System and method for real-time adjustment and operation of cooling fan in welding or cutting system

Abstract

A welding or cutting power system having a signal conversion module, which receives an AC input signal and converts the AC input signal to an output signal. The output signal is output to a load. The signal conversion module comprises at least one component which increases in temperature during operation of the signal conversion module, and a cooling fan is used to cool the at least one component of the signal conversion module. A motor is coupled to the fan to operate said cooling fan. The power system also includes a temperature sensor, which senses a temperature of the at least one component and generates a temperature feedback signal. The system further includes a fan controller that controls a rotational speed of the fan based on at least the temperature feedback signal.

1 . A welding or cutting power system, comprising:
 a signal conversion module which receives an AC input signal and converts said AC input signal to a welding or a cutting output signal and outputs said output signal to a load, where said signal conversion module comprises a component which increases in temperature during operation of said signal conversion module;   a cooling fan used to cool said component of said signal conversion module,   a motor coupled to said fan to operate said cooling fan,   a temperature sensor which senses a temperature of said component and generates a temperature feedback signal corresponding to the sensed temperature, and   a fan controller which controls a rotational speed of said fan based on at least said temperature feedback signal,   wherein as said sensed temperature of said at least one component incrementally changes,  said fan controller incrementally and directly changes said rotational speed.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said signal conversion module comprises a DC bus voltage circuit which creates a fixed voltage DC bus, and said component is a switch internal to said DC bus voltage circuit. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said signal conversion module comprises a buck-boost circuit comprising at least a buck switch and a boost switch and said component comprises one of said buck switch and said boost switch. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said temperature feedback signal is also directed to a controller which controls an operation of said signal conversion module such that if said sensed temperature exceeds a threshold value the operation of said signal conversion module is turned off. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said fan controller utilizes a plurality of temperature ranges to control said rotational speed such that each of said plurality of temperature ranges is associated with a different rotational speed setting, and
 wherein as said sensed temperature of said at least one component changes from falling within a first temperature range to falling within a second temperature range of said plurality of temperature ranges, said fan controller incrementally changes said rotational speed from a rotational speed setting corresponding to said first temperature range to a rotational speed setting corresponding to said second temperature range.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each temperature range in said plurality of temperature ranges has an incremental temperature range of 0 to 100° F. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said fan controller emits a different rotational speed control signal based on each detected difference in said sensed temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising;
 a second temperature sensor that senses a second temperature of a second component and generates a second temperature feedback signal which is provided to said fan controller,   wherein said fan controller controls said rotational speed of said fan based on at least one of said temperature feedback signal and said second temperature feedback signal, and   wherein said component is said buck switch and said second component is said boost switch.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said fan controller controls said rotational speed based on a higher temperature of said sensed temperature and said second sensed temperature. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a display screen to display at least one of said sensed temperature of said component, a status of said signal conversion module and a status of said fan. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said display screen displays said status of said signal conversion module such that when said sensed temperature is at or below a threshold temperature level, a first status indication is displayed and when said sensed temperature is above said threshold level, a second status indication is displayed. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said display screen displays a maintenance status of said fan. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said displayed maintenance status is based on at least one of a predetermined maintenance schedule and fan speed feedback signal. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said display screen displays a status indication of said signal conversion module based on at least said sensed temperature, and displays a first status indication when said sensed temperature is an a first range, a second status indication when said sensed temperature is in a second range and a third status indication when said sensed temperature is in a third range. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein a first maintenance status indicator is displayed when the operation of said fan is within a first operational range and a second maintenance status indicator is displayed when the operation of said fan is within a second operational range. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a tachometer coupled to said fan to detect a fan performance, and wherein said displayed maintenance status is based on at least a tachometer feedback signal from said tachometer. 
     
     
         17 . A method of cooling a welding or cutting power supply, comprising:
 providing an AC input signal to a signal conversion module which receives said and converts said AC input signal to a welding or a cutting output signal, where said signal conversion module comprises a component which increases in temperature during operation of said signal conversion module,   outputting said output signal to a load,   cooling said at least one component of said signal conversion module using a cooling fan,   sensing a temperature of said at least one component,   generating a temperature feedback signal, and   controlling a rotational speed of said fan based on at least said temperature feedback signal,   wherein as said sensed temperature of said at least one component incrementally changes, said rotational speed of said fan is incrementally and directly changed.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said signal conversion module comprises a buck-boost circuit comprising at least a buck switch and a boost switch and said component comprises one of said buck switch and said boost switch. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said rotational speed is controlled such that a different rotational speed is provided for each different sensed temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising displaying at least one of the sensed temperature, a status of said signal conversion module and a status of said cooling fan on a display screen. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said incremental temperature range is 0.001 to 20° F. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said incremental temperature range is 0.001 to 5° F. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said rotational speed of said fan is controlled based on a plurality of temperature ranges such that each of said plurality of temperature ranges is associated with a different rotational speed setting, and
 wherein as said sensed temperature of said at least one component changes from falling within a first temperature range to falling within a second temperature range of said plurality of temperature ranges said rotational speed is incrementally changed from a rotational speed setting corresponding to said first temperature range to a rotational speed setting corresponding to said second temperature range.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein each temperature range in said plurality of temperature ranges has an incremental temperature range of 0 to 100° F. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said incremental temperature range is 0.001 to 20° F. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said incremental temperature range is 0.001 to 5° F. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second cooling fan used to cool said component of said signal conversion module,   wherein said fan controller controls a rotational speed of said second cooling fan based on at least said temperature feedback signal when said sensed temperature exceeds a threshold temperature.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said cooling of said at least one component of said signal conversion module comprises using a second cooling fan, and
 said method further comprises controlling a rotational speed of said second fan based on at least said temperature feedback signal when said sensed temperature exceeds a threshold temperature.