Overvoltage protection circuit

• US 5,570,260 A
• Filed: 12/03/1993
• Issued: 10/29/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kanai, Takeo, Kusunoki, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W.
• Application Number:
  US08/160,847
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 361/56, 361/18, 361/91, 361/118, 361/58, 361/111, 307/642, 323/211, 323/208, 323/81
• US Class Current: 361/91.8
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/006 Calibration or setting of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/08 for dynamo-electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/125 for rectifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/088 for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices

Abstract

An overvoltage protection circuit including a plurality of series connected thyristors having an overvoltage protection function and a plurality of impedance circuits. Each of the impedance circuits is connected in parallel with one of the thyristors, respectively. The impedance circuits include at least a first impedance circuit having a first impedance value and a second impedance circuit having a second impedance value which is different from the first impedance value.

Claims

1. An overvoltage protection circuit, comprising:

a plurality of series connected thyristor means having an overvoltage protection function;

a plurality of impedance means, each being connected in parallel with one of said thyristor means, respectively; and

said plurality of impedance means including at least a first impedance means and at least a second impedance means, wherein said first impedance means comprising a first impedance circuit having a first impedance value and said second impedance means comprising a second impedance circuit.

2. The overvoltage protection circuit according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said plurality of impedance means includes a series circuit of a snubber capacitor and a snubber resistor and a voltage grading resistor connected in parallel with said series circuit.

3. The overvoltage protection circuit according to claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of impedance means includes at least one impedance means comprising a variable impedance circuit.

4. The overvoltage protection circuit according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said plurality of thyristor means includes a VBO-free thyristor.

5. The overvoltage protection circuit according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said plurality of thyristor means includes an anti-parallel circuit of two VBO-free thyristors having a second impedance value, said first impedance value being different from said second impedance value;

wherein the turn-on voltage of said overvoltage protection circuit is finely adjusted based upon the values of said plurality of impedance means.

6. An overvoltage protection equipment for protecting an electric equipment from overvoltage, comprising;

three overvoltage protection circuits connected between respective two phases of said electric equipment;

each of said three overvoltage protection circuit, including a plurality of series connected thyristor means having an overvoltage protection function, and a plurality of impedance means, each being connected in parallel with one of said thyristor means, respectively, and

said plurality of impedance means comprising at least a first impedance means and at least a second impedance means, wherein said first impedance means comprising a first impedance circuit having a first impedance value and said second impedance means comprising a second impedance circuit having a second impedance value, said first impedance value being different from said second impedance value;

wherein the turn-on voltage of said overvoltage protection circuit is finely adjusted based upon the values of said plurality of impedance means.

7. The overvoltage protection equipment according to claim 6, wherein:

each of said plurality of thyristor means includes an anti-parallel circuit of two VBO-free thyristors.

8. An overvoltage protection equipment for protecting a synchronous motor and a rectifier for supplying DC power to a field circuit of said synchronous motor from overvoltage, comprising:

an overvoltage protection circuit connected between said synchronous motor and said rectifier;

said overvoltage protection circuit including a plurality of series connected thyristor means having an overvoltage protection function, and a plurality of impedance means, each being connected in parallel with one of said thyristor means, respectively, and

said plurality of impedance means comprising at least a first impedance means and at least a second impedance means, wherein said first impedance means comprising a first impedance circuit having a first impedance value and said second impedance means comprising a second impedance circuit having a second impedance value, said first impedance value being different from said second impedance value;

wherein the turn-on voltage of said overvoltage protection circuit is finely adjusted based upon the values of said plurality of impedance means.

9. The overvoltage protection equipment according to claim 8, wherein:

each of said plurality of thyristor means includes an antiparallel circuit of two VBO-free thyristors.

10. A power converter, comprising:

a plurality of bridge connected arm circuits;

each of said arm circuits including a series circuit of a reactor and an overvoltage protection circuit;

said overvoltage protection circuit including a plurality of series connected thyristor means having an overvoltage protection function, and a plurality of impedance means, each being connected in parallel with one of said thyristor means, respectively, and

said plurality of impedance means comprising at least a first impedance means and at least a second impedance means, wherein said first impedance means comprising a first impedance circuit having a first impedance value and said second impedance means comprising a second impedance circuit having a second impedance value, said first impedance value being different from said second impedance value;

wherein the turn-on voltage of said overvoltage protection circuit is finely adjusted based upon the values of said plurality of impedance means.

11. The power converter according to claim 10, wherein:

each of said plurality of thyristor means includes an anti-parallel circuit of two VBO-free thyristors.

12. A static var compensator, comprising:

delta connected three arm circuits connected between respective two phases of a power system;

each of said arm circuits including a series circuit of a reactor and an overvoltage protection circuit;

said overvoltage protection circuit including a plurality of series connected thyristor means having an overvoltage protection function, and a plurality of impedance means, each being connected in parallel with one of said thyristor means, respectively, and

said plurality of impedance means comprising at least a first impedance means and at least a second impedance means, wherein said first impedance means comprising a first impedance circuit having a first impedance value and said second impedance means comprising a second impedance circuit having a second impedance value, said first impedance value being different from said second impedance value;

wherein the turn-on voltage of said overvoltage protection circuit is finely adjusted based upon the values of said plurality of impedance means.

13. The static var compensator according to claim 12, wherein:

each of said plurality of thyristor means includes an anti-parallel circuit of two VBO-free thyristors.