inverter 2, and therefore the voltage e₁ is reduced to zero after the time t₁₃, with the result that the voltage e₁ becomes zero after time t₁₃ and the output voltage e L to zero after the time t₁₂ as shown. Thus the output voltage e L remains at zero after time t₁₂ as shown in the drawings. Although the element 22 is turned on at the time t₁₃ the voltage e L remains in the same condition. At time t₂₁ when the element 24 is turned off, a current flows in the inverter 2 through a diode and a power supply in parallel in polarities opposite to the elements 22 and 23. As a result, a voltage of the polarity shown in Fig. 10A is applied to the transformer 3 through the power supply 1. Thus a voltage of the polarity shown in Fig. 10A is applied to the transformer 3, and the voltage shown in Fig. 10D is produced at the output of the frequency changing circuit 4. Even when the element 230 is turned on at the time t′₂₁, the voltage e L remains in the same state. A signal for turning on the element 42 is applied at the time t₂₂ so that the commutating operation starts from the element 44 to the element 42. The associated operation is performed in the same manner as the commutating operation from the element 42 to element 44. The time required for the commutation from the element 42 to element 44 or the other way is determined by the value of the voltage e L , the voltage value of the power supply 1 and the leakage inductance of the transformer 3 as in the case where the polarity of the output voltage e L coincides with that of the current i L . The periods from the time t₁₂ to t₁₃ and from the time t₂₂ to t₂₃ are determined by the values of the source voltage, leakage inductance and the voltage e L , and by turning on the inverter 2 and the frequency changing circuit 4 in the above-mentioned timings in such a manner as to attain a period when the voltage e L should be produced, the commutating operation is made possible even during the period when the polarity of the output voltage e out is different from that of the output current i L while at the same time producing an output voltage free of being affected by the commutating operation. A control circuit 1000 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 12 shows waveforms for explaining the embodiment shown in Fig. 11. In Fig. 11, numeral 1101 designates a polarity detection circuit, numeral 1102 a polarity/level detection circuit, numeral 1103 a phase control circuit, numeral 1104 a drive signal forming circuit, numeral 1105 an adder/substractor, and numerals 1106, 1107 amplifiers. The pattern of an output voltage compared with the output voltage e out , so that an error voltage Δe and an error voltage Δe' of the different polarity are formed. From the voltage pattern, the polarity of the voltage to be produced as e L is formed by the polarity detector 1101. The polarity and level are detected from the detection value of the current i L by the polarity/level detector 1102. Currents e′ T and e'' T with the phase thereof advanced or retarded by an amount corresponding to the value of the current i L are formed by the phase control circuit 1103 from the high-frequency reference triangular wave e T and the current i L . Waveforms thus obtained are shown in Fig. 12A, and the enlarged forms are shown in Fig. 12B. The drive signal forming circuit 1104 forms signals representing the crossing time points a ' / 0, a₀, a '' / 0 and b ' / 0, b₀ and b '' / 0 of the triangular signals e′ T , e T and e″ T and the error voltage signals Δe and Δe′. Further, the polarity signals of these voltages and currents are used to select a signal for driving the the inverter 2 and switching element of the frequency changing circuit 4 from these signals, thus driving the switching the switching element in the manner described in detail with reference to Fig. 10. The level signal of the polarity/level detection circuit is used to apply a signal to the switching elements 42 and 41 of opposite polarities during the period when the polarity of the current i L undergoes a change as during the period from the time t₂₂ to t₄₀ shown in Fig. 10. In the control circuit 1000 according to the fourth embodiment of the power conversion system of the invention, the polarity detection circuit 1101, as shown in Fig. 13A, includes a comparator 1111, the positive input of which is supplied with an output voltage pattern, which is compared with the earth potential thereby to produce a polarity detection signal. The polarity/level detection circuit 1102, as shown in Fig. 13B, includes a comparator 1112, which is supplied with a detection signal from the current detector 7 and compares it with the earth potential to produce a polarity/level signal. The phase control circuit 1103, as shown in Fig. 13C, includes a rectifier circuit 1113, an amplifier circuit 1123, an adder 1133 and a substractor 1143. The rectifier circuit 1113 is supplied with a detection signal i L from the current detector 7 and rectifies the detection signal, which is then amplified to a predetermined value by the amplifier 1123. The adder 1133 and the subtractor 1143 have each one input supplied with an amplification signal from the amplifier 1123, and the other input with a triangular wave signal e T . The adder 33 adds the signal of the amplifier 1123 to the triangular wave signal e T , and produces an advanced triangular wave signal e′ T having a predetermined advanced phase. The subtractor 1143 subtracts the triangular wave signal e T from the signal of the amplifier 1123, and thus produces a retarded triangular wave signal e″ T having a predetermined retarded