CONFIGURABLE HYBRID CONVERTER CIRCUIT

• US 20120127766A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Crookes, William, Trainer, David, Oates, Colin, Donald, Murray, Davidson, Colin, Charnock
• Granted Patent: US 9,350,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/126
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/1857 wherein such bridge converter is a multilevel converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/36 Arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks via a high-tension dc link
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0077 Plural converter units whose outputs are connected in series
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0095 Hybrid converter topologies, e.g. NPC mixed with flying capacitor, thyristor converter mixed with MMC or charge pump mixed with buck
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/12 Arrangements for reducing harmonics from ac input or output
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/14 Arrangements for reducing ripples from dc input or output
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4835 comprising two or more cells, each including a switchable capacitor, the capacitors having a nominal charge voltage which corresponds to a given fraction of the input voltage, and the capacitors being selectively connected in series to determine the instantaneous output voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/797 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/20 Active power filtering [APF]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/60 Arrangements for transfer of electric power between AC networks or generators via a high voltage DC link [HVCD]

Abstract

A circuit for a hybrid voltage source converter suitable for high voltage DC power transmission and reactive power compensation. The circuit comprises an assembly of electrically interconnected elements (Elements 1 to 20) including a plurality of first elements (Elements 1 to 6) and a plurality of second elements (Elements 7 to 20). Each of the first and second elements is configurable to be bypassed, to be disconnected or to include a circuit arrangement of one or more electronic components to construct, in use, a hybrid voltage source converter including at least one first element and at least one second element and in which the circuit arrangement included in the or each first element is different to the circuit arrangement included in the or each second element.

Claims

1. A circuit for a hybrid voltage source converter suitable for high voltage DC power transmission and reactive power compensation, the circuit comprising an assembly of electrically interconnected elements including a plurality of first elements and a plurality of second elements, the circuit further including AC terminals connectable, in use, to an AC network and DC terminals connectable in use to a DC network wherein a first set of the plurality of second elements is connected between the AC terminals and the plurality of first elements and a second set of the plurality of second elements is interconnected between the plurality of first elements and the DC terminals, the circuit allowing each of the first and second elements being configured to be bypassed, to be disconnected or to include a circuit arrangement of one or more electronic components to construct, in use, a new hybrid voltage source converter with fewer components including at least one first element and at least one second element and in which the circuit arrangement included in the or each first element is different to the circuit arrangement included in the or each second element.

4. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein a third set of the plurality of second elements is connected between common point connections defined by the second set of the plurality of second elements and the DC terminals.

5. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein each of the first elements is configured to include a plurality of semiconductor switches connected in series.

6. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein each of the first elements is configured to include a plurality of semiconductor switches connected to define a multi-level converter element.

7. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the second elements is configured to include at least one energy storage device.

8. A circuit according claim 1 wherein at least one of the second elements is to include at least one module, the or each module including an energy storage device connected with at least one pair of semiconductor switches that are controllable, in use, to provide a continuously variable voltage source.

9. A circuit according to claim 6 wherein at least one of the second elements is configured to include a plurality of modules connected in series to define a chain-link converter element.

10. A circuit according to claim 6 wherein the or each module includes an energy storage device connected in parallel with a pair of semiconductor switches in a half-bridge arrangement to define a 2-quadrant unipolar module that can develop zero or positive voltage and can conduct current in both directions.

11. A circuit according to claim 6 wherein the or each module includes an energy storage device connected in parallel with two pairs of semiconductor switches in a full-bridge arrangement to define a 4-quadrant bipolar module that can develop zero, positive or negative voltage and can conduct current in both directions.

12. A circuit according to claim 5 wherein the or each energy storage device is connected to an auxiliary power bus.

13. A circuit according to claim 5 wherein the or each energy storage device is connectable temporarily, in use, to an external voltage source to reset the energy storage device.

14. A circuit according to claim 5 wherein the or each energy storage device is a capacitor.

15. A circuit according to claim 5 wherein the or each energy storage device is a battery, a fuel cell, a photovoltaic cell or an AC generator-rectified source.

17. A hybrid voltage source converter including a circuit according to claim 1.

19. A circuit according to claim 4 wherein each semiconductor switch is an insulated gate-bipolar transistor, a gate turn-off thyristor or a field-effect transistor.

20. A circuit according to claim 6 wherein each semiconductor switch is an insulated gate-bipolar transistor, a gate turn-off thyristor or a field-effect transistor.

21. A circuit according to claim 7 wherein each semiconductor switch is an insulated gate-bipolar transistor, a gate turn-off thyristor or a field-effect transistor.

22. A circuit according to claim 8 wherein each semiconductor switch is an insulated gate-bipolar transistor, a gate turn-off thyristor or a field-effect transistor.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

16. A circuit according to claim 3 wherein each semiconductor switch is an insulated gate-bipolar transistor, a gate turn-off thyristor or a field-effect transistor.

18. A circuit according to claim 3 wherein each semiconductor switch is an insulated gate-bipolar transistor, a gate turn-off thyristor or a field-effect transistor.