Frequency converter start-up

• US 8,350,506 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vacon Oy (Danfoss A/S)
• Original Assignee: Vacon Oyj (Danfoss A/S)
• Inventors: Strandberg, Stefan, Ollila, Jaakko, Doktar, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US12/752,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20100253256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 318/400.11, 318430-434
• US Class Current: 318/400.11
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/08 with pulse width modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/14 Electronic commutators
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/16 Circuit arrangements for detecting position
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/06 Modifications for ensuring a fully conducting state

Abstract

Method and apparatus to start a frequency converter equipped with a direct current intermediate circuit, particularly when a permanent magnet motor whose rotor is rotating at the start-up time is connected to it, wherein the frequency converter has a network bridge (10) and load bridge (11), and the load bridge has controllable power semiconductor switches of the upper and lower branch (V₁-V₆) and parallel connected zero diodes (D₁-D₆), and a direct current intermediate circuit between them, and the said frequency converter uses a current transducer placed in the direct current intermediate circuit, and the analogue current signal composed by it features samples of the measured output currents, and the diverter switches of the frequency converter'"'"'s upper branch are controlled using the bootstrap method, wherein start-up is initiated by controlling the controllable power semiconductor switch of the lower branch of at least one output phase to a conductive state for one or several periods of time, preferably of approximately 200 μs, at a time.

Claims

1. A method to start a frequency converter equipped with a direct current intermediate circuit when a permanent magnet motor whose rotor is rotating at a start-up time is connected to the frequency converter,

wherein the frequency converter has a network bridge (10) and load bridge (11), and the load bridge (11) has an upper branch with controllable power semiconductor switches (V₁-V₃) and parallel connected zero diodes (D₁-D₃) a lower branch with controllable power semiconductor switches (V₄-V₆) and parallel connected zero diodes (D₄-D₆), and a direct current intermediate circuit between the network bridge (10) and load bridge (11),

and the said frequency converter uses a current transducer (R_DC) placed in the direct current intermediate circuit, and an analogue current signal composed by the frequency convertor features samples of measured output currents, and

the switches (V₁-V₃) of the upper branch of the frequency converter converter are controlled using a bootstrap method,

the method comprising:

initiating the start-up of the frequency converter by controlling the controllable power semiconductor switch of the lower branch of one output phase to a conductive state for one or several periods of time.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

preventing the start-up of the frequency converter when the current transducer (R_DC) detects that the output current deviates from zero in any of the output phases during the time between the conductive controls.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

continuing the conductive controls until there is no current flow when the current transducer (R_DC) detects that the output current deviates from zero in any of the output phases during the time between the conductive controls,

wherein each of the several periods of time is approximately 200 μ

s.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

using the time during which flow of current is detected as an indicator of a positive alternation of a phase voltage of the permanent magnet motor.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

controlling of the controllable power semiconductor switches of the lower branch in at least two phases.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

using the time during which flow of the current is detected as an indicator of positive alternation of a phase voltage of the permanent magnet motor.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

controlling of the controllable power semiconductor switches of the lower branch in at least two phases.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

controlling the controllable power semiconductor switches of the lower branch in at least two phases.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

using the times during which the output current is detected to flow in at least two phases as an indicator of a phase sequence of the permanent magnet motor.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the current transducer (R_DC) in the direct current intermediate circuit is arranged in series directly between an upper branch of the network bridge (10) and the upper branch of the load bridge (11).

11. An apparatus to start a frequency converter equipped with a direct current intermediate circuit when a permanent magnet motor whose rotor is rotating at a start-up time is connected to the frequency converter,

wherein the frequency converter has a control unit, network bridge (10) and load bridge (11), and the load bridge (11) has an upper branch with controllable power semiconductor switches (V₁-V₃) and parallel connected zero diodes (D₁-D₃), a lower branch with controllable power semiconductor switches (V₄-V₆) and parallel diodes (D₄-D₆), and a direct current intermediate circuit between the network bridge (10) and the load bridge (11),

and the said frequency converter has a current transducer (R_DC) placed in the direct current intermediate circuit, and an analogue current signal composed by the frequency converter features samples of measured output currents, and

the said control unit is adapted to control the switches (V1-V3) of the upper branch of the frequency converter using a bootstrap method,

wherein the control unit is adapted to initiate the start-up by controlling the controllable power semiconductor switch of the lower branch of one output phase to a conductive state for one or several periods of time.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is adapted to prevent the start-up of the frequency converter when the current transducer detects that the output current deviates from zero in any of the output phases during the time between the conductive controls.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is adapted to continue the conductive controls until there is no current flow when the current transducer detecting that the output current deviates from zero in any of the output phases during the time between the conductive controls,

wherein each of the several periods of time is approximately 200 μ

s.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the control unit is adapted to use the time during which flow of current is detected as an indicator of a positive alternation of a phase voltage of the permanent magnet motor.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the controllable power semiconductor switches of the lower branch in at least two phases.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is adapted to use the time during which flow of current is detected as an indicator of a positive alternation of a phase voltage of the permanent magnet motor.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the controllable power semiconductor switches in at least two phases.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11, the wherein the control unit is adapted to control the controllable power semiconductor switches of the lower branch in at least two phases.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the control unit is adapted to use the times during which the output current is detected to flow in at the least two phases as an indicator of a phase sequence of the permanent magnet motor.

20. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the current transducer (R_DC) in the direct current intermediate circuit is arranged in series directly between an upper branch of the network bridge (10) and the upper branch of the load bridge (11).