公开(公告)号：US20160141962A1

公开(公告)日：2016-05-19

申请号：US14899379

申请日：2014-06-13

Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH

Inventor： John Lewis Outram ,  David Reginald Trainer

IPC: H02M3/335 ,  H02M5/458

CPC classification number: H02M3/33507 ,  H02M5/458 ,  H02M7/483 ,  H02M7/487 ,  H02M2001/0058 ,  H02M2007/4835 ,  Y02B70/1491

Abstract: A voltage source converter includes a converter limb directly connected between first and second DC terminals. The converter limb includes an AC terminal, a first limb portion directly connected between the first DC terminal and the AC terminal, and a second limb portion directly connected between the second DC terminal and the AC terminal. Only one of the first and second limb portions includes a multilevel converter block, the other of the first and second limb portions includes a switching block, the switching block is switchable to selectively permit current flow in at least one direction in the corresponding limb portion and inhibit current flow in at least one direction in the corresponding limb portion, and at least one of the first and second limb portions is controllable to control the configuration of an AC voltage waveform at the AC terminal.

Abstract translation: 电压源转换器包括直接连接在第一和第二DC端子之间的转换器臂。 转换器臂包括AC端子，直接连接在第一DC端子和AC端子之间的第一支路部分和直接连接在第二DC端子与AC端子之间的第二支路部分。 第一和第二肢体部分中仅有一个包括多电平转换器块，第一和第二肢体部分中的另一个包括切换块，切换块可切换以选择性地允许电流在相应的肢体部分中的至少一个方向上流动， 禁止在相应的肢体部分中的至少一个方向上的电流，并且第一和第二肢体部分中的至少一个是可控的，以控制AC端子处的AC电压波形的配置。

公开(公告)号：US10985671B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-20

申请号：US16608166

申请日：2018-03-26

Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH

Inventor： Rajaseker Ginnareddy ,  David Reginald Trainer ,  Carl David Barker

IPC: H02M7/00 ,  H02M7/483 ,  H02M1/12 ,  H02M1/14 ,  H02M7/5387

Abstract: A converter (30) comprises first and second DC terminals (32,34) connectable in use to a DC network (40), the converter (30) including a converter limb (36) extending between the DC terminals (32,34), the converter limb (36) including first and second limb portions separated by an AC terminal (38), the AC terminal (38) connectable in use to an AC voltage, each limb portion including at least one director switch (44) connected in series with a waveform synthesizer between the AC terminal (44) and a respective one of the first and second DC terminals (32,34), the waveform synthesizers operable to control the modulation of an AC voltage waveform at the AC terminal (38), each director switch (44) operable to switch the respective waveform synthesizer into and out of circuit between the respective DC terminal (32,34) and the AC terminal (38); and a controller (56) programmed to selectively control the switching of the director switches (44) to switch both of the limb portions into circuit concurrently to form a current conduction path between the DC terminals (32,34), the current conduction path configured to carry a current for presentation to the DC network (40), wherein the controller (56) is programmed to selectively operate the waveform synthesizers to inject at least one harmonic component to modulate the AC voltage waveform at the AC terminal (38) so that during the formation of the current conduction path the magnitude of the modulated AC voltage waveform is lower than the magnitude of the fundamental component of the AC voltage waveform, and wherein the at least one harmonic component is a non-triplen harmonic component.

公开(公告)号：US10310003B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-04

申请号：US15120109

申请日：2015-02-18

Applicant: General Electric technology GmbH

Inventor： Colin Davidson ,  David Reginald Trainer ,  Carl Barker ,  Oleg Bagleybter

IPC: G01R31/08 ,  H02H7/26 ,  H02H9/02 ,  H02H7/30 ,  H02H3/30

Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for fault protection in a DC power transmission network or grid that aid in determining the location of a fault in the network. The method involves, in the event of a fault, controlling at least one current limiting element of the network so as to limit a fault current flowing to below a first current level which is within the expected current operating range of the network in normal operation, i.e. a safe level. The fault current is then controlled to maintain a non-zero level of fault current flow and the characteristics of the fault current flow at different parts of the network are determined by fault current detection modules. The location of the fault is then determined based on the determined characteristics.

