Building block for series connection in high power converter

• US 6,947,270 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Gruening, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): LEJA, RONALD W
• Application Number:
  US10/366,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20030156437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 361/18, 361/91.7, 361/91.8
• US Class Current: 361/91.8
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/088 for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/142 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/08144 in thyristor switches

Abstract

A converter includes building blocks, each building block being a switching unit. Each building block must be able to receive high power at an elevated switching frequency with low power dissipation in semiconductor switches. The building block includes semiconductor switches and a reactor connected in series, and a series connection of a voltage clamp and a diode. The series connection is connected in parallel to each of the semiconductor switches. The clamps are arranged in such a way that all clamping and voltage control is realised by a clamp connected in parallel with the corresponding semiconductor switch.

Claims

1. A building block for series connection in high power voltage source converters, comprising:

a first semiconductor switch with anti-parallel diode,

a reactor,

a second semiconductor switch with anti-parallel diode, said first semiconductor switch, said reactor, and said second semiconductor switch being connected in series,

a first clamp having a voltage limiting function,

a first reset diode, said first clamp and said first reset diode being connected in series to define a first series circuit, said first series circuit connected in parallel with said first semiconductor switch,

a second clamp having a voltage limiting function,

a second reset diode, said second clamp and said second reset diode being connected in series to define a second series circuit, said second series circuit being connected in parallel with said second semiconductor switch, and

an energy management element connected between said first and second clamps.

2. The building block according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second clamps comprises:

a clamp rectifier comprising at least one diode,

a clamp capacitor connected in series to said clamp rectifier, and

a clamp voltage regulator connected parallel with said clamp capacitor.

3. The building block according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second clamps comprises a voltage limiting diode.

4. A building block according to claim 1, wherein said energy management element comprises:

an energy management resistor and

an energy management capacitor.

5. A building block according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first snubber including a series connection of a first snubber resistor and a first snubber capacitor, said first snubber being connected in parallel with said first clamp rectifier, and

a second snubber including a series connection of a second snubber resistor and a second snubber capacitor, said second snubber being connected in parallel with said second clamp rectifier.

6. The building block according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first long term d.c. stability (LTDS) regulator for regulating voltage of first semiconductor switch during off-state, and

a second LTDS regulator for regulating the voltage of said second semiconductor switch during off-state.

7. The building block according to claim 6, wherein

each of said first and second clamps comprises a first rectifier diode and

a second rectifier diode;

and

each of said first and second LTDS regulators has a first end connected to a junction between said and second rectifier diodes.

8. The building block according to claim 6, wherein each of said first and second LTDS regulators comprises a voltage limiting LTDS regulator and a current limiting LTDS regulator.

9. The building block according to claim 2, wherein

each of said first and second clamp voltage regulators comprises:

a main voltage regulator set to a voltage not exceeding a long term d.c. stability (IDS) voltage rating of the respective semiconductor switch, and

a current-voltage regulator, set to a difference between a predetermined clamp voltage and a voltage setting of the main voltage regulator, and

said building block further comprises

a first current limiting long term d.c. stability (LTDS) regulator,

a first LTDS regulator diode,

a second current limiting LTDS regulator, and

a second LTDS regulator diode.

10. The building block according to claim 9, wherein

each of said first and second rectifiers comprises a first rectifier diode and a second rectifier diode;

and

first and second current limiting LTDS regulators are connected to a junction between said first and second rectifier diodes.

11. The building block according to claim 9, wherein each of said first and second current limiting LTDS regulators comprises at least a LTDS resistor.

12. The building block according to claim 9, wherein each of said first and second current limiting LTDS regulators comprises at least a current limiting semiconductor circuit.

13. The building block according to claim 9, wherein each of said first and second main voltage regulators comprises an analog control circuit.

14. The building block according to claim 9, wherein each of said first and second main voltage regulators comprises a parallel connection of a chopper circuit and a filter capacitor.

15. The building block according to claim 9, wherein said current-voltage regulator comprises an analog control circuit.

16. The building block according to claim 9, wherein said current-voltage regulator comprises a chopper circuit.

17. The building block according to claim 9, wherein each of said first and second main voltage regulators further comprises a blocking capability, which is at least as high as the blocking capability of said first and second semiconductor switches.

18. A building block according to claim 6, wherein said at least one diode is at least capable to conduct the full current after failure, and said LTDS regulator has a blocking capability, which is at least as high as the blocking capability of said at least one diode or said first and second semiconductor switches or anti-parallel diodes, whichever is smaller.

19. The building block according to claim 17, wherein each of said first and second main voltage regulators further comprises:

a overload detection circuit, which detects overload condition of the main voltage regulator, and

a turn off circuit, which turn off said main voltage regulator upon detection of overload of said main voltage regulator.

20. The building block according to claim 18, wherein said LTDS regulator further comprises.

a LTDS overload detection circuit which detects overload condition of said LTDS regulator, said

an LTDS turn off circuit, which turn off said LTDS regulator upon detection of the overload.