| 摘要 |
<p>A valve for rapidly switching high voltage at high currents includes several identical modules (2) series-coupled between high voltage rails (4, 6). Each module (2) includes a three-terminal semiconductor voltage controlled gate turn-off device (8), an input port (I) for receiving a gate drive signal, input circuitry (22, 24), two power switching ports (U, L) coupled to the turn-off device (8) output terminals, and an output circuit coupled across the device output terminals. The output circuit includes a clamping mechanism (12) and regulated clamp voltage circuit (14) that maintains a safe, regulated maximum differential potential across the device (8). Because each module is identical, any non-simultaneous switching of the various devices (8) in the series-coupled modules causes only a slight disparity in the amount of energy absorbed by each regulated clamp voltage circuit (14). Further, each module (8) sees substantially the same differential potential between the module output ports, and operates independently regardless of where in the series-coupled chain the module is located.</p> |