phase. The drive signal generation circuit 1104, as shown in Fig. 13D, includes a first control signal generation circuit 1204 for generating a control signal to be applied to the inverter 2 and a second control signal generation circuit 1704 for generating a control signal to be applied to the frequency changer 4. The first control signal generation circuit 1204 includes a first inverter control unit 1304 for generating a control signal to be applied to the switching element 21 of the inverter 2, a second inverter control unit 1404 for generating a control signal to be applied to the switching element 22, a third inverter control unit 1504 for generating a control signal to be applied to the switching element 23, and a fourth inverter control unit 1604 for generating a control signal to be applied to the switching element 24. The second control signal generation circuit 1704 includes a first converter control unit 1804, a second converter control unit 1904 and a third converter control unit 2040. The first inverter control unit 1304 includes first, second, third and fourth comparators, first, second, third and fourth AND circuits, first and second OR circuits, and a flip-flop circuit. The second inverter control unit 1604, the third inverter control unit 1504, the fourth inverter control unit 1604, and the first converter control unit 1804 and the second converter control unit 1904 all include the same circuit components respectively as the first inverter control unit 1304. The third converter control unit 2004, includes the same circuit components as the second control signal generation circuit of the control circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the drive signal generation circuit 1104 will be described. In the first inverter control unit 1304, the first comparator is supplied with a retarded triangular wave signal e″ T from the phase control circuit 1103 and an error signal Δe from the amplifier 1106 to detect a crossing time b '' / 0. The third comparator compares a reverse-polarity error voltage Δe′ from the amplifier 1107 with the triangular wave signal e T from the phase control circuit 1103 to detect a crossing time b₁. In the second inverter control unit 1404, the first comparator compares the reverse-polarity error voltage Δe′ from the amplifier 1107 with the retarded triangular wave signal e″ T from the phase control circuit 1103 to detect a crossing time b '' / 1. The third comparator compares the triangular wave signal e T from the phase control circuit 1103 with the error signal Δe from the amplifier 1106 to detect a crossing time b₀. In the third inverter control unit 1504, the first comparator compares the triangular wave signal e T from the phase control circuit 1103 with the reverse-polarity error voltage Δe′ from the amplifier 1107 to detect a crossing time a₀. The third comparator compares the error voltage Δe from the amplifier 1107 with an advanced triangular wave signal e′ T from the phase control circuit 1103 to detect a crossing time a ' / 1. In the fourth inverter control unit 1604, the first comparator compares the error voltage Δe from the amplifier 1106 with the triangular wave signal e T from the phase control circuit 1103 to detect a crossing time a₁. The third comparator compares the advanced triangular wave signal e′ T from the phase control circuit 1103 with the reverse-polarity error voltage Δe′ from the amplifier 1107 to detect a crossing time a ' / 0. In the first converter control unit 1804, the first comparator compares the error voltage Δe from the amplifier 1106 with the advanced triangular wave signal e′ T from the phase control circuit 1103 to detect a crossing time a ' / 1. The third comparator compares the advanced triangular wave signal e′ T from the phase control circuit 1103 with the reverse-polarity error voltage Δe′ from the amplifier 1107 to detect a crossing time a ' / 0. In the second converter unit 1904, the first comparator compares the advanced triangular signal e′ T from the phase control circuit 1103 with the error voltage Δe from the amplifier 1106 to detect a crossing time b₀. The third comparator compares the reverse-polarity error voltage Δe′ from the amplifier 1107 with the advanced triangular wave signal e′ T from the phase control circuit 1103 to detect a crossing time b₁. In the case where the output voltage e out is positive, the operation shown in Fig. 10B is obtained by turning on the switching element 22 during the period from the crossing time b '' / 1 to b₀, the switching element 23 from the crossing time a₀ to a ' / 1, and the switching element 24 from the crossing time a₁ to a ' / 0 For this purpose, the flip-flops of the inverter control units 1304, 1404, 1504 and 1604 are set at the crossing time b '' / 0 b ' / 1 , a₀ and a₁, and reset at the crossing time b₁, b₀, a ' / 1 and a ' / 0 respectively. In the case where the output voltage e out is negative, the error voltages Δe and Δe′ are reversed, and therefore the flip-flops and set or reset in opposite relations to the aforementioned case respectively. In Fig. 10C, the switching elements 41, 42, 43 and 44 of the frequency changing circuit 4 are turned on by setting and resetting the flip-flops of the first converter control unit 1804 at the crossing time a ' / 1 and a ' / 0 when the output voltage e out has the same polarity as the output current i L . The switching elements 41, 42, 43 and 44 are turned on by setting and resetting the flip-flops of the second converter control unit 1904 at the crossing time b₀, b₁ when the output voltage e out has a different polarity from the output current i L .

