Electrical power system converter control

A method of operating an electrical power system comprising an electrical machine operable to output AC, a DC electrical network and a power electronics converter connected between the AC output of the electrical machine and the DC electrical network,

• the power electronics converter comprising, for each phase of the output AC, a phase leg comprising a first branch including a first bi-directional MOSFET and a second branch including a second bi-directional MOSFET;
• the method comprising:
• in a first mode of operation corresponding to normal operation of the electrical power system, controlling switching of the first and second bi-directional MOSFETs of each phase leg so that current is commutated between the first and second branches of the phase leg to rectify the AC input to DC to supply the DC electrical network with DC electrical power;
• and
• in a second mode of operation corresponding to operation with a fault in the DC electrical network, controlling switching of the of the first and second MOSFETs of each phase leg to switch the converter into a crow-bar configuration in which current from the electrical machine does not flow to the DC network, wherein
• in the second mode of operation, the switching of the first and second bi-directional MOSFETs of each phase leg is controlled so that current flowing through the first branch of the phase leg is conducted through the first bi-directional MOSFET in a first direction and current flowing through the second branch of the phase leg is conducted through the second bi-directional MOSFET in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

An electrical power system comprising:

• an electrical machine operable to output AC;
• a DC electrical network;
• a power electronics converter connected between the AC output of the electrical machine and the DC electrical network and comprising, for each phase of the AC output, a phase leg comprising a first branch having a first bi-directional MOSFET and a second branch having a second bi-directional MOSFET;
• and
• a controller configured to control switching of the first and second bi-directional MOSFETs of each phase leg of the converter so that, during normal operation of the electrical power system, current is commutated between the first and second branches of the phase leg to rectify the AC input to DC to supply the DC electrical network with DC electrical power, wherein
• the controller is further configured, responsive to a determination to the effect that there is a fault in the DC electrical network, to control the switching of the first and second bi-directional MOSFETs of each phase leg to switch the converter into a crow-bar configuration in which current from the electrical machine does not flow to the DC network, and
• responsive to the determination, the controller is configured to control the switching of the first and second bi-directional MOSFETs of each phase leg so that current flowing through the first branch of the phase leg is conducted through the first bi-directional MOSFET in a first direction and current flowing through the second branch of the phase leg is conducted through the second bi-directional MOSFET in a second direction opposite to the first direction.