Hitachi has filed a patent for a power grid that includes a converting stage with multiple DC/DC converters. One of the converters is a single-stage isolated DC/DC converter with voltage control. The converters are connected in series and at least one is designed to provide a predetermined output voltage to a load. The patent also mentions the use of DC/AC and AC/DC converters connected to a transformer unit, with some transformers connected by an impedance circuit. GlobalData’s report on Hitachi gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Hitachi, M2M communication interfaces was a key innovation area identified from patents. Hitachi's grant share as of September 2023 was 23%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Power grid with series-connected dc/dc converters and voltage control
A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230318435A1) describes a power grid system that includes a converting stage with multiple DC/DC converters. One of the converters is a single-stage isolated DC/DC converter with a voltage control to regulate its voltage. These converters are connected in series and at least one of them provides a predetermined output voltage to a load. Each DC/DC converter consists of multiple DC/AC and AC/DC converters, which are connected to a transformer unit. The transformer unit includes multiple transformers that couple the DC/AC converters to the AC/DC converters. Additionally, some of the transformers are connected by an impedance circuit.
The power grid system also includes a transformer unit with windings that share a common core. There is another converting stage upstream of the DC/DC converters, which can be a DC/DC converter or an AC/DC converter with a controlled voltage output. The impedance circuit in the power grid system includes windings and impedances that are interconnected. Furthermore, the power grid system can have a plurality of second DC/DC converters connected in series and upstream of each DC/AC converter. An impedance is connected between two of the second DC/DC converters, and a capacitor is connected in parallel to the second DC/DC converters.
The power grid system includes a power distribution unit that distributes power to consumer loads. The unit has switches per converter of the second converting stage, which can connect or disconnect outputs of the converters. The number of switches corresponds to the number of loads. The power distribution unit also has a control unit that manages the distribution of power and assignment of output voltages based on the connected loads and sources.
The power grid system can be connected to a Medium Voltage Direct Current (MVDC) and is compatible with variable speed heat pump systems, hyperscale data centers, distributed battery energy storage, DC chargers, and renewable energy sources.
The patent also describes a method for controlling the power grid system. The method involves converting an input voltage into an output voltage using the converting stage with multiple DC/DC converters. The converters are connected in series and their voltages are controlled. The method also includes providing a predetermined output voltage to each converter's load. The power grid system can be connected to various applications, such as heat pump systems, data centers, energy storage, DC chargers, and renewable energy sources. The method also involves controlling switches to connect or disconnect outputs of the second DC/DC converters and providing a predetermined output voltage to each of them. The input voltage to the power grid can be controlled to provide a variable DC input to the DC/DC converters. Additionally, the method includes calculating the number of DC/DC converters per electric vehicle charger and distributing voltage and selecting switching actions for the converters. In case of low input DC voltage and low operational efficiency, one of the converters can be stopped by closing a bypass breaker associated with it.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
