Capacitor voltage control enabling smaller MMC power modules
This technology improves the design of modular multi-level converters (MMCs), which are large power electronics systems used to convert electricity between different voltage levels and frequencies—common in industrial motor drives and high-voltage DC power transmission. The core innovation inserts extra switching steps within each tiny switching cycle to actively recharge internal capacitors back to a target voltage, rather than letting voltage drift accumulate over a full output waveform cycle. Because this correction happens far more frequently, the capacitors needed are dramatically smaller, reducing the physical size and cost of the converter. The technique also makes the converter work reliably even at very low or zero output frequency, a longstanding limitation for motor drives handling heavy loads at near-standstill.
What you could build
A compact, lower-cost MMC power module or control system targeting industrial variable-speed motor drives (e.g., for mining, oil and gas pumping, or ship propulsion) and HVDC transmission equipment; buyers would be industrial drive OEMs such as ABB, Siemens, or Rockwell Automation, and power electronics system integrators.
Who in Virginia should care
Defense and naval contractors in the Hampton Roads area (e.g., Huntington Ingalls, General Dynamics NASSCO supply chain) working on ship propulsion drives, plus data center power infrastructure companies active in Northern Virginia, would find compact high-performance MMC technology relevant.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Jun Wang, Rolando Burgos, Dushan Boroyevich, Bo Wen
- Granted
- May 8, 2018
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 9966874
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.