Voltage source converter

• US 8,422,257 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AG (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Asplund, Gunnar
• Primary Examiner(s): Behm, Harry
• Application Number:
  US12/997,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20110096580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 363/71, 363/35, 363/51, 363/43, 363/41
• US Class Current: 363/71
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/36 Arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks via a high-tension dc link
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0095 Hybrid converter topologies, e.g. NPC mixed with flying capacitor, thyristor converter mixed with MMC or charge pump mixed with buck
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/49 Combination of the output voltage waveforms of a plurality of converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/60 Arrangements for transfer of electric power between AC networks or generators via a high voltage DC link [HVCD]

Abstract

A Voltage Source Converter of M2LC-type has a series connection of switching cells (7), in which each switching cell has on one hand at least two semiconductor assemblies connected in series and having each a semiconductor device of turn-off type and a free-wheeling diode connected in parallel therewith and on the other at least one energy storing capacitor (20). The series connection of switching cells has one first end (61) connected to a direct voltage pole (5) on high voltage potential and an opposite end (62) connected to a phase output (10) of the converter. An arrangement (70) is configured to connect the phase output (10) to another said pole (6) on neutral voltage potential on a direct voltage side of the converter and to deliver voltage pulses to said phase output being both positive and negative with respect to said neutral potential.

Claims

1. A Voltage Source Converter having at least one phase leg connecting to opposite poles of a direct voltage side of the converter and comprising a series connection of M2LC converter valve branch switching cells, each said switching cell having at least two semi-conductor assemblies connected in series, a phase output of the converter being configured to be connected to an alternating voltage side of the converter being formed along said series connection of switching cells, each said switching cell being configured to obtain two switching states by control of said semiconductor devices of each switching cell, namely a first switching state and a second switching state in which the voltage across at least one energy storing capacitor and a zero voltage, respectively, is applied across the terminals of the switching cell, for obtaining a determined alternating voltage on said phase output, wherein one of said opposite poles is a high voltage potential pole connected to a high voltage potential on said direct voltage side and the other of said opposite poles is a neutral potential pole connected to a neutral voltage potential on said direct voltage side and said series connection of switching cells has a first end thereof configured to be connected to said high voltage potential pole and a second end configured to be connected to said phase output, wherein the converter further comprises an arrangement configured to connect said phase output to said neutral position pole and to deliver voltage pulses to said phase output being both positive and negative with respect to said neutral voltage potential, the arrangement comprising:

at least one H-bridge comprising two switching elements connected in parallel and each having at least two semiconductor assemblies connected in series and having each a semiconductor device of turn-off type and a free-wheeling diode connected in parallel therewith, said H-bridge also having at least one energy storing capacitor connected in parallel with said switching elements, and a mid point between semiconductor assemblies of a first of said switching elements is connected to said neutral potential and a mid point between semiconductor assemblies of a second of said switching elements is connected to said phase output

and/or at least two of said switching cells connected in series, which switching cells are oppositely directed with respect to the voltage provided by said energy storing capacitor thereof, and

a control unit configured to control the converter for obtaining said determined alternating voltage on said phase output having a peak voltage of between ⅓

to ⅔

, preferably about ½

, of the high voltage potential on said high voltage potential pole with respect to ground and controlling the arrangement to deliver said voltage pulses to said phase output varying between maximum peak values with respect to said neutral potential substantially corresponding to a peak value of the alternating voltage to be delivered by the converter on said phase output.

2. A converter according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement is symmetrical with respect to said neutral potential by being configured to deliver said voltage pulses with a same maximum magnitude on both sides, positive and negative, of said neutral potential.

3. A converter according to claim 2, wherein said arrangement is configured to connect said phase output to said neutral potential pole by being connected to ground.

4. A converter according to claim 2, wherein it comprises a plurality of said H-bridges connected in series, and that a mid point of a first switching element at one end of said series connection of H-bridges is configured to be connected to said neutral potential and a mid point of a second switching element at the opposite end of said series connection of H-bridges is configured to be connected to said phase output.

5. A converter according to claim 2, wherein said arrangement has a series connection of switching cells with half of the switching cells directed in one direction and the other half thereof directed in the opposite direction with respect to the voltage provided by said energy storing capacitor thereof.

6. A converter according to claim 2, wherein said arrangement comprises a series connection of one or more said H-bridges and one or more of said switching cells, and one end of this series connection is configured to be connected to said neutral potential and the other end thereof is configured to be connected to said phase output.

7. A converter according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement is configured to connect said phase output to said neutral potential pole by being connected to ground.

8. A converter according to claim 7, wherein it comprises a plurality of said H-bridges connected in series, and that a mid point of a first switching element at one end of said series connection of H-bridges is configured to be connected to said neutral potential and a mid point of a second switching element at the opposite end of said series connection of H-bridges is configured to be connected to said phase output.

9. A converter according to claim 7, wherein said arrangement has a series connection of switching cells with half of the switching cells directed in one direction and the other half thereof directed in the opposite direction with respect to the voltage provided by said energy storing capacitor thereof.

10. A converter according to claim 7, wherein said arrangement comprises a series connection of one or more said H-bridges and one or more of said switching cells, and that one end of this series connection is configured to be connected to said neutral potential and the other end thereof is configured to be connected to said phase output.

11. A converter according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement comprises a plurality of said H-bridges connected in series, and that a mid point of a first switching element at one end of said series connection of H-bridges is configured to be connected to said neutral potential and a mid point of a second switching element at the opposite end of said series connection of H-bridges is configured to be connected to said phase output.

12. A converter according to claim 11, wherein said arrangement has a series connection of switching cells with half of the switching cells directed in one direction and the other half thereof directed in the opposite direction with respect to the voltage provided by said energy storing capacitor thereof.

13. A converter according to claim 11, wherein said arrangement comprises a series connection of one or more said H-bridges and one or more of said switching cells, and that one end of this series connection is configured to be connected to said neutral potential and the other end thereof is configured to be connected to said phase output.

14. A converter according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement has a series connection of switching cells with half of the switching cells directed in one direction and the other half thereof directed in the opposite direction with respect to the voltage provided by said energy storing capacitor thereof.

15. A converter according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement comprises a series connection of one or more said H-bridges and one or more of said switching cells, and that one end of this series connection is configured to be connected to said neutral potential and the other end thereof is configured to be connected to said phase output.

16. A converter according to claim 1, wherein the number of the switching cells of said series connection of switching cells between the high voltage potential pole and the phase output of said phase leg is ≧

4, ≧

12, ≧

30 or ≧

50.

17. A converter according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor devices of said semiconductor assemblies are IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor), IGCTs (Integrated Gate Commutated Thyristor) or GTO'"'"'s (Gate Turn-Off Thyristor).

18. A converter according to claim 1, wherein it is configured to have said direct voltage side connected to a direct voltage network for transmitting High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) and the alternating voltage side connected to an alternating voltage phase line belonging to an alternating voltage network.

19. A converter according to claim 1, wherein it is configured to have a direct voltage across said two poles being between 1 kV and 1200 kV or between 10 kV and 1200 kV or between 100 kV and 1200 kV.

20. A plant for transmitting electric power comprising a direct voltage network and at least one alternating voltage network connected thereto through a station, said station being adapted to perform transmitting of electric power between the direct voltage network and the alternating voltage network and comprising at least one Voltage Source Converter adapted to convert direct voltage into alternating voltage and conversely, wherein said station of the plant comprises a Voltage Source Converter according to claim 1.