Method for Supplying and Discharging Power to and From a Resistive-Inductive Load, and Rectifier used therein

A method for supplying energy to and discharging energy from a resistive-inductive load or pure inductance, which is used to produce a magnetic field, comprising:

• supplying electrical power to the resistive-inductive load or pure inductance for excitation and de-excitation at a relatively high voltage in order to reduce thermal losses;
• using a rectifier with a low power loss and converter valves to commutate current and to feed the resistive-inductive load or pure inductance;
• using the rectifier and a transformer to transform voltage, the transformer having primary and secondary sides;
• actuating the converter valves to reduce commutation losses on the secondary side of the transformer.

A circuit device to supply energy to and discharge energy from a resistive-inductive load or pure inductance, which is used to produce a magnetic field, comprising:

• a voltage source to supply electrical power to the resistive-inductive load or pure inductance for excitation and de-excitation, the voltage source producing a relatively high voltage to reduce thermal losses;
• a rectifier having at least two rectifier paths and at least two reverse-connected series converter valves to commutate current and feed the inductance, the converter valves substantially lacking an inhibiting action in a reverse direction of each rectifier path, the rectifier having a reduced power loss as a result of specific actuation of the converter valves;
• and
• a transformer having primary and secondary sides, the rectifier and the transformer transforming voltage.