Converter connection with a balancing circuit

• US 5,644,485 A
• Filed: 07/18/1995
• Issued: 07/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AB (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AB (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Asplund, Gunnar
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US08/503,860
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 363/84, 363/85, 363/89, 363/125, 363/127, 363/128, 363/129
• US Class Current: 363/129
• 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 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/2173 in a biphase or polyphase circuit arrangement H02M7/2176 takes precedence; voltage multipliers H02M7/25
• 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 converter connection for conversion between alternating voltage and direct voltage, for connection to a power network (DCN) having a neutral pole (P0) and at least one pole (P+,P-) energized by direct voltage in relation to the neutral pole, comprises a voltage-source converter (VC) with two direct-voltage terminals (DP, DM). At least one of the direct-voltage terminals of the converter is connected by means of an electric pole conductor (W1, W12, W11, W21, W2) to at least one of the poles of the power network which are energized by direct voltage. The converter connection further comprises two valves (V7, V8) mutually series-connected at a common point of connection (J), each of said valves comprising a gate turn-off semiconductor valve (T1) and a diode valve (D1) connected thereto in anti-parallel connection, said series connection being connected between the direct-voltage terminals of the converter, and a reactor (SL) with a first terminal (T1) connected to the connection point and a second terminal (T2) which communicates with the neutral pole in an electrically conducting connection. The converter connection may be accommodated in a converter station (SR1 and SR2, respectively) included in an installation for transmission of high-voltage direct current. (FIG. 2)

Claims

1. A converter connection for conversion between alternating voltage and direct voltage, especially at high-voltage direct current, for connection to at least one power network having a neutral pole and at least one pole energized by direct voltage in relation to the neutral pole, said converter connection comprising a voltage-source converter with two direct-voltage terminals, connected to an alternating-voltage network without an intermediate separate winding transformer, a control device for control of said converter and a capacitor connected between said direct-voltage terminals, and at least one of the direct-voltage terminals of the converter is connected by means of an electric pole conductor to at least one of the poles of the power network energized by direct voltage, two valves mutually series-connected at a common point of connection, each of said valves comprising a gate turn-off semiconductor valve and a diode valve connected thereto in anti-parallel connection, said series connection being connected to said direct-voltage terminals, and a reactor with an essentially inductive impedance, with a first terminal connected to said connection point and a second terminal which communicates with said neutral pole in an electrically conducting connection, the control device generating control signals to said gate turn-off semiconductor valves in such a way that the time-average value of the voltage at said connection point becomes substantially equal to the average value of the voltage which occurs across the two terminals of the capacitor.

2. A converter connection according to claim 1, for connection to at least two power networks, each one having a neutral pole and at least one pole, energized by direct voltage in relation to the neutral pole and the neutral poles of which communicate in an electrically conducting connection with each other and the respective poles of which, energized by direct voltage, are energized with essentially the same voltage in relation to the respective neutral poles, at least two interrupting elements, each one being serially connected into a respective one of said pole conductors and adapted, in dependence on a sensed voltage of the respective pole conductor or in dependence on a sensed current flowing through the respective pole conductor, to interrupt the connection between said direct-voltage terminals and the respective said pole energized by direct voltage.

3. A converter connection according to claim 1, for connection to at least one power network having a neutral pole and two poles energized by direct voltage with opposite polarity in relation to the neutral pole, and each one of the direct-voltage terminals of said converter being connected by means of respective electric pole conductors to a respective one of the poles of the power network energized by direct voltage, at least two interrupting elements, each one being serially connected into a respective one of said pole conductors and adapted, in dependence on a sensed voltage of the respective pole conductor or in dependence on a sensed current flowing through the respective pole conductor, to interrupt the connection between said direct-voltage terminals and the respective said pole energized by direct voltage.

4. A converter connection according to claim 1, said control device generates to each of said valves mutually complementary control signals with equal lengths for the respective conducting intervals for the gate turn-off semiconductor valve included in the valves.

5. An installation for transmission of high-voltage direct current, comprising at least a first and a second converter station, and a common dc connection, at least the first converter station comprising a voltage-source converter with two direct-voltage network terminals connected to a first alternating-voltage network without an intermediate separate winding transformer, a control device for control of said converter and a capacitor connected between said direct-voltage terminals, and the second converter station is connected to a second alternating-voltage network and exhibits a neutral pole and at least one pole energized by direct voltage in relation to the neutral pole, and at least one of the direct-voltage terminals of the converter being connected by means of a first electric pole conductor to at least one of the poles of the second converter station energized by direct voltage, at least the first converter station further comprises two valves mutually series-connected at a common point of connection, each of said valves comprising a gate turn-off semiconductor valve and a diode valve connected thereto in anti-parallel connection, said series connection being connected between said direct-voltage terminals, and a reactor with an essentially inductive impedance, with a first terminal connected to said connection point and a second terminal which communicates with the neutral pole of the second converter station in an electrically conducting connection, the control device generating control signals to said gate turn-off semiconductor valves in such a way that the time-average value of the voltage at said connection point becomes substantially equal to the average value of a voltage which occurs across the two terminals of the capacitor.

6. An installation for transmission of high-voltage direct current according to claim 5, comprising at least a third converter station with a dc connection common to said first converter station, the third converter station being connected to a third alternating-voltage network and having a neutral pole and at least one pole energized by direct voltage in relation to the neutral pole, and the neutral poles of said at least second and third converter stations communicating with each other in an electrically conducting connection and their respective poles energized by direct voltage being energized with essentially the same voltage in relation to the respective neutral poles, and at least one of the direct-voltage terminals of the converter being connected by means of a second electric pole conductor to at least one of the poles of the third converter station energized by direct voltage, the first converter station further comprises at least two interrupting elements, each one being serially connected into a respective one of the first and second pole conductors and being adapted, in dependence on a sensed voltage of the respective pole conductor or in dependence on a sensed current flowing through the respective pole conductor, to interrupt the connection between said direct-voltage terminals and said pole of the second and third converter stations, respectively, energized by direct voltage.

7. An installation for transmission of high-voltage direct current according to claim 5, wherein the second converter station exhibits a neutral pole and two poles energized by direct voltage with opposite polarity in relation to the neutral pole, and that each of the direct-voltage terminals of said converter is connected by means of respective electric pole conductors to a respective one of the poles of the second converter station which are energized by direct voltage, the first converter station further comprises two interrupting elements, each one being serially connected into a respective one of said pole conductors and being adapted, in dependence on a sensed voltage of the respective pole conductor or in dependence on a sensed current flowing through the respective pole conductor, to interrupt the connection between said respective direct-voltage terminals and said respective pole of the second converter station energized by direct voltage.