Method for operating an electrical circuit and electrical circuit

• US 9,793,822 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Limited (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Limited (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Boni, Marco, Saniter, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/807,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20150333656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/322 Means for rapidly discharging a capacitor of the converter for protecting electrical components or for preventing electrical shock
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/4585 having a rectifier with controlled elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/25 arranged for operation in series, e.g. for multiplication of voltage

Abstract

A method for operating an electrical circuit, in particular of a converter is described. The circuit, in at least one embodiment, includes a line-side converter that is coupled to a capacitor. The line-side converter includes at least two series connections, each including at least two power semiconductor elements, and each of the at least two series connections being connected parallel to the capacitor. The line-side converter is coupled to an energy supply system. The DC voltage that is present at the capacitor is determined. A maximum voltage is predetermined. If the DC voltage present at the capacitor is determined to be greater than the maximum voltage, then at least two of the power semiconductor elements are switched into their conductive state in such a manner that the capacitor is discharged in the direction of the energy supply system.

Claims

1. A method for operating an electrical circuit including (i) first and second converters and (ii) a capacitor interconnected therebetween, each converter including at least two series connected power semiconductor elements in parallel with the capacitor, the first converter being configured for coupling to an energy supply, the method comprising:

applying a direct current (DC) voltage to the capacitor via the energy supply; and

switching the at least two power semiconductor elements in either the first converter or the second converter into a conductive state when (i) the DC voltage exceeds a maximum voltage associated with the first and second converter semiconductor elements and (ii) an alternating current (AC) voltage responsive to the energy supply is approximately maximum.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching the at least two power semiconductor elements in either the first converter or the second converter into a nonconductive state when the DC voltage applied to the capacitor is lower than the maximum voltage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two power semiconductor elements in either the first converter or the second converter are switched into the conductive state such that an electrical connection from a positive potential via the energy supply to a negative potential is created;

an

wherein the DC voltage at the capacitor is present between the positive and the negative potential.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two power semiconductor elements in either the first converter or the second converter are switched into a nonconductive state when the maximum voltage is exceeded.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein switching the at least two power semiconductor elements in either the first converter or the second converter into the nonconductive state is blocked after the maximum voltage is exceeded.

6. A computer readable storage device having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for operating an electrical circuit including (i) first and second converters and (ii) a capacitor interconnected therebetween, each converter including at least two series connected power semiconductor elements in parallel with the capacitor, the first converter being configured for coupling to an energy supply, the method comprising:

applying a direct current (DC) voltage to the capacitor via the energy supply; and

switching the at least two power semiconductor elements in either the first converter or the second converter into a conductive state when (i) the DC voltage exceeds a maximum voltage associated with the first and second converter semiconductor elements and (ii) an alternating current (AC) voltage responsive to the energy supply is approximately maximum.