Claims: A power conversion system comprising an inverter (2) for converting a direct current into an alternating current, a transformer (3) connected to the output of said inverter, a frequency changing circuit (4) including a plurality of bilateral switches (401, 402,) selected ones thereof being connected in a bridge and to the center tap of the secondary winding of said transformer and a control circuit (1000) for controlling the commutation operation of said frequency changing circuit, characterised in that said control circuit (1000) controls said switches (401, 402,) of said frequency changing circuit (4) so that the on-timing of said switches is set to coincide with the starting time of the short-circuiting prevention period of the inverter (2) as long as the polarity of the output voltage coincides with that of the output current. A power conversion system according to claim 1, characterised in that said control circuit (1000) controls the commutation start phase of said bilateral switches (401, 402) in such a way that a short-circuiting prevention period of said inverter (2) overlaps at least a part of the commutation period for commutation between said bilateral switches (401, 402). A power conversion system according to claim 1, characterized in that said transformer (3) has a neutral terminal and an output terminal connected to the output of said inverter (2), that said switches (401, 402) are connected in series between the said terminals of said transformer (3) for producing a selected output between the neutral point of said transformer (3) and the junction point of said switches (401, 402) and between the junction points of two circuits (41,42;43,44) of said switches (401, 402) and that said inverter (2) and said switches (401, 402) are controlled in accordance with the polarity and magnitude of the output voltage of said switches (401, 402) and the polarity and magnitude of the output current of said switches (401, 402) and that said inverter (2) and said switches (401, 402) are controlled in accordance with the polarity and magnitude of the output voltage of said switches (401, 402) and the polarity and magnitude of the output current of said switches (401, 402). A power conversion system according to claim 1, characterized in that said control circuit (1000) controls the short-circuit prevention period of said inverter (2) in accordance with the magnitude of the output current of said frequency changing circuit (4). A power conversion system according to claim 1, characterised in that said inverter (2) is connected to a DC power supply (1) supplying a predetermined DC voltage, that said inverter (2) includes a plurality of switching elements (21, 22, 23, 24) connected in bridge connection and a plurality of diodes (25, 26, 27, 28) connected in parallel to said switching elements (21, 22, 23, 24) for converting the DC voltage from said DC power supply (1) into a predetermined high-frequency AC voltage, that said transformer (3) includes a primary winding supplied with said high-frequency AC voltage generated in said inverter (2) and a secondary winding for generating a predetermined high-frequency high voltage, that said frequency changing circuit (4) is connected to said secondary winding of said transformer (3) and includes a plurality of switching elements (41, 42, 43, 44) coupled in reverse parallel for converting said high-frequency high voltage generated in said secondary winding of said transformer (3) into a predetermined low-frequency high voltage, that a filter (5) including a reactor (15) and a capacitor (16) is connected to the output of said frequency changing circuit (4) for converting said low-frequency high voltage from said frequency changing circuit (4) into a predetermined sinusoidal wave voltage, that a detector (7) is connected for at least detecting the current flowing in said filter (5) and that said control circuit (1000) applies to said inverter (2) and to said frequency changing circuit (4) a control signal for determining the commutation time of said frequency changing circuit (4) in synchronism with the starting time of the short-circuit prevention period of said inverter (2) in response to the detection signal from said detector (7). A power conversion system according to claim 5, characterized in that said control circuit (1000) further includes an absolute value circuit (1080) for controlling the time length of the short-circuit prevention period of said inverter (2) in such a manner as to be proportional to the absolute value of the output current of said frequency changing circuit (4). A power conversion system according to claim 5, characterised in that said frequency changing circuit (4) includes a plurality of switching elements (41, 42, 43, 44) connected in reverse parallel as first, second, third and fourth switching circuits connected in bridge connection. A power conversion system according to claim 5, characterised in that said detector (7) detects the current flowing in said reactor (15) of said filter (5) and the voltage generated across said capacitor (16) of said filter (5). A power conversion system according to claim 8, characterised in that said control circuit (1000) includes an error voltage generation circuit for comparing a detection voltage from said detector (7) with an output voltage pattern and generating first and second error voltages, a phase control circuit (1103) for generating first, second, and third triangular wave signals having a predetermined phase in accordance with a detection current from said detector (7), a polarity detection circuit (1101) for detecting the polarity of the detection voltage from said output voltage pattern, a polarity/level detection circuit (1102) for detecting the polarity and level of the detection current of said detector (7) and a drive signal generation circuit (1104) for detecting the crossing time between the first and second error voltages from said error voltage generation circuit and the first, second and third triangular wave signals from said phase control circuit (1103) and for applying a control signal to said switching elements (41, 42, 43, 44) of said frequency changing circuit (4) and to said inverter (2) in accordance with the detection signal from said polarity/level detection circuit (1102).

Inventors: AMANO, HISAO, MATSUDA, YASUO, TOKUNAGA, NORIKAZU, YAMATO, IKUO
Applicants: HITACHI, LTD.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: H02M3
IPC codes: H02M7