Bipole voltage source converter and control and operation thereof
AssigneeGeneral Electric Technology GmbH
InventorsRobin Gupta, Robert Whitehouse, Carl Barker
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Abstract
A converter apparatus and methods of operation thereof are disclosed. In an example, a converter unit of a bipole converter apparatus comprising a neutral connection having a breaker switch is disclosed. In the event of a DC fault, the fault condition may be monitored and it is determined whether a breaker switch operation condition is met. The breaker switch is opened when the breaker switch operation condition is met. In one example, the breaker switch operation condition may comprise a current level.
Claims12
A method of operation of a converter unit of a bipole converter apparatus comprising a neutral connection having a breaker switch, the method comprising:
- monitoring a DC fault condition;
- determining if a breaker switch operation condition is met;
- when the breaker switch operation condition is met, opening the breaker switch associated with the pole of a DC link having the DC fault;
- and
- once the breaker switch of the neutral connection of the pole having a fault is open, operating a converter unit of the pole not having a fault in a monopole configuration.
A bipole voltage source converter apparatus comprising
- a controller and a plurality of converter units arranged to convert power between an alternating current and a direct current;
- at least one converter unit having a DC connection to a pole of a DC link and to a neutral connection;
- and
- wherein the neutral connection comprises a breaker switch;
- the controller being arranged to detect a DC fault, to monitor the fault condition and to open the breaker switch of a neutral connection when a breaker switch operation condition is met, the controller being further arranged to determine that the DC fault is a fault associated with one of the poles of the DC link and to open the breaker switches associated with the pole of a DC link having the fault;
- and the controller being further arranged to, once the breaker switches of the neutral connection of the pole having a fault are open, operate the converter units of the pole not having a fault in a monopole configuration.
A converter unit comprising a controller and having a DC connection for connection to a pole of a DC link and to a neutral connection, wherein the neutral connection comprises a breaker switch, the controller being arranged to detect a DC fault, to monitor a fault condition and to open the breaker switch of a neutral connection when a breaker switch operation condition is met, the converter unit being a non-fault blocking converter unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.