公开(公告)号：US09831759B2

公开(公告)日：2017-11-28

申请号：US15027669

申请日：2014-10-06

Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GmbH

Inventor： Omar Fadhel Jasim ,  David Reginald Trainer

IPC: H02M1/12 ,  H02M7/483 ,  H02M1/14 ,  H02M7/04

CPC classification number: H02M1/12 ,  H02M1/14 ,  H02M7/04 ,  H02M7/483 ,  H02M2007/4835

Abstract: A voltage source converter includes at least one limb connected between DC terminals, the or each limb including: a phase element including switching elements to interconnect a DC electrical network and an AC electrical network; an auxiliary sub-converter configured to be controllable to act as a waveform synthesizer to modify a first DC voltage presented to the DC electrical network; and a tertiary sub-converter connected in parallel with the electrical block and controllable to act as a waveform synthesizer to modify a second DC voltage presented to a DC side of the phase element, the tertiary sub-converter (39) including at least one energy storage device. The voltage source converter includes a controller configured to selectively control the or each tertiary sub-converter to synthesize at least one tertiary voltage component so as to transfer energy to or from that tertiary sub-converter and thereby regulate an energy level of that tertiary sub-converter.

公开(公告)号：US20190173393A1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-06

申请号：US16325957

申请日：2017-08-08

Applicant: General Electric Technology GmbH

Inventor： Francisco Javier Chivite Zabalza ,  David Reginald Trainer ,  John Lewis Outram ,  Colin Donald Murray Oates ,  Colin Chamock Davidson

IPC: H02M7/483 ,  H02M1/34 ,  H03K17/0814 ,  H03K17/10

Abstract: This application describes methods and apparatus for achieving voltage balancing of clamp capacitors of director switch units of a voltage source converter (VSC). An arm or director switch may be formed from a number of director switch units connected in series, each director switch unit having a semiconductor switching element such as an IGBT. Typically a clamp capacitor may be connected across the IGBT. In some arrangements a floating power supply may draw power from the clamp capacitor to provide power for the director switch unit. In the present application the director switch unit is operable in a voltage balancing mode such that the power drawn from the clamp capacitor varies based on the voltage across the clamp capacitor. In this way the power demand for power drawn from the clamp capacitor may have the characteristic of a resistive load.

公开(公告)号：US10027238B2

公开(公告)日：2018-07-17

申请号：US14899528

申请日：2014-06-16

Applicant: General Electric Technology GmbH

Inventor： David Reginald Trainer

IPC: H02M5/45 ,  H02M5/44 ,  H02J3/02 ,  H02J3/36 ,  H02M7/483

Abstract: An electrical assembly includes a DC tap including first and second tap terminals that are respectively connectable to first and second DC power transmission media, the DC tap including a tap limb extending between the first and second tap terminals and having two limb portions separated by a third tap terminal connectable to an electrical load, each tap limb portion including a DC blocking capacitor. The assembly further includes a current return configured to electrically interconnect the or each AC terminal to the third tap terminal, a converter unit, and a controller configured to selectively control the converter unit to generate at least one first non-fundamental frequency alternating current component at the or each AC terminal and modify the or each first non-fundamental frequency alternating current component to enable the DC tap to draw power from the DC electrical network for supply to the electrical load.

公开(公告)号：US20170074919A1

公开(公告)日：2017-03-16

申请号：US15120109

申请日：2015-02-18

Applicant: General Electric Technology GmbH

Inventor： Colin Davidson ,  David Reginald Trainer ,  Carl Barker ,  Oleg Bagleybter

IPC: G01R31/08 ,  H02H9/02 ,  H02H7/26

CPC classification number: G01R31/086 ,  H02H7/268 ,  H02H9/02 ,  Y04S10/522

Abstract: This application relates to methods and apparatus for fault protection in a DC power transmission network or grid that aid in determining the location of a fault in the network. The method involves, in the event of a fault, controlling at least one current limiting element of the network so as to limit a fault current flowing to below a first current level which is within the expected current operating range of the network in normal operation, i.e. a safe level. The fault current is then controlled to maintain a non-zero level of fault current flow and the characteristics of the fault current flow at different parts of the network are determined by fault current detection modules. The location of the fault is then determined based on the determined characteristics.

