A Fault-Resilient Implementation of Three Level Npc Igct-Based Converters

Authors

  • Anderson Vagner Rocha Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Minas Gerais – CEFET-MG Av. Amazonas 5253 - Nova Suissa - Belo Horizonte – MG, Brazil. Zip 30421-169
  • Gleisson J. França Postgraduate Program in Electrical Engineering - UFMG
  • Manoel E. dos Santos Management of Engineering – GERDAU AÇOMINAS S/A Rod. MG 443, km 07 S/N – Ouro Branco – MG, Brazil. Zip 36420-000
  • Hélder de Paula Dept. of Electrical Engineering – UFMG Av. Antônio Carlos 6627- Pampulha - Belo Horizonte – MG, Brazil. Zip 31270-010
  • Braz J. Cardoso Filho Dept. of Electrical Engineering – UFMG Av. Antônio Carlos 6627- Pampulha - Belo Horizonte – MG, Brazil. Zip 31270-010

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18618/REP.2011.2.168176

Keywords:

Active Rectifiers, Fault-Resilient, IGCT, NPC Converters, Protection, Reliability

Abstract

This paper presents a strategy for protecting high power IGCT-based converters which are currently used in a wide range of drive applications. The protection of such converters against internal faults has been addressed in the technical literature, but the main focus has been on the solutions to disconnect the converter from the mains. In this paper, the short circuit current paths through the power devices are identified and studied from the perspective of keeping the overall repair cost after a fault to a minimum. It is shown that a preferred short-circuit current path that limits the thermal energy in all IGCTs to safe levels exists. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that it is possible to guarantee, through proper busbar geometry and/or device selection, that the short-circuit current stress can always be moved to the power diodes. Simulation results are presented to support all the discussions and conclusions, avoiding the costs and risks of tests on a medium voltage prototype.

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Author Biographies

Anderson Vagner Rocha, Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Minas Gerais – CEFET-MG Av. Amazonas 5253 - Nova Suissa - Belo Horizonte – MG, Brazil. Zip 30421-169

was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on February 13th, 1970. He received the Electrical Engineer degree (1994) and the Master`s (1997) degrees in Electrical Engineering from Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. He is currently working towards his doctorate in Power Electronics at this same University. He is faculty member of the Federal Technological Center of Minas Gerais, Brazil, where he teaches Electrical Machines and Drives. His current research interests include efficiency, reliability and availability of medium-voltage power converters and its applications.

Gleisson J. França, Postgraduate Program in Electrical Engineering - UFMG

received the Electrical Engineer (2002) and Master in Electrical Engineering degree (2004) from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. He has professional experience in design and development of frequency converters for medium voltage and teaching in higher education, working in the areas of electrical machines, electrical drives and power electronics. He is currently a doctoral student at Federal University of Minas Gerais, researching hybrid harmonic filters for power systems.

Manoel E. dos Santos, Management of Engineering – GERDAU AÇOMINAS S/A Rod. MG 443, km 07 S/N – Ouro Branco – MG, Brazil. Zip 36420-000

was born in Pompéu, state of Minas Gerais, Brasil, on September 27th, 1953. He received the Electrical Engineer degree from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Brasil, in 1978 and the Master of Science and Doctor in Electrical Engineering degrees from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brasil, in 1990 and 2005, respectively. Since 1981 he works as technical Consultant at Gerdau-Açominas, an integrated Steel Mill in Ouro Branco, MG, Brasil. His current research and technical interests are in electrical power systems, utility applications of power electronics, high power converters and drives and semiconductor power devices.

Hélder de Paula, Dept. of Electrical Engineering – UFMG Av. Antônio Carlos 6627- Pampulha - Belo Horizonte – MG, Brazil. Zip 31270-010

was born in Uberlândia, Brazil, on December 27, 1975. He received his Electrical Engineer degree (1998), Master (2001) and Doctor (2005) in Electrial Engineering degrees all from Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Brazil. In 2006, he joined the Electrical Engineering Department of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), as a Professor and member of the Industry Applications Laboratory. He has worked in R&D projects on equipment modeling for high frequency studies. His main interests are motor drives, electromagnetic compatibility and power quality.

Braz J. Cardoso Filho, Dept. of Electrical Engineering – UFMG Av. Antônio Carlos 6627- Pampulha - Belo Horizonte – MG, Brazil. Zip 31270-010

was born in Fortaleza, Brazil, in 1965. He received the Electrical Engineer degree and the Master in Electrical Engineering degree from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 1987 and 1991, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1998. Since 1989, he has held a faculty position in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, where he was the founder of the Industry Applications Laboratory. He has authored or coauthored more than 90 technical papers on the topics of power electronics and electrical drives. His current research and technical interests are in utility applications of power electronics, high-power converters and drives, and semiconductor power devices.

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Published

2011-05-31

How to Cite

[1]
A. V. Rocha, G. J. França, M. E. dos Santos, H. de Paula, and B. J. C. Filho, “A Fault-Resilient Implementation of Three Level Npc Igct-Based Converters”, Eletrônica de Potência, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 168–176, May 2011.

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 2 (2011)

Section

Original Papers

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Copyright (c) 2011 Revista Eletrônica de Potência

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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