Voltage-source converter full bridge module IGBT configuration and voltage-source converter

• US 9,667,164 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Furyk, Marek, Raubo, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Han, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US14/318,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20150381071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 257E25016, 363129, 363 37, 363 87
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

The invention relates to a full Bridge module, for connecting an electrical device such as a DC capacitor to an electrical circuit. The full bridge module comprises: a first and a second terminal to connect to the electrical circuit; a third and a fourth terminal to connect to the electrical device. The full bridge module further comprises a first to a fourth switch that connect the first and the second terminal to the third and fourth terminal. The first and the second switches are arranged on a first surface, the third and the fourth switches being arranged on a second surface that is parallel to the first surface. The invention relates also to a Voltage-source converter.

Claims

1. A full bridge module for connecting an electrical device to an electrical circuit, comprising:

a first and a second terminal to connect to the electrical circuit,

a third and a fourth terminal to connect to the electrical device,

a first switch, which has a first connecting terminal connected to the first terminal and a second connecting terminal connected to the third terminal,

a second switch, which has a first connecting terminal connected to the fourth terminal and a second connecting terminal connected to the first terminal,

a third switch, which has an first connecting terminal connected to the second terminal and a second connecting terminal connected to the third terminal,

a fourth switch which has a first connecting terminal connected to the fourth terminal, a second connecting terminal connected to the second terminal,

wherein the first and the second switches are arranged on a first surface of a first support, and wherein the third and the fourth switches are arranged on a second surface of a second support, the second surface of the second support being parallel and facing the first surface of the first support, and

wherein the first switch is facing the third switch and the second switch is facing the fourth.

2. The full bridge module of claim 1, wherein each switch is an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor, called IGBT, with the first connecting terminal which is an emitter of the IGBT and the second terminal which is a collector of the IGBT.

3. The full bridge module of claim 2, wherein the collector of the first IGBT is facing the collector of the third IGBT and wherein the emitter of the second IGBT is facing the emitter of the fourth IGBT.

4. The full Bridge module of claim 3, wherein each IGBT comprises at least two emitter'"'"'s contacts for the emitter and at least two collector'"'"'s contacts for the collector, and wherein each collector'"'"'s contacts of the first IGBT is facing a corresponding collector'"'"'s contact of the third IGBT and each emitter'"'"'s contact of the second IGBT is facing a corresponding emitter'"'"'s contact of the fourth IGBT.

5. The full Bridge module of claim 3, wherein the first and second support are respectively a first and a second heat sink, the first and the second IGBT being in thermal connection to the first heat sink, the third and the fourth IGBT being in thermal connection to the second heat sink.

6. The full Bridge module of claim 3, wherein the emitter of the first IGBT and the collector of the second IGBT define a first part of the first surface, the collector of the first IGBT and the emitter of the second IGBT defining a second part of the first surface that is distinct from the first part,

and wherein the emitter of the third IGBT and the collector of the fourth IGBT define a first part of the second surface that is facing the first part of the first surface, the collector of the third IGBT and the emitter of the fourth IGBT defining a second part of the second surface that is distinct from the first part of the second surface, the second part of the second surface being facing the second part of the first surface.

7. A Voltage-source converter that comprises:

at least a full bridge module, and

a DC capacitor,

the voltage-source converter being characterized in that the full bridge module is a full bridge module of claim 1.