Intermediate voltage circuit current converter in five-point topology

• US 9,780,658 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innomotics GmbH
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Eckel, Hans-Gnter, Gierschner, Sidney
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Rajnikant
• Application Number:
  US14/869,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20160094128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 363 16- 20, 363 25, 363 53, 363 5601, 363 65, 363 71, 363 97, 363132, 363131
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• 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 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/483 Converters with outputs that each can have more than two voltages levels
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4837 Flying capacitor converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/487 Neutral point clamped inverters

Abstract

An intermediate voltage circuit current converter having two current converter sections arranged in series on the direct voltage side is disclosed. The current converter section has a capacitor connected in parallel with two bridge modules that are connected in series with each other. The output of the current converter section is located on the series connection between the two bridge modules and the outputs of the two current converter sections are connected to a further bridge module. Each bridge modules comprises a series connection of two power semiconductor units. The intermediate potentials on the connection between the two power semiconductor units in each of the bridge modules are electrically connected to one another by a further capacitor, and the intermediate potential of the further bridge module provides the phase connection of the intermediate voltage circuit current converter for a given phase of the intermediate voltage circuit current converter.

Claims

1. Intermediate voltage circuit current converter apparatus comprising:

two current converter sections connected in series with each other on the direct voltage side of the apparatus;

two bridge modules in each current converter section, each bridge module having at least two power semiconductor units connected in series with each other;

a respective intermediate potential output connection point located on the series connection between the two power semiconductor units in each bridge module;

a capacitor in each current converter section, said capacitor being connected in parallel with the two bridge modules that are connected in series with each other in each current converter section;

a respective intermediate potential output connection point located on the series connection between the two bridge modules in each current converter section;

a further capacitor electrically connecting the intermediate potential outputs of the two bridge modules in each current converter section;

a further bridge module connecting the output connection points of the two current converter sections to one another; and

a phase output connection point of the intermediate voltage circuit current converter located on the series connection between the two power semiconductor units in the further bridge module,

wherein the power semiconductors of the power semiconductor unit are disconnectable power semiconductors of the IGBT and/or IGCT type.

2. The intermediate voltage circuit current converter of claim 1, wherein the connections between the current converter sections and the further bridge module have a higher inductance than the inductance of the connections between the capacitor or the further capacitor and the power semiconductor unit.

3. The intermediate voltage circuit current converter of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection between the current converter sections has a higher inductance than the connections between the capacitor or the further capacitor and the power semiconductor unit.

4. The intermediate voltage circuit current converter of claim 1 wherein the current converter sections are arranged spatially separated from one another.

5. The intermediate voltage circuit current converter of claim 1, wherein the current converter sections are arranged in different switching cabinets.

6. The intermediate voltage circuit current converter of claim 1, wherein the power semiconductor unit has a disconnectable power semiconductor switch with a diode connected anti-parallel thereto.

7. The intermediate voltage circuit current converter of claim 1, wherein more than two power semiconductors are connected in series in the power semiconductor unit.

8. The intermediate voltage circuit current converter of claim 1, wherein the power semiconductor unit has a reverse conductive, disconnectable power semiconductor.

9. The intermediate voltage circuit current converter of claim 1, wherein the current converter section and/or the further bridge module is a replaceable unit.