CONVERTER ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD IN CONNECTION WITH CONVERTER ARRANGEMENT

• US 20120300525A1
• Filed: 05/29/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Abb Oy (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Abb Oy (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Koivuluoma, Timo, Kovanen, Kari, Helosvouri, Juhani
• Application Number:
  US13/482,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20120300525A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/141
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/56 Cooling; Ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 7/00 Enclosed substations, e.g. compact substations

Abstract

An exemplary converter arrangement and method in connection with the arrangement includes a converter arranged in a closed container or similar structure. The container has a high voltage compartment and a low voltage compartment. The high voltage compartment includes a transformer connectable to a network to be supplied and the low voltage compartment includes the converter. The arrangement being configured to exchange heat from the high voltage compartment to the low voltage compartment and heating the low voltage compartment with losses of the transformer.

Claims

1. A converter arrangement, comprising:

a converter in a closed container, the container having at least two compartments, the compartments including a high voltage compartment and a low voltage compartment, wherein the high voltage compartment includes a transformer connectable to a network to be supplied and the low voltage compartment includes the converter; and

means for exchanging heat from the high voltage compartment to the low voltage compartment and for heating the low voltage compartment with losses of the transformer.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the means for exchanging heat from the high voltage compartment to the low voltage compartment are adapted to transfer heat when the converter in the low voltage compartment is not operating or is operated with a low load.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the means for exchanging the heat comprise a hatch separating the compartments and a blower for transferring air from the high voltage compartment to the low voltage compartment.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the means for exchanging the heat comprise a thermosyphon-type heat exchanger, such as a heat pipe, which is thermally connected to a surface of the transformer and which extends to the low voltage compartment for heating the low voltage compartment.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the low voltage compartment comprises controlled cooling means, control of which being adapted to keep the temperature of the converter at an elevated level for storing heat in the mechanical structure of the converter.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the low voltage compartment comprises additional thermal mass or phase change materials, for storing the heat in the low voltage compartment.

7. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the means for exchanging the heat comprise a hatch separating the compartments and a blower for transferring air from the high voltage compartment to the low voltage compartment.

8. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the means for exchanging the heat comprise a thermosyphon-type heat exchanger, such as a heat pipe, which is thermally connected to a surface of the transformer and which extends to the low voltage compartment for heating the low voltage compartment.

9. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the low voltage compartment comprises controlled cooling means, control of which being adapted to keep the temperature of the converter at an elevated level for storing heat in the mechanical structure of the converter.

10. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the low voltage compartment comprises additional thermal mass or phase change materials, for storing the heat in the low voltage compartment.

11. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the low voltage compartment comprises controlled cooling means, control of which being adapted to keep the temperature of the converter at an elevated level for storing heat in the mechanical structure of the converter.

12. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the low voltage compartment comprises additional thermal mass or phase change materials, for storing the heat in the low voltage compartment.

13. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the low voltage compartment comprises controlled cooling means, control of which being adapted to keep the temperature of the converter at an elevated level for storing heat in the mechanical structure of the converter.

14. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the low voltage compartment comprises additional thermal mass or phase change materials, for storing the heat in the low voltage compartment.

15. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the low voltage compartment comprises additional thermal mass or phase change materials, for storing the heat in the low voltage compartment.

16. A method in connection with a converter arrangement, the arrangement having a converter in a closed container, the container having a high voltage compartment and a low voltage compartment, wherein the high voltage compartment includes a transformer connected to a network to be supplied and the low voltage compartment includes the converter, the method comprising:

exchanging heat from the high voltage compartment to the low voltage compartment for heating the low voltage compartment with losses of the transformer.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of exchanging heat from the high voltage compartment comprises:

using a thermosyphon-type heat exchanger or a heat pipe, which is thermally connected to a surface of the transformer and which extends to the low voltage compartment for heating the low voltage compartment.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the low voltage compartment comprises controlled cooling means, the method comprising:

controlling the cooling means to keep the temperature of the converter at an elevated level for storing heat in the mechanical structure of the converter.

19. A converter arrangement, comprising:

a converter disposed in a closed container,

wherein the container includes a high voltage compartment and a low voltage compartment arranged to exchange heat therebetween, and

wherein the high voltage compartment has a transformer connectable to a network to be supplied and the low voltage compartment includes the converter.

20. The arrangement according to claim 19, comprising:

means for exchanging heat from the high voltage compartment to the low voltage compartment and for heating the low voltage compartment with losses of the transformer.