Converter circuit comprising distributed energy stores

• US 7,577,008 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innomotics GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hiller, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, YOUNGHUIE JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US12/065,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20080198630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 363 29- 31, 363/71, 363/98, 363/99, 363/132, 363/136, 363/137, 363/138
• US Class Current: 363/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/217 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/25 arranged for operation in series, e.g. for multiplication of voltage
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a converter circuit comprising at least one phase module (100) having an upper and a lower converter valve (T1, . . . , T6), wherein each converter valve (TI, . . . , T6) has at least one two-pole subsystem. According to the invention, each two-pole subsystem (14) has four semiconductor switches (21, 23, 25, 27), which can be switched off and are connected electrically in series, four diodes (22, 24, 26, 28), which are each connected electrically back-to-back in parallel with one semiconductor switch (21, 23, 25, 27) which can be switched off, two unipolar storage capacitors (29, 30), which are connected electrically in series and in parallel with the series circuit comprising the semiconductor switches (21, 23, 25, 27), and an electronic system (32), whose reference potential connection (M) is electrically conductively connected to a common potential (P0). This results in a subsystem (14), at whose connection terminals (X2, XI) it is possible to generate a terminal voltage (UX21) having four potential stages, which requires only one electronic system (32), whose energy supply takes place symmetrically, and which does not require any increased complexity in terms of potential isolation.

Claims

1. A converter circuit, comprising at least one phase module having two serially connected converter valves, each converter valve comprising:

at least one two-terminal subsystem having a first pair of turn-off semiconductor switches connected in series at a first connection point to form a first connecting terminal of the subsystem, and a second pair of turn-off semiconductor switches connected in series at a second connection point to form a second connecting terminal of the subsystem;

four diodes connected antiparallel with the turn-off semiconductor switches in one-to-one correspondence, with the first and second pair of the turn-off semiconductor switches being connected in series at a third connection point defining a reference potential;

a first unipolar storage capacitor connected in parallel with the first pair of the turn-off semiconductor switches;

a second unipolar storage capacitor connected in parallel with the second pair of the turn-off semiconductor switches; and

an electronic circuit connected to the reference potential, said electronic circuit operating the turn-off semiconductor switches.

2. The converter circuit of claim 1, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

3. The converter circuit of claim 1, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as a MOS field effect transistor.

4. The converter circuit of claim 1, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as a gate turn-off thyristor.

5. The converter circuit of claim 1, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as an integrated gate commutated thyristor.

6. A converter circuit, comprising at least one phase module having two serially connected converter valves, each converter valve comprising:

at least one two-terminal subsystem having a first pair of turn-off semiconductor switches connected in series at a first connection point to form a first connecting terminal of the subsystem, and a second pair of turn-off semiconductor switches connected in series at a second connection point which is connected to an unconnected emitter of the first pair of turn-off semiconductor switches to form a reference potential, with an unconnected emitter of the second pair of turn-off semiconductor switches forming a second connecting terminal of the subsystem;

four diodes connected antiparallel with the turn-off semiconductor switches in one-to-one correspondence;

a first unipolar storage capacitor connected in parallel with the first pair of the turn-off semiconductor switches;

a second unipolar storage capacitor connected in parallel with the second pair of the turn-off semiconductor switches; and

an electronic circuit connected to the reference potential, said electronic circuit operating the turn-off semiconductor switches.

7. The converter circuit of claim 6, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

8. The converter circuit of claim 6, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as a MOS field effect transistor.

9. The converter circuit of claim 6, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as a gate turn-off thyristor.

10. The converter circuit of claim 6, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as an integrated gate commutated thyristor.

11. A converter circuit, comprising at least one phase module having two serially connected converter valves, each converter valve comprising:

at least one two-terminal subsystem having a first pair of turn-off semiconductor switches connected in series at a first connection point, with an unconnected emitter of the first pair of turn-off semiconductor switches forming a reference potential and an unconnected collector of the first pair of turn-off semiconductor switches forming a first connecting terminal of the subsystem, and a second pair of turn-off semiconductor switches connected in series at a second connection point to form a second connecting terminal of the subsystem, with an unconnected collector of the second pair of turn-off semiconductor switches being connected to the first connection point;

four diodes connected antiparallel with the turn-off semiconductor switches in one-to-one correspondence;

a first unipolar storage capacitor connected in parallel with the first pair of the turn-off semiconductor switches;

a second unipolar storage capacitor connected in parallel with the second pair of the turn-off semiconductor switches; and

an electronic circuit connected to the reference potential, said electronic circuit operating the turn-off semiconductor switches.

12. The converter circuit of claim 11, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

13. The converter circuit of claim 11, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as a MOS field effect transistor.

14. The converter circuit of claim 11, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as a gate turn-off thyristor.

15. The converter circuit of claim 11, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as an integrated gate commutated thyristor.

16. A converter circuit, comprising at least one phase module having two serially connected converter valves, each converter valve comprising:

at least one two-terminal subsystem having a first pair of turn-off semiconductor switches connected in series at a first connection point, with an unconnected emitter of the first pair of turn-off semiconductor switches forming a reference potential and an unconnected collector of the first pair of turn-off semiconductor switches forming a first connecting terminal of the subsystem, and a second pair of turn-off semiconductor switches connected in series at a second connection point which is connected to the first connection point, with an unconnected emitter of the second pair of turn-off semiconductor switches forming a second connecting terminal;

four diodes connected antiparallel with the turn-off semiconductor switches in one-to-one correspondence;

a first unipolar storage capacitor connected in parallel with the first pair of the turn-off semiconductor switches;

a second unipolar storage capacitor connected in parallel with the second pair of the turn-off semiconductor switches; and

an electronic circuit connected to the reference potential, said electronic circuit operating the turn-off semiconductor switches.

17. The converter circuit of claim 16, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

18. The converter circuit of claim 16, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as a MOS field effect transistor.

19. The converter circuit of claim 16, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as a gate turn-off thyristor.

20. The converter circuit of claim 16, wherein the turn-off semiconductor switch is implemented as an integrated gate commutated thyristor.