Abstract:
A control circuit and a method for controlling a piezoelectric transformer are disclosed. In an embodiment the control circuit includes an inductor and a control unit, wherein the control circuit is configured to apply a voltage with a periodic waveform to a piezoelectric transformer, wherein a period duration of the voltage is specified by a control frequency and adjust the control frequency of the applied voltage as a function of an average current intensity of a current flowing through the inductor.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a piezoelectric transformer based power converter that exhibits efficient operating point tracking ability while providing output regulation by means of simultaneous two-parameter control of the converter power stage. A regulation control stage provides the power stage a regulation control signal indicative of the difference between the measured output parameter and a set-point reference, therefore continuously controlling the gain of the converter to result in a stabilized, regulated output. Additionally, a frequency control stage simultaneously provides the power stage with a frequency control signal correlative to the difference between the current and desired operating points of the piezoelectric transformer. The power stage then translates the frequency control signal into an adjustment to the operational frequency of the input signal to the piezoelectric transformer, as to continuously drive the operating point to the desired position.
Abstract:
An injection device for an internal combustion engine includes a piezo actuator for moving a valve piston, and a control unit for actuating the piezo actuator. The control unit supplies electrical pulses having different pulse energy to the piezo actuator and determines a return stroke between the piezo actuator and valve piston or a time delay caused by the return stroke. The control unit selects the pulse energies such that a maximum excursion of a movement of the piezo actuator caused by at least one pulse is smaller than the return stroke, whereas a maximum excursion of a piezo actuator movement caused by another pulse(s) is greater than the return stroke, after each of the pulses detects a frequency spectrum of a voltage signal at the piezo actuator during the movement caused by the respective pulse, and determines the return stroke or time delay based on these frequency spectra.
Abstract:
A high voltage power source device includes piezoelectric transformers, each of the piezoelectric transformers being formed with a primary electrode and a secondary electrode on piezoelectric ceramics, receiving a primary voltage at the primary electrode, and generating a second voltage from the secondary electrode, switching elements, each of the switching elements driving a respective one of the piezoelectric transformers, and primary voltage supply devices, each of the primary voltage supply devices supplying the primary voltage to the primary electrode of the respective one of the piezoelectric transformers by driving the respective one of the switching elements when the secondary voltage is generated from the respective one of the second electrodes, wherein the respective one of the primary voltage supply devices supplies the primary voltage to the respective one of the primary electrodes by driving the respective one of the switching elements at the same frequency.
Abstract:
An intrinsic piezoelectric transformer circuit a piezoelectric transformer circuit is provided that has a primary side component including first and second electrodes, a secondary side component including first and second electrodes, and at least one tertiary component including first and second electrodes. A power bridge is provided which includes one or more switches, each switch has a gate terminal that is directly connected to the second electrode of the tertiary component of the piezoelectric transformer. The first electrode of the tertiary component of the piezoelectric transformer is connected to a reference for the one or more switches of the power bridge. The first electrode of the primary component of the piezoelectric transformer is electrically connected to a power bridge output and the second electrode of the primary component of the piezoelectric transformer is connected to a ground terminal.
Abstract:
An injection device for an internal combustion engine includes a piezo actuator for moving a valve piston, and a control unit for actuating the piezo actuator. The control unit supplies electrical pulses having different pulse energy to the piezo actuator and determines a return stroke between the piezo actuator and valve piston or a time delay caused by the return stroke. The control unit selects the pulse energies such that a maximum excursion of a movement of the piezo actuator caused by at least one pulse is smaller than the return stroke, whereas a maximum excursion of a piezo actuator movement caused by another pulse(s) is greater than the return stroke, after each of the pulses detects a frequency spectrum of a voltage signal at the piezo actuator during the movement caused by the respective pulse, and determines the return stroke or time delay based on these frequency spectra.
Abstract:
A high-voltage power supply comprises the following components. A piezoelectric transformer outputs a voltage in accordance with a supplied drive frequency. A rectification part is connected to an output side of the piezoelectric transformer. A drive frequency generating part generates the drive frequency supplied to the piezoelectric transformer. A voltage detection part detects an output voltage of the piezoelectric transformer or the rectification part. A control part controls the drive frequency generating part such that a drive frequency corresponding to the output voltage detected by the voltage detecting part is generated. A first time constant, which is a time constant of the control part, is smaller than a second time constant, which is a time constant of a control target including the piezoelectric transformer and the rectification part. A third time constant, which is a time constant of the voltage detecting part, is smaller than the second time constant.
Abstract:
A zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) piezoelectric driving circuit, suitable for use in a switching type power converter. It receives an input DC voltage from a half-bridge driving circuit, and through switching of an high-side switch set and a low-side switch set of the half-bridge driving circuit, converts it to an AC voltage and provides it to a piezoelectric element to drive a load. Wherein, a shunt circuit is connected electrically between the half-bridge driving circuit and the piezoelectric element for zero-voltage-switching (ZVS). Namely, when the high-side switch set and the low-side switch set are both switched off, the shunt circuit resonates with its parasitic capacitance, so that the high-side switch set and the low-side switch set perform ZVS, thus realizing ZVS in a wide range of frequency and a large range of load.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an electronic power converter comprising a piezoelectric transformer, a drive circuit arranged to generate and provide an input voltage signal to the piezoelectric transformer, said input voltage signal comprising a burst frequency and a substantially constant excitation frequency, and a rectifier module. According to the present invention the excitation frequency is selected among a plurality of excitation frequencies in such a way that an equivalent load resistance, Req, is matched to an output impedance of the piezoelectric transformer so as to minimize power losses in the piezoelectric transformer. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for configuring an electronic power converter.
Abstract:
A high gain pulse generator includes a piezoelectric transformer (PT) that is driven by an input power stage to drive the PT at a desired PT resonant frequency such that at least one PT characteristic substantially matches at least one non-linear load characteristic such as, without limitation, a plasma load characteristic to deliver a desired pulse to the non-linear load.