Power module for a converter and multi-level converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10903757-B2
Application number	US-201716637838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2017
Priority date	Aug 9, 2017
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A power module for a converter, in particular for a multilevel converter. The power module includes a link circuit capacitor, two connection terminals, at least one half-bridge connected in parallel with the link circuit capacitor and having two semiconductor switches, and, for each half-bridge, a bypass diode connected in parallel with a first semiconductor switch of the half-bridge and a load-relief circuit group connected in parallel with the first semiconductor switch. The load-relief circuit group has a load-relief thyristor and a load-relief diode connected in series with the load-relief thyristor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power module for a converter, the power module comprising:
an intermediate circuit capacitor;
two connection terminals;
one half-bridge connected in parallel with said intermediate circuit capacitor and having two semiconductor switches;
said two semiconductor switches including a first semiconductor switch having an input side and an output side, each directly electrically connected to a respective one of said connection terminals;
a bypass diode connected in parallel with said first semiconductor switch of said half-bridge and a load-relief circuit unit connected in parallel with said first semiconductor switch; and
said load-relief circuit unit including a load-relief thyristor, a load-relief diode connected in series with said load-relief thyristor, and a smoothing capacitor connected in parallel with said load-relief thyristor.

2. The power module according to claim 1 , configured for integration in a multi-level converter.

3. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein said bypass diode is a disk diode.

4. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein an anode of said load-relief diode and a cathode of said bypass diode are directly electrically connected to a center tap of said at least one half-bridge, and a cathode of said load-relief diode is directly electrically connected to an anode of said load-relief thyristor.

5. The power module according to claim 4 , wherein the cathode of said load-relief diode is electrically connected, via a connecting resistor, to one electrode of said intermediate circuit capacitor, and the one electrode is connected to said second semiconductor switch.

6. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein said load-relief diode has a cathode that is electrically connected, via a connecting resistor, to one electrode of said intermediate circuit capacitor, and the one electrode is connected to said second semiconductor switch.

7. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein each of said two semiconductor switches comprises a bipolar transistor having an insulated gate electrode and a freewheeling diode connected in an antiparallel arrangement to said bipolar transistor.

8. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein said load-relief diode is a disk diode.

9. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein said load-relief thyristor is a disk thyristor.

10. A modular multi-level converter, comprising a plurality of power modules each according to claim 1 .

11. A power module for a converter, the power module comprising:
an intermediate circuit capacitor having first and second electrodes;
two connection terminals;
at least one half-bridge connected in parallel with said intermediate circuit capacitor and having two semiconductor switches; and
for each of said at least one half-bridge, a bypass diode connected in parallel with a first semiconductor switch of said two semiconductor switches of said half-bridge and a load-relief circuit unit connected in parallel with said first semiconductor switch;
said load-relief circuit unit including a load-relief thyristor and a load-relief diode connected in series with said load-relief thyristor, said load-relief diode having a cathode that is electrically connected, via a connecting resistor, to said second electrode of said intermediate circuit capacitor, and said second electrode being connected to said second semiconductor switch.

12. The power module according to claim 11 , configured for integration in a multi-level converter.

13. The power module according to claim 11 , wherein:
said at least one half-bride is exactly one half-bridge connected in parallel with said intermediate circuit capacitor;
said first semiconductor switch has an input side and an output side, each directly electrically connected to a respective one of said connection terminals; and
said load-relief circuit unit includes a smoothing capacitor connected in parallel with said load-relief thyristor.

14. The power module according to claim 11 , wherein said bypass diode is a disk diode.

15. The power module according to claim 11 , wherein an anode of said load-relief diode and a cathode of said bypass diode are directly electrically connected to a center tap of said at least one half-bridge, and a cathode of said load-relief diode is directly electrically connected to an anode of said load-relief thyristor.

16. The power module according to claim 11 , wherein each of said two semiconductor switches comprises a bipolar transistor having an insulated gate electrode and a freewheeling diode connected in an antiparallel arrangement to said bipolar transistor.

17. The power module according to claim 11 , wherein said load-relief diode is a disk diode.

18. The power module according to claim 11 , wherein said load-relief thyristor is a disk thyristor.

19. A modular multi-level converter, comprising a plurality of power modules each according to claim 11 .

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Eckel Hans-Guenter
• Schmitt Daniel
• Schremmer Frank
• Wahle Marcus

Classifications

• H02M7/483 Primary

  Converters with outputs that each can have more than two voltages levels · CPC title

• H02M1/32 Primary

  Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection · CPC title

• H02M2007/4835

  Electricity · mapped topic