Abstract translation: 本申请涉及用于确定网络中的故障位置的直流输电网络或电网中的故障保护的方法和装置。 该方法涉及在发生故障的情况下控制网络的至少一个限流元件，以便限制在正常操作中流动到低于网络的预期当前工作范围内的第一电流电平的故障电流， 即一个安全的水平。 然后控制故障电流以保持非零电平的故障电流，并且故障电流流量在网络的不同部分的特性由故障电流检测模块确定。 然后基于确定的特性确定故障的位置。

公开(公告)号：US10560014B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-11

申请号：US16081440

申请日：2017-03-01

Applicant: General Electric Technology GmbH

Inventor： Javier Francisco Chivite-Zabalza ,  David Reginald Trainer ,  Jonathan Christopher Nicholls ,  Konstantin Vershinin ,  Ikenna Bruce Efika ,  Francisco Jose Moreno Munoz ,  John Lewis Outram ,  Rajaseker Reddy Ginnareddy

IPC: H02M1/32 ,  H02M1/34 ,  H02J3/36 ,  H02J7/34 ,  H02M7/797 ,  H02M7/49 ,  H02M7/483

Abstract: Fault protection of a voltage source converter is provided. An apparatus has a chain-link circuit in series with a director switch. The chain-link circuit includes cells including an energy storage element and cell switching elements connected with anti-parallel diodes. Each cell switching element has a cell switching element controller. The director switch includes director switch units, each having a director switching element and a director switch unit controller. Each cell switching element controller monitors for a fault current and turns-off its associated cell switching element and reports a fault event to a fault controller. Each director switch unit controller monitors for a fault current and reports a fault event to the fault controller but the director switch unit control keeps its associated director switching element turned-on. The fault controller monitors for reports of fault events to order the cell switching elements of at least some of the cells to turn-off.

公开(公告)号：US10199954B2

公开(公告)日：2019-02-05

申请号：US15026949

申请日：2014-08-01

Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GmbH

Inventor： David Reginald Trainer ,  Omar Fadhel Jasim ,  Dumisani Simfukwe

IPC: H02M7/217 ,  H02M7/483 ,  H02M1/08 ,  H02J3/36

Abstract: A voltage source converter includes DC terminals, a plurality of single-phase limbs, and a controller. Each single-phase limb includes a phase element and switching elements. Each limb is connected between the DC terminals and is controllable to generate an AC voltage at the AC side of the corresponding phase element so as to draw a respective phase current from a multi-phase AC electrical network. The controller is configured to selectively generate a modified AC voltage demand for at least one limb in response to an imbalance in the phase currents and/or a change in electrical rating of at least one limb. The controller is configured to selectively control, in accordance with the or the respective modified AC voltage demand, the or each corresponding limb independently of the or each other limb to modify the voltage at the AC side of its phase element and thereby modify the corresponding phase current.

公开(公告)号：US10050556B2

公开(公告)日：2018-08-14

申请号：US15553243

申请日：2016-02-19

Applicant: General Electric Technology GmbH

Inventor： Francisco Javier Chivite Zabalza ,  Francisco Moreno Munoz ,  David Reginald Trainer

IPC: H02M7/217 ,  H02M1/08 ,  H02M1/00 ,  H02J3/36

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for hard switching of Alternate-Arm-Converter voltage source converters. Such voltage source converters have a phase limb with a high and low side converter arm connecting an AC terminal to a high and low side DC terminal, respectively, including a chain-link circuit in series with a director switch. Each chain-link circuit includes series connected cells that can be switched to generate a controlled voltage across the chain-link circuit. In embodiments, a controller turns-off the director switch of a converter arm that is conducting current in response to a hard-switching request for a first phase limb. In response to a hard-switching request, the controller controls the chain-link circuits of the first phase limb at any point in a phase cycle to control: a DC voltage across the director switch and/or the current flowing through the director switch to a predetermined level before turning the director switch off.