Circuit arrangement, power converter module, and method for operating the power converter module

A circuit arrangement, comprising:

• a plurality of switch assemblies connected in series;
• each of said plurality of switch assemblies having a parallel circuit of three assembly components including a first assembly component being a semiconductor switch, a second assembly component being a freewheeling diode and a third assembly component being a surge arrester;
• said three assembly components being disposed as an assembly component stack and said three assembly components of each of said plurality of switch assemblies being disposed successively in said assembly component stack;
• direct connections electrically directly connecting each two mutually adjacent assembly components to one another;
• a bridge connection, each of said direct connections interconnecting two assembly components of a different two of said plurality of switch assemblies being electrically connected to each of two direct connections second closest to it by said bridge connection;
• said assembly component stack having stack ends and electrical stack terminals each disposed at a respective one of said stack ends;
• and
• end bridge connections each electrically connecting a respective one of said electrical stack terminals to said direct connection of two assembly components being second closest to said stack end;
• wherein said assembly component stack is configured such that said surge arrester of a first one of said plurality of switch assemblies and said surge arrester of a second one of said plurality of switch assemblies are physically located between said freewheeling diode of said first one of said plurality of switch assemblies and said freewheeling diode of said second one of said plurality of switch assemblies, wherein said first one of said plurality of switch assemblies is physically located adjacent to said second one of said plurality of switch assemblies.