Magnetic energy recovery switch having protective circuit

• US 8,045,309 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Merstech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Merstech, Inc.
• Inventors: Shimada, Ryuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie; Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, TIEN HUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/601,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20110032652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 361/91.1
• US Class Current: 361/93.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/1814 wherein al least one reactive element is actively controlled by a bridge converter, e.g. unified power flow controllers [UPFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1555 for the generation of a regulated current to a load whose impedance is substantially inductive
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/293 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/217 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/10 Flexible AC transmission systems [FACTS]

Abstract

In order to protect Magnetic Energy Recovery Switch (MERS) against an overvoltage and an overcurrent a voltage detection unit is provided for detecting the capacitor voltage of the MERS and control means is provided to control so as to turn ON the switch of the discharge circuit connected in parallel with the capacitor to make the capacitor discharge the electric charge thereof when the output of the voltage detection unit exceeds a predetermined value. Moreover, a current detection unit is interposed between the AC power supply and the load for detecting the current flowing to the load, and the current limiting is carried out by making the duty ratio of the ON/OFF of the pulse of the gate control signals of the MERS switches smaller than 0.5, when the output of the current detection unit exceeds a predetermined value.

Claims

1. A magnetic energy recovery switch having a protective circuit and interposed between an AC power supply and a load to protect, against an overvoltage or an overcurrent, a magnetic energy recovery switch with a variable reactance function for turning ON/OFF of the AC current and changing a phase thereof, the magnetic energy recovery switch comprising:

a bridge circuit constructed from four reverse-conductive type semiconductor switches;

a capacitor connected between DC terminals of the bridge circuit, recovering and storing magnetic energy at cut off of a current by repetitiously changing voltage from substantially zero to a peak voltage at twice as much frequency of the AC current in normal condition; and

control means;

wherein the protective circuit comprises;

a voltage detection unit connected in parallel with the capacitor and detecting a voltage of the capacitor;

a discharge circuit connected in parallel with the capacitor and having a discharge resistor and a discharge switch connected in series; and

a current detection unit interposed between the AC power supply and the load and detecting a current flowing to the load;

wherein the control means controls a phase of a gate control signal such that each of the four reverse-conductive type semiconductor switches is controlled so as to be paired with diagonally opposed one, such that the diagonally opposed pair of reverse-conductive type semiconductor switches are simultaneously turned ON/OFF in synchronization with the voltage of the AC power supply;

controls the gate of the discharge switch so as to short-circuit the discharge switch to discharge the electric charge of the capacitor through the discharge resistor when an output of the voltage detection unit exceeds a predetermined value; and

controls to limit a current by making the duty ratio of the ON/OFF of the pulse of the control signals smaller than 0.5 when the output of the current detection unit exceeds a predetermined value.

2. The magnetic energy recovery switch having a protective circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls gates of the four reverse conductive type semiconductor switches so as to turn OFF all the four reverse conductive type semiconductor switches to cut off the current when a cumulative length of time during which the discharge switch is short-circuited exceeds a predetermined length.

3. The magnetic energy recovery switch having a protective circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the gates so as to turn ON all the four reverse-conductive type semiconductor switches to make the bilateral conducting state of the current when the capacitor voltage is zero.

4. The magnetic energy recovery switch having a protective circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the gates so as to turn OFF all the four reverse-conductive type semiconductor switches when the output of the current detection unit exceeds a predetermined value.

5. The magnetic energy recovery switch having a protective circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the gates so as to turn OFF only one of the two pairs of opposed reverse-conductive type semiconductor switches that is turned ON to cut off the current, when the output of the current detection unit exceeds a predetermined value.

6. The magnetic energy recovery switch having a protective circuit according to claim 1, wherein the control means comprises a communication unit to perform communication with an external device.

7. The magnetic energy recovery switch having a protective circuit according to claim 2, wherein the control means comprise a communication unit to perform communication with an external device.

8. The magnetic energy recovery switch having a protective circuit according to claim 3, wherein the control means comprise a communication unit to perform communication with an external device.

9. The magnetic energy recovery switch having a protective circuit according to claim 4, wherein the control means comprise a communication unit to perform communication with an external device.

10. The magnetic energy recovery switch having a protective circuit according to claim 5, wherein the control means comprise a communication unit to perform communication with an external device.

11. An AC power supply unit for supplying an AC current to a load and recovering a magnetic energy at a time when a current is cut off and utilizing such recovered energy as supply current to the load, wherein the AC power supply unit has the magnetic energy recovery switch having the protective circuit according to claim 1 connected in series between the AC power supply for generating the AC current and the load.

12. An AC power supply unit for supplying an AC current to a load and recovering a magnetic energy at a time when a current is cut off and utilizing such recovered energy as supply current to the load, wherein the AC power supply unit has the magnetic energy recovery switch having the protective circuit according to claim 2 connected in series between the AC power supply for generating the AC current and the load.

13. An AC power supply unit for supplying an AC current to a load and recovering a magnetic energy at a time when a current is cut off and utilizing such recovered energy as supply current to the load, wherein the AC power supply unit has the magnetic energy recovery switch having the protective circuit according to claim 3 connected in series between the AC power supply for generating the AC current and the load.

14. An AC power supply unit for supplying an AC current to a load and recovering a magnetic energy at a time when a current is cut off and utilizing such recovered energy as supply current to the load, wherein the AC power supply unit has the magnetic energy recovery switch having the protective circuit according to claim 4 connected in series between the AC power supply for generating the AC current and the load.

15. An AC power supply unit for supplying an AC current to a load and recovering a magnetic energy at a time when a current is cut off and utilizing such recovered energy as supply current to the load, wherein the AC power supply unit has the magnetic energy recovery switch having the protective circuit according to claim 5 connected in series between the AC power supply for generating the AC current and the load.

16. An AC power supply unit for supplying an AC current to a load and recovering a magnetic energy at a time when a current is cut off and utilizing such recovered energy as supply current to the load, wherein the AC power supply unit has the magnetic energy recovery switch having the protective circuit according to claim 6 connected in series between the AC power supply for generating the AC current and the load.

17. An AC power supply unit for supplying an AC current to a load and recovering a magnetic energy at a time when a current is cut off and utilizing such recovered energy as supply current to the load, wherein the AC power supply unit has the magnetic energy recovery switch having the protective circuit according to claim 7 connected in series between the AC power supply for generating the AC current and the load.

18. An AC power supply unit for supplying an AC current to a load and recovering a magnetic energy at a time when a current is cut off and utilizing such recovered energy as supply current to the load, wherein the AC power supply unit has the magnetic energy recovery switch having the protective circuit according to claim 8 connected in series between the AC power supply for generating the AC current and the load.

19. An AC power supply unit for supplying an AC current to a load and recovering a magnetic energy at a time when a current is cut off and utilizing such recovered energy as supply current to the load, wherein the AC power supply unit has the magnetic energy recovery switch having the protective circuit according to claim 9 connected in series between the AC power supply for generating the AC current and the load.