Multi-level power converter

• US 7,489,487 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Issued: 02/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tmeic Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Oka, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherry; Michael J
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLOUGHBY, TERRENCE RONIQUE
• Application Number:
  US11/391,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20070159749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 361/93.1, 361/30, 361/79, 361 86- 87, 363/56.03, 363/56.07, 363/56.1
• US Class Current: 361/79
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/487 Neutral point clamped inverters

Abstract

A multi-level power converter is disclosed. The converter includes a DC power source having N (N is an Integer more than two)-level voltage potentials, and a plurality of switching legs connected in parallel to the DC power source. The switching leg has switching elements in series connection, and clamp diodes connected between intermediate DC potential terminals to middle points of the switching legs. The converter is provided with a control means for supplying gate pulses to the switching elements, and a supervising means for supervising every switching element to output a failure signal. The converter further includes a logic operating means for detecting an over-current failure of main circuit elements to output a device fault signal using the failure signals An operation of the logic operating means at least includes AND condition of at least two failure signals to output the device fault signal.

Claims

1. A multi-level power converter, comprising:

a DC power source having N terminals with N-level voltage potentials, wherein N is an Integer more than two;

a plurality of switching legs connected in parallel to the DC power source having,

2(N-1) switching elements connected in series, and

2(N-2) clamp diodes connected between (N-2) intermediate DC potential terminals and middle points of the switching legs respectively, in order to clamp the potential of the middle points of the switching legs;

a control means for supplying gate pulses to the switching elements so that a N-level phase voltage may be obtained from a central point of each of the switching legs;

a plurality of supervising means, each supervising means for supervising a respective of the switching elements to output a failure signal when a voltage between positive and negative terminals of the respective of the switching elements exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage level during a period of its ON-state, by inputting to an AND circuit the voltage and a gate pulse for switching the respective of the switching elements; and

a logic operating means for detecting an over-current failure of main circuit elements to output a device fault signal using the failure signals from the plurality of supervising means;

wherein an operation of the logic operating means at least includes AND condition of at least two failure signals to output the device fault signal.

2. A multi-level power converter according to claim 1, wherein the logic operating means outputs the device fault signal when any two of the failure signals are inputted.

3. A multi-level power converter according to claim 1, wherein each supervising means for supervising both ends of the switching elements has a predetermined time delay when the switching element turns on, and the logic operating means outputs the device fault signal when any one of the failure signals from both ends of the switching elements is inputted.

4. A multi-level power converter according to claim 1, wherein the logic operating means outputs the device fault signal when any (N-1) of adjoined switching elements in the switching leg are inputted.

5. A multi-level power converter according to claim 1, when the logic operating means outputs the device fault signal, operation of the power converter should be stopped.

6. A multi-level power converter according to claim 1, wherein a Diode is connected in anti-parallel to each of the switching elements, respectively.

7. A multi-level power converter, comprising:

a DC power source having N terminals with N-level voltage potentials, wherein N is an Integer more than two;

a plurality of switching legs connected in parallel to the DC power source having,

2(N- 1) switching elements connected in series, and

2(n-2) clamp diodes connected between (N-2) intermediate DC potential terminals and middle points of the switching legs respectively, in order to clamp the potentials of the middle points of the switching legs;

a controller to supply gate pulses to the switching elements so that a N-level phase voltage may be obtained from a central point of each of the switching leg;

a plurality of supervising devices, each supervising device to supervise a respective of the switching elements to output a failure signal when a voltage between positive and negative terminals of the respective of the switching element exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage level during a period of its ON-state, by inputting to an AND circuit the voltage and a gate pulse for switching the respective of the switching elements; and

a logic operating device to detect an over-current failure of main circuit elements to output a device fault signal using the failure signals from the plurality of supervising devices;

wherein an operation of the logic operating device at least includes AND condition of at least two failure signals to output the device fault signal.

8. A multi-level power converter according to claim 7, wherein the logic operating device outputs the device fault signal when any two of the failure signals are inputted.

9. A multi-level power converter according to claim 7, wherein each supervising device for supervising both ends of the switching elements has a predetermined time delay when the switching element turns on, and the logic operating device outputs the device fault signal when any one of the failure signals from both ends of the switching elements is inputted.

10. A multi-level power converter according to claim 7, wherein the logic operating device outputs the device fault signal when any (N-1) of adjoined switching elements in the switching leg are inputted.

11. A multi-level power converter according to claim 7, when the logic operating device outputs the device fault signal, operation of the power converter should be stopped.

12. A multi-level power converter according to claim 7, wherein a Diode is connected in anti-parallel to each of the switching elements, respectively.

13. A three-level power converter, comprising:

a DC power source having three terminals with three-level voltage potentials,

a plurality of switching legs connected in parallel to the DC power source having,

four switching elements connected in series,

a positive clamp diode connected between intermediate DC potential terminal and negative terminal of a positive end switching element ,and

a negative clamp diode connected between intermediate DC potential terminal and positive terminal of a negative end switching element;

a control means for supplying gate pulses to the switching elements so that a three-level phase voltage may be obtained from a central point of each of the switching legs;

a plurality of supervising means, each supervising means for supervising a respective of the switching elements to output a failure signal when a voltage between positive and negative terminals of the respective of the switching elements exceeds a predetermined threshold voltage level during a period of its ON-state, by inputting to an AND circuit the voltage and a gate pulse for switching the respective of the switching elements; and

a logic operating means for detecting an over-current failure of main circuit elements to output a device fault signal using the failure signals from the plurality of supervising means;

wherein an operation of the logic operating means at least includes AND condition of at least two failure signals to output the device fault signal.

14. A three-level power converter according to claim 13, wherein the logic operating means outputs the device fault signal when any two of the failure signals are inputted.

15. A three-level power converter according to claim 13, wherein each supervising means for supervising both ends of the switching elements has a predetermined time delay when the switching element turns on, and the logic operating means outputs the device fault signal when any one of the failure signals from both ends of the switching elements is inputted.

16. A three-level power converter according to claim 13, wherein the logic operating means outputs the device fault signal when any two of adjoined switching elements in the switching leg are inputted.

17. A three-level power converter according to claim 13, when the logic operating means outputs the device fault signal, operation of the power converter should be stopped.

18. A multi-level power converter according to claim 13, wherein a Diode is connected in anti-parallel to each of the switching elements, respectively.