POWER ELECTRONIC MODULE

• US 20140313797A1
• Filed: 11/15/2011
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Davidson, Colin Charnock, Trainer, David Reginald
• Application Number:
  US14/357,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20140313797A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/50
• 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 1/325 with means for allowing continuous operation despite a fault, i.e. fault tolerant converters
• 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 7/49 Combination of the output voltage waveforms of a plurality of converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/72 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode

Abstract

In the field of voltage source converters which provide high voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission and reactive power compensation there is a need for an improved power electronic module which exhibits high efficiency, provides a safe failure mode, and is tolerant of faults.

A power electronic module (30; 70), for use in a chain-link converter of a voltage source converter providing high voltage direct current power transmission and reactive power compensation, comprises a first set (32) of series-connected switching elements connected in parallel with an energy storage device (34). The first set (32) of series-connected switching elements includes a first latching switching element (38) and a first non-latching switching element (40).

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A power electronic module (30), for use in a chain-link converter of a voltage source converter providing high voltage direct current power transmission and reactive power compensation, comprising a first set (32) of series-connected switching elements connected in parallel with an energy storage device (34), the first set of series-connected switching elements including a first latching switching element (38) and a first non-latching switching element (40), wherein the first set (32) of series connected switching elements is connected in parallel with the energy storage devices (34) in a half-bridge arrangement having first and second output terminals (42, 44) and the first latching switching element (38) is electrically connected between the first and second output terminals (42, 44) and is switched ON and OFF in normal use of the power electric module or wherein it comprises a second set (72) of series-connected switching elements including a second latching switching element (74) and a second non-latching switching element (78), the second latching switching element is switched ON and OFF in normal use of the power electric module, the first set (32) of series connected switching elements being connected in parallel with the energy storage devices (34) in a half-bridge arrangement having first and second output terminals (42, 44), and the second set of series connected switching elements and the first and second sets (32, 72) of series-connected switching elements being connected in parallel with the energy storage device (34) in a full-bridge arrangement.

19. A power electronic module according to claim 18 wherein the switching element (38) lying between the first and second output terminals (42, 44) is formed using compression packaging.

20. A power electronic module according to claim 18 wherein each of the first and second latching switching elements (38, 74) is electrically connected to the same terminal of the energy storage device (34).

21. A power electronic module according to claim 20 wherein each of the first and second latching switching elements (38, 74) is electrically connected to a negative terminal (46) of the energy storage device (34).

22. A power electronic module according to claim 18 wherein the or each latching switching element (38, 74) is or includes a thyristor-type semiconductor device.

23. A power electronic module according to claim 22 where the thyristor-type semiconductor device is selected from:

an integrated gate commutated thyristor;

a gate turn off thyristor; and

a gate commutated thyristor.

24. A power electronic module according to claim 18 wherein the or each non-latching switching element (40, 78) is or includes a transistor-type semiconductor device.

25. A power electronic module according to claim 24 wherein the transistor-type semiconductor device is selected from:

an insulated gate bipolar transistor;

a bipolar transistor; and

a field effect transistor.

26. A power electronic module according to claim 18 wherein the or at least one latching switching element (38, 74) and the or at least one non-latching switching element (40, 78) includes an anti-parallel diode (52, 82, 56, 84) connected in parallel therewith.

27. A power electronic module according to claim 18 including a power supply unit (90) electrically coupled to the or each latching switching element (38), the or each power supply unit being referenced to a negative terminal (46) of the energy storage device (34).

28. A power electronic module according to claim 18 wherein the energy storage device (34) is one of a capacitor, a fuel cell, a photovoltaic cell, a battery, and an auxiliary AC generator with an associated filter.

29. A power electronic module according to claim 18 including a detector (92) arranged in communication therewith to detect an open circuit failure of the or each non-latching switching element (40).

30. A voltage source converter including a plurality of power electronic modules (30) according to claim 18.

31. A voltage source converter according to claim 30 including at least one detector (92), the or each detector (92) being configured to detect an open circuit failure associated with a respective non-latching switching element (40, 78) and cause the voltage source converter to establish a short circuit path through one or more latching switching elements (38, 74).