Integration technologies for a medium voltage modular multi-level converter with hot swap capability

Cottet, Didier; Agostini, Francesco; Gradinger, Thomas B.; Velthuis, Rudi; Wunsch, Bernhard; Baumann, David; Gerig, Willi; Ruetschi, Andrea; Dzung, Dacfey; Vefling, Harald; Vallestad, Anne Elisabeth; Orfanus, Dalimir; Indergaard, Reidar; Wien, Tormod; Merwe, Wim van der

doi:10.1109/ecce.2015.7310295

Cited by 25 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 11 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…in both sides of the DABs, which must be fed from APSs. Selection of the voltage source feeding the APSs is not trivial due to the high voltage levels and isolation requirements intrinsic to the modular design of the SST [18]. Two different approaches can be used, depending on whether APSs are fed from external AC ports or from internal DC-links.…”

Section: Auxiliary Power Suppliesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energization and Start-Up of CHB-Based Modular Three-Stage Solid-State Transformers

Saeed

Cuartas

Rodríguez

et al. 2018

IEEE Trans. on Ind. Applicat.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper discusses the energization and start-up process of modular three-stage Solid State Transformers (SSTs) based on a cascaded H-bridge (CHB) topology. A key element of the SST is the Auxiliary Power Supply (APS) feeding the auxiliary circuitry. Redundancy and simpler implementation can be achieved by powering the APSs from the cells DC-link capacitors, but at the expense of a more challenging start-up process of the SST. The first steps of this process must be performed before APSs are operative. This can result in undesired transient events (inrush currents, voltage sags in the capacitors voltages, etc.) which could prevent proper start-up of the SST or even jeopardize the power devices or other elements. A simple strategy for the energization and start-up of SSTs using this APSs structure is proposed. The method is valid both for grid-forming and grid-feeding operation of the SST, regardless of the energization port and without the addition of any extra circuitry. Simulation and experimental results are provided.

show abstract

Section: Auxiliary Power Suppliesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energization and Start-Up of CHB-Based Modular Three-Stage Solid-State Transformers

Saeed

Cuartas

Rodríguez

et al. 2018

IEEE Trans. on Ind. Applicat.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…fault ride-through) is critical in many applications [10]. Recently, fault tolerance and redundancy methods for modular PETs in the case of a module failure [11], especially hot redundancy techniques, have received significant attention [12]- [14]. These techniques implicate online replacement of faulty modules with backup ones, without discontinuing PET operation, while controlling the resulting transition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flexible and Fault Tolerant Distributed Control Structures for Modular Power Electronic Transformers

Saeed

Rodríguez

Arias

et al. 2019

2019 IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper addresses the design and implementation of distributed control structures for Modular Power Electronic Transformers (PETs). Medium voltage modular PETs are characterized by a large count of controlled power devices (easily in the range of hundreds or even thousands) and strict isolation requirements, both between modules in the high-voltage side and between the primary and secondary sides of each module as well. Due to this, distributed control structures have significant advantages compared to centralized ones. However, design of the distributed control structure is not trivial. Energization and start-up of the PET, as well as the required reconfigurations in the event of a module failure, to maintain the PET operative, can be especially challenging in this case. This paper discusses potential flexible, fault tolerant distributed control structures for modular PETs. Performance of the proposed solutions is verified experimentally.

show abstract

“…In modular multilevel converters (MMCs), which employ cascaded cells, the required redundancy is realized by implementing more converter cells than initially needed. There are concepts using hot-swapping of converter cells [1]; however, they have not been implemented for HVDC converters.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dissipation Loop for Shoot-Through Faults in HVDC Converter Cells

Jacobs

Norrga

Nee

2018

2018 International Power Electronics Conference (IPEC-Niigata 2018 -ECCE Asia)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Converter cells for HVDC applications store large amounts of energy. This energy might be dissipated in a very short time in case of a shoot-through fault. Measures to avoid shoot-through or handle the extreme currents during a fault and prevent damage from neighboring components are essential to ensure a continued operation of the converter. With future high-voltage silicon carbide semiconductors, cell voltages can be increased leading to higher stored energy per cell. In cells with thyristor-based semiconductors, e.g. IGCTs, a di/dt reactor may have to be employed. This paper presents a method to handle the dissipated energy during shoot-through which makes use of the inherently needed di/dt reactor. The majority of the stored energy in the cell can be dissipated in a dedicated discharge loop formed by the reactor and an antiparallel bypass thyristor. After diverting the fault current into the dissipation loop, there is no current through any other component of the cell.

show abstract

Integration technologies for a medium voltage modular multi-level converter with hot swap capability

Cited by 25 publications

References 11 publications

Energization and Start-Up of CHB-Based Modular Three-Stage Solid-State Transformers

Energization and Start-Up of CHB-Based Modular Three-Stage Solid-State Transformers

Flexible and Fault Tolerant Distributed Control Structures for Modular Power Electronic Transformers

Dissipation Loop for Shoot-Through Faults in HVDC Converter Cells